The Akron Acorns were the first

minor league baseball Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...

team based in

Akron, Ohio Akron () is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, fifth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 190,469 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Akron metr ...

. In the 1887 and 1889 seasons, the Acorns played a member of the

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

level

Ohio State League The Ohio State League was a minor league baseball league that operated in numerous seasons between 1887 and 1947, predominantly as a Class D (baseball), Class D level league. League franchises were based in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wes ...

and captured the 1889 league championship in a short season of play. Arkon hosted home minor league games at League Park.

History

Akron began hosting an independent baseball team in 1879, with the team playing against teams from communities in the region. This early Akron team played through 1881, with Charlie Morton as manager for two of the seasons. Morton would later manage the 1887 Akron Acorns.

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...

member

Bid McPhee John Alexander "Bid" McPhee (November 1, 1859 – January 3, 1943) was an American 19th-century Major League Baseball second baseman. He played 18 seasons in the majors, from until , all for the Cincinnati Reds franchise. He was elected to the B ...

played for the 1881 Akron team.

Leech Maskrey Samuel Leech Maskrey (February 11, 1854 – April 1, 1922) was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played five seasons in the majors, from 1882 to 1886, for the Louisville Eclipse/Colonels and Cincinnati Red Stockings. His brothe ...

, John Mansell,

Tony Mullane Anthony John Mullane (January 30, 1859 – April 25, 1944), nicknamed "Count" and "the Apollo of the Box", was an Irish professional baseball player who pitched for seven major-league teams during 1881–1894. He is best known as a switch pitch ...

and Jim Green also played for the early Akron team. The Akron "Acorns" were the first minor league baseball team in Akron, Ohio. In 1887, Akron became charter members of the Independent level

. The Columbus Buckeyes,

Kalamazoo Kazoos Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan Kalamazoo County ( ) is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. , the population was 261,670. The county seat is Kalamazoo, Michigan, Kalamazoo. Kalamazo ...

, Mansfield, Sandusky Suds, Steubenville Stubs, Wheeling Nail Cities and Zanesville Kickapoos teams joined Akron in beginning league play on May 2, 1887. Akron would fold before the league completed its schedule on September 28, 1887. On September 3, 1887, after compiling a final record of 32–60, the Akron Acorns folded. Akron was managed by A.B. Showers, Charlie Morton, Sandy McDermott and

Bill Irwin William Mills Irwin (born April 11, 1950) is an American actor, choreographer, clown, and comedian. He began as a vaudeville-style stage performer and has been noted for his contribution to the renaissance of American circus during the 1970s. ...

during their partial season. Kalamazoo was the eventual league champion. Player/manager Bill Irwin led the Ohio State with 283 strikeouts pitching for the Acorns and the Kalamazoo Kazoos. Weldy Walker 1883

Weldy Walker Weldy Wilberforce Walker (July 27, 1860 – November 23, 1937), sometimes known as Welday Walker and W. W. Walker, was an American baseball player. In 1884, he became the third African American to play Major League Baseball. Walker played ...

was the shortstop, while playing for Akron in 1887, integrating the roster. Walker moved to the Pittsburgh Keystones after four games with Akron due to racial segregation talking hold in professional baseball by official policy. Walker made his major league debut with the

Toledo Blue Stockings The Toledo Blue Stockings formed as a minor league baseball team in Toledo, Ohio, in 1883. They won the Northwestern League championship in 1883. Their home ballpark was League Park. The following year, they joined the major league American As ...

in 1884, becoming the second black player to play in a major league contest. His older brother

Moses Fleetwood Walker Moses Fleetwood Walker (October 7, 1856 – May 11, 1924), sometimes nicknamed Fleet Walker, was an American professional baseball catcher credited with being the first Black people, black man to play major league baseball. A native of Mount P ...

had played for Toledo earlier in the 1884 season. Walker and his brother had attended

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1833, it is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational lib ...

and the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

, playing for the baseball teams at both schools. The Ohio State League does not have records of play in 1888. In 1889, the league reformed as a four-team league, with Akron rejoining the league. The Ohio State League began play late in the 1889 season and ending the season with Akron in first place. The 1889 Akron team was also referred to as the "Akrons." Akron joined the Tiffin, Newark and Youngstown teams in beginning Ohio State League play on August 30, 1889. After beginning the league schedule in late August, with a final regular season record of 17–9, Akron was in first place when the Ohio State season ended on September 29, 1889. The team was managed by Harry Roberts and Charles Pike. Akron was 4.5 games ahead of second place Youngstown in the final standings, followed by Newark and Tiffin. In the 1890 season, the Akron "Akrons" continued minor league play in a new league. Akron played the season as members of the eight-team

Tri-State League The Tri-State League was the name of six different circuits in American minor league baseball. History The first league of that name played for four years (1887–1890) and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia. The second league ...

. The Akrons ended their 1890 season with a record of 38–38 and in fourth place in the league standings, which were won by the Dayton Reds. The Tri-State League did not return to play in 1891. Today, Akron continues minor league baseball play, serving as home to the

Akron Rubberducks The Akron RubberDucks are a Minor League Baseball team based in Akron, Ohio. The team, which plays in the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They play in Canal Park (Akron, Ohio) ...

of the

Class AA Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League B ...

level Eastern League, after the franchise began play in the league in 1989.

The ballparks

In 1887 and 1889, Akron hosted home minor league games at League Park. The ballpark hosted Akron minor league teams through 1920. Uniquely, the left field wall was tilted at an angle with wooden supports holding it up and the slope ranging from 35 to 60 degrees. Outfielders could run up the wooden fence to catch balls in play. By rule, if a batted ball rolled over the fence, it was a ground-rule double. The ballpark was located at Beaver Street & Carroll Street in Akron. League Park was torn down, and the Summit Growers Market Company was constructed on the site. Today, the Summitt Trading Company still occupies the site. Summitt Trading company is located at 155 Beaver Street in Akron.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

* Roger Carey (1890) *

Theodore Conover Theodore Conover (March 10, 1868 – July 27, 1910), nicknamed "Huck" was a Major League Baseball player who pitched in one game for the Cincinnati Red Stockings The Cincinnati Red Stockings of were baseball's first all-professional team, ...

(1890) * John Fitzgerald (1887) * Belden Hill (1887) *

(1887, MGR) * Sandy McDermott (1887, MGR) * Charlie Morton ((1887, MGR) * Frank Motz (1887, 1890) *

Pussy Tebeau Charles Alston "Pussy" Tebeau (February 22, 1870 – March 25, 1950) was a right fielder in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Cleveland Spiders during the 1895 season. Tebeau batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Worcester ...

(1890) *

(1887)

References

{{reflist

External links

Akron - Baseball Reference
Defunct baseball teams in Ohio Baseball teams established in 1887 Baseball teams disestablished in 1887 Baseball teams established in 1889 Baseball teams disestablished in 1889 Akron, Ohio Ohio State League teams