The Bozeman Irrigators were a minor league baseball team based in

Bozeman, Montana Bozeman is a city and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States. Located in southwest Montana, the 2020 census put Bozeman's population at 53,293, making it the fourth-largest city in Montana. It is the principal city of th ...

. In 1909, the Irrigators played a partial season as members of the Class D level

Inter-Mountain League The Inter–Mountain League was a minor league baseball league that played in the 1901 and 1909 baseball seasons. League franchises were based in Idaho, Montana and Utah. History The 1901 Inter–Mountain League was an Independent league that f ...

. The Irrigators were preceded by an 1892 Bozeman team, which played as members of the Class B level

Montana State League The Montana State League was a minor league baseball league that played various seasons between 1892 and 1925 as an Independent league. As the name implies, the Montana State League consisted of teams based in exclusively in Montana, with the exc ...

History

Bozeman, Montana first hosted minor league baseball in 1892. The 1892 Bozeman team became a member of the six–team, Class B level

, a league that played a split–season schedule. The

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Great Falls Smelter Cities Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" *Artel Great (born ...

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, Missoula and Philipsburg Burgers teams joined Bozeman in league play. Bozeman folded during the 1892 season. On July 23, 1892, the team disbanded at the start of the second half. Bozeman folded with an overall record of 10–8, playing under manager B.E. Vaile. The Great Falls Smelter Cities folded on the same day. The 1892 Montana State League finished the season schedule with four teams and folded after the season was completed. Minor league baseball returned to Bozeman during the 1909 season. On July 10, 1909, the Boise Irrigators of the Class D level

moved to Bozeman to finish the 1909 season. Boise had compiled a 13–38 record when the franchise moved to Bozeman on July 10. Bozeman hosted their first home game on July 15, 1909. On July 25, 1909, the Inter-Mountain League disbanded during the season. The Boise/Bozeman team ended the season with a record of 16–41, placing 4th in the four–team Inter-Mountain League, finishing 22.0 games behind the 1st place

Helena Senators The Helena Senators were a minor league baseball team based in Helena, Montana. Between 1892 and 1914, Helena minor league teams played as members of the Montana State League (1892, 1900), 1902 Pacific Northwest League, 1903 Pacific National Leag ...

. The team was managed by Con Strouthers and

Joe Marshall Joseph Hanley Marshall (February 19, 1876 – September 11, 1931), nicknamed "Home Run Joe",

. Bozeman, Montana has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The name of the Bozeman minor league ballpark(s) is not directly referenced. The Gallatin County Fairgrounds were in use in the era, constructed in 1903. Still in use today, the fairgrounds host amateur baseball at Heros Park. 23796 3283 540 Screen shot 2014 08 02 at 2 27 47 PM

23796 3283 540 Screen shot 2014 08 02 at 2 27 47 PM

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

* Pop Dillon (1892) * Harry Gardner (1909) *

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(1892) *

Joe Marshall Joseph Hanley Marshall (February 19, 1876 – September 11, 1931), nicknamed "Home Run Joe",

(1909, MGR) * Joe Miller (1892) *

Joe Moffet Joseph William Moffet (June 1859 – February 24, 1935) was an American professional baseball player who played first base in the American Association for the 1884 Toledo Blue Stockings. His brother, Sam Moffet Samuel R. Moffet (March 14, 1857 ...

(1892) * Con Strouthers (1909, MGR)

References