The Helena Senators were a

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

Helena, Montana Helena (; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat, seat of Lewis and Clark County, Montana, Lewis and Clark County. Helena was founded as a gold camp during the Montana gold ...

. Between 1892 and 1914, Helena minor league teams played as members of the Montana State League (1892, 1900), 1902

Pacific Northwest League The Pacific Northwest League was a professional Minor League Baseball league based in the Pacific Northwest. It was the first professional baseball league ever in the region. History Founding The Pacific Northwest League was founded in 1890. In ...

, 1903

Pacific National League The Pacific National League was a minor league baseball league that played from 1903 to 1905. The league evolved from its predecessor, the Pacific Northwest League and was a competitor of the newly formed Pacific Coast League. The league began pla ...

, 1904 Montana State League, 1909 Inter-Mountain League and

Union Association The Union Association was an American professional baseball league which competed with Major League Baseball, lasting for just the 1884 season. St. Louis won the pennant and joined the National League the following season. Seven of the twelv ...

(1911–1914). Helena won league championships in 1892 and 1909.

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

Joe Tinker Joseph Bert Tinker (July 27, 1880 – July 27, 1948) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played from 1902 through 1916 for the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Chicago Whales of th ...

played for the 1900 Helena Senators.

History

Minor league baseball began in Helena, Montana in 1892, when the Helena team played as members of the Montana State League. Playing as charter members in the Independent league, Helena finished as the 1892 Montana State League Champions. The team had a 29–21 record under manager Con Strothers to capture the league championship, finishing 2.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Butte Miners in the six–team league. The Montana State League folded after the 1892 season.< The Montana State League reformed in 1900, with the Helena "Senators" as a member. The 1900 Helena Senators had a record of 39–33, placing 2nd in the Montana State League, finishing 1.0 game behind the champion Great Falls Indians. The Helena managers were Carl Wood, Patrick "Paddy" Ryan and Jack Flannery.

member

played for the 1900 Helena Senators at age 19. Tinker is part of the famed

Tinker to Evers to Chance Tinker or tinkerer is an archaic term for an itinerant tinsmith who mends household utensils. Description ''Tinker'' for metal-worker is attested from the thirteenth century as ''tyckner'' or ''tinkler''. Some travelling groups and Romani pe ...

trio with the

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...

. Playing in his first professional season, Tinker came to Helena after being purchased from fellow Montana State League member Great Falls Indians for $200.00. Tinker hit .322 for the season, making $90.00 a month. The Montana State League permanently folded after the 1900 season. The Helena Senators became members of the Class B level

in 1902. The Pacific Northwest League's president was William Henry Lucas, who had previously been president of the Montana State League. The 1902 Helena Senators ended the season with a record of 65–54, placing 3rd in the six–team Pacific Northwest League, playing under manager Jack Flannery. Finishing 7.5 games behind the 1st place Butte Miners, Helena drew a season home attendance of 25,000, an average of 420 per game. In 1903, the Helena Senators folded before the end of the season. Helena had continued play as the Pacific Northwest League became a Class A league, was renamed the

and expanded to eight teams. Helena placed 8th in 1903 behind the Butte Miners (85–62),

Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, ...

(65–42) Portland Green Gages/Salt Lake City Elders (56–91), San Francisco Pirates (56–52), Seattle Chinooks (78–71),

Spokane Indians The Spokane Indians are a Minor League Baseball team located in Spokane Valley, the city immediately east of Spokane, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest. The Indians are members of the High-A Northwest League (NWL) as an affiliate of the Co ...

(82–68) and

Tacoma Tigers Tacoma ( ) is the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, southwest of Bellevue, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, northwest of Mou ...

(46–60). Helena had a 40–62 record when the team was disbanded on August 16, 1903, along with Tacoma. Helena played again in the 1905 Montana State League, which operated as an Independent league that season. No official records of the 1905 Montana League season are known. After a 3–year hiatus, the 1909 Helena Senators again began play, as the Senators became member of the Class D level Inter-Mountain League, under league president William Henry Lucas. The Helena Senators won the 1909 Inter-Mountain League Championship in a shortened season. On July 25, 1903, Helena was in 1st place with a 43–19 record when the four–team Inter–Mountain League disbanded. The Helena manager in 1909 was Jack Huston as the team was 4.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Salt Lake City Mormons/Livingston when the league folded. The Butte Miners placed 3rd and the Boise Irrigators/ Bozeman Irrigators finished 4th. The six–team

was formed in 1911 under the leadership of William Henry Lucas. The Helena Senators were charter members of the Class D level league. The 1911 Helena Senators finished in 5th place with a 60–78 record, ending the season 31.0 games behind the 1st place Great Falls team. The Senators were managed by Charles Irby. On June 1, 1911, Helena pitcher D.F. Byrd threw a

no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter or no-hit game is a game in which a team does not record a hit (baseball), hit through conventional methods. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in ...

in a 2–1 victory over the Boise Irrigators. In 1912, the Helena Senators continued play as members of the Union Association. The 1912 Senators placed 6th and last in the six–team Union Association with a record of 50–83, finishing 32.5 games behind the 1st place

Missoula Missoula ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Missoula County, Montana, Missoula County, Montana, United States. It is located along the Clark Fork River near its confluence with the Bitterroot River, Bitterroot and Blackfoot River (Montana), ...

team. The Helena manager was again Charles Irby. The Helena Senators finished 5th in the 1913 Union Association standings. Helena ended the season with a 52–67 record, playing under manager Danny Shay, finishing 25.5 games behind the champion

Great Falls Electrics The Great Falls Electrics were a minor league baseball team that operated out of Great Falls, Montana. The team was formed in 1911 as part of the old Union Association league. They also played in the Northwestern League from 1916 to 1917. The te ...

. The 1914 Union Association folded in mid–season. Helena placed 4th overall in the league standings with a 27–53 record, playing under managers Jess Garrett and Bill Quigley. The Union Association permanently disbanded on August 5, 1914. The top two teams in the Union Association standings, the Ogden Canners and

Salt Lake City Skyscrapers In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as ro ...

, played out their 1914 seasons with 16 games against each other. Helena was without minor league baseball until the

Helena Phillies Helena may refer to: People *Helena (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Katri Helena (born 1945), Finnish singer *Saint Helena (disambiguation), this includes places Places Greece * Helena ( ...

began play in the 1978 Pioneer League. Today, the Helena Senators moniker has been adopted by Helena youth baseball.

The ballpark

The name of the Helena Senators' minor league ballpark is not directly referenced. Fort Harrison Park was noted to have hosted other organized baseball during the era. Helena Montana 2006

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Stats Crew

Notable alumni

(1900) Inducted

, 1946 *

Del Baker Delmer David Baker (May 3, 1892 – September 11, 1973) was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. During his time as a player, he spent three years (1914–1916) in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a backup catcher for t ...

(1911–1912) *

Pat Bohen Leo Ignatius Bohen (September 30, 1890 – April 8, 1942) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He started one game for the Philadelphia Athletics during the season and made one relief appearance for the Pittsburgh Pirates The Pit ...

(1913) * George Bristow (1903) *

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(1902) *

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(1903) * Dad Clark (1914) * Walter Coleman (1900) *

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(1892) * Andy Dunning (1892) * Ralph Frary (1903) * Julie Freeman (1892) * Bill George (1892) * Russ Hall (1900) *

Pat Hannivan Patrick James Hannivan (April 20, 1866 – November 5, 1908) was a Canadian professional baseball player. He played part of the 1897 season in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms. He appeared in three games as an outfielder and tw ...

(1902) * Bill Hassamaer (1892) * Gil Hatfield (1892) * Tom Hernon (1892) * Ed Holly (1902) *

Jim Kelly James Edward Kelly (born February 14, 1960) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He also spent two seasons with the Houston Gamblers o ...

(1912) *

Jack Kibble John Westly Kibble (January 2, 1892 – December 13, 1969) nicknamed "Happy", was a Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Naps in . He played five games (four at third base), going 0-for-8 at the plate. His only time on base was a hit ...

(1911) * Joe Marshall (1900) *

Harry Maupin Harry Carr Maupin (July 11, 1872 – August 25, 1952) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher who played for two seasons. He pitched in two games for the St. Louis Browns during the 1898 season and five games for the Cleveland Spiders ...

(1900) * Gus McGinnis (1892) * Joe Miller (1892) * Hap Morse (1912) *

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(1903) * Don Rader (1914) *

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(1911) *

Solly Salisbury William Ansel Salisbury (November 12, 1876 – January 17, 1952), commonly known as Solly Salisbury, was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played in with the Philadelphia Phillies. He batted and threw right-handed. Salisbury had a 0–0 r ...

(1900) * Danny Shay (1913, MGR) * Walt Slagle (1902) * Jack Sullivan (1902) * Gus Thompson (1902–1903) *

Harry Thompson Harry William Thompson (6 February 1960 – 7 November 2005) was an English radio and television producer, comedy writer, novelist and biographer. He was the creator of the dark humour television series '' Monkey Dust'', screened between 200 ...

(1911–1913) * Art Twineham (1892) * Jimmy Wiggs (1902–1903) *

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(1913) * Charlie Ziegler (1903) *

Helena Senators players Helena may refer to: People *Helena (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Katri Helena (born 1945), Finnish singer * Saint Helena (disambiguation), this includes places Places Greece * Helena ...

References

External links

Senators - Stats CrewHelena - Baseball Reference
{{Teams in the Pacific Northwest League Baseball teams established in 1892 Defunct minor league baseball teams Professional baseball teams in Montana Baseball teams disestablished in 1914 Defunct baseball teams in Montana Senators Lewis and Clark County, Montana 1892 establishments in Montana 1914 disestablishments in Montana Montana State League teams Pacific National League teams