The Mattoon Phillies was a primary nickname for the

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...

baseball teams based in

Mattoon, Illinois Mattoon ( ) is a city in Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 16,870 as of the 2020 census. The city is home to Lake Land College and has close ties with its neighbor, Charleston, Illinois, Charleston. Both are principal cit ...

between 1899 and 1957. Mattoon teams played as members of the Indiana–Illinois League (1899), Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (1906), Eastern Illinois League (1907–1908), Illinois State League (1947–1948), Mississippi–Ohio Valley League (1949–1955) and

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...

(1956–1957). Mattoon teams played as a minor league affiliate of the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

in 1947,

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

in 1948,

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...

in 1952,

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

from 1953 to 1956 and

Kansas City Athletics The Kansas City Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1955 to 1967, having previously played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the Philadelphia Athletics. After moving in 1967, the team became the ...

in 1957. The franchise was the oldest in the

, evolving to become today's

Fort Wayne TinCaps The Fort Wayne TinCaps are a Minor League Baseball team based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The TinCaps compete in the Midwest League as the High-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. The team plays its home games at Parkview Field. The TinCaps won the ...

History

The Mattoon Phillies were a charter member of the

in 1953. Additionally, Mattoon teams played in the two leagues directly preceding the Midwest League: the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League and the Illinois State League . Earlier, Mattoon teams played in the Eastern Illinois League (1907–1908), Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (1906) and Indiana–Illinois League (1899). Mattoon was an affiliate of the

(1947),

(1948),

(1952),

(1953–1956) and

(1957). The Mattoon Illinois State League franchise was the direct result of the efforts of the Mattoon Athletic Association, which was formed in 1947 by William Zurheider, Clyde Kirk and Charles Heath. The corporation issued 600 shares of stock at $250 and built a new ballpark. Charles Heath was also a founder of the ISL. Mattoon had two no-hitters. On August 24, 1954 Tom Cronin defeated the

Hannibal Cannibals Hannibal (; ; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War. Hannibal's father, Hamilcar Barca, was a lead ...

2–0 in a no-hitter. On July 16, 1956 Mike Wallace pitched a no-hitter against the Clinton Pirates, winning 6–0. In 1958, the Mattoon franchise moved to

Keokuk, Iowa Keokuk is a city in and a county seat of Lee County, Iowa, United States. It is Iowa's southernmost city. The population was 9,900 at the time of the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census. The city is named after the Sauk people, Sauk chief K ...

and became the

Keokuk Indians The Keokuk Indians were a minor league baseball team based in Keokuk, Iowa. The "Indians" played as members of various minor leagues between 1904 and 1935. Keokuk minor league teams played under other nicknames in the era. The 1875 Keokuk Weste ...

. The franchise is the oldest in the

, as it has evolved into today's

The ballpark

From 1947 to 1956 Mattoon teams were noted to have played minor league home games at the Mattoon Baseball Park. The ballpark hosted the 1948 Illinois State League All–Star Game and the 1950 Mississippi–Ohio Valley League All–Star Game.

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

Earl Weaver Earl Sidney Weaver (August 14, 1930 – January 19, 2013) was an American professional baseball manager, author, and television broadcaster. After playing in minor league baseball, he retired without playing in Major League Baseball (MLB). He be ...

played in the 1948 game. The ballpark had a capacity of 2,500 and was destroyed shortly after minor league team moved. The Mattoon Baseball Park was located at DeWitt Avenue & North Logan Street, Mattoon, Illinois. Dallas Green 2009

Timeline

Notable alumni

* Lew Krausse, Sr. (1957, MGR) * Art Mahaffey (1956) 3x MLB All-Star * Jimmie Coker (1955) * Jim Golden (1954–1955) * Dallas Green (1955) Manager: 1980 World Series Champion – Philadelphia Phillies; Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame * Don Landrum (1954) * Grover Lowdermilk (1908) * Larry Doyle (1906) 1915 NL Batting Champion; 1912 NL Most Valuable Player * Pug Bennett (1899) * Roy Brashear (1899) * Dummy Taylor (1899) * Bob Wicker (1899) * Mattoon Giants players * Mattoon Indians players * Mattoon Phillies players * Mattoon-Charleston Canaries players

References

{{Reflist, 2 Defunct Midwest League teams Defunct baseball teams in Illinois Philadelphia Phillies minor league affiliates Coles County, Illinois 1899 establishments in Illinois 1956 disestablishments in Illinois Illinois State League Mississippi-Ohio Valley League Defunct minor league baseball teams Professional baseball teams in Illinois Baseball teams disestablished in 1956 Baseball teams established in 1953