The Oswego Netherlands 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

Oswego, New York Oswego () is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 16,921 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Oswego is situated at the mouth of the Oswego River (New York), Osw ...

, United States. From 1936 to 1940, the "Netherlands" played as members of the Class C level Canadian-American League. Oswego was a minor league affiliate of the

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 1937 and 1938 and Washington Senators in 1939. The Oswego Netherlands hosted minor league home games at Otis Park.

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

Bob Lemon Robert Granville Lemon (September 22, 1920 – January 11, 2000) was an American right-handed pitcher and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Lemon was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976. Lemon was raised in California, ...

played for the 1938 Oswego Netherlands at age 17, in his first professional season.

History

After minor league baseball began in 1885 with the Oswego Sweegs of the

New York State League The New York State League was an independent baseball league that played six seasons between 2007 and 2012 in New York State and the New York City metro area. Over 500 NYSL players have been signed by professional teams. Players from forty-eigh ...

, the Oswego Netherlands were preceded by the 1907 Oswego Starchmakers, who won the championship in the final season of the

Empire State League The Empire State League was a Minor league baseball circuit which operated in the 1913 in baseball, 1913 season. It was a Class-D, six-team league, with teams based exclusively in Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, U.S. In 1914, the league evolved ...

. In 1936, the Oswego "Netherlands" began play in the six–team, Class C level Canadian–American League. Oswego joined the

Brockville Pirates Brockville is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the Thousand Islands region. Although it is the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, it is politically independent of the county. It is included with Leeds and Grenville for cen ...

, Ogdensburg Colts, Ottawa Senators, Perth Blue Cats and Watertown Grays in beginning league play on May 20, 1936. The "

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

" nickname corresponds with Oswego's history and culture. The

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

and

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

had first established a settlement at and Forts at Oswego in 1722. In their first season of Canadian–American League play, the Oswego Netherlands finished in last place. Oswego ended the 1936 season with a record of 32–51 record, as John Dashner and George Kunes served as managers. Oswego placed sixth, finishing 20.5 games behind the first place Perth Blue Cats. Fort Ontario and Oswego

The 1937 Oswego Netherlands became a minor league affiliate of the

, placed second in the eight–team league and qualified for the playoffs. The Netherlands ended the Canadian–American League season with a record of 67–40. Riley Parker and Blane Kunes served as managers, as Oswego finished 1.5 games behind the first place Perth-Cornwall Grays. In the first round of the playoffs, the Ogdensburg Colts defeated Oswego 3 games to 1. The Oswego Netherlands continued an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians in 1938. The Netherlands placed sixth in the1938 Canadian–American League standings with a record of 54–69, playing the season under manager Riley Parker. Oswego finished 27.0 games behind the first place Amsterdam Rugmakers. In his first professional season, at age 17,

member

played for Oswego in 1938. In 75 games, Lemon hit .312 with 7 home runs as a hitter for Oswego. After advancing to the major leagues as a hitter, Lemon switched to pitching in 1946, leading to his pitching career with 7 All-Star game selections and 207 career wins. Playing as an outfielder in 1938, Lemon has been signed by the Cleveland Indians to a contract for $100.00 per month before reporting to Oswego. The Oswego Netherlands placed second in 1939, becoming an affiliate of the Washington Senators. Oswego ended the eight–team Canadian–American League season with a record of 69–53, placing second and finishing 12.0 games behind the first place

Amsterdam Rugmakers The Amsterdam Rugmakers were a Canadian–American League baseball team based in Amsterdam, New York, USA, that played from 1938 to 1942 and from 1946 to 1951. They played their home games at Mohawk Mills Park (now Shuttleworth Park) and were affi ...

. Art Funk and Blaine Kunes served as managers. In the first round of playoffs, the Amsterdam Rugmakers defeated Oswego 4 games to 2. In their final season of play, the Oswego Netherlands placed sixth in the Canadian–American League and did not qualify for the playoffs. The Netherlands ended the 1940 season with a record of 58–63, as Blaine Kunes and Art Funk again served as managers. Oswego finished 25.0 games behind the first place Ottawa-Ogdensburg Senators in the final regular season standings. Oswego did not continue play in the 1941 Canadian–American League, as the franchise folded following the 1940 season. Oswego has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Oswego Starchmakers played minor league home games at Otis Park. The ballpark had a capacity of 3,000 in 1936, with field dimensions of (Left, Center, Right): 550–585–428 in 1936 and 354–491–347 in 1939. The park was named for Oswego mayor John Otis. The grandstand was torn down in the 1950's, as Frederick Leighton Elementary School was built on the site. The ballpark was located at Hillside Avenue & Buccaneer Boulevard. Today, Leighton Elementary is located at 1 Buccaneer Boulevard.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

(1938) Inducted

, 1976 * Bill Kalfass (1940) *

Mike Naymick Michael John Naymick (August 26, 1917 – October 12, 2005) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for four seasons. A , pitcher, he played for the Cleveland Indians from 1939 to 1940 and from 1943 to 1944, and the St. Louis Cardinals ...

(1938) *

Frank Skaff Francis Michael Skaff (September 30, 1910 – April 12, 1988) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) infielder, coach, manager and scout. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1935 and for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1943, and served as a ...

(1906) * Glenn Spencer (1940) * Vince Ventura (1940) *

Oswego Netherlands players Oswego may refer to: Places United States *Oswego, Illinois, a village in Kendall County *Oswego, Indiana, an unincorporated place in Kosciusko County *Oswego, Kansas, a city in Labette County *Oswego, Mississippi, an unincorporated community *O ...

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Oswego - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Baseball teams established in 1936 Baseball teams disestablished in 1940 1937 establishments in New York (state) 1940 disestablishments in New York (state) Defunct baseball teams in New York (state) Oswego, New York Cleveland Guardians minor league affiliates Washington Senators (1901–1960) minor league affiliates Canadian–American League teams