The Potomac League was 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 ...

league that played a partial season as a Class D level league in 1916. The Potomac League featured four teams based in

West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

and

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

. The Potomac League permanently folded on August 16, 1916 with the Frostburg Demons in first place.

History

Cumberland, Maryland Cumberland is a city in Allegany County, Maryland, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 19,075. Located on the Potomac River, Cumberland is a regional business and comm ...

resident Colonel Nelson W. Russler and Cumberland attorney Fuller Barnard Jr. laid the groundwork the Potomac League at a meeting held in February, 1916. Charles Boyer, president of the

Blue Ridge League The Blue Ridge League was the name of two minor league baseball organizations that operated in the first half of the twentieth century in the United States. History The first league operated for the better part of sixteen years, from 1915 throu ...

organized a group of businessmen to garner interest in fielding a league in the area. One year earlier, Cumberland had sought entry into the 1915

, but were unsuccessful due to distance. Fuller Bernard became the Potomac League president. The Potomac League formed for the 1916 season as a Class D level minor league. The Potomac League featured four charter teams. The

based Cumberland Colts, the

Frostburg, Maryland Frostburg is a city in Allegany County, Maryland. It is located at the head of the Georges Creek Valley, west of Cumberland. The town is one of the first cities on the "National Road", US 40, and the western terminus of the Western Marylan ...

based Frostburg Demons, the

Lonaconing, Maryland Lonaconing is a town in Allegany County, Maryland, United States, located along the Georges Creek Valley. It is part of the Cumberland, MD- WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,214 at the 2010 census. History The first non ...

] based Lonaconing Giants and the Piedmont Drybugs, based in

Piedmont, West Virginia Piedmont is a town in Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Cumberland, MD- WV metropolitan statistical area. The population was 716 at the 2020 census. Piedmont was chartered in 1856 and the town is the subject of ...

, were the four league franchises. The Potomac League began play on May 3, 1916. In the two opening day games, Frostburg and Cumberland played at Cumberland's South End Park, with Cumberland winning 2–0, and 1,500 in attendance. Piedmont and Lonaconing played at Lonaconing Park, with Piedmont winning 5–0. For the season, the league had two umpires, one for each game, Doll Derr and Thomas McNamara. The Potomac League struggled financially, as Cumberland was the only league franchise turning a profit. On July 23, 1916, the Lonaconing Giants franchise folded. This left the Potomac League with three teams and the schedule was rearranged for the season to continue. On August 16, 1916, the first place Frostburg Demons franchise folded due to financial reasons. This forced the Potomac League to permanently fold. The final Potomac League standings were led by the Frostburg Demons, who folded with a record of 33–25. Frostburg was 6.0 games ahead of the second place Lonaconing Giants (26–18), followed by the Piedmont Drybugs (26–30) and Cumberland Colts (23–35). Following the 1916 season, the Potomac League franchises of Cumberland and Piedmont continued in minor league baseball. Cumberland became a member of the Class D level

in 1917 and played through 1932. Piedmont, also known as Piedmont/Westernport, played in the 1918 Blue Ridge League.

Standings and statistics

1916 Potomac League Lonaconing disbanded July 23.
The league disbanded August 16

References

External links

Potomac League - Baseball Reference
{{Professional Baseball 1916 establishments in the United States Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States Baseball leagues in Maryland Baseball leagues in West Virginia Sports leagues established in 1916 Sports leagues disestablished in 1916