The Shamokin Maroons 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

Shamokin, Pennsylvania Shamokin - (; Saponi Algonquian languages, Algonquian ''Schahamokink'', meaning "place of eels") (Unami language, Lenape Indian language: Shahëmokink) is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Surrounded by Coal Township ...

. In 1887 and 1888, the Maroons played exclusively as members of the independent

Central Pennsylvania League The Central Pennsylvania League was a minor league baseball league which operated in several Pennsylvania cities from 1887 to 1888 and again from 1896 to 1898. Cities represented * Ashland, PA: Ashland 1887–1888 *Bloomsburg, PA: Bloomsburg B ...

, winning the 1887 league championship before folding during the 1888 season.

History

After hosting a team in the semi–professional Central Pennsylvania league in 1886, the 1887 Shamokin Maroons became the first

team based in Shamokin, Pennsylvania. The 1887

was accorded protection under the National Agreement, becoming a certified minor league. The Maroons became charter members of the eight–team Central Pennsylvania League. The Ashland, Danville, Hazleton, Mahanoy City, Minersville, Mount Carmel Reliance and Sunbury teams joined Shamokin in beginning league play on June 18, 1887. In their first season of play, the 1887 Shamokin Maroons captured the Central Pennsylvania League championship. The Maroons finished the season in first place with a record of 33–20, finishing 1.5 games ahead of second place Hazleton. John Eisenhart managed the team to the league championship. The Maroons continued play in the 1888 Central Pennsylvania League but were unable to defend their championship, as the team folded during the season. On July 7, 1888, the Maroons folded after compiling a record of 12–15, playing under manager J. B. Young. After the Maroons folded, Young was hired to managed the Mount Carmel Reliance for the remainder of the season. A native of the region, Young eventually settled in Shamokin and died in the city at age 80. The Hazelton Pugilists were the eventual league champions in 1888. Minor league baseball returned to Shamokin when the 1897 Shamokin Reds began the season as members of the Class F level Central Pennsylvania League before the team relocated to

Lock Haven, Pennsylvania Lock Haven is a city in, and the county seat of, Clinton County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located near the confluence of the West Branch Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Creek, it is the principal city of the Lock Haven Micropolitan ...

during the season. On June 26, 1897, the Shamokin team, also referred to as the "Coal Heavers," moved to become the Lock Haven Maroons, with a 13–17 record.

The ballpark

The name of the Shamokin Maroons' home minor league ballpark in 1887 and 1888 is not directly referenced.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

George Carman George Alfred Carman, QC (6 October 1929 – 2 January 2001) was an English leading barrister during the 1980s and 1990s. In 1979, he successfully defended the former Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe after he was charged with conspiracy to murd ...

(1888) *

Cupid Childs Clarence Lemuel "Cupid" Childs (August 8, 1867 – November 8, 1912) was an American second baseman in Major League Baseball with a 13-season career from 1888, 1890–1901, playing for the Philadelphia Quakers, Cleveland Spiders, St. Louis Pe ...

(1877) * John Culler (1887) * Jim Dee (1888) *

Bill Farmer Bill Farmer (born November 14, 1952) is an American voice actor. He has performed the voice of the Disney character Goofy since 1987, and has also been the voice of Pluto and Horace Horsecollar since 1990. Early life Farmer was born on Novembe ...

(1887) * Mike Gaule (1888) * Tom Gettinger (1888) * John Graff (1887) *

Charlie Hilsey Charles T. Hilsey (March 23, 1864 – October 31, 1918) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound tow ...

(1887-1888) * Elias Peak (1887) *

Piggy Ward Frank Gray "Piggy" Ward (April 16, 1867 – October 24, 1912) was an American professional baseball player who played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1883 through 1894. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, Cinci ...

(1887) * George Wetzel (1888) * J. B. Young (1888, MGR)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Shamokin - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Baseball teams established in 1887 Baseball teams disestablished in 1888 1887 establishments in Pennsylvania 1888 disestablishments in Pennsylvania Defunct baseball teams in Pennsylvania Central Pennsylvania League teams

Maroons Maroons are descendants of Africans in the Americas and islands of the Indian Ocean who escaped from slavery, through flight or manumission, and formed their own settlements. They often mixed with Indigenous peoples, eventually evolving into ...

Sports in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania