The Sterling Infants 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

Sterling, Illinois Sterling is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States, along the Rock River. The population was 14,782 at the 2020 census, down from 15,370 in 2010. Formerly nicknamed "Hardware Capital of the World", the city has long been associate ...

. In 1910, the Sterling Infants played as members of the Class D level

Northern Association The Northern Association was a Class D level minor league baseball league. The eight-team league had franchises based in Illinois and Iowa. The league began and ended play in 1910, disbanding on July 19, 1910. The Joliet Jolly-ites moved to Ste ...

. Previously, the 1890 Sterling Blue Coats were briefly members of the 1890 Illinois-Iowa League. Both teams played a partial season in their leagues and hosted minor league home games at the Sporting Association Grounds.

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

Bud Fowler Bud Fowler (March 16, 1858 – February 26, 1913), born "John W. Jackson", was an American baseball player, manager, and club organizer. He is the earliest known African-American player in organized professional baseball. He was elected to the ...

played for the 1890 Sterling Blue Coats, integrating the team and the Illinois–Iowa League.

History

Minor league baseball began in Sterling, Illinois when the 1890 Sterling Blue Coats became members of the 1890

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

level Illinois-Iowa League. After Sterling began play in the eight–team league, the Blue Coats had a record of 21–51 on July 31, 1890 when the franchise moved to nearby

Galesburg, Illinois Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The city is northwest of Peoria, Illinois, Peoria. At the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, its population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County and the principal cit ...

. On September 4, 1890, the Galesburg Pavers, after compiling an 8–17 record in Galesburg, moved again to

Burlington, Iowa Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of, Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 23,982 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in 2000 United States Census, 2000. Burlington ...

to become the Burlington Hawkeyes. In Burlington, the franchise disbanded on September 10, 1890. The 1890 Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team finished with a 30–72 overall record when they disbanded. The team was in eighth place in the Illinois-Iowa League standings, finishing 33.5 games behind the first place Ottumwa Coal Palace Kings (63–43).

member Bud Fowler played for the Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team in 1890, hitting.322 for the season.

member

played for the Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team. Fowler was the first known African-American to play professional baseball, becoming a pioneer for baseball players. Fowler hit .322 for the season. Playing for the Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team in 1890, Fowler hit .322 for the season. In 1910, minor league baseball returned to Sterling during the season. On June 21, 1910, the Joliet Jolly-ites of the Class D level

relocated to Sterling with a 21–18 record. The Sterling "Infants" played the remainder of the season, having a 3–16 record in Sterling to finish with a 24–34 overall record. The Joliet Jolly-ites/Sterling Infants placed sixth in the Northern Association standings, playing the season under manager Hunkey Hines. The Northern League permanently disbanded on July 19, 1910. Sterling, Illinois has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Sterling Blue Coats and Sterling Infants played home minor league games at the Sporting Association Grounds in Sterling, Illinois. The location of the Sterling Association Grounds ballpark is not known.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

(1890) Inducted

, 2021 * Varney Anderson (1890) * Fritz Clausen (1890) * James Donnelly (1890, MGR) * Hunkey Hines (1910, MGR) * Jack Scheible (1890)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Sterling - Stats Crew
Defunct minor league baseball teams Professional baseball teams in Illinois Defunct baseball teams in Illinois Baseball teams established in 1910 Baseball teams disestablished in 1910 1910 establishments in Illinois 1910 disestablishments in Illinois Sterling, Illinois Whiteside County, Illinois Northern Association teams