The Wyandotte Alkalis 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

Wyandotte, Michigan Wyandotte ( ) is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 25,058 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Wyandotte is located in southeastern Michigan, approximately south of Detro ...

. In 1912 and 1913, the Alkalis, named for a locally based company, played exclusively as members of the Class D level

Border League The Border League, currently known as the Booker Border League, after its sponsors, is the oldest competitive club rugby union league in the world. It is contested each year by seven teams from the Scottish Borders, the only area of Scotland w ...

, winning the 1912 league championship. Wyandotte hosted home minor league games at Alkali Park.

History

In 1912, the Wyandotte, Michigan based Wyandotte Alkalis became charter members of the five–team Class D level

. The Border League featured teams from both the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. The 1912 league featured the

Mount Clemens Bathers The Mount Clemens Bathers were a Minor League Baseball team based in Mount Clemens, Michigan. Between 1906 and 1914, the Bathers played as members of the Class D (baseball), Class D level Southern Michigan League in 1906 and 1907, Border League (b ...

, Pontiac Indians, Port Huron Independents and Windsor teams joining the Wyandotte Alkalis in Border League play. The "Alkalis" moniker derives from local business and the Michigan Alkali Company. The company headquarters was located along Biddle Street in Wyandotte. The Michigan Alkali Company owned much of the property in Wyandotte, Michigan during the era, including Alkali Park, the Wyandotte Alkalis' home ballpark. In their first season of play, the 1912 Wyandotte Alkalis won the Border League Championship. Beginning league play on May 30, 1912, Wyandotte had a final record 19–5 to win the title under manager H.R. Browne. Wyandotte finished 4.5 games ahead of the second place Pontiac Indians (14–9), followed by the Mount Clemens Bathers (11–15), Windsor (9–14) and Port Huron Independents (7–17) in the final standings. The Wyandotte Alkalis played their final season in 1913. Beginning play on May 24, 1913, the Alkalis placed second in the 1913 the Border League standings. Wyandotte ended the 1913 season with a 24–13 record, as manager H.R. Browne returned. The Alkalis finished 1.5 games behind the first place

Ypsilanti, Michigan Ypsilanti ( ), commonly shortened to Ypsi ( ), is a college town and city located on the Huron River in Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city's popu ...

team in the six–team league final standings. The Border League folded after the 1913 season and never reformed. Wyandotte, Michigan has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Wyandotte Alkalis played 1912 and 1913 home minor league games at Alkali Park. The ballpark was reported to have opened on May 16, 1901, built by the Michigan Alkali Company, namesake of the team. The ballpark site today is a portion of the 9–hole Wyandotte Shores Golf Course, located at 3625 Biddle Avenue Wyandotte, Michigan.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

No alumni of the Wyandotte Alkalis reached the major leagues.

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Wyandotte - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Defunct baseball teams in Michigan Baseball teams established in 1912 Baseball teams disestablished in 1913 Border League teams Wyandotte, Michigan