Danville minor league baseball team (Illinois)

Danville Baseball Team
1888–1982
(1888–1889, 1900, 1906, 1908, 1910–1914, 1922–1932, 1946–1954, 1970–1976, 1982)
Danville, Illinois
Class-level
Previous
  • Class A (1970–1976, 1982)
  • Class D (1951–1954)
  • Class B (1910–1914, 1922–1932, 1946–1950)
  • Class D (1906, 1908)
Minor league affiliations
League Midwest League (1970–1976, 1982)
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Previous
Minor league titles
League titles 6 (1927, 1930, 1951, 1954, 1972, 1974)
Team data
Previous names
  • Danville Suns (1982)
  • Danville Dodgers (1975–1976)
  • Danville Warriors (1970–1974)
  • Danville Dans (1951–1954)
  • Danville Dodgers (1946–1950)
  • Danville Veterans (1922–1932)
  • Danville Speakers (1908, 1910–1914)
  • Danville Old Soldiers (1906)
  • Danville Champions (1900)
  • Danville Browns (1888, 1889)
Previous parks
 Danville Stadium

Several different minor league ballclubs have been based in the town of Danville, Illinois, fielding teams in 38 seasons between 1888 and 1982. In 1989, a new version of the Danville Dans began operation as a collegiate summer league baseball team playing in the Prospect League. The team plays at Danville Stadium.

Danvillle played at Soldiers Home Park from 1922 to 1932.[1] Between 1946 and 1982, Danville teams played at Danville Stadium, located at 610 Highland Boulevard [2][3]

Early Danville teams

The Danville Browns were the first, playing in the Central Interstate League in 1888 and the Illinois–Indiana League in 1889. The Danville Champions played in the Central League in 1900 and the Danville Old Soldiers in the Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League in 1906.

The Danville Speakers played in the Eastern Illinois League in 1908 and in the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (Three_I League) from 1910 to 1914. Major leaguers Medric Boucher, Cecil Coombs, Bob Fisher, Buck Hopkins, Pete Hildebrand, Hosea Siner, Bert Graham, Rube Sellers, Connie Walsh, Otto Vogel, Walt Devoy and Hod Eller played for the Speakers in its short time in existence under that moniker. They moved to Moline, Illinois and became the Moline Plowboys during the 1914 season.

The Danville Veterans joined the Three-I League in 1922 and remained through 1932, winning the league championship in 1927 and 1930. The team was an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals from 1927–1932.

After World War II, the Brooklyn Dodgers came to town with their Danville Dodgers affiliate in the Three-I League.

After the Dodgers left, the team remained as the Danville Dans, joining the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League, winning the 1951 Championship and later capturing the Midwest League Championship in 1954, reflecting the new league name of the old Mississippi-Ohio Valley League. The Dans were affiliated with the Boston Braves (1952), Chicago White Sox (1953) and New York Giants (1954).

Danville Warriors

Game worn 1971 Danville Warriors home jersey

The Danville Warriors were a minor league baseball team located in Danville, Illinois. The team played in the Midwest League. Their home stadium was Danville Stadium, also known at times in the past as Danville Stadium Park.

The Warriors entered the Midwest League as a co-op club in 1970 and became an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers in 1971. They remained a Brewers farm club through 1974. The team changed its name back to the Danville Dodgers when it became a Los Angeles Dodgers farm club in 1975. It operated through 1976, after which it folded.[4]

The Warriors experienced their share of success in their five years in the league under that nickname. They were Southern Division first half champions in 1971 (losing to Quad Cities in the playoffs); won the Southern Division in both halves in 1972, going on to win the Midwest league championship; again won the division first half championship in 1973, beating Decatur in the first round of the playoffs but losing in the championship round to Wisconsin Rapids; and winning the second half division championship in 1974, going on to win the league title by defeating Quad Cities and Appleton in succession.[5]

Later Danville teams

After the Danville Dodgers played in the Midwest League (1970-1976), the Danville Suns operated as an affiliate of the California Angels in 1982, before the franchise relocated to Peoria, Illinois and became the Peoria Chiefs.

Danville Alumni

Joe McGinnity, 1946 Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee

Baseball Hall of Fame

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/park.cgi?id=IL013
  2. ↑ http://www.danvilledans.org/stadium.php
  3. ↑ https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/park.cgi?id=IL014
  4. ↑ MWLGuide.com, "Baseball in Danville, Illinois". Updated February 20, 2000; downloaded April 7, 2013.
  5. ↑ MWLGuide.com, "Midwest League 1970" http://www.mwlguide.com/years/1970/ ; MWLGuide.com, "Midwest League 1971" http://www.mwlguide.com/years/1971/ ; MWLGuide.com, "Midwest League 1972" http://www.mwlguide.com/years/1972/ ; MWLGuide.com, "Midwest League 1973" http://www.mwlguide.com/years/1973/ ; MWLGuide.com, "Midwest League Guide 1974"http://www.mwlguide.com/years/1974/ ; MWLGuide.com, "Midwest League 1975" http://www.mwlguide.com/years/1975/ ; MWLGuide.com, "Midwest League Guide 1976" http://www.mwlguide.com/years/1976/ . All updated November 2000; downloaded April 7, 2013.
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