Marion Oilworkers

The Marion Oilworkers were a minor league baseball team based in Marion, Ohio and Marion County, Ohio. In 1903 and 1904, the Oilworkers played as members of the Class B level Central League, while hosting home minor league games at Webb Park. In 1904, the Oilworkers relocated to and from Peoria, Illinois during the season.

Marion Oilworkers
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass B (1903–1904)
LeagueCentral League (1903–1904)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Team data
NameMarion Oilworkers (1903–1904)
BallparkWebb Park (1903–1904)

History

Marion, Ohio first hosted minor league baseball in 1900, when the Marion "Glass Blowers" team played a partial season as members of Class B level Interstate League. The Glass Blowers finished in seventh place before the league folded following the season.[1][2]

In 1903, the Marion "Oilworkers" resumed minor league play, as the team became charter members of the eight-team, Class B level Central League.[3]The Anderson Orphans, Dayton Veterans, Evansville River Rats, Fort Wayne Railroaders, South Bend Green Stockings, Terre Haute Hottentots and Wheeling Stogies joined Marion in beginning Central League play on April 30, 1903.[4][5]

The "Oilworkers" nickname for the team corresponds to industrial oil digging efforts that took place in the era.[6]

In their first season of play, Marion placed third in the Central League.[3][7] The Oilworkers ended their initial Central League season with a record of 71–65, playing the season under manager John Grim. Marion finished 17.0 games behind the place first place Fort Wayne in the final regular season standings, as the league held no playoffs.[8][5]

The Marion Oilworkers continued play in the 1904 Central League, before relocating and returning during the same season.[9]

On May 29, 1903, one day before the team relocated, pitcher/infielder Jim Hackett threw a two-hit shutout against the Fort Wayne Railroaders, winning 3-0. Hackett was attempting a comeback after losing eyesight due to a poison ivy related infection in 1903 that left him hospitalized for over two months.[10]

The next day, on May 30, 1903, Marion moved to become the Peoria Distillers, with a 12-15 record. After compiling a 27-33 record while based in Peoria, the franchise returned to Marion on July 24, 1904, and played the remainder of the season as the Oilworkers, finishing in sixth place.[11] Overall, the Marion/Peoria team compiled an overall record of 61-75 and finished 25.5 games behind the first place Fort Wayne Railroaders in the final standings of the eight-team league. The Oilworkers were managed by the returning John Grim and Mike Lawrence during their final season.[12][5]

The Marion Oilworkers did not return to the 1905 Central League and were replaced by the Springfield Babes franchise in league play.[13][5]

The Oilworkers were succeeded in minor league play by the 1906 "Marion" team that played a partial season in the Class B level Interstate Association[14][5] and the 1906 and 1907 Marion Moguls of the Class C level Ohio-Pennsylvania League.[15][5]

The ballpark

The Marion Oilers hosted minor league home games at Webb Park. The ballpark had a capacity of 800 and was located in Marion.[16]

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeagueBallpark
19032Marion OilworkersClass DCentral LeagueWebb Park
1904(1)1
1904(2)1Peoria DistillersLakeview Park[17]
1904(3)1Marion OilworkersWebb Park

Year-by-year records
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs / Notes
190371–653rdJohn GrimNo playoffs held
190461–756thJohn Grim / Mike LawrenceNo playoffs held
Marion (12-15) moved to Peoria May 30
Peoria (27-33) moved to Marion July 24

Notable alumni

See also

Marion Oilworkers players

References
  1. "1900 Youngstown Little Giants/Marion Glass Blowers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. "1900 Interstate League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. "1903 Central League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. "1903 Central League (CL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  6. Lanka, Benjamin. "Marion County at 200: Quarry becomes first industry in the county". The Marion Star.
  7. "1903 Marion Oilworkers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. "1903 Marion Oilworkers minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  9. "1904 Marion Oilworkers/Peoria Distillers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. "Jim Hackett – Society for American Baseball Research".
  11. "1904 Marion Oilworkers/Peoria Distillers minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. "1904 Central League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  13. "1905 Central League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  14. "1906 Saginaw/Marion (OH) minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  15. "1907 Marion Moguls Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  16. "Webb Park in Marion, OH minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  17. "Lake View Park in Peoria, IL minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
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