Maryville Comets

The Maryville Comets were a minor league baseball team based in Maryville, Missouri. In 1910 and 1911, the Comets played exclusively as members of the Class D level Missouri-Iowa-Nebraska-Kansas League, winning the 1911 league championship in their final season.

Maryville Comets
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D (1910–1911)
LeagueMissouri-Iowa-Nebraska-Kansas League (1910–1911)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (1)1911
Team data
NameMaryville Comets (1910–1911)
BallparkKiffe's ballpark (1910–1911)*

History

Minor league baseball began in Maryville, Missouri in 1910. The Maryville "Comets" began play as charter members of the six–team Class D level Missouri-Illinois-Nebraska-Kansas League.[1] The league became known informally as the MINK League. Maryville played with the Auburn Athletics, Clarinda Antelopes, Falls City Colts, Nebraska City Foresters and Shenandoah Pin Rollers teams as charter members in the new league.[2][3]

The Maryville use of the "Comets" moniker corresponds with the 1910 appearance of Halley's Comet, as well as the meaning of a team starting a season on a winning streak. Local newspapers used the term "Joe Wentz' Comets" in describing the Maryville team in 1910 and the team continued with the moniker in 1911.[4]

In their first season of play, Maryville finished the 1910 season with a record of 45–54, placing fifth in the MINK standings.[5][6] The Comets finished 13.0 games behind the champion Falls City Colts.[7] The Maryville Comets were led by player/manager Joe Wentz, who also led the league in hitting with a .304 average. Playing home games at their home ballpark, Maryville's total season attendance was 8,349, an average of 169 fans per game.[2][8][9][10][3]

In their final season, the Maryville Comets won the 1911 Missouri-Illinois-Nebraska-Kansas League championship. However, the franchise relocated during the season.[11][12] On July 10, 1911, the Maryville Colts had a 24–21 record when franchise relocated to Humboldt, Nebraska, finishing the 1911 season as the Humboldt Infants (the team in Humboldt has also been referred to as the "Indians" and "Orphans").[13][14] Maryville/Humboldt finished the 1911 season with a 59–41 overall record under Managers Harry Sievers and A.F. Bridges, finishing 2.0 games ahead of the second place Falls City Colts in the six–team league.[15][16][3][17]

Maryville, Missouri has not hosted another minor league team.[3][11]

The ballpark

The name of the Maryville Comets' home minor league ballpark is not directly referenced..[18] Kiffe's Ballpark in Maryville was use in the era and hosted teams for baseball play.[19]

(2008) Maryville, Missouri skyline

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeague
1910–19112Maryville CometsClass DMissouri-Iowa-Nebraska-Kansas League

Year–by–year records
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/Notes
191045–545thJoe WentzNo playoffs held
191159–411stHarry Sievers / A.F. BridgesLeague Champions

Notable alumni

No Maryville alumni reached the major leagues.[6][12]

References
  1. "1910 Missouri-Illinois-Nebraska- Kansas League (MINKL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  2. Reichard, Kevin (November 5, 2008). "Missouri-Iowa-Nebraska-Kansas (MINK) League".
  3. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  4. Worth, Richard (2013) Baseball Team Names: A Worldwide Dictionary 1869-2011. McFarland & Co. p.177.ISBN 978-0-7864-6844-7
  5. "1910 Missouri-Iowa-Nebraska-Kansas League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. "1910 Maryville Comets Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  7. "1910 Missouri-Illinois-Nebraska- Kansas League (MINKL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  8. Forum, TOM EMERY Special to the Daily. "Maryville Comets streaked to minor league glory". The Maryville Forum.
  9. "1910 Maryville Comets Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. "MINK league results 1910". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
  11. "Maryville, Missouri Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  12. "1911 Maryville Comets/Humboldt Infants Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  13. "Nebraska Minor League Baseball Humboldt Infants". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
  14. "1911 Maryville Comets/Humboldt Infants Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  15. "1911 Missouri-Illinois-Nebraska- Kansas League (MINKL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  16. "MINK league results 1911". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
  17. "1911 Missouri-Iowa-Nebraska-Kansas League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  18. "Unknown in Maryville, MO history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  19. "Maryville Democrat Forum Archives, Jul 2, 1910, p. 1". NewspaperArchive.com. July 2, 1910.
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