Quincy Gems (affiliated baseball)

The Quincy Gems was the primary name of the minor league baseball team in Quincy, Illinois, that played in various seasons from 1883 to 1973.

Quincy Gems
  • 18831973
  • (1883–1894, 1889–1892, 1894–1898,
    1907–1917, 1925–1932, 1946–1956, 1960–1973)
  • Quincy, Illinois
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes
  • Class A (1963–1973)
  • Class A (1894)
  • Class B (1895–1898, 1911–1917, 1925–1932, 1946–1956)
  • Class D (1907–1910, 1960–1962)
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles 9 (1889, 1913, 1929, 1931, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1961, 1970)[1]
Team data
Name
  • Quincy Cubs (1965–1973)
  • Quincy Gems (1964)
  • Quincy Jets (1962–1963)
  • Quincy Giants (1960–1961)
  • Quincy Gems (1946–1956)
  • Quincy Indians (1928–1933)
  • Quincy Red Birds (1925–1927)
  • Quincy Gems (1913–1917)
  • Quincy Old Soldiers (1912)
  • Quincy Infants (1911)
  • Quincy Vets (1909–1910)
  • Quincy Gems (1907–1908)
  • Quincy Giants (1899)
  • Quincy (1898)
  • Quincy Little Giants (1897)
  • Quincy Blue Birds (1896)
  • Quincy Ravens (1890–1892, 1894)
  • Quincy Black Birds (1889)
  • Quincy Quincys (1883–1884)
BallparkQ Stadium (1946–1973); Eagles Stadium[2]

Quincy teams played as members of the Midwest League (1960–1973), Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (1946–1956), Mississippi Valley League (1933), Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (1911–1917, 1925–1932), Central Association (1908–1910), Iowa State League (1907), Western Association (1894–1898), Illinois-Iowa League (1891–1892), Central Interstate League (1889–1890) and Northwestern League (1883–1884). Quincy won league championships in 1889, 1913, 1929, 1931, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1961 and 1970.

Baseball Hall of Fame members Bruce Sutter, Tony Kubek and Whitey Herzog played for Quincy teams.

The Quincy Gems name returned in 2009 with the Gems playing in the collegiate summer Prospect League.

History

Beginning play in 1883, Quincy minor league teams played as members of the Midwest League (1960–1973), Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (1946–1956), Mississippi Valley League (1933), Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (1911–1917, 1925–1932). Central Association (1908–1910), Iowa State League (1907), Central Interstate League (1889–1890), Western Association (1894–1898), Illinois-Iowa League (1891–1892), Central Interstate League (1889–1890) and Northwestern League (1883–1884).

After beginning play in 1883 as the Quincy Quincys, the team was first called the "Gems" in 1907 and had various other nicknames. Besided the Gems moniker Quincy minor league teams played as the (Quincy Cubs (1965–1973), Quincy Jets (1962–1963), Quincy Giants (1960–1961), Quincy Indians (1928–1933), Quincy Red Birds (1925–1927), Quincy Old Soldiers (1912), Quincy Infants (1911), Quincy Vets (1909–1910), Quincy Giants (1899), Quincy (1898), Quincy Little Giants (1897), Quincy Blue Birds (1896), Quincy Ravens (1890–1892, 1894), Quincy Black Birds (1889) and Quincy Quincys (1883–1884)).

The team was known as the Quincy Ravens from 1890 to 1892, and then again in 1894. The team played in the Illinois Iowa League in 1891 and 1892, before moving to the Western Association in 1894.[3] They were managed by Sam LaRocque and William Wittrock in 1892. Several major leaguers played for the Ravens, one of the most prominent being Sam Gillen who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies. [4] During the 1981 season, Pete Daniels threw 321 innings compiling a 0.79 ERA for the Ravens. [5]

The franchise played in the Western Association (1894–1899), Iowa State League (1907), Central Association (1908–1910), Three-I League (1911–1932, 1946–1956), and the Midwest League (1960–73).[2] They were affiliated with the New York Yankees (1946–1956), the San Francisco Giants (1956–60), New York Mets (1962–63) and the Chicago Cubs (1965–1973).[6]

Overall, the franchise won a total of nine league championships. Quincy captured the Western Association championship in 1889, and Three-I League Championships in 1913, 1929, 1931, 1951, 1953 and 1954. Quincy won the 1961 and 1970 Midwest League Championships, defeating the Waterloo Hawks in 1961 and the Quad City Angels in 1970.

After the 1973 season, the franchise was moved to Dubuque, Iowa playing as the Dubuque Packers in the Midwest League for two seasons, before the franchise was folded and not replaced.

The Gems name returned in 2009 by the collegiate summer Prospect League team called the Gems, who also play at a renovated Q Stadium.[7][8] [9]

Ballparks

Beginning in 1946, Quincy teams played at Q Stadium.

Previously, the team played at Eagles Stadium, which was located at the same site.

Q Stadium was constructed on the Eagles Stadium site as a Works Project Administration project in 1939. Q stadium is still an active baseball stadium, located at 1800 Sycamore Street, Quincy, IL 62301. The stadium is bounded by Sycamore Street (north, left field); football stadium and North 20th Street (east, right field); Spruce Street (south, first base); and North 18th Street (west, third base).

In 1984, the stadium was purchased by Quincy University from the City of Quincy for $1.00. Today, Q Stadium is home to Quincy University teams and the collegiate summer baseball team of the same name, the new Quincy Gems.[10][11]

Year-by-year record

YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
189756-696thBill Traffley / Eugene McGreevy
188966-501stGeorge Brackettnone League Champs
189041-424thBilly Murraynone
189165-351stBilly Murray
189212-23NABill Whitrock (6/15)/ John Godar? / Sam LaRoque
190761-666thHarry Hofernone
190873-553rdHarry Hofernone
190962-736thLouis Cook / Harry Hofer
191088-501stBade Myers
191171-633rdBade Myersnone
191267-704thBade Myersnone
191379-601stThomas Hackett / Nick KahlLeague Champs
191461-716thNick Kahlnone
191565-564thJohn Castle
191657-777thJohn Castlenone
191727-385thTed WaringSeason shortened to July 8
192554-828thNewt Hunter (41-68) / Henry Wingfield (13-14)none
192662-757thHenry Wingfield (19-28) / Henry Wetzel (43-47)none
192763-756thCharles Schmidt (3-4) / Mack Allison (22-23) / Charles Knoll (38-48)none
192850-858thJoe Riggert / Hal Irelan
192982-561stWalter Holkenone League Champs
193078-582ndRay Schmidt
193167-492ndWalter HolkeLeague Champs
193238-313rdSyl SimonTeam withdrew July 15, causing league to fold
193353-594thJoe Klugmann
194637-828thEdward Marleau / Cedric Durst
194750-757thGordie Hinkle
194881-451stJames AdlamLost in 1st round
194959-675thJames Adlam
195064-604thJames AdlamLost in 1st round
195165-653rdDutch ZwillingLeague Champs
195254-727thPaul Chervinko
195370-582ndVern HoscheitLeague Champs
195471-644thVern HoscheitLeague Champs
195552-747thVern Hoscheit
195656-645thVern Hoscheit
196055-666thSam Calderonenone
196167-594thBuddy KerrLeague Champs
196268-574thKen Deal
196356-689thSheriff Robinson / Wally Milliesnone
196442-7810thJim Finigan / Les Peden
196569-502ndWalt Dixonnone
196661-635thWalt Dixon
196758-636thHarry Bright
196859-595thWalt Dixon
196964-553rdWalt Dixonnone
197068-451stWalt DixonLeague Champs
197161-636thDick LeMay
197261-677thDick LeMay
197361-647thWalt Dixon

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame Alumni

Notable alumni

See also

  • Quincy (minor league baseball) players
  • Quincy Blackbirds players
  • Quincy Bluebirds players
  • Quincy Browns players
  • Quincy Cubs players
  • Quincy Gems players
  • Quincy Giants players
  • Quincy Indians players
  • Quincy Infants players
  • Quincy Jets players
  • Quincy Little Giants players
  • Quincy Old Soldiers players
  • Quincy Quincys players
  • Quincy Ravens players
  • Quincy Red Birds players,
  • Quincy Vets players,

Photos

References

  1. "Midwest League 1970". Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  2. "Quincy, Illinois Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  3. "1892 Quincy Ravens Statistics -- Register | Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  4. "Sam Gillen Stats | Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  5. "Pete Daniels Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  6. "Quincy, Illinois Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  7. "1976 Midwest League". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  8. "Prospect League Standings". Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  9. "Quincy Gems sold to local group for $120,000". Herald-Whig. 2014-09-05. Retrieved 2018-06-21.
  10. "History of the Quincy Gems – Quincy Gems".
  11. "Prospect League Stadiums". Retrieved July 3, 2018.
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