Sterling Infants

The Sterling Infants were a minor league baseball team based in Sterling, Illinois. In 1910, the Sterling Infants played as members of the Class D level Northern Association. Previously, the 1890 Sterling Blue Coats were briefly members of the 1890 Illinois-Iowa League. Both teams played a partial season in their leagues and hosted minor league home games at the Sporting Association Grounds.

Sterling Infants
Minor league affiliations
ClassIndependent (1890)
Class D (1910)
LeagueIllinois-Iowa League (1890)
Northern Association (1910)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles None
Team data
NameSterling Blue Coats (1890)
Sterling Infants (1910)
BallparkSporting Association Grounds (1890, 1910)

Baseball Hall of Fame member Bud Fowler played for the 1890 Sterling Blue Coats, integrating the team and the Illinois–Iowa League.

History

Minor league baseball began in Sterling, Illinois when the 1890 Sterling Blue Coats became members of the 1890 Independent level Illinois-Iowa League.[1] After Sterling began play in the eight–team league, the Blue Coats had a record of 21–51 on July 31, 1890 when the franchise moved to nearby Galesburg, Illinois.[2] On September 4, 1890, the Galesburg Pavers, after compiling an 8–17 record in Galesburg, moved again to Burlington, Iowa to become the Burlington Hawkeyes. In Burlington, the franchise disbanded on September 10, 1890.[3][2]

The 1890 Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team finished with a 30–72 overall record when they disbanded. The team was in eighth place in the Illinois-Iowa League standings, finishing 33.5 games behind the first place Ottumwa Coal Palace Kings (63–43).[2] Baseball Hall of Fame member Bud Fowler played for the Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team in 1890, hitting.322 for the season.[4][5]

Baseball Hall of Fame member Bud Fowler played for the Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team. Fowler was the first known African-American to play professional baseball, becoming a pioneer for baseball players.[6][3] Fowler hit .322 for the season.[4][5] Playing for the Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team in 1890, Fowler hit .322 for the season.[4][5]

In 1910, minor league baseball returned to Sterling during the season.[7] On June 21, 1910, the Joliet Jolly-ites of the Class D level Northern Association relocated to Sterling with a 21–18 record. The Sterling "Infants" played the remainder of the season, having a 3–16 record in Sterling to finish with a 24–34 overall record.[8] The Joliet Jolly-ites/Sterling Infants placed sixth in the Northern Association standings, playing the season under manager Hunkey Hines. The Northern League permanently disbanded on July 19, 1910.[2][9]

Sterling, Illinois has not hosted another minor league team.[2][10]

The ballpark

The Sterling Blue Coats and Sterling Infants played home minor league games at the Sporting Association Grounds in Sterling, Illinois. The location of the Sterling Association Grounds ballpark is not known.[11][12]

(1907) Parade. Sterling, Illinois

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeagueBallpark
18901Sterling Blue CoatsIndependentIllinois-Iowa LeagueSporting Association Grounds
19101Sterling InfantsClass DNorthern Association

Year–by–year records
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/Notes
189030–728thJames Donnelly/Charles Wirsche
Al Weddige/Clarence		Moved to Galesburg/Burlington
191024–346thHunkey HinesJoliet (21–18) moved to Sterling June 21

Notable alumni

See also

Sterling (minor league baseball) players

References
  1. "1890 Sterling Blue Coats/Galesburg/Burlington Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  2. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  3. "1890 Illinois-Iowa League (IIL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. "Bud Fowler Independent & Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  5. "Bud Fowler: 19th Century Black Baseball Pioneer – Society for American Baseball Research".
  6. "Breaking Barriers". Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  7. "1910 Joliet Jolly-ites/Sterling Infants Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. "Northern Association (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. "1910 Joliet Jolly-ites/Sterling Infants Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. "Sterling, Illinois sports teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. "Sporting Association Grounds in Sterling, IL history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. "Sterling Standard Newspaper Archives | Jan 30, 1890, p. 8". newspaperarchive.com. 30 January 1890.
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