Twin Ports League
The Twin Ports League was an American minor baseball league that existed for six weeks (May 30 through July 13) during the wartime 1943 season. Comprising four teams based in Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin.
| Classification | Class E (1943) |
|---|---|
| Sport | Minor League Baseball |
| Founder | Frank Wade |
| Inaugural season | 1943 |
| Ceased | July 14, 1943 |
| President | Frank Wade (1943) |
| No. of teams | 4 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Most titles | 1 Superior Bays (1943) |
History
The Twin Ports League was the only league to be designated Class E—one level below the previously lowest minor league level, Class D—by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (the formal name of Minor League Baseball).
According to Baseball Americas Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, many of the players in the Twin Ports League were employed in the Twin Ports' war factories, dockyards and shipyards. The teams included the Duluth Dukes, Duluth Heralds, Duluth Marine Iron, and the Superior Bays. The Superior club was in first place when the league disbanded on July 13, 1943.
Only one player in the Twin Ports League eventually reached Major League Baseball—Ernie Rudolph, who pitched in seven games for the 1945 Brooklyn Dodgers.
Former major league player Wally Gilbert managed the Marine Iron team.[1]
Cities represented
- Duluth, MN: Duluth Dukes 1943; Duluth Heralds 1943; Duluth Marine Iron 1943
- Superior, WI: Superior Bays 1943
Standings and statistics
1943 Twin Ports League
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior Bays | 11 | 7 | .611 | - | Red Treadwell / John Schroeder |
| Duluth Marine Iron | 9 | 7 | .563 | 1.0 | Wally Gilbert |
| Duluth Dukes | 9 | 10 | .474 | 2.5 | Bud McPherson |
| Duluth Heralds | 5 | 10 | .333 | 4.5 | Frank Summers |
The league disbanded July 13.[2][3]
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wally Gilbert | Marine Iron | BA | .456 | Ed Anderson | Marine Iron | W | 4 | |
| John Schroeder | Superior | Runs | 21 | Bob Connolly | Superior | W | 4 | |
| John Schroeder | Superior | Hits | 27 | Verl Westergard | Superior | SO | 56 | |
| John Schroeder | Superior | RBI | 23 | Verl Westergard | Superior | ERA | 2.25 | |
| John Norlander | Dukes | HR | 1 | R.A. Ryan | Dukes | PCT | 1.000 3-0 | |
| Joe Shonts | Heralds | HR | 1 |
References
- Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, eds., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 2nd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 1997, page 339
- Ray Luurs. "Wally Gilbert". SABR BioProject.
- "1943 Twin Ports League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, editors (Third ed.). Baseball America. 2007. ISBN 978-1932391176.
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