Western Arkansas League

The Western Arkansas League was a short–lived minor league baseball league that played in the 1924 season. The six–team Class D level league consisted of franchises based exclusively in Arkansas. The league permanently folded after one season of minor league play, with the Russellville Miners winning the league championship.

Western Arkansas League
Classification Class D (1924)
SportMinor League Baseball
Inaugural season1924
Ceased1924
PresidentE.H. Nichols (1924)
No. of teams6
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles1
Russellville Miners (1924)
Related
competitions		Arkansas State League

History

The Western Arkansas League played in the 1924 season as a Class D level league, with E.H. Nichols serving as league president.[1][2] Teams from Atkins, Arkansas (Atkins Boys), Clarksville, Arkansas (Clarksville Reds), Dardanelle, Arkansas (Dardanelle White Sox), Ozark, Arkansas (Ozark Bears), Paris, Arkansas (Paris Blues) and Russellville, Arkansas (Russellville Miners) were the charter members.[3] The league began play on May 5, 1924.[4]

The league was formed at a time when only two cities in Arkansas (Little Rock and Fort Smith) hosted minor league teams. Ozark was the final team to commit to playing in the six–team Western Arkansas League. The league was scheduled to play 60 games in a split–season format, with the winner of each split–season meeting in the finals to decide the champion. League president E.H. Nichols published a letter in the newspaper of each host city, asking for good sportsmanship.[5]

The Western Arkansas League applied to the National Association for Class D level status. The request was initially denied, with the National Association stating the league cities were too small. Team rosters were set at 12 players, including the managers, with payroll capped at $1,000.[5] The league eventually played at the Class D level.[1][6] The Arkansas College Athletic Association allowed their college players to play for league teams and remain eligible to play for their college teams.[7]

The league began play on May 5, 1924, and completed the split–season schedule.[6] On August 3, 1924, Walter Jacoway pitched a perfect game for Dardanelle against Atkins.[3]

The Dardanelle White Sox won the first–half title, winning a playoff against the Russellville Miners after a tie. Russellville won the second–half title. An August 12, 1924, Atkins' win over Russellville was reversed due to an ineligible player, giving the second–half title to Russellville. Originally, Russellville, Atkins and Clarksville had ended in a three–way tie for first place.[1][5] In the Finals, Russellville swept Dardanelle 3 games to 0 to win the championship.[8][3][9][1]

The Western Arkansas did not return to play in 1925 and never reformed.[1]

League teams
Team name City represented Ballpark Year(s) active
Atkins Boys[5] Atkins, Arkansas McLaren Park[10] 1926
Clarksville Reds Clarksville, Arkansas Clarksville City Ballpark[11] 1926
Dardanelle White Sox Dardanelle, Arkansas Johnston Park[12] 1926
Ozark Bears Ozark, Arkansas Unknown[13] 1926
Paris Blues Paris, Arkansas Unknown[14] 1926
Russellville Miners[5] Russellville, Arkansas Aggie Park[15] 1926

League standings

First–half standings

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Dardanelle White Sox1713.552–Buddy Hodges /
Lee Stebbins / Fred Austerman[5]
Russellville Miners1713.552–Ed Cowan / Jimmy Johnson
Red Day[5]
Paris Blues1515.5171.0Rudy Kling[16]
Atkins Boys1515.4832.0Wilson Daniel[5]
Clarksville Reds1416.4403.0Red Basham[5]
Ozark Bears1317.4403.0Red Day[5]

Second–half standings

Team standingsWLPCTGB
Russellville Miners1911.633–
Clarksville Reds1812.6001.0
Atkins Boys1713.5662.0
Paris Blues1317.4446.0
Dardanelle White Sox1218.4007.0
Ozark Bears1119.3678.0

[3][5] Playoffs - Dardanelle White Sox 3 games Russellville 0 - For first half title.
Finals - Russellville 3 games Dardanelle White Sox 0.[6]

References
  1. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  2. "1924 West Arkansas League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. "Arkansas Baseball Encyclopedia | Western Arkansas League (1924)". Arkansas Baseball Encyclopedia.
  4. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-WAL/y-1924
  5. "Published Stories". Jim Yeager Educational Consulting.
  6. "1924 Western Arkansas League (WAL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. Yeager, Jim. "1924 Western Arkansas League". Backroads and ballplayers - Published Stories. backroadsballplayers.com.
  8. Corsicana Daily Sun, 10/6/1924
  9. "Arkansas Baseball Encyclopedia | Russellville (1924)". Arkansas Baseball Encyclopedia.
  10. "1924 Atkins minor league baseball Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. "1924 Clarksville Reds minor league baseball Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. "1924 Dardanelle White Sox minor league baseball Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. "1924 Ozark Bears minor league baseball Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. "1924 Paris Blues minor league baseball Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  15. "1924 Russellville minor league baseball Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  16. The Sporting News, 4/24/1924
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