Minor League history: Middle Atlantic League (1937-1942)
In this episode of Minor League history we pay attention to the Middle Atlantic League in the period of 1937-1942. After the 1942 season, MiLB was shut down due to the war effort after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and America was dragged into the war.
Cities represented:
Akron, OH: Akron Yankees 1935-1941
Butler, PA: Butler Yankees 1946-1947, moved from Pennsylvania State Association 1936-1942
Canton, OH: Canton Terriers 1936-1942
Charleston, WV: Charleston Senators 1931-1942
Dayton, OH: Dayton Ducks 1933-1938, moved from Central League 1932; Dayton Wings 1939-1940; Dayton Ducks 1941-1942
Erie, PA: Erie Sailors 1938-1939; Erie Sailors 1941-1942
Huntington, WV: Huntington Red Birds 1934-1936
Johnstown, PA: Johnstown Johnnies 1925-1938, moved to Pennsylvania State Association 1939-1942
Portsmouth, OH: Portsmouth Red Birds 1937-1940
Springfield, OH: Springfield Indians 1937-1939; Springfield Cardinals 1941-1942
Youngstown, OH: Youngstown Browns 1939-1941
Zanesville, OH: Zanesville Grays 1933-1937; Zanesville Cubs 1941-1942
Like the previous years, the Middle Atlantic League was operated as a class C league.
The number of teams in this period fluctuated as the league had eight members in 1937-1939 and 1941 and six in 1940 and 1942. In these five years of operation, two teams dominated the league: the Canton Terriers and the Erie Sailors. Canton won the league in 1937 and 1939, Erie won the championship in 1941 and repeated in 1942.
One of the most promising players that played in the MAL was catcher Walter Lake. In 1938, he signed a contract with the Cleveland Indians at the age of nineteen. The Tribe sent him to the Springfield Indians but his stint with the club would be a short one as he was sent to another class C team of the Indians, the Oswego Netherlands of the Canadian-American League. But his baseball career would be cut short by the war. Even before the US got involved in WWII, Lake was inducted into the army. Eventually, his battalion set foot at Omaha Beach on June 9, three days after the allied invasion. During fights around St. Lò, he was fatally wounded. But Lake wasn’t the only talented player that lost his life during WWII. Many players were called up for military service and gave their lives in the Pacific and European theatres.
Others were lucky enough to survive the war. Players like RHP Milliard “Dixie” Howell. Howell played in the Middle Atlantic League in 1938 as he joined the Springfield Indians. He posted a 2-4 record and a 3.00 ERA. After joining the Army his unit fought in Belgium, where they had to cross the River Meuse by boat as all the bridges were destroyed. At the other bank, Howard and his unit were surprised by the Germans and captured. They were sent to a POW camp in Bavaria. In April 1945, Howell was liberated by Allied forces and returned to the United States about 75 pounds lighter, but at least he had survived the war.
From 1937 – 1942, the Middle Atlantic League proved to be a stable league. Sure some teams joined and left the league but none of the teams folded or disbanded during the season.
The craziest game in the league was played in the summer of 1941 when the Youngstown Browns, farm team of the hapless St. Louis Browns took on the Springfield Cardinals, farm team of their namesake in St. Louis. Youngstown was bothered by injuries, so manager Joe Bilgere was forced to make adaptions in the field as he sent his first-string catcher in right field and a pitcher in left. It all didn’t help as the Cardinals won the game 18-0 with starting pitcher Dobs pitching a no-hitter. The Cardinals were managed by Walter Alston, the manager who would guide the Brooklyn Dodgers to their sole World Series title in 1955 and the Los Angeles Dodgers to several World Series wins. The Cards would make it to that year’s playoffs but would be eliminated in the first round as they fell to the eventual champion Erie Sailors 3-0.
Like all minor leagues, the Middle Atlantic League ceased operations due to the war effort. Unlike many other minor leagues, the league would continue to play in 1942, where other leagues didn’t even start the 1942 season after Pearl Harbor was attacked in December 1941. The league would make a return in 1946. More about that in the next episode.