Minor League History: Mountain State League
In today’s episode of Minor League History, we pay attention to the Mountain State League, not to be mixed up with the Mountain States League.
Cities represented:
*Ashland, KY: Ashland Colonels 1939-1942
*Beckley, WV: Beckley Bengals 1937-1938
*Bluefield, WV: Bluefield Blue-Grays 1937-1942
*Huntington, WV: Huntington Boosters 1937; Huntington Bees 1938;
Huntington Boosters 1939; Huntington Aces 1940-1941; Huntington Jewels 1942
*Logan, WV: Logan Indians 1937-1942
*Welch, WV: Welch Miners 1937-1942
*Williamson, WV: Williamson Colts 1937-1938; Williamson Red Birds 1939-1942
The Mountain States League was founded in 1937 and lasted as a Class D league through the 1941 season. In 1942, the league was promoted to Class C level. After the 1942 sesaon, the league ceased activities due to the war effort of the USA and the related travel ban.
In the inaugural season, the league planned to have a split season format but that idea was dropped in August of that year.
The league had a six-team format and was surprisingly stable for a Class D circuit. Only one team dropped out: The Beckley Bengals, that played the 1937 and 1938 season. Despite the fact that the Bengals won the championship in both seasons, it was replaced in 1939 by the Ashland Colonels.
Despite some name changes in the five-year run, all other cities remained a member of the league. The league was a nice distraction for the mine workers in the area.
By far the most famous player that called the league home was Stan Musial, who played for the Williams Colts (1938) and the Williamson Red Birds (1939). Musial started his career as a seventeen-year old in the Mountain States League. In his early career, Musial also took the mound, but the numbers he put up as a pitcher were not as impressive as his hitting.
Another sign, the Mountain State League was a stable league was the fact that for the six years the league lasted, only one person was the president. Notable fact, the president of this league, Ray Ryan, was also the president of the Appalachian League and the Virginia League, all at the same time. Perhaps even more notable is the fact that Ryan was player/manager for the Logan Indians in 1942.
but it gives an idea what the balpark looked like.
1937
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beckley Bengals | 68 | 36 | .654 | – | Eli Harris |
| Welch Miners | 59 | 43 | .578 | 8 | Eddie Krajnik |
| Williamson Colts | 54 | 46 | .540 | 12 | Nat Hickey |
| Bluefield Blue-Grays | 49 | 46 | .516 | 14.5 | Ernie Powell |
| Logan Indians | 37 | 61 | .378 | 28 | Bert Grimm |
| Huntington Boosters # | 23 | 58 | .284 | NA | Joe Watson / Paul Ryan / Mike B |
# Huntington withdrew August 1.
The split season format was abandoned August 24.
Welch withdrew September 3 during the playoff series with Williamson.
Williamson withdrew September 6 during the finals.
Playoffs: Beckley, bye; Welch 2 games, Bluefield 0; Williamson 2 games, Logan 0; Williamson 1 game, Welch 0;
Finals:Beckley 2 games, Williamson 0
1938
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logan Indians | 72 | 46 | .610 | – | Eddie Hock |
| Beckley Bengals | 61 | 52 | .540 | 8.5 | Eli Harris |
| Williamson Colts | 58 | 60 | .492 | 14 | Nat Hickey |
| Welch Miners | 56 | 64 | .467 | 17 | Eddie Krajnik / Charles Bowie / Carlos Ratliff |
| Bluefield Blue-Grays | 55 | 64 | .462 | 17.5 | Earl Smith |
| Huntington Bees | 50 | 66 | .431 | 21 | Dickie Kerr |
Attendance: Logan 50,000
Playoffs: Logan 3 games, Williamson 2; Beckley 2 games, Welch 0;
Finals: Beckley 3 games, Logan 2
1939
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williamson Red Birds | 76 | 51 | .598 | – | Harrison Wickel |
| Welch Miners | 72 | 57 | .558 | 5 | Sam Gray |
| Huntington Boosters | 66 | 61 | .520 | 10 | Mike Powers |
| Bluefield Blue-Grays | 65 | 64 | .504 | 12 | Vic Sorrell |
| Logan Indians | 55 | 75 | .423 | 22.5 | Eddie Hock |
| Ashland Colonels | 52 | 78 | .400 | 25.5 | Harold Conn / Ray French |
Attendance: Bluefield 70,000.
Playoffs: Williamson 2 games, Huntington 1; Bluefield 2 games, Welch 0;
Finals: Bluefield 3 games, Williamson 1
1940
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williamson Red Birds | 76 | 45 | .628 | – | Harrison Wickel |
| Logan Indians | 75 | 51 | .595 | 3.5 | Eddie Hock |
| Bluefield Blue-Grays | 65 | 51 | .560 | 8.5 | Vic Sorrell |
| Welch Miners | 63 | 62 | .504 | 15 | Tex Stuart / Roy Hall |
| Ashland Colonels | 55 | 71 | .437 | 23.5 | Tommy Thevenow / Ray French |
| Huntington Aces | 33 | 87 | .275 | 42.5 | Pee Wee Wanninger / Russ Young /Ezra Midkif |
Attendance: Bluefield 70,000.
Playoffs: Logan 2 games, Welch 0; Williamson 2 games, Bluefield 0;
Finals: Williamson 3 games, Logan 1
1941
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logan Indians | 80 | 48 | .625 | – | Eddie Hock |
| Williamson Red Birds | 77 | 50 | .606 | 2.5 | Harrison Wickel |
| Bluefield Blue-Grays | 64 | 61 | .512 | 14.5 | Bill Averett |
| Welch Miners | 64 | 62 | .508 | 15 | Fred Neisler |
| Ashland Colonels | 53 | 76 | .411 | 27.5 | Ray French / Charley Carman |
| Huntington Aces | 43 | 84 | .339 | 36.5 | Fred Blake / Robert Larsen |
Playoffs: Logan 2 games, Bluefield 1; Welch 2 games, Williamson 0;
Finals: Logan 4 games, Welch 1
1942
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington Jewels | 82 | 42 | .661 | – | Charles Lucas / Arthur Scharein |
| Welch Miners | 67 | 55 | .549 | 14 | Don Manno |
| Williamson Red Birds | 66 | 58 | .532 | 16 | Ollie Vanek / Jack Angle |
| Ashland Colonels | 60 | 67 | .472 | 23.5 | Eddie Hock |
| Bluefield Blue-Grays | 55 | 69 | .443 | 27 | Johnny Gooch / Charley Carman |
| Logan Indians | 40 | 79 | .335 | 39.5 | Grover Hartley / Charles Hoffman / Ray Ryan |
Playoffs: Ashland 2 games, Williamson 0; Huntington 2 games, Welch 1;
Finals: Ashland 4 games, Huntington