The Central Association was an American minor league baseball league. It began operations in 1908, and ran continuously through 1917. It was reorganized thirty years later, operating as a Class-C league from 1947-1949, with major league affiliates for most teams. Hall of Fame Inductees Burleigh Grimes and Jake Beckley are league alumni.
Contents
1908–1917 league
In 1908, The teams from Burlington, Iowa, Jacksonville, Illinois, Keokuk, Iowa, Oskaloosa, Iowa, Ottumwa, Iowa, Quincy, Illinois, and Waterloo, Iowa joined after having left the Iowa State League. A new team in Kewanee, Illinois joined as well.
In 1909, Oskaloosa folded. The Hannibal, Missouri team moved from the Illinois–Missouri League. In 1910, Jacksonville moved to the Northern Association, Waterloo moved to the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League and teams from Galesburg, Illinois and Monmouth, Illinois joined after having left the Illinois–Missouri League. For the 1911 season, Quincy moved to the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League and a new team in Muscatine, Iowa formed and joined the league.
For 1913, Galesburg and Hannibal folded while teams in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Waterloo, Iowa formed and joined the league. In 1914, Kewanee and Monmouth folded while teams in Clinton, Iowa and Marshalltown, Iowa formed and joined the league. Ottumwa moved to Rock Island, Illinois, then again to Galesburg, Illinois. In 1915 Galesburg folded and a new team in Mason City, Iowa formed and joined the league. The Clinton team folded during the season. The league also threw out several wins by Keokuk (1), Marshalltown (5), Waterloo (1), and Clinton (40) after the fact.
Keokuk folded in 1916, while new teams in Clinton, Iowa and Fort Dodge, Iowa formed and joined the league. Burlington moved to Ottumwa on July 20, and Muscatine also forfeited 34 wins this year. In the final season, 1917 Muscatine and Ottumwa folded. New teams in Dubuque, Iowa and LaCrosse, Wisconsin formed and joined the league. Dubuque moved to Charles City, Iowa on July 4. Cedar Rapids moved to Clear Lake, Iowa on July 27, Clinton and LaCrosse both folded before the end of the season on July 17. After the season, the league, and all teams in it, folded.
1947–1949 league
In 1947, a new league of the same name was created with teams in Clinton, Iowa, Hannibal, Missouri, Rockford, Illinois, Keokuk, Iowa, Burlington, Illinois, and Moline, Illinois. In 1948, the Moline A's moved to Kewanee, Illinois mid-season. Then, in 1949, the team from Hannibal folded and new team formed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to join the league. After the season, Cedar Rapids joined the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League, and the rest of the teams, and the league itself, folded.
Year by year
1908
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1947
Clinton defeated Rockford 3 games to 2, and Hannibal defeated Keokuk 3 games to 1 in the first round of the playoffs.
Clinton defeated Hannibal 4 games to 1 for the championship.
1948
Clinton beat Burlingto 4 games to 2, and Keokuk beat Hannibal 4 games to 1 in the first round of the playoffs. Clinton beat Keokuk for the title 4 games to none.
1949
Cedar Rapids beat Burlington 3 games to none, and Kewanee beat Keokuk 3 games to none, in the first round of the playoffs. Kewanee defeated Cedar Rapids 4 games to 2 for the title.