Ogden Gunners
The Ogden Gunners was a minor league baseball team based in Ogden, Utah. The Ogden Gunners played the 1926–1928 seasons in the Class C Utah–Idaho League. The Ogden Gunners were preceded by Ogden teams in the Inter-Mountain League (1901), Pacific National League (1905), Union Association (1912–1914) and Northern Utah League (1921).
Ogden Gunners 1926–1928 (1900–1901, 1905, 1912–1914, 1921, 1926–1928) Ogden, Utah | |
Minor league affiliations | |
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Previous classes | Class C (1926–1928) Class D (1911–1914) Independent (1900–1901, 1905, 1921) |
Previous leagues | Utah-Idaho Intermountain League (1900) Inter-Mountain League (1901) Pacific National League (1905) Union Association (1912–1914) Northern Utah League (1921) Utah–Idaho League (1926–1928) |
Major league affiliations | |
Previous teams | None |
Minor league titles | |
League titles (4) |
|
Team data | |
Previous names | Ogden Lobsters (1900–1901, 1905) Ogden Canners (1912–1914) Ogden (1921) Ogden Gunners (1926–1928) |
Previous parks | Glenwood Park (1912–1914) Lorin Farr Park (1926–1928) |
Ogden next hosted the 1939 Ogden Reds of the Pioneer League. Today, the Ogden Raptors play as members of the Pioneer League.
Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ernie Lombardi played for the 1927 Ogden Gunners.
History
Ogden first had a minor league baseball team with the Ogden Lobsters of the Utah-Idaho Intermountain League in 1900. The Lobsters won the 1900 Utah-Idaho Intermountain League Championship, finishing 32–13. They played alongside the Pocatello Indians, Rio Grande Rios and Short Line Shorts in the four-team Independent league.[1][2][3]
The Ogden Lobsters joined the Inter-Mountain League in 1901, playing in the newly created four-team league, along with the Park City Ducks, Railway Miners and Salt Lake City White Wings. Ogden finished 31–10 to capture the 1901 Inter-Mountain League Championship. The league folded after the 1901 season.[4][5][6]
The Ogden Lobsters played in the 1905 Pacific National League, alongside the Boise Infants, Salt Lake City Fruit Pickers and Spokane Indians. Ogden finished 2nd in the league with a 20–17 record. The Pacific National League disbanded on June 20, 1905 and did not reform.[7][8]
The Ogden Canners played in the Class D Union Association from 1912 to 1914. Ogden finished 4th in 1912 with a 71–68 recotd. The Canners finished and 6th (last) in 1913, with a record of 49–74. The Union Association folded on August 5, 1914, however Ogden and the Salt Lake City Skyscrapers played 16 games against each other to complete their seasons. Ogden won 10 of the 16 games to finish 54–32, 2 games ahead of Salt Lake. In the Finals, Ogden defeated Salt Lake 4 games to 2 and captured the 1914 Union Association Championship.[9][10][11]
Ogden fielded a team in the Independent, newly formed, 1921 Northern Utah League. On July 3, 1921, Ogden pitcher Dave Davenport pitched a perfect game against Tremonton in 4–0 Ogden victory. Ogden finished with an 11–5 record in 1921, placing 2nd in the six–team Northern Utah League regular season standings, 1,0 games behind the champion Tremonton, Utah team. The Northern Utah League permanently folded after playing only the 1921 season.[12][13][14][15]
The Ogden Gunners joined the Utah–Idaho League in 1926 and were charter members, along with the Idaho Falls Spuds, Logan Collegians, Pocatello Bannocks, Twin Falls Bruins and Salt Lake City Bees.[16][17][18]
After finishing last with a 46–65 record in 1926, the Ogden Gunners finished 58–45 to claim the league championship in 1927. Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ernie Lombardi played for the 1927 Ogden Gunners at age 19, hitting .398.[17][19][20]
In 1928, Ogden finished 4th at 57–59. The Utah–Idaho League disbanded after the 1928 season.[17][21]
Ogden remained without a team until the Ogden Reds began play as founding members of the Pioneer League in 1939. Ogden still plays in the Pioneer League today, as the Ogden Raptors.[22]
Ballparks
From 1912 to 1914, the Ogden Canners played at Glenwood Park. The ballpark opened in April 1912. It was located on 27th Street, between Washington Avenue and Grant Avenue, Ogden, Utah, 84404.[23]
The Ogden Gunners (1926–1928) and later the Ogden Reds (1939) played at Lorin Farr Park. With a capacity of 2,600 (1926) and 2,500 (1939), the park had dimensions (left, center, right) of 325-377-325 (1939). The park itself still exists as a public park with a swimming pool complex. The address is 1691 Gramercy Avenue, Ogden, Utah, 84404.[24][25]
Notable alumni
- Walt Alexander (1912)
- Del Baker (1927–1928, MGR)
- Johnny Couch (1914)
- Pete Dowling (1905)
- Roy Evans (1901)
- Larry French (1926) MLB All-Star
- Bob Jones (1913)
- Eddie Kenna (1921)
- Ernie Lombardi (1927) Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986
- Swede Risberg (1913–1914) Black Sox Scandal
- Dwight Stone (1912)
- Gus Thompson (1905)
- Johnny Vergez (1927–1928)
References
- "1900 Utah-Idaho (Intermountain) League (UIL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "1900 Ogden Lobsters Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "The Ogden Raptors: Small Town Baseball – Big Town Heart | Think Blue LA".
- "Inter-Mountain League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- "1901 Ogden Lobsters Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "1901 Inter-Mountain League (IIL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "1905 Ogden Lobsters Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "Pacific National League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- "Union Association (minor league) - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- "Ogden Canners Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "1914 Ogden Canners Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "1921 Northern Utah League (NUL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "1921 Ogden Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "Tremonton Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "Minor League No-Hitters 1920-1929 - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- "Ogden Gunners Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "Utah-Idaho League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- "Utah-Idaho League (C) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- "1927 Ogden Gunners Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "1927 Ogden Gunners Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- "1928 Ogden Gunners Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "Pioneer League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- "Glenwood Park in Ogden, UT history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "Lorin Farr Park in Ogden, UT history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "Lorin Farr Swimming Pool, Skate Park & Park". Visit Ogden.