Ottawa Indians (baseball team)

The Ottawa Indians was the final moniker of the minor league baseball franchise based in Ottawa, Illinois. Ottawa teams played as members of the Illinois-Iowa League (1890–1891), Illinois-Missouri League (1914) and Bi-State League (1915).

Ottawa Indians
1890–1915
(1890–1891, 1914–1915)
Ottawa, Illinois
Minor league affiliations
Class
  • Independent (1890–1891)
    Class D (1914–1915)
League
Major league affiliations
Team
None
Team data
Name
  • Ottawa Pirates (1890)
  • Ottawa Modocs (1891)
  • Ottawa Indians (1914–1915)
BallparkLincoln-Douglas Park (1914–1915)

History

Minor league baseball began with the 1890 Ottawa Pirates, who played as charter members of the eight–team Illinois-Iowa League, an Independent league. Ottawa ended the 1890 season with a record of 58–50, finishing 4th in the Illinois-Iowa League under managers James Hillery, William Sinon and Bert Merrifield. The Pirates finished 8.5 games behind the 1st place Ottumwa Coal Palace Kings in the final standings[1][2][3][4][5][6]

The Ottawa Modocs continued play in the eight-team 1891 Illinois-Iowa League. The Modocs ended the 1891 season with a record of 53–49, placing 4th in the Illinois-Iowa League standings under manager Jack Remsen, 13.0 games behind 1st place Quincy. However, the Ottumwa Coal Palaces, Cedar Rapids Canaries, Davenport Pilgrims and Aurora Maroons franchises all folded before the season concluded, leaving the league with just four teams. The Quincy Ravens (65–35), Joliet Giants (62–48) and Rockford Hustlers (54–46) finished ahead of the Modocs in the final standings. The Ottawa franchisee did not return to the Illinois-Iowa League in 1892.[7][8][9][10][11][6]

In 1914, the Ottawa Indians joined as members of the six-team Class D level Illinois-Missouri League. The Indians finished the 1914 season with a record of 47–38, placing 2nd in the Illinois-Missouri League, 13.0 games behind the 1st place Champaign Velvets. Chuck Fleming served as manager. Ottawa finished in the final standings with Champaign-Urbana Velvets (62–27), Streator Boosters (40–48) and La Salle Blue Sox (26–60). The Kankakee Kanks (14–33) and Lincoln Abes (32–15) both folded from the league on July 3, 1914 and the Illinois-Missouri League permanently folded after the 1914 season.[12][13][14][15][16][17]

The Ottawa Indians joined as charter members of the 1915 the Bi-State League, which formed as a Class D league. The league permanently folded on July 7, 1915 during its first season of play. Ottawa ended the 1915 season with a record of 20–35, and were 6th in the Bi-State League standings when the league folded. Louis Ehrgott served as manager, as Ottawa finished in the standings with the Aurora Foxes (25–27), Elgin Watch Makers (27–26), Freeport Pretzels (23–29), Racine Belles (30–20) and Streator Boosters (30–18).[18][19][14][20][21][22]

The ballpark

Ottawa played at Lincoln-Douglas Park. The ballpark was named for Ottawa being the site of the first of the 1858 Lincoln–Douglas debates at what was known as Washington Square Park. Lincoln-Douglas Park has historical markers and is located at East 600 Utica Drive, Ottawa, Illinois.[23][24][25][26][27]

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeague
18901Ottawa PiratesIndependentIllinois-Iowa League
18911Ottawa Modocs
19141Ottawa IndiansClass DIllinois-Missouri League
19151Bi-State League

Year-by-year records
Year(s)RecordPlaceManagersPlayoffs/Notes
189058–504thJames Hillery/William Sinon/Bert Merrifieldnone
189153–494thJack Remsennone
191447–382ndChuck FlemingNone
191520–356thLouis Ehrgottnone

Notable alumni

See also

Ottawa Indians players
Ottawa Modocs players

References
  1. "1890 Ottawa Pirates Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  2. "1890 Illinois-Iowa League (IIL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  3. "1890 Ottawa Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. "1890 Illinois-Iowa League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  5. "Ottawa Pirates - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  6. "Two-I League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  7. "1891 Illinois-Iowa League (IIL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  8. "1891 Ottawa Modocs Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  9. "1891 Illinois-Iowa League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. "1891 Ottawa Modocs Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  11. "Ottawa Modocs - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  12. "1914 Ottawa Indians Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. "1914 Illinois-Missouri League (IIL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. "Ottawa Indians - BR Bullpen". aws.baseball-reference.com.
  15. "Illinois-Missouri League - BR Bullpen". aws.baseball-reference.com.
  16. "1914 Ottawa Indians Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  17. "1914 Illinois-Missouri League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  18. "1915 Ottawa Indians Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  19. "1915 Bi-State League (BSL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  20. "Bi-State League - BR Bullpen". aws.baseball-reference.com.
  21. "1915 Ottawa Indians Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  22. "1915 Bi-State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  23. "Lincoln-Douglas Park in Ottawa, IL history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  24. "Lincoln Douglas Park".
  25. the “Railsplitter”, bronze statues of; l, “The Little Giant” forms the centerpiece of the beautifully; Square, Scaped. "Attractions".
  26. "Washington Square Park (Ottawa) - 2020 All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)". Tripadvisor.
  27. "Lincoln-Douglas Debate Negotiations". Smithsonian Magazine.
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