Massachusetts State Association

The Massachusetts State Association was a minor league baseball league that played briefly in the 1884 season. The Non-Signatory, Independent level league consisted of franchises based exclusively in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts State Association was an eight–team league that permanently folded after a partial 1884 season.

Massachusetts State Association
SportMinor League Baseball
Inaugural season1884
CeasedAugust 15, 1884
PresidentM. H. Nichols (1884)
No. of teams8
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles1
Springfield (1884)
ClassificationIndependent (1884)
Related
competitions		New England Association

League member Boston Reserves were owned and operated by the major league Boston Beaneaters and may have been the first true baseball farm team.

History

Formed for the 1884 season, the Massachusetts State Association began play on May 1, 1884, as an eight–team league, with teams scheduled for one or two games per week. The league was a Non-Signatory Independent level league under president M. H. Nichols. The league lost four teams during the season, on July 21, 1884.[1][2][3]

The Massachusetts State Association played in 1884. The charter members were the Boston Reserves and teams from Holyoke, Massachusetts, Lawrence, Massachusetts, Lynn, Massachusetts, Salem, Massachusetts, Springfield, Massachusetts, Waltham, Massachusetts and Worcester, Massachusetts.[4]

The 1884 Boston Reserves were the first minor league baseball team to play in Boston, Massachusetts. The Reserves were owned and operated by the Boston Beaneaters of the National League and may have been the first true baseball farm team.[5][4][6][7][8][9][1][2]

On July 21, 1884, the Worcester, Waltham, Lynn and Salem teams all disbanded, leaving the Massachusetts State Association with four remaining teams. The league concluded play on August 15, 1884. The Massachusetts State Association standings were led by 1st place Springfield with a 12–5 record, 1.0 games ahead of the 2nd place Boston Reserves (13–8), followed by Holyoke (7–11) and Lawrence (7–15). Lynn (4–8), Salem (2–11), Waltham (9–6) and Worcester (11–4) had previously folded. After the season, the Massachusetts State Association permanently folded, playing only the 1884 season.[1][4][10]

Massachusetts State Association teams
Team name City represented Ballpark Year(s) active
Boston Reserves Boston, MA[5] Unknown 1884
Holyoke Holyoke, MA[11] Unknown 1884
Lawrence Lawrence, MA[12] Association Grounds[13] 1884
Lynn Lynn, MA[14] Unknown 1884
Salem Salem, MA[15] Unknown 1884
Springfield Springfield, MA[16] Pynchon Park[17] 1884
Waltham Waltham, MA[18] Unknown 1884
Worcester Worcester, MA[19] Driving Park[20] 1884

Standings and statistics

1884 Massachusetts State Association
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Springfield125.706–Charles Shaw
Boston Reserves138.6191.0John Morrill / S. R. Brown
Holyoke711.3895.5Horace Rescott (5/8)
Lawrence715.3187.5Harry Clarke / L. S. Dow
Charles Freleigh / Matthew Barry / Frank Selee
Worcester114.733NADavid McGarvey (5/21) / Matthew Barry
Waltham96.600NAFrank Selee
Lynn48.333NAWallace Fessenden (7/2) / Edward Chamberlain
Salem211.154NAF. W. Doyle

Worcester, Waltham, Lynn and Salem disbanded July 21 [1]

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Alexander GardnerLawrenceBA.396George FishWaltham/LawrenceW14
Timothy BrosnanSpringfieldRuns24George FishWaltham/LawrenceSO113
Maurice BresnahanWaltham/LawrenceHits37George FishWaltham/LawrencePCT.824 14–3
Michael Bradley
Edward Chamberlain
Henry Parry		Lawrence
Lynn/Boston
Waltham		HR1

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Massachusetts State Association - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  2. "Non-Signatory 19th Century Leagues - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  3. "1884 Massachusetts State Association (MSA) minor league baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. "1884 Massachusetts State Association". Baseball-Reference.com.
  5. "1884 Boston Reserves Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. "1884 Boston Reserves/Colts Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. "1884 Massachusetts State Association (MSA) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  8. "John Connor – Society for American Baseball Research".
  9. "1884 Boston Beaneaters Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. "1884 Massachusetts State Association (MSA) minor league baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. "1884 Holyoke Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  12. "1884 Lawrence Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  13. "1884 Lawrence minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. "1884 Lynn Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. "1884 Salem Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  16. "1884 Springfield Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  17. "Pynchon Park in Springfield, MA minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  18. "1884 Waltham Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  19. "1884 Worcester Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  20. "Driving Park in Worcester, MA minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
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