Sterling Infants

The Sterling Infants was the final moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Sterling, Illinois between 1890 and 1910. The Sterling Infants played the 1910 season as members of the Class D level Northern Association. Previously, the 1890 Sterling Blue Coats were members of the 1890 Illinois-Iowa League.

Sterling Infants
Minor league affiliations
ClassIndependent (1890)
Class D (1910)
LeagueIllinois-Iowa League (1890)
Northern Association (1910)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles None
Team data
NameSterling Blue Coats (1890)
Sterling Infants (1910)
BallparkSporting Association Grounds (1890, 1910)

Baseball Hall of Fame member Bud Fowler played for the 1890 Sterling Blue Coats, integrating the team and the Illinois-Iowa League.

History

Minor league baseball began in Sterling, Illinois when the 1890 Sterling Blue Coats became members of the 1890 Independent level Illinois-Iowa League. After Sterling began play in the eight–team league, the Blue Coats had a record of 21–51 on July 31, 1890 when the franchise moved to nearby Galesburg, Illinois. On September 4, 1890, the Galesburg Pavers, after compiling an 8–17 record in Galesburg, moved again to Burlington, Iowa to become the Burlington Hawkeyes. In Burlington, the franchise disbanded on September 10, 1890.[1][2][3][4]

Baseball Hall of Fame member Bud Fowler played for the Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team in 1890, hitting.322 for the season.[5]

The 1890 Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team finished with a 30–72 overall record when they disbanded. The team was in 8th place in the Illinois-Iowa League standings, finishing 33.5 games behind the 1st place Ottumwa Coal Palace Kings (63–43). Bud Fowler played for the Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team. Fowler was the first known African-American to play professional baseball, becoming a pioneer for baseball players.[6] [2][1]

In 1910, minor league baseball returned to Sterling in 1910 during the season. On June 21, 1910, the Joliet Jolly-ites of the Class D level Northern Association relocated to Sterling with a 21–18 record. The "Sterling Infants" played the remainder of the season, having a 3–16 record in Sterling to finish with a 24–34 overall record. The Joliet Jolly-ites/Sterling Infants placed 6th in the Northern Association standings under manager Hunkey Hines. The Northern League permanently disbanded on July 19, 1910.[7][8][9][10][11]

Sterling, Illinois has not hosted another minor league team.[12]

The ballpark

Sterling teams reportedly played home minor league games at the Sporting Association Grounds in Sterling, Illinois. The location of the Sterling Association Grounds ballpark is unknown.[13][14]

(1907) Parade. Sterling, Illinois

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeague
18901Sterling Blue CoatsIndependentIllinois-Iowa League
19101Sterling InfantsClass DNorthern Association

Year-by-year records
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/Notes
189030–728thJames Donnelly/Charles Wirsche
Al Weddige/Clarence		Moved to Galesburg/Burlington
191024–346thHunkey HinesJoliet moved to Sterling

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable alumni

See also

Sterling (minor league baseball) players

References
  1. "1890 Illinois-Iowa League (IIL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  2. "Two-I League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  3. "1890 Sterling Blue Coats/Galesburg/Burlington Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. "Sterling Blue Coats - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  5. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/p-200e2bbd
  6. "Breaking Barriers". Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  7. "1910 Joliet Jolly-ites/Sterling Infants Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. "Northern Association (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. "Sterling Infants - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  10. "1910 Joliet Jolly-ites/Sterling Infants Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. "Northern Association - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  12. "Sterling, IL - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  13. "Sporting Association Grounds in Sterling, IL history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. "Sterling Standard Newspaper Archives | Jan 30, 1890, p. 8". newspaperarchive.com. 30 January 1890.
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