York Dukes
The York Dukes was the final moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in York, Nebraska between 1911 and 1931. The York Dukes played as members of the Class D level Nebraska State League from 1928 to 1931. Previously, the York Prohibitionists played in the Nebraska State League from 1911 to 1915.
| York Dukes | |
|---|---|
| |
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Class D (1911–1915, 1928–1931) |
| League | Nebraska State League (1911–1915, 1928–1931) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Team | None |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (0) | None |
| Team data | |
| Name | York Prohibitionists (1911–1915) York Dukes (1928–1931) |
| Ballpark | Parks Park (1911–1915) Leavitt Stadium (1928–1931) |
Baseball Hall of Fame member Dazzy Vance pitched for the 1912 York Prohibitionists.
History
The team was given the York Dukes moniker after a naming contest held by the local paper, the York Daily News. Previously, the York Prohibitionists had played in the Nebraska State League from 1911 to 1915.[1][2][3]
York had been awarded the Red Cloud, Nebraska franchise in 1911, after Red Cloud had one year of Nebraska State League play. The York team started without any players from the Red Cloud franchise and without a nickname. York was then a dry town and did not allow Sunday baseball to be played. After the team played their first away game against the Fremont Pathfinders from Fremont, Nebraska, a Fremont sportswriter gave them the nickname York Prohibitionists and the name stuck.[4]
In 1912, with Dazzy Vance on the roster, the Prohibistions drew 1,700 fans to Parks Park on opening day.[5]
At the beginning of the 1915 season, the Kearney Buffaloes and Columbus Pawnees franchises both folded, leaving the league reduced to six teams. Then at the end of June, 1915, the Grand Island Champions withdrew from the league and the Nebraska State League disbanded on June 29, 1915, with York in 3rd place.[6]
In 1928, when the franchise returned to the reformed Nebraska State League, the York Dukes, played at Leavitt Stadium and drew 9,434 fans for the season. They had an average daily attendance of 205 fans on weekdays and 637 fans on Sundays, with the Sunday baseball ban having been lifted. The name "Dukes" was selected in a naming contest by the local newspaper and Mr. Ezra McCormick of 128 Blackburn won the prize of two free tickets to the opening game for submitting the Dukes name. Other entries included Beavers, Panthers, Tommies, Plezalls and HillToppers.[7][3]
After the 1931 season, the York franchise relocated to become the Beatrice Blues in Beatrice, Nebraska.[8]
The ballparks
The York Dukes' home field was noted to be Leavitt Stadium, located within East Hill Park. The Prohibitionists had reportedly played home games at Parks Park, which was located near downtown York.
Leavitt Stadium is still in use. Today, the park the is home to the York College Panthers baseball team. Levitt Stadium hosted the 2001 American Legion Nebraska State Baseball Tournament and is also home for local Legion Teams. The ballpark is located at 921 East 6th street, between East 6th and East 8th Street in York, Nebraska.[3][9][10][4][11]
Timeline
| Year(s) | # Yrs. | Team | Level | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911–1915 | 5 | York York Prohibitionists | Class D | Nebraska State League |
| 1928–1931 | 4 | York Dukes |
Year-by-year record
(from York Prohibitionists - BR Bullpen, York Dukes - BR Bullpen)
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | 54–60 | 5th | George Harms / Lefty Davis | None held |
| 1912 | 45–66 | 7th | Lefty Davis | None held |
| 1913 | 57–55 | 3rd | Frank Gardner | None held |
| 1914 | 60–52 | 4th | Jim Pierce | None held |
| 1915 | 25–31 | 3rd | Jim Pierce | None held |
| 1928 | 50–62 | 5th | Art Rasmussen | None held |
| 1929 | 61–53 | 4th | Art Rasmussen | None held |
| 1930 | 60–59 | 4th | Art Rasmussen | None held |
| 1931 | 42–67 | 6th | Vern "Pop" Gleason/Bob Browne | None held |
Notable alumni
Baseball Hall of Fame alumni
- Dazzy Vance (1912) Inducted, 1955
Notable alumni
- Lefty Davis (Player/MGR, 1911–1912)
- Buzz Murphy (1914)
- Jack Richardson (1913)
- Bennie Warren (1931)
- Dutch Wetzel (1915)
See also
York Dukes players
York Prohibitionists players
References
- "York, Nebraska Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
- "1912 York Prohibitionists Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- "York Nebraska East Hill Park Baseball". nebaseballhistory.com.
- "Nebraska Minor League Baseball; York Prohibitionists". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
- "Nebraska Minor League Baseball; York Prohibitionists". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
- "Nebraska Minor League Baseball York Prohibitionists". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
- "York Dukes 1928-1931". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
- "York Dukes 1931". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
- "Locations / Levitt Stadium / York, NE". www.cityofyork.net.
- "Nebraska Minor League Baseball; York". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
- "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-08-05. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)