Jefferson City Convicts

The Jefferson City Convicts was the initial moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Jefferson City, Missouri in 1902 and 1911. Jefferson City teams played as members of the Class D level Missouri Valley League in 1902 and Missouri State League in 1911.

Jefferson City Convicts
1902–1911
(1902, 1911)
Jefferson City, Missouri
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D (1902, 1911)
LeagueMissouri Valley League (1902)
Missouri State League (1911)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Team data
NameJefferson City Convicts (1902)
Jefferson City Senators (1911)
BallparkMcClung Park*

History

Jefferson City, Missouri first hosted minor league baseball in 1902. The Jefferson City Convicts became members of the Missouri Valley League. The Missouri Valley League formed in 1901 as an Independent league.[1][2]

The Jefferson City use of the "Convicts" moniker aligns to Jefferson City being home to the Missouri State Penitentiary. The penitentiary held 2,200 prisoners in 1900.[3][4][5]

The 1902 Missouri Valley League was designated as a Class D league and had eight teams. With a record of 40–85, the Jefferson City Convicts placed 7th in the 1902 Missouri Valley League standings, playing under managers A.B. Carey and E.J. Miller. In the final standings, the Nevada Lunatics finished 1st, with a 86–38 record, ahead of the 2nd place Springfield Reds (83–40), followed by the Fort Scott Giants (80–44), Sedalia Goldbugs (72–48), Joplin Miners (56–66), Coffeyville Indians/ Chanute Oilers (41–81), Jefferson City Convicts (40–85) and Iola Gasbags (34–90). The Jefferson City franchise folded after the 1902 season and were replaced by the Leavenworth White Sox in the 1903 Missouri Valley League.[6][7][8][9][10]

On August 10, 1902, the Nevada Lunatics and Jefferson City Convicts played a game that resulted in a double no-hitter. Both Jefferson City's Jim Courtwright and Eli Cates of the Nevada Lunatics pitched no–hit games in a 1–0 Nevada victory. The rare occurrence has happened just 10 times in baseball history, all at the minor league level.[11][12]

Minor league baseball returned to Jefferson City for a final season in 1911, with the team folding during the season. The Jefferson City Senators played as charter members of the Class D level Missouri State League. The "Senators" moniker was a aligns to Jefferson City being the state capitol of Missouri and the home of the legislative Missouri State Capitol building.[13][14]

The 1911 Missouri State League began their first season as five teams league with the Brookfield Hustlers, Kirksville Osteopaths, Macon Athletics and Sedalia Cubs joining Jefferson City as charter members. The Brookfield Hustlers franchise folded on May 19, 1911. Shortly after Brookfield folded, the Sedalia Cubs moved to Brookfield on May 24, 1911. When the Jefferson City Senators folded from the four–team league on June 2, 1911, its demise caused the Missouri State League to permanently fold on June 5, 1911. Jefferson City was in 3rd place with an 11–9 record under manager Jack Meyers when the franchise permanently folded.[15][16][17][18][19]

The 1911 Senators were the last minor league team hosted in Jefferson City.[2]

The ballpark

The exact name and location of the ballpark for the Jefferson City minor league teams is unreferenced. McClung Park was in use in the era as the only city public park, owned at the time by the Missouri State Penal Board. Structures within the park were built entirely with prisoner labor from the penitentiary and the park is named after the warden who oversaw the construction and labor, D.C. McClung. The 45-acre park is still in use as a public park with an open field ballpark. The location is 930 McClung Park Drive, Jefferson City, Missouri.[20][21]

(1925) Missouri State Penitentiary prisoners, Jefferson City, Missouri

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeague
19021Jefferson City ConvictsClass DMissouri Valley League
19111Jefferson City SenatorsMissouri State League

Year-by-year records
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
190240–857thA.B. Carey / E.J. MillerNone held
191111–93rdJack MeyersTeam folded June 2
League folded June 5

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Jefferson City, Missouri sports teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  2. "Jefferson City, MO - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  3. "Missouri State Penitentiary | Jefferson City Prison Tours". Missouri State Penitentiary.
  4. "History". Missouri State Penitentiary.
  5. "Timeline". Missouri State Penitentiary.
  6. "Missouri Valley League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  7. "1902 Jefferson City Convicts Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  8. "Jefferson City Convicts - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  9. "Missouri Valley League (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. "1902 Jefferson City Convicts Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  11. "Double no-hitters: Games with no hits for either team". www.sportingnews.com.
  12. "Minor League No-Hitters 1900-1909 - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  13. "About the Capitol". Missouri State Capitol Commission.
  14. "1911 Jefferson City Senators Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. "Missouri State League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  16. "1911 Jefferson City Senators Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  17. "Jefferson City Senators - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  18. Warren, Lee (August 1, 2014). "Don't take your local MiLB team for granted". Minor League Ball.
  19. "1911 Missouri State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  20. "Cole County History: City park created with prison labor". newstribune.com.
  21. "McClung Park - Playground, Pavilion Rental, City Views | JC Parks".
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