Iola Gasbags
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D (1902-1903)
Class C (1904)
Class D (1906)
LeagueMissouri Valley League (1902–1904)
Kansas State League (1906)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (1)
  • 1904
Team data
NameIola Gasbags (1903, 1905)
Iola Gaslights (1904)
Iola Grays (1906)
BallparkRiverside Park (1902-1904, 1906)

The Iola Gasbags were a minor league baseball team based in Iola, Kansas. Between 1902 and 1906, Iola teams played as a member of the Missouri Valley League from 1902 to 1904 and the 1906 Kansas State League. The Iola Gasbags won the 1904 Missouri State League championship, before adopting the Iola "Grays" nickname for the 1906 Kansas State League season. The Iola teams hosted home minor league games at Riverside Park.

History

In 1901, the independent Missouri Valley League was formed an eight-team league without an Iola franchise.[1]

In 1902, the Iola "Gasbags" began play in the Class D level Missouri Valley League.[2] The Fort Scott Giants, Nevada Lunatics and Joplin Miners teams continued league play from the previous season. The Iola Gasbags, Coffeyville Indians, Jefferson City Convicts, Sedalia Gold Bugs and Springfield Reds teams all joined as new members, with the league beginning play on May 6, 1902.[3][4]

The Iola "Gasbags" team nickname corresponds to the local oil and gas industry. In 1895, natural gas pools were discovered in the Iola area, increasing the population from 1,500 to over 11,000 in nine years, before the natural gas reserves waned.[5] Today, Iola remains home to oil and gas exploration and industry production.[6]

The Gasbags finished a distant last in the final standings after their first season of play in the Missouri Valley League. The league held no playoffs.[2] With a record of 34-90, playing the season under managers Harry Rand, Jimmie Driscoll and Harry Meek, Iola finished 54.0 games behind the first place Nevada Lunatics in the final standings.[7][8][3]

In 1903, Iola continued Missouri Valley League play and were known under the slightly altered "Gaslighters" nickname for one season.[9] The same eight teams remained in the league from the previous season, beginning league play on May 15, 1903.[10]

The Iola Gaslighters placed third in the 1903 Missouri Valley League standings.[9] The Coal Diggers ended the 1903 season with a record of 79–52 as A.H. Harris served as manager.[11] After Nevada and Leavenworth folded during the season, Iola placed third of the six remaining teams, ending the season 6.0 games behind the 1st place Sedalia Goldbugs, who finished with a record of 86–47.[12][13]

The Iola "Gasbags" played a final Missouri Valley League season in 1904, winning the league championship as the league became a Class C level League with eight teams.[14][15] Iola ended the season with a record of 83–41, placing first in the standings, with manager Dud Risley leading the team to the championship.[14] Iola finished 5.5 games ahead of the second place Springfield Midgets.[3][16]

Despite winning the championship the previous season, the Iola franchise did not return to the 1905 Missouri Valley League. The league reformed, as only the Pittsburg and Fort Scott franchises were retained in the league.[3][17] The Missouri Valley League then permanently folded after completing the 1905 season.[3][17]

After the Missouri Valley League folded following the 1905 season, Iola joined the Class D level Kansas State League in 1906, with the franchise relocating during the season.[18] The Iola "Grays" joined the Bartlesville Indians, Chanute Browns, Coffeyville Bricks, Fort Scott Giants, Independence Coyotes, Parsons Preachers and Pittsburg Champs in beginning league play on May 3, 1906.[19]

On June 15, 1906, the Iola Grays moved to Cherryvale, Kansas to become the Cherryvale Boosters, with the team ending the Kansas League season in second place.[3] The Iola/Cherryvale team of the Kansas State League ended their 1906 season with a record of 62–50, as Dan Durand, Fred Hobart and Billy Burns served as managers covering in both locations.[20][21][3] The Kansas State League did not return to play in 1907.[3]

Iola next hosted the 1908 Iola Champs, who played the season as members of the Oklahoma-Kansas League .[22]

(1909) Downtown. Iola, Kansas

The ballpark

The Iola teams hosted minor league home games at Riverside Municipal Ballpark, which lies within Riverside Park.[23] The current ballpark was a Works Project Administration project after longtime use at the site. The ballpark and adjacent park grounds are still in use today. The ballpark with a track and stands is utilized by Iola's USD 257 school district sports teams. The park is located at 418 Park Avenue and South State Street in Iola.[24][25][26]

Timeline

Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeagueBallpark
19021Iola GasbagsClass DMissouri Valley LeagueRiverside Park
19031Iola Gaslighters
19041Iola GasbagsClass C
1906(1)1Iola ChampsClass DKansas State League
1906 (2)1Cherryvale BoostersUnknown

Year–by–year records

YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/Notes
190234–908thHarry Rand / Jimmie Driscoll
Harry Meek		No playoffs held
190379–523rdA.H. HarrisNo playoffs held
190483–411stDud RisleyLeague Champions
190662–502ndDan Durand / Fred Hobart
Billy Burns		Iola moved to Coffeyville June 15

Notable alumni

See also

Iola Gasbags players
Iola Grays players

References

  1. ↑ "1901 Missouri Valley League (MVL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  2. 1 2 "1902 Iola Gasbags Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, editors (Third ed.). Baseball America. 2007. ISBN 978-1932391176.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. ↑ "1902 Missouri Valley League (MVL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. ↑ "History | Iola, KS". www.cityofiola.com.
  6. ↑ "Colt Energy, Inc". www.coltenergyinc.com.
  7. ↑ "1902 Missouri Valley League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. ↑ "1902 Iola Gasbags minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  9. 1 2 "1903 Iola Gaslighters Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. ↑ "1903 Missouri Valley League (MVL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. ↑ "1903 Iola Gaslighters minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. ↑ "1903 Sedalia Gold Bugs Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. ↑ "1903 Missouri Valley League (MVL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. 1 2 "1904 Iola Gasbags Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. ↑ "1904 Missouri Valley League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  16. ↑ "1904 Missouri Valley League (MVL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  17. 1 2 "1905 Missouri Valley League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  18. ↑ "1906 Kansas State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  19. ↑ "1906 Kansas State League (KSL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  20. ↑ "1906 Pittsburg Champs/Vinita minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  21. ↑ "1906 Pittsburg/Vinita Champs Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  22. ↑ "1908 Iola Champs Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  23. ↑ "Riverside Park in Iola, KS minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  24. ↑ "Digitalballparks.com – Cleveland Indians Affiliation Listing". digitalballparks.com.
  25. ↑ "Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball Stadium History and Cubs Minor League BaseBall Park history and the history of Chicago Cubs Spring Training Ballpark". digitalballparks.com.
  26. ↑ "Rural Kansas Tourism | Iola Exploration: Riverside Park". www.getruralkansas.com.
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