Chanute Athletics

The Chanute Athletics was a primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Chanute, Kansas between 1895 and 1950. Chanute teams played as members of the Class D level Kansas State League in 1896, Missouri Valley League in 1902, Kansas State League in 1906 and Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League from 1946 to 1950.

Chanute Athletics
(1896, 1902, 1906, 1946–1950)
Chanute, Kansas
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles 1 (1946)
Team data
Previous names
  • Chanute (1896)
  • Chanute Oilers(1902)
  • Chanute Browns (1906)
  • Chanute Owls/Athletics (1946)
  • Chanute Athletics (1947)
  • Chanute Giants(1948)
  • Chanute Athletics (1949–1950)
Previous parks
Katy Park (1946–1950)

The Chanute Athletics were affiliates of the New York Giants in 1948.

History

Chanute first had a minor league baseball team, playing in the 1896 Kansas State League. The Chanute Oilers played in the 1902 Missouri Valley League, after the Coffeyville Indians moved to Chanute on June 23, 1902. The Chanute Browns were members of the 1906 Kansas State League. On May 18, 1906, Chanute pitcher James McClintock threw a losing no-hitter against Fort Scott Giants n a 3–0 Fort Scott victory.[1][2][3]

Chanute played in the Class D level Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League from 1946–1950 and were affiliates of the New York Giants in 1948. Chanute won the league Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League championship in 1946.[4][5]

The Chanute Oilers were charter members of the 1946 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League and won the league pennant and tied for the league championship. Chanute, who were also referred to as the Chanute Owls in some references, finished 68–53 in the 1946 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League regular season, to capture the league pennant. Chanute finished just percentage points ahead of the Miami Blues (69–54) in the final standings. The Oilers defeated the Pittsburg Browns 3 games to 2 in the first playoff series. In the 1946 Finals, Chanute was tied with the Iola Cubs 3 games to 3 when the series was halted due to weather.[6][7][8][5][9][10]

In 1947, the Chanute Athletics finished 44–80, placing 7th in the Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League, 31.5 games behind the 1st place Miami Owls. The managers were Dave Dennis and Charles Bates. Playing at Katy Park, Chanute drew total season attendance of 34,758, an average of 561 per home game.[11][12][8][5][13][14]

The franchise became an affiliate of the New York Giants in 1948, continuing play in the Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League. The' Chanute Giants finished in 8th place and last with a 44–78 record under manager Al Smith. The Giants finished 33.0 games behind the 1st place Ponca City Dodgers and drew 32,561 in total season attendance.[15][16][8][17][18][19]

In 1949, the Chanute Athletics finished with a 65–60 record, placing 5th in the Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League regular season standings, 6.5 games behind the 1st place Independence Yankees, with Mickey Mantle. The 1949 Chanute Athletics managers were James Hansen and Charles Bates. Chanute season attendance was 39,228 total, an average of 628 per home game.[20][21][8][5][22][23][24][25][26]

In their final season, the 1950 Chanute Athletics finished last in the Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League. Chanute had a record of 35–80, finishing in 8th place, under managers Charles Bates, Tom Imfeld and Chuck Hostetler. The Athletics finished 46.0 games behind the 1st place Ponca City Dodgers. The Athletics' 1950 total season attendance at Katy Park was 21,372, an average of 345 per game. The Chanute franchise permanently folded after the 1950 season, as the Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League played as a six–team league in 1951.[27][28][8][5]

The ballpark

The Chanute Athletics teams played at Katy Park. Built in 1936 as a Works Project Administration project, Katy Park had a capacity of 3,500 (1946), 2,500 (1948) and 1,500 (1950). Mickey Mantle played in Chanute in 1949, as a member of visiting Independence Yankees. Katy Park is still in use today. It is located at 15 North Lincoln, Chanute, Kansas.[29][30][31][32][33][34]

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeague
18961ChanuteIndependentKansas State League
19021Chanute OilersClass DMissouri Valley League
19061Chanute BrownsKansas State League
1946–19472Chanute AthleticsKansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League
19481Chanute Giants
1949–19502Chanute Athletics

Season-by-season records

(from Chanute Athletics - BR Bullpen)

Year Record Win-Loss % Manager Finish Playoff/Note
194668–53.561Goldie Howard1stChampionship series tied 3-3
194744–80.354Dave Dennis/Charlie Bates7thNone
194844–78.360Alfred Smith8thNone
194965–60.520James Hansen/Charlie Bates5thNone
195035–89.282Charlie Bates/Thomas Imfeld/Chuck Hostetler8thNone

Notable alumni

See also

Chanute (minor league baseball) players, Chanute Owls players

References
  1. "Chanute, KS - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  2. "Chanute, Kansas Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. "Minor League No-Hitters 1900-1909 - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  4. "Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  5. "Chanute Athletics - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  6. "1946 Chanute Owls Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. "1946 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League (KOML) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  8. "Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  9. "1946 Chanute Owls Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. "1946 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  11. "1947 Chanute Athletics Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. "1947 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League (KOML) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. "1947 Chanute Athletics Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  14. "1947 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. "1948 Chanute Giants Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  16. "1948 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League (KOML) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  17. "Chanute Giants - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  18. "1948 Chanute Giants Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  19. "1948 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  20. "1949 Chanute Athletics Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  21. "1949 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League (KOML) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  22. "1949 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  23. "1950 Chanute Athletics Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  24. "1950 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  25. "1949 Chanute Athletics Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  26. "Independence Yankees - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  27. "1950 Chanute Athletics Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  28. "1951 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League (KOML) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  29. "Katy Park - Chanute Kansas - Former home of the Chanute Athletics and Giants". digitalballparks.com.
  30. "Katy Park". Chanute, KS.
  31. "Katy Park | Chanute, KS - Official Website". www.chanute.org.
  32. "Katy Park - Chanute Kansas - Former home of the Chanute Athletics and Giants". digitalballparks.com.
  33. "Katy Park - Chanute Kansas - Former home of the Chanute Athletics and Giants". digitalballparks.com.
  34. "Katy Park in Chanute, KS history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.

Katy Park photos
Baseball Reference

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