Leadville Blues

The Leadville Blues was the primary moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Leadville, Colorado between 1885 and 1898. Leadville teams played as members of the Colorado State League in 1885, Western League in 1886 and Colorado State League in 1889, 1896 and 1898.

Minor league affiliations
ClassIndependent (1885–1886, 1889, 1895–1896, 1898)
LeagueColorado State League (1885)
Western League (1886)
Colorado State League (1889, 1896, 1898)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (1)1898
Team data
NameLeadville Blues (1885–1886, 1889, 1895)
Leadville Angels (1896)
Leadville Blues (1898)
BallparkLeadville Base Ball Grounds (1885–1886, 1889, 1895–1896, 1898)

History

The Leadville Blues were first formed in 1882, playing as a semi–pro team and compiling a 34–8–1 record playing against other Colorado teams. A noted player on the 1882 team was pitcher Dave Foutz.[1][2][3]

Minor league baseball began in Leadville, Colorado, when the 1885 Leadville Blues became members of the Independent level Colorado State League. The Leadville Blues ended the 1885 season with a record of 7–13, placing 3rd in the final standings, 5.0 games behind the Denver team. John Morgan and N.T. Thorne served as Leadville managers.[4][5][6]

The Leadville Blues became members of the Western League in 1886. The Blues ended the 1886 season with a record of 39–41, placing 3rd in the league under manager D. W. Morgan, finishing 13.0 games behind the 1st place Denver Mountain Lions in the final standings.[7][8][9]

The 1889 Leadville Blues of the Colorado State League ended the season with a record of 19–31, placing 4th in the final standings. Deacon White, Butch Blake and John Foutz served as managers, as Leadville finished behind 1st place Colorado Springs in the five–team league.[10][11]

Leadville played as members of the 1895 the Colorado State League. The league records and statistics for the 1895 season are unknown.[12][13][14]

The 1896 Leadville Angels continued Colorado State League play and finished in 2nd place in the six–team league. Leadville had one 1996 game delayed 30 minutes due to a snowstorm. The league began play on May 2, 1896 and concluded the season on July 15, 1896. Leadville finished with a record of 5–3 under manager Harry Grier. Leadville finished with the Aspen Miners (5–3), Colorado Springs (0–6), Cripple Creek/Gillette (4–4), Denver Gulfs (5–5), and 1st place Pueblo Rovers (7–3) in the league standings.[15][16][17]

In 1898, the Leadville Blues played their final season with an unknown record under manager Harry Grier. It is known the Aspen Miners won the Colorado State League championship and seven teams played in the 1898 league, led by Aspen with a 35–21 record. Aspen manager A. Magnam also served a dual role as commissioner of the Colorado State League in 1898. The Aspen Miners disbanded on July 31, 1898, and the Colorado State League permanently folded following the 1898 season.[18][19][20]

Leadville, Colorado has not hosted another minor league team.[21]

The ballpark

The Leadville Blues played home games at a "stadium" built for the team in 1882. The Leadville Base Ball Grounds were noted to have been located at North Harrison Avenue & East 13th Street, Leadville, Colorado. The ballpark location is near today's National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum.[1][22][23]

Bird's eye view of Leadville, Colo. 1882.

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeague
18851Leadville BluesIndependentColorado State League
18861Western League
1889, 18952Colorado State League
18961Leadville Angels
18981Leadville Blues

Year–by–year records
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/Notes
18857–133rdJohn Morgan / N. T. ThornesNone held
188639–413rdD. W. MorganNone held
188919–314thDeacon White / Butch Blake / John FoutzNone held
189500–00NANA1895 league records unknown
18965–32ndHarry GrierNone held
189800–00NAHarry Grier1898 team record unknown

Notable alumni

See also

Leadville Blues players

References
  1. "1882 Leadville Blues | Lake County Sports Hall of Fame".
  2. Emerita, Marcia Martinek Herald Editor. "Leadville Blues earn national reputation". The Herald Democrat. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  3. "A tradition of baseball in Colorado". October 15, 2007.
  4. "1885 Leadville Blues minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. "1885 Leadville Blues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/media/document/2018/Heritage%20Sum%2718-web-Links.pdf
  7. "1886 Leadville Blues minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  8. "Leadville Blues - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  9. "1886 Leadville Blues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. "1889 Leadville Blues minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. "1889 Leadville Blues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  12. "1895 Leadville minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. "1895 Leadville Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  14. "1895 Colorado State League (CSL) minor league baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  15. "1896 Colorado State League (CSL) minor league baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  16. "1896 Leadville Angels minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  17. "1896 Leadville Angels Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  18. "1898 Colorado State League (CSL) minor league baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  19. "1898 Aspen Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  20. "1898 Leadville Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  21. "Leadville, Colorado Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  22. "Leadville Base Ball Grounds in Leadville, CO minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  23. "National Mining Museum". www.mininghalloffame.org.
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