Virginia Mountain League

The Virginia Mountain League was a minor league baseball organization active in central western Virginia in 1914. The Class D level league folded during its only season of play.

Virginia Mountain League
SportMinor League Baseball
Inaugural season1914
CeasedJuly 25, 1914
PresidentB.F. Donovan (1914)
No. of teams5
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles1
Covington Papermakers
Clifton Forge Railroaders*
ClassificationClass D (1914)
Related
competitions		Virginia League

History

On March 3, 1914, at a meeting in Lynchburg, Virginia, discussions began for the formulation of a six–team Class D level baseball league. Teams were tentatively slated to be based in Lynchburg, Danville, Charlottesville, Clifton Forge, Staunton and Covington, with a salary limit of $800 (per team) monthly. Lynchburg, was hesitant to commit because of a previous $700 lien on its territory, a result of a previous team in the Virginia League. The league was then formed at a March 12, 1914 meeting, without Danville and Lynchburg franchises. B.F. Donovan, of Clifton Forge, was elected league president. D. R. Ellis, of Covington, was elected as vice-president.[1]

The Virginia Mountain League had four teams: the Charlottesville Tuckahoes, the Clifton Forge, Virginia based Clifton Forge Railroaders, the Covington, Virginia based Covington Papermakers; the Staunton, Virginia based Staunton Lunatics and the Harrisonburg, Virginia hosted Harrisonburg Lunatics (the Staunton team moved to Harrisonburg in July 1914).[2][3] The league disbanded on July 25, 1914, with Covington in 1st place with a 37–26 record, 5.0 games ahead of 2nd place Charlottesville.[3]

The Virginia Mountain League was reported to have folded due to poor attendance and the onset of World War I amid "rumors of fixed games."[4][5]

Shortly after the Virginia Mountain League folded, there was an unsuccessful attempt, headed by Clifton Forge manager Buck Hooker, in August, 1914, to revive the league and the teams.[6]

However, following the collapse of the league, the Covington and Clifton Forge teams elected to play a 10–game championship series. The Railroaders captured the unofficial league “title,” winning 7 of the 10 games. After winning a final doubleheader against Covington by scores of 5–4 and 5–3, a farewell reception and banquet was held for the players at Clifton Forge.[1]

Cities represented

1914 Virginia Mountain League standings

schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Covington Papermakers3726.587–Frank Moore / Nick Carter
Charlottesville Tuckahoes3130.5085.0Walter Steinhause
Clifton Forge Railroaders2834.4528.5Clarence Irwin / Harvey Bailey
Edward Eschback / Buck Hooker
Staunton Lunatics /
Harrisonburg Lunatics		2632.4488.5Davey Crockett / Pat Krebs

Staunton (15–22) moved to Harrisonburg July 21.[7]

References
  1. https://www.diamondsinthedusk.com/uploads/articles/149-img2-1914VirginiaMountainLeague.pdf
  2. "1914 Virginia Mountain League". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  3. "Virginia Mountain League". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  4. The Valley Baseball League: A History of Baseball in the Shenandoah Valley. Lulu Press. 24 June 2014. ISBN 9781483411385.
  5. “‘A Good Base Ball Club Is a Splendid Advertisement to a Town’: Baseball and the New South in Clifton Forge, Virginia,” Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 124, No. 3 (2016): 186-215
  6. "Evening journal 11 August 1914 — Virginia Chronicle: Digital Newspaper Archive". virginiachronicle.com.
  7. "Virginia Mountain League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.


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