The Bozeman Irrigators were a minor league baseball team based in Bozeman, Montana. In 1909, the Irrigators played a partial season as members of the Class D level Inter-Mountain League. The Irrigators were preceded by an 1892 Bozeman team, which played as members of the Class B level Montana State League.
| Bozeman Irrigators | |
|---|---|
| |
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Class B (1892) Class D (1909) |
| League | Montana State League (1892) Inter-Mountain League (1909) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Team | None |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (0) | None |
| Team data | |
| Name | Bozeman (1892) Bozeman Irrigators (1909) |
| Ballpark | Unknown |
History
editBozeman, Montana first hosted minor league baseball in 1892, when the Bozeman team became a member of the six–team, Class B level Montana State League, a league that played a split–season schedule.[1] The Butte, Great Falls Smelter Cities, Helena, Missoula and Philipsburg Burgers teams joined Bozeman in league play.[2][3]
Bozeman folded during the 1892 season. On July 23, 1892, the team disbanded at the start of the second half. Bozeman folded with an overall record of 10–8, playing the season under manager B.E. Vaile. The Great Falls Smelter Cities team folded from the league on the same day. The 1892 Montana State League finished the season schedule with four teams and folded after the season was completed.[4][2][5]
Minor league baseball returned to Bozeman during the 1909 season. On July 10, 1909, the Boise Irrigators of the Class D level Inter-Mountain League moved to Bozeman to finish the 1909 season. Boise had compiled a 13–38 record when the franchise moved to Bozeman on July 10. Bozeman hosted their first home game on July 15, 1909. On July 25, 1909, the Inter-Mountain League disbanded during the season. The Boise/Bozeman team ended the season with a record of 16–41, placing fourth in the four–team Inter-Mountain League, finishing 22.0 games behind the first place Helena Senators. The team was managed by Con Strouthers and Joe Marshall.[6][7][8][9]
Bozeman, Montana has not hosted another minor league team.[3]
The ballpark
editThe name of the Bozeman minor league ballpark(s) is not directly referenced. The Gallatin County Fairgrounds were in use in the era, first constructed in 1903. Still in use today, the fairgrounds host amateur baseball at Heros Park.[10][11]
Timeline
edit| Year(s) | # Yrs. | Team | Level | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1892 | 1 | Bozeman | Independent | Montana State League |
| 1909 (1) | 1 | Boise Irrigators | Class D | Inter-Mountain League |
| 1909 (2) | 1 | Bozeman Irrigators |
Year–by–year records
edit| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1892 | 10–8 | NA | B.E. Vaile | Team disbanded July 23 |
| 1909 | 16–41 | 4th | Con Strouthers / Joe Marshall | Boise (13–38) moved to Bozeman July 10 League disbanded July 25 |
Notable alumni
edit- Pop Dillon (1892)
- Harry Gardner (1909)
- Charlie Hoover (1892)
- Joe Marshall (1909, MGR)
- Joe Miller (1892)
- Joe Moffet (1892)
- Con Strouthers (1909, MGR)
References
edit- ^ https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=bd0cc399
- ^ a b "1892 Montana State League (MSL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ a b Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
- ^ "1892 Bozeman Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1892 Bozeman Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1909 Boise Irrigators/Bozeman Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Inter-Mountain League (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1909 Boise/Bozeman Irrigators Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1909 Inter-Mountain League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ Kramer, Courtney. "Historic Spotlight: The Gallatin County Fairgrounds". bozemanmagazine.com.
- ^ "Could Bozeman Support a Minor League Baseball Team?". 96.7 KISS FM.