Baseball in Marion, Illinois

Overview

The record of the Midwest League franchise in Marion, Illinois.

Marion's team was born with the League in 1947, finished a distant third place twice, and moved to Paducah after the 1948 season. The Indians were the last town recruited to join the ISL, and Marion's team was the first league team to fail.

Both years' teams had some merit. Pitcher Ed Schanz starred in 1947, and several hitters had decent seasons in 1948.

Roy Hawes played three big league games, with the Senators. He got one hit. Your classic "cup of coffee" player.

Summary

• Midwest League seasons: 2
• Won/Lost overall: 108/122, .470
• Best season: 55/56, .495
• Championship Playoffs Won: none
  • Championship Series Won/Lost: 1/3, .250
• Best MWL Won/Lost Record: no seasons

Marion was a charter member of the MWL predecessor Illinois State League. This franchise was originally assigned to Murphysboro, but moved shortly before the 1947 season began. The franchise moved to Paducah, Kentucky, before the 1949 season.

Seasonal Results
Other Leagues

Team Names

• Marion Indians, 1947-48

Affiliations

• Cleveland Indians, 1947
• Independent, 1948

Officers, Managers, & Coaches

Ballpark

• City Park (aka Marion Municipal Park? Probably new in 1947.)

Attendance record

• 36,705 (1947)

Ballparks & Attendance

Best Seasons

• Hitter: Mel Ivy (1948) .295, 5 home runs, 64 runs batted in
• Pitcher: Ed Schanz (1947) 2.25, 15-7, 153 strikeouts

Best Big League Career

• Roy Hawes (1947)

Awards

• none

Marion Highlights

Team Records

Hitters

• Batting: Dick Martz (1948) .361
• Home Runs: Paul Deters (1948) 8 [led league!]
• Runs Batted In: Paul Deters (1948) 65

Seasonal Hitting Leaders

Pitchers

• Wins: Ed Schanz (1947) 15
• Won/Lost (10 decisions): Ed Schanz (1947) 15/7, .682
• Earned Run Average: Ed Schanz (1947) 2.25
• Strikeouts: Ed Schanz (1947) 153

Seasonal Pitching Leaders

Notes

Lugnuts scorekeeper Mike Clark had an essay about the ISL in the initial Lugnuts yearbook; without those notes, this Tidbit would have been extremely short. Mike's article was based on research by Lendell Fullerton, which Mike credits.

Pat Doyle's Professional Baseball Player Database is invaluable; it knows who played for the team, and let me trace their careers.

Sometime between 1989 and 1995, the MWL decided to include the ISL in the League's records. I wouldn't have thought that was debatable. Other folks clearly do.

This summary originated as the January 13, 2001, Midwest League Tidbit on the Midwest League Mailing List.

Sources

These pages draw heavily on several sources:

• Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, eds, The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Durham: Baseball America, 1997)
• Midwest League Media Guide and Record Book (Beloit: Midwest League, various years; title varies)
• Kevin Saldana, Today in Minor League Baseball History (???: SalFam Books, 1999)
• Baseball America's Almanac (Durham: Baseball America, various years)
• News sources.