Berkeley Clarions
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D (1910–1911)
LeagueCentral California League (1910–1911)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Team data
NameBerkeley Clarions (1910–1911)
BallparkDwight Way Grounds (1910–1911)

The Berkeley Clarions were a minor league baseball team based in Berkeley, California. In the 1910 and 1911 seasons, the Clarions played as members of the Class D level Central California League, with the team playing partial seasons in both years. Berkeley hosted home minor league games at the Dwight Way Grounds.

History

Minor league baseball play was first hosted in Berkeley, California in 1910. The Berkeley team became members of the eight–team Class D level Central California League during the season.[1][2]

The Central California League began play on April 17, 1910, and played through November 6, 1910. The league played a full schedule, but only the weekend games counted in the standings.[3][4][5] Berkeley joined the league as part of a league trend involving franchise relocations. Of the eight Central California League teams that began the 1910 season, seven of those teams moved during the year, with three teams moving twice or more, with three teams disbanding before the end of the season. In all, fifteen different team relocations occurred in 1910, with two cities hosting two different teams during the season.[3][4]

The 1910 Berkeley team was in three other cities before settling in Berkeley. During the 1910 season, the Santa Rosa Prune Pickers moved to become the Alameda Bracketts on May 5, 1910. Alameda then moved to become the Oakland Basches on July 10, 1910. The team made moved to its fourth city when Oakland moved to Berkeley on July 31, 1910. Playing under managers William Bailey and T. Walton, the team finished in fourth place with 14–15 overall record. In the final standings, the first place Richmond Merchants ended the regular season with a record of 18–10, finishing 1.0 game ahead of the second place Alameda Alerts, who were the second team hosted in Alameda in 1910. Berkeley finished 4.5 games behind.[6][3] In the finals, the Alameda Alerts defeated Richmond 2 games to 0.[7]

In the 1911 Central California League season, Berkeley returned to play, as the Clarions did not relocate.[8] However, two other Central California League teams moved and Berkeley and the Oakland Emery Arms folded during the season, before the league permanently folded on July 9, 1911. After Oakland folded on June 18, 1911, Berkeley folded on June 23, 1911, leading to the demise of the league.[9] The league played a full schedule, but only the weekend games counted in the standings.[3][4]

After beginning play on April 8, 1911, the league folded on July 9, 1911, with Berkeley officially ending the season in fifth place after folding two weeks earlier.[10][11] The Clarions had a final record of 5–6, playing under manager Jim Kane.[12] Berkeley finished 3.5 games behind the first place San Leandro Cherry Pickers.[3]

Berkeley next hosted minor league baseball in 1915, when the Berkeley team played as members of the Class D level California State League.[13]

The "Berkeley Clarions" nickname was revived by today's Bay Area Vintage Base Ball League team.[14][15]

The ballpark

The Berkeley Central California League teams hosted home minor league games at the Dwight Way Grounds. The ballpark was located at Derby Street, Carleton Street and Grove Street.[16][17] Today, the site is still in use as a ballpark, renamed as Tim Moellering Field in 2012. The ballpark is utilized by Berkeley Public Schools athletic teams from Berkeley High School and Berkeley Tech High School.[18][19]

Timeline

Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeagueBallpark
1910–19112Berkeley ClarionsClass DCentral California LeagueDwight Way Grounds

Year–by–year records

YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/notes
191014–154thWilliam Bailey / T. WaltonSanta Rosa moved to Alameda May 5
Alameda moved to Oakland July 10
Oakland moved to Berkeley July 31
Did not qualify
19115–65thJim KaneTeam folded June 23
League folded July 9

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "1910 Central California League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. ↑ "1910 Santa Rosa Prune Pickers/Alameda Bracketts/Oakland Basches/Berkeley minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  4. 1 2 3 "Central California League (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  5. ↑ "1910 Central California League (CCL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  6. ↑ "1910 Central California League (CCL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. ↑ "1910 Santa Rosa Prune Pickers/Alameda Bracketts/Oakland Basches/Berkeley minor league baseball Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  8. ↑ "1911 Berkeley Clarions Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. ↑ "1911 Central California League (CCL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. ↑ "1911 Central California League (CCL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. ↑ "1911 Central California League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  12. ↑ "1911 Berkeley Clarions minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. ↑ "1915 Berkeley/San Francisco Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  14. ↑ "Bay Area Vintage Base Ball League Brings Sports History To Life". hoodline.com. March 21, 2015.
  15. ↑ Ferrell, Jamie (August 10, 2021). "There's A Vintage 'Base Ball' League In The Bay That Plays According To 1886 Rules". Secret San Francisco.
  16. ↑ "Dwight Way Grounds in Berkeley, CA minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  17. ↑ "Sunday Games", Berkeley Daily Gazette, p. 3, 1 November 1910
  18. ↑ "Tim Moellering Field Project | Berkeley Unified School District". October 2, 2011.
  19. ↑ Taylor, Tracey (September 23, 2013). "Tim Moellering Field dedicated on rainy day in Berkeley". Berkeleyside.
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