Shelbyville Grays
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D (1908–1910)
LeagueBlue Grass League (1908–1910)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Team data
NameShelbyville Grays (1908–1910)
BallparkShelbyville Base Ball Park (1908–1910)

The Shelbyville Grays were a minor league baseball team based in Shelbyville, Kentucky. From 1908 to 1910, the Grays played exclusively as members of the Class D level Blue Grass League, hosting home games at the Shelbyville Base Ball Park.

Baseball Hall of Fame member Casey Stengel played for the 1910 Shelbyville Grays in his first professional season.

History

Minor league baseball began in Shelbyville, Kentucky in 1908.[1] Beginning play in the league on May 22, 1908, the "Shelbyville Grays" became charter members of the six–team Class D level Blue Grass League. The 1908 Grays placed fifth in the league final standings. With a record of 32–37, playing the season under manager Anton Kuhn, Shelbyville finished 14.0 games behind the first place Frankfort Statesmen.[2] The Blue Grass League did not hold playoffs and the final records in the charter season were led by the Frankfort Statesmen (47–23), followed by the Lawrenceburg Distillers (33–35), Lexington Colts (37–31), Richmond Pioneers (36–34), Shelbyville (32–37) and Versailles Aristocrats/Winchester Reds (22–47). The Shelbyville team moniker is also listed as the "Millers" in some references.[3][4][5][6]

Continuing play in the 1909 Blue Grass League, the Shelbyville Grays finished the season in last place.[7] Shelbyville had a final record of 39–79 to place sixth under returning manager Anton Kuhn, finishing 35.5 games behind the first place Winchester Hustlers.[8][9][10][2]

a young man in an old-style baseball uniform wears a glove and stares at the camera
Casey Stengel as a member of the Maysville Rivermen, 1910

In their final season of play, the Shelbyville franchise relocated during the 1910 season and had a legendary Hall of Fame player on their roster.[11] On August 24, 1910, the Shelbyville franchise moved to Maysville, Kentucky, as the team finished the 1910 season playing as the Maysville Rivermen. The Shelbyville/Maysville team finished in last place in the Class D level Blue Grass League. The team ended the season in sixth place with a 37–89 overall record and finished 42.5 games behind the first place Paris Bourbonites in the final standings. Anton Kuhn and Daniel Collins managed the 1910 team.[12][13][14][2]

After beginning the 1910 season with the Kankakee Kays, Baseball Hall of Fame member Casey Stengel played for the 1910 Shelbyville Grays/Maysville Rivermen at age 19, hitting .223 for the team in 69 games and 233 at–bats.[15][16]

The Maysville Rivermen continued play in the 1911 Blue Grass League season.[2] Shelbyville, Kentucky has not hosted another minor league team.[17]

Shelbyville fielded a semi–professional team in 1911, playing in the "Trolley League," composed of the Shelbyville, La Grange, Jeffersontown, Simpsonville, Lakeland, Ochsners, and Louisville Athletics teams.[18]

The ballpark

The Shelbyville Grays played their home games at the Shelbyville Base Ball Park. The ballpark had capacity of 2,000 after a new grandstand was erected for the 1910 season.[19]

Timeline

Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeagueBallpark
1908–19103Shelbyville GraysClass DBlue Grass LeagueShelbyville Base Ball Park

Year–by–year records

YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/notes
190832–375thAnton KuhnNo playoffs held
190939–796thAnton KuhnNo playoffs held
191037–896thAnton Kuhn / Daniel CollinsMoved to Maysville August 24

[2]

Notable alumni

  • Shelbyville Grays players
  • Shelbyville Rivermen players

References

  1. ↑ "1908 Shelbyville Grays Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  3. ↑ "1908 Blue Grass League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. ↑ "1908 Blue Grass League (BGL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. ↑ "1908 Shelbyville Millers Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  6. ↑ "Elephind.com — Frankfort weekly news and roundabout". Elephind.
  7. ↑ "1909 Shelbyville Grays Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. ↑ "1909 Blue Grass League (BGL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  9. ↑ "1909 Blue Grass League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. ↑ "1909 Shelbyville Millers Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. ↑ "1910 Shelbyville/Maysville Rivermen Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  12. ↑ "1910 Blue Grass League (BGL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. ↑ "1910 Blue Grass League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  14. ↑ "1910 Shelbyville Millers/Maysville Rivermen Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  15. ↑ "Casey Stengel Minor, Negro & Cuban Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  16. ↑ "Casey Stengel – Society for American Baseball Research".
  17. ↑ "Maysville, Kentucky Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  18. ↑ "Play Ball!". Towne Post Network - Local Business Directory. May 1, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Shelbyville Base Ball Park in Shelbyville, KY history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
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