76 teams, 734 players (stories from the minors)
When I started researching Wichita’s minor league history this time – it wasn’t the first and it won’t be the last – I was most curious about the number of players who passed through town on the way to or coming down from the major leagues.
It bothers me not having affiliated minor league baseball in town and I’ll write about that more extensively next week in a newspaper column.
And one of the things that bothers me the most is not seeing future or former big leaguers. The biggest bonus of minor league baseball is the players. It means something to be able to say I saw Vida Blue pitch for the Iowa Oaks against the Wichita Aeros back in 1972. Or that I saw Warren Spahn managing the Tulsa Oilers in the old American Association.
Or that Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar was just 19 when he played shortstop for the Wichita Pilots in 1987.
I’m Baseball Guy. These things mean something to me. And they should mean something to you. But more on that in next week’s column. I want to save my ammunition.
Thanks to the super-fantastic website baseballreference.com, I’ve determined that the 76 minor league teams in Wichita’s history included 734 players who played in the big leagues. That’s a lot and it’s not something we’re getting much of now with the Wichita Wingnuts, an independent league team whose roster has been dotted with only ex-big leaguers in six seasons.
Wichita’s minor league history started 126 years ago, in 1887. It ended in 2007, when the Wichita Wranglers franchise was sold and moved to Northwest Arkansas, which now is the Double-A home of the Kansas City Royals.
Will minor-league baseball ever return? History says it will. And I’ll have many more thoughts on how that might happen next week.
For now, though, read through the names. Some will surprise you.
Wichita Braves1887 (6)Pete DanielsJumbo HartingDucky HempArt SundayFarmer WeaverLew Whistler
Wichita Eagles 1898 (2)Russ HallJock Menefee
Wichita Jobbers 1905 (1)Hank Gehring
1906 (5)Bill DammannRudy KlingDusty MillerLarry MiltonEd Willett
1907 (4)Dick BaylessBeals BeckerClyde MilanHarley Young
1908 (5)Ed CermakJohn MasseGus HetlingJim ScottKid Speer
1909 (4)Ad BrennanWillis ColeSkipper RobertsArt Weaver
1910 (1)Raleigh Artchison
1911 (4)Ira BeldenRed FaberFrank IsbellAl Shaw
Wichita Witches 1912 (3)Vernie ClemonsTommy MeeTex Wisterzil
1913 (3)Charlie BabbNed PettigrewMike Regan
1914 (5)James DurhamTom FitzsimmonsNick MaddoxPatsy O'RourkeGoldie Rapp
1915 (6)Lyman LambOvid NicholsonHam PattersonAllan SotharonJohn SullivanBuzzy Wares
1916 (5)Bill AbsteinGil BrittonBen HuntJim JacksonJoe Pate
Wichita Jobbers 1917 (5)Joe BergerIke DavisPep GoodwinBobby WallaceHarry Williams
1918 (3)Ben HarrisTex JonesElmer Koestner
1919 (5)Art EwaldtAdrian LynchGeorge LyonsGeorge McAvoyPaul Meloan
1920 (2)Abe BowmanYam Yaryan
Wichita Witches 1922 (4)Fred BeebeCarl EastRaymond HaleyCarl Manda
Wichita Izzies 1923 (4)Johnny ButlerJoe CaseyJacko ConlanErnie Maun
1924 (3)Fred BeckHugh McMullenPaul Musser
1925 (7)Chet ChadbourneChuck CorganFred GrafEd HovlikRay MorehartKen PennerBill Sweeney
1926 (2)Jack BerlyHowie Gregory
Wichita Larks 1927 (6)Archie CampbellAdam ComaroskyPea Ridge DayBill DoranRaymond HaleyBill Hollchan
1928 (6)Uke ClantonDoc CrandallOx EckhardtRed PeesyJim StonerGeorge Stueland
Wichita Aviators 1929 (6)Buck FreemanBob JohnsonJimmie LongJim MasolfBill PiercyGlenn Spencer
1930 (10)Andy BednarLeon ChagnonGus DuganRalph EricksonWoody JensenMarty LangRufus MeadowsLenny MetzBen SankeySpades Wood
1931 (10)Sam DaileyAlex HouksArt JacobsLloyd JohnsonVern KennedyTony PietTony RegoJohn StonehamArky VaughanPep Young
1932 (9)Peaches DavisLuther HarvelChuck HostetlerGene LillardErnie NeitzkeEmmett NelsonFred NicholsonJohn SingletonNick Ward
Wichita/Muskogee Oilers 1933 (6)Mort CooperKirby HigbePaul HinsonJoe KlingerFrank MulroneyRube Marquard
Wichita Indians 1950 (7)Bobby BalcenaMike BlyzdaPerry CurrinGeorge ElderDon LarsenCarl PowisBob Turley
1951 (3)Harry MacPhersonDon MinnickDon Mossi
1952 (2)Jack BrunerLefty Wallace
1953 (5)Mark ChristmanGeorge HausmannMel HeldChuck LockeJim Pisoni
1954 (2)Garland LawingLes Layton
1955 (7)Bud BatesJohnny GorylLenny GreenBob HarrisonHal HudsonJim SnyderTommy Warren
Wichita Braves 1956 (28)Charlie BicknellDan BollwegEd CharlesChico GarciaBob GiggieCharlie GorinHarry HanebrinkBob HartmanBob HazleEarl HershJoey JayJoe KoppeDon LeppertGeorges MarandaDon McMahonChet NicholsJim PendletonTaylor PhillipsBilly QuinnHumberto RobertsonBob RoselloBob RossBob TalbottBen TaylorBob TrowbridgeRoberto VargasCharlie WhiteCarl Willey
1957 (15)Toby AtwellDick ColeWes CovingtonRoy HawesRon HenryChick KingBobby MalkmusRed MurffPhil PaineJuan PizarroRay RippelmeyerMike RoarkeRay ShearerBob UeckerCorky Valentine
1958 (16)Eddie HaasErnie JohnsonDave JollyDon KaiserMick KrsnichDick LittlefieldJoe LonnettKen MacKenzieLee MayeJoe MoranDon NottebartDick PhillipsClaude RaymondMel RoachAl SpanglerCasey Wise
Wichita Aeros
1970 (28)Bob AllenRick AustinFrank BakerDel BatesJack BrohamerLarry BurchartLou CamilliChris ChamblissFrank CogginsVince ColbertEd FarmerTed FordPedro GonzalezSteve HarganPhil HenniganJerry HinsleyBob KaiserJohn LowensteinRay MillerSteve MingoriMike PaulCap PetersonJim RittwageBilly RohrRichie ScheinblumTommie SiskKen SuarezDick Tidrow
1971 (12)Buddy BellKurt BevacquaGary BoydJim ClarkJohn HairstonRich HandJack HeidemannDennis HigginsSteve JonesChuck MachemehlRich NyeFred Stanley
1972 (25)Ossie BlancoBill BonhamPat BourqueDanny BreedenFrank CogginsJoe DeckerFrank FernandezSkip GuinnLarry GuraJim HibbsGene HiserTerry HughesCleo JamesBill KelsoAl MontreuilBill NorthJose OrtizPaul ReuschelRick ReuschelRoberto RodriguezDave RosellArt ShamskyJim ToddRon TompkinsFloyd Weaver
1973 (17)Matt AlexanderWade BlasingameRay BurnsClint ComptonCasey CoxFrank EstradaBobby FenwickAdrian GarrettPete LaCockTony La RussaTom LundstedtJ.C. MartinDan McGinnRob SperringAndre ThorntonJim TyroneChris Ward
1974 (15)Tom DettoreRonn DunnJack HiattHerb HutsonJim KremmelDave LaRocheDave LemondsDave LeonhardGonzalo MarquezWillie PrallBuddy SchultzScipio SpinksSteve SwisherKen SzotkiewiczJerry Tabb
1975 (9)Mike AdamsKen CrosbyJulio GonzalezVic HarrisEddie SolomonRick StelmaszekJoe WallisEddie WattMilt Wilcox
1976 (12)Ken FrailingDave GeiselMike KrukowDennis LampDonnie MooreGerry PirtleEd PutmanMike SemberBruce SutterWayne TyroneGeoff ZahnOscar Zamora
1977 (11)Larry AndersonPete BrobergEd CrosbyBobby DarwinKeith DrumrightJim DwyerMike GordonRick JonesGeorge RileyDave SchneckScot Thompson
1978 (11)Tim BlackwellBill CaudillSteve DavisDennis DeBarrJesus FigueroaAl JavierRandy MartzRudy MeoliKarl PagelRodney ScottManny Seoane
1979 (11)Derek BothelloDoug CapillaPunch DelgadoBob GorinskiGreg KeatleyGene KrugSteve MackoKurt SeibertJim TracyJim WilloughbyDarrell Woodard
1980 (10)Miguel DiloneBill EarleyGeorge EnrightBill HayesMark LemongelloCarlos LezcanoBob MyrickMike O'BerryDan RohnLee Smith
1981 (30)Terry BogenerBobby BondsMike BruhertJohn ButcherNick CapraOdie DavisAdrian DevineDan DuranJim FarrEd FigueroaDan GonzalesRoger HoltBob JohnsonBob JonesDon KainerJim KernJack LazorkoDennis LewallynRick LisiMark MercerNelson NormanJim NorrisDave RajsichMike RichardtBilly SampleDave SchmidtWayne TollesonDon WernerLen WhitehouseGary Wilson
1982 (28)Shooty BabbittGreg BargarTom DixonHal DuesRick EnglePepe FriasMike FuestesMike GatesTom GormanRick GrapenthinMike GriffinBrad GoldenRoy JohnsonWallace JohnsonBrian LittleJerry ManuelBrad MillsWillie MuellerRich MurrayDan NormanKen PhelpsMike PhillipsLuis QuintanaPat RooneyKim SeamanBryn SmithChris SmithTom Wieghaus
1983 (13)Butch BentonJoe HeskethBob JamesMike KinnunenRick LancelottiAl NewmanRodney ScottRazor ShinesMike StenhouseRennie StennettDave TomlinChris WelshJerry White
1984 (27)Dann BilardelloTom BrowningBob BuchananKeefe CatoEric DavisJohn FrancoLeo GarciaMark GilbertPaul HouseholderAlan KnicelyWayne KrenchickiBill LandrumTom LawlessBrad LesleyLloyd McClendonDave MileyFrank PastoreCharlie PuleoRon RobinsonWade RowdonTom RunnellsBill ScherrerMike SmithScott TerryJay TibbsFreddie TolliverDave Van Gorder
Wichita Pilots
1987 (10)Roberto AlomarSandy AlomarJerald ClarkGerry DavisStorm DavisGreg HarrisThomas HowardSteve LuebberEric NolteCandy Sierra
1988 (4)Jim AustinCarlos BaergaMatt MayseyJim Tatum
Wichita Wranglers 1989 (14)Andy BenesRicky BonesDoug BrocailPaul FariesJeremy HernandezDave HollinsJim LewisJose MotaWarren NewsonOmar OlivaresRich RodriguezRafael ValdezJose ValentinDan Walters
1990 (7)Frank DiMicheleKevin HigginsMike HumphreysPedro MartinezA.J. SagerDave StatonGuillermo Velasquez
1991 (7)Howard HiltonLuis LopezFrank SeminaraDarrell ShermanRoger SmithbergPhil StephensonAtlee Hammaker
1992 (12)Mark EttlesScott FredricksonJay GainerJoey HamiltonRay HolbertDwayne HoseyChris JelicBrian JohnsonLance PainterScott SandersDean WilkinsTim Worrell
1993 (10)Andrew BerumenTerry ClarkBryce FlorieDon HeinkelCurt LeskanicPablo MartinezRay McDavidJoe StrongWally WhitehurstJim Pena
1994 (16)Don AugustRobbie BeckettHomer BushCamern CairncrossGlenn DishmanJason HardtkeDustin HermansonFernando HernandezGreg KeagleKevin MaasJose MartinezSean MulliganAlex SanchezMackey SasserMike SchoolerJason Thompson
1995 (20)Brian BevilJaime BlumaMike BoveeJohnny DamonChris EddyBart EvansSal FasanoMark FyhrieRaul GonzalezJeff GrangerRyan LongFelix MartinezAllen McDillRod MyersKevin RayMandy RomeroSteve SiscoAndy StewartLarry SuttonDerek Wallace
1996 (8)Jed HansenMendy LopezMike SweeneyMichael TuckerTim ByrdakJim PittsleyJose RosadoDilson Torres
1997 (12)Jamie BrewingtonKiko CaleroJeremy GiambiChris HaneyChris HatcherCarlos MendezHector OrtizKit PellowBrad PenningtonMark QuinnJose SantiagoJamie Walker
1998 (10)Kevin AppierCarlos BeltranCarlos FeblesOrber MorenoScott MullenAlex PrietaKen RayDan ReichartScott TaylorMatt Turner
1999 (9)Jeff AustinJuan BritoDee BrownLance CarterChad DurbinTerry MathewsJeff MontgomeryPaul PhillipsKris Wilson
2000 (10)Brandon BergerJoe DillonMark EllisCurtis GoodwinGarvin AlstonTony CoganChris GeorgeMike MacDougalBlake SteinCorey Thurman
2001 (14)Jeremy AffeldtAngel BerroaDoug BochtlerRyan BukvichEndy ChavezRick DeHartNate FieldJason GilfillinAlexis GomezKen HarveyBran SanchesBrian ShackelfordMike TonisBrad Voyles
2002 (15)Winston AbreuDavid DeJesusJimmy GobbleJason GrimsleyRunelvys HernandezChuck KnobblauchDarrell MayBrent MayneShawn MonahanWes ObermuellerChan PerryMark QuinnMike RoseKyle SnyderMac Suzuki
2003 (13)Miguel AscencioBuddy CarlyleJason DellaeroByron GettisZack GreinkeJeremy HillNorris HopperAlejandro MechadoBrian RoseOscar SalazarChad SantosJorge VasquezLes Walrond
2004 (13)Cory AldridgeBrian BassDenny BautistaAndres BlancoRuben GotayAaron GuielJunior HerndonDoug LintonWilken RuanJimmy SerranoMel StockerJ.J. TrujilloEduardo Villacis
2005 (18)Brian AndersonMike AvilesJonah BaylissRyan BraunAmbiorex BurgosBilly ButlerShane CostaChris DemoriaMatt DiazDerrin EbertIrvin FaluJ.P. HowellJustin HuberDevon LoweryMitch MaierDonnie MurphyJuan Carlos OviedoMatt Tupman
2006 (10)Paul BakoChris BookerBilly BucknerAlex GordonKila Ka'aihueNeal MusserMark RedmanRandy RuizRyan SnareMike Wood
2007 (16)John BaleCraig BrazellJorge De La RosaOctavio DotelScott ElartonJohn FosterAdam GreenbergLuke HochevarLuke HudsonDusty HughesEd LucasJorge PadillaJared SandbergCarlos RosaJason ShiellJohn Thomson
This story was originally published October 3, 2013 at 3:26 PM with the headline "76 teams, 734 players (stories from the minors)."