Central Association

In 1908 the Iowa State League changed to the Central Association.  The Central Association lasted a decade before completing it's life after 1917.  22 towns were represented over the decade in the league.  14 were from the Hawkeye State, 6 from the Land of Lincoln, and one each from the Show Me State and Cheeseland respectively.  The championship leaders were the Ottumwa Speedboys, who won in 1911, 1912, and 1913. 

Teams-

1908-

In 1908 the Ottumwa Packers of the newly formed Central Association finished last behind Billy Earle and  Chuck Fleming.  Billy Earle became the first American manager ever in Cuba during the 1901 campaign.

Team Standings        W L  PCT GB   Managers

8th Ottumwa Packers 48 80 .375 41.5 Billy Earle / Chuck Fleming

1909-

1909 was another season in the Central Association cellar for the Packers.  35,576 Ottumwans watched the Packers behind managers Hugh Shannon and Arthur Owens.  Hugh Fenney and the legendary spit baller Burleigh Grimes had succesful seasons in Ottumwa.

Team Standings       W  L    PCT  GB   Managers

8th Ottumwa Packers 48 91 .345 37.5 Hugh Shannon / Arthur Owens

League Leaders

Fred Fenney Ottum/Burl BA .300
 
Burleigh Grimes Ottum/Kew  Win Pct .742; 23-8

1910-

1910 was a promising season for the Packers as the team finished in 2nd place behind new manager Ned Egan.  37,000 fans went to games in Ottumwa that season.  Don Senno had a good season for the Packers that year.

Team Standings                 W   L    PCT    GB    Manager

2nd Ottumwa Packers       80  57   .584      7.5    Ned Egan

League Leaders

Don Senno   Ottumwa   84 runs

Individual Batting

Player

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

SO

BB

SB

 BA

Severeid

105

382

56

116

25

4

4

34

11

17

.304

Johnston

94

355

50

107

31

8

7

32

23

46

.301

Borton

133

468

49

137

24

7

7

71

35

19

.293

Individual Pitching

Player

G

IP

H

R

HB

SO

BB

W

L

W%

Boyd

39

342

214

65

7

228

60

24

11

.686

1911-

In 1911 the Ottumwa Speedboys enjoyed a championship season behind Ned Egan. The Ottumwa Speedboys battled Burlington for the Central Association's title until the last day of the season when Ottumwa defeated Keokuk in a double header.  Ottumwa was never lower than third in the standings and the Ottumwa fans were delighted about the Speedboys' success in 1911.  Tayler Kensel, Don Senno, and Ray Boyd lead the league in several categories for Ottumwa.

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Ottumwa Speedboys 87 41 .680 0 Ned Egan

Individual Batting

Player

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

SB

SO

BB

BA

Kensel

128

505

100

163

24

9

1

16

27

54

.323

Johnson

130

514

77

157

34

7

11

48

52

28

.305

Wall

88

319

65

96

11

5

6

41

58

25

.301

Individual Pitching

Player

G

IP

H

R

HB

BB

SO

W

L

W%

Boyd

40

201

247

96

10

66

211

30

7

.811

Dunn

36

281

246

89

19

54

168

23

9

.719

League Leaders

Tayler Kensel  Ottumwa 163 hits

Don Senno      Ottumwa 14 HRs

Ray Boyd        Ottumwa 30 Wins, .811 Win Pct.

1912-

In 1912 the Speedboys once again finished in first place in the Central Association. The team got off to a slow start and the Speedboys were in last place at one point, but they managed to repeat their 1911 championship performance after reaching first place in early August.  23,000 Ottumwans watched the Speedboys and manager Ned Edgan.  George Manush, John Sullivan, and Bert Dunn helped lead Ottumwa to the title with league leading performances.

Team Standings W L PCT Attend Managers

1st Ottumwa Speedboys

 79 50 .612 23,000 Ned Egan

League Leaders

George Manush Ottumwa .375 BA

John Sullivan     Ottumwa 21 HRs

Bert Dunn         Ottumwa 26 Wins

1913-

1913 was the third straight championship season in the Central Association for the Packers and Ned Edgan.  Burleigh Grimes pitched for Ottumwa that year.  Grimes is known as one of the best pitchers of his generation.  He is famous for being the last pitcher to legally be allowed to throm a spit ball after he was grand fathered in along with 16 others.  Grimes went on to win 270 games in the big leagues.  He was known as a tempormental character on the field, but he was said to have been kind off the diamond.  Grimes later managed the Brooklyn Dodgers for two years and he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1964. 

Team Standings W L PCT Managers
1st Ottumwa Packers 72 54 .571 Ned Egan

1914-

1914 was a disapointing season for Ottumwa baseball.  The team finished in last after three years of dominance.  On July 17, the Ottumwa franchise moved to Rock Island.  However Rock Island was in the territory of the three-I League, so they moved to Galesburg on July 24th.  This was Ned Egan's last year with Ottumwa.  Egan won 1032 games as a manager over his 16 year career with Winnipeg, Keokuk Burlington,Ottumwa,Waterloo and Muscatine.

Team Standings                                   W L PCT GB Managers

8th Ottumwa/ Rock Island / Galesburg 49 79 .373 28.5 Ned Egan

1915-

In 1915 there was no team in Ottumwa.  However on June 9th the Chicago Whales came to town and beat a group of Ottumwans 11-3 in an exhibition game.

1916-

1916 started as another baseball-less season in Ottumwa.  On July 20th Burlington's team moved to Ottumwa.  The team finished tied for third place behind managers Richard Rohn and George Boezle.  Dick Blunk had an impressive season pitching for Ottumwa with 24 wins.

Team Standings                W L PCT GB Managers

3rd Burlington/ Ottumwa 62 64 .492 14.5 Richard Rohn / George Boelzle

League Leaders

Dick Blunk Ottumwa 24 wins

1917-

Ottumwa did not field a team in 1917.  The Central Associatio

 Burleigh Grimes pitched with Ottumwa in 1908 and 1913.  He had a successful major league career and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1964.