Leavenworth Soldiers facts for kids
The Leavenworth Soldiers was an early professional baseball team. They were the first professional team from Leavenworth, Kansas.
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Leavenworth Soldiers: Early Baseball History
The Leavenworth Soldiers played in a baseball league called the Western League. They were part of this league from 1886 to 1888.
The 1886 Season
In their first year, 1886, the team faced some challenges. They ended up in last place in the league. They won 31 games and lost 49.
A very talented player named Jake Beckley was on the team. He was an excellent hitter. Beckley hit for a .341 batting average. He also led the Western League with 113 hits that year.
The 1887 Season
The Soldiers started the 1887 season with a balanced record. They had 27 wins and 27 losses. However, the team stopped playing on July 8. This happened because not enough fans came to watch their games.
Jake Beckley continued to play very well. He had an amazing batting average of .401. He also hit 33 doubles that year. He played for both Leavenworth and Lincoln teams.
The 1888 Season
The Leavenworth team returned to the Western League in 1888. They played 14 games, winning 7 and losing 7. The team was in second place at that time.
However, the entire league stopped playing on June 21. A player named J. Curran was leading the team in batting. He had a .300 batting average.
