Border League (baseball)

The Border League was the name of two 20th century circuits in North America minor league baseball. The first Border league operated in the 1912 and 1913 seasons as a Class D level league with five teams based in Michigan and one in Ontario. The Border League resumed play from 1946 to 1951 as a Class C level minor league, with teams based in New York, Quebec and Ontario.

1912–1913 league in Michigan and Ontario
The first, also known as the Eastern Michigan League, was a Class D minor league in 1912 and 1913 at the Canada–US border. It was composed of five teams from Michigan and one from Windsor, Ontario. This six-team league never really got off the ground, playing a minimal 35 game schedule. The league lost one Michigan team that disbanded in 1913. This action helped cause the league's downfall. There was no known effort to organize the league in 1914.

1912–1913 cities and teams

 * Mount Clemens, Michigan: Mount Clemens Bathers 1912–1913
 * Port Huron, Michigan: Port Huron Independents 1912–1913
 * Pontiac, Michigan: Pontiac Indians 1912–1913
 * Windsor, Ontario: Windsor 1912–1913
 * Wyandotte, Michigan:Wyandotte Alkalis 1912–1913
 * Ypsilanti, Michigan: Ypsilanti 1913

1946–1951 league in New York, Ontario and Quebec
The name was revived for a post-World War II Class C circuit that operated from 1946 through 1951 before shutting down. It was represented by nine cities, five from across the Canada–US border (four from Ontario and one from Quebec) and four from the state of New York. The four New York, teams, along with the Kingston, Ontario, squad were able to make the full run. The Ottawa Senators entry won three of the league's six pennants.

The league proved to be a good solid competitive group for the first five years. Attendance was good, the league drew over 1,600,000 fans the first five years before finally disbanding on July 16, 1951.

1946–1951 cities and teams

 * Auburn, New York: Auburn Cayugas 1946–1950, Auburn Falcons 1951
 * Cornwall, Ontario: Cornwall Canadians 1951
 * Geneva, New York: Geneva Red Birds 1947, Geneva Robins 1948–1951
 * Granby, Quebec: Granby Red Sox 1946
 * Kingston, Ontario: Kingston Ponies 1946–1951
 * Ogdensburg, New York: Ogdensburg Maples 1946–1951
 * Ottawa, Ontario: Ottawa Nationals 1947, Ottawa Senators 1948–1949, Ottawa Nationals 1950
 * Sherbrooke, Quebec: Sherbrooke Canadians 1946
 * Watertown, New York: Watertown Athletics 1946–1951

1912 & 1913
1912 Border League schedule 1913 Border League schedule

1946 to 1951
1946 Border League Finals: Watertown 4 games, Kingston 2. 1947 Border League schedule Finals: Ottawa 4 games, Ogdensburg 2. 1948 Border League schedule Finals: Ogdensburg 4 games, Watertown 0. 1949 Border League schedule Finals: Geneva 4 games, Auburn 2. 1950 Border League schedule Finals: Ogdensburg 4 games, Ottawa 2. 1951 Border League The league disbanded July 16. Last game played on July 10.