The Keystone Association was a five–team independent level baseball minor league that played in the 1884 and 1885 seasons. The Keystone Association featured franchises based exclusively in Pennsylvania.
History The Keystone Association formed as Independent level minor league in 1884.
The Keystone Association was formed at a March 3, 1884 meeting in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Carlisle, Pennsylvania and West Chester, Pennsylvania were franchises admitted to the league but never formed a team. The league adopted American Association rules. The league president was Thomas Hargreaves.
The 1884 Keystone Association played as a five–team Independent league. The Keystone Association hosted franchises based in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Chester, Pennsylvania, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Littlestown, Pennsylvania and York, Pennsylvania.
The Keystone Association began play on May 2, 1884. The league then folded for the season on June 10, 1884. The League standings when the league folded were Lancaster Red Stockings (15–4), York White Roses (10–10), Chambersburg (8–10), Chester Blue Stockings (8–10) and Littlestown Brown Stockings (6–8). During the 1884 season, the Chester franchise disbanded on June 2, 1884 and Lancaster disbanded on June 7, 1884.
After the Keystone Association folded, York and Lancaster continued play, as the York White Roses and Lancaster Ironsides became members of the Eastern League for the remainder of the 1884 season. York replaced the Harrisburg Olympics after the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania based team folded. The Eastern League folded after the 1884 season.Nineteenth Century Baseball: Year-By-Year Statistics for the Major League Teams, 1871 Through 1900 ()
In their final season of play, the 1885 Keystone Association returned to play and featured the same five returning franchises. Chambersburg, the Chester Blue Stockings, Lancaster Red Stockings, Littlestown Brown Stockings and York White Roses were the 1885 league members.
The 1885 Keystone Association final team standings are unknown.
The Keystone Association permanently folded after the 1885 season.
Keystone Association teams Team name(s)City representedBallparkYear activeChambersburg MaroonsChambersburg, PennsylvaniaUnknown to Chester Blue StockingsChester, PennsylvaniaUnion Park to Lancaster Red RosesLancaster, PennsylvaniaUnknown to Littlestown Brown Stockings Littlestown, Pennsylvaniaunknown to York White RosesYork, PennsylvaniaYork Athletic Club Grounds to
League standings 1884 Keystone Association Team standingsWLPCTGB Manager(s) Lancaster Red Stockings154.789–Frank Diffenderfer York White Roses1010.5005½ Frank Burnham / H.B. King Chester Blue Stockings 810.4446½ Thomas HargravesChambersburg810.4446½ Oliver ChambersLittlestown Brown Stockings 68.4296½ NA
1885 Keystone Association The exact 1885 team records and standings are unknown Team standingsWLPCTGB Manager Chambersburg0000.000–NAChester Blue Stockings 0000.000–NALancaster Red Stockings0000.000–NALittlestown Brown Stockings0000.000–NAYork White Roses0000.000–NA
Notable alumni
Frank Berkelbach (1884), Littlestown Bart Cantz (1884), Chambersburg/Littlestown Fred Carl (1884), York Dick Conway (1884), York John Deasley (1884), Chester Bill Farmer (1884), Chester Ed Green (1884), Chambersburg/York Ed Greer(1884), Littlestown John Hiland (1884), Lancaster John Hofford (1884), Littlestown Will Holland (1884), Lancaster Bill Jones (1884), Chester Bobby Mitchell (1884), Chambersburg James Morris (1884), Chambersburg George Noftsker (1884), Chambersburg Ed Sales (1884), Chambersburg Lewis Smith (1884), York Mike Tiernan (1884), Chambersburg Charlie Waitt (1884), Lancaster George Wetzel (1884), Lancaster Henry Zeiher (1884), York
See also Pennsylvania State Association
References