The Minneapolis Millers
During their first season in the American Association in 1902, the Minneapolis Millers performed poorly under manager Walt Wilmot as they put up a record of 54-86, 41.5 games behind the front-running Indianapolis Indians.
But their entire American Association tenure consisted of 8 first-place finishes between the years 1902-1952. As the American Association’s winningest team during that 51-season period, the Millers proved to be a continuous threat throughout their history in the league.
Beginning in 1910, the Millers brought their initial first-place finish to fans in Minneapolis. With a record of 107 wins and 61 losses (.637), the Mill City Boys had the highest victory total of any American Association team to date while on their way to their first league crown under manager “Pongo Joe” Cantillon. It was their first of three straight league championships.
Outfielder Gavvy Cravath took league honors with his .326 batting average in 612 at-bats. This figure is phenomenal considering that he played during the deadball era, a period (through 1919) which generally featured lower batting averages. Cravath was destined for major league greatness, but his numbers in the American Association are notable as well. In 1910, he led the league in hits (200), doubles (41), triples (13) and home runs (14), the latter a number which was unusually high considering the time period. Cravath’s 25 stolen bases round out his offensive numbers as a Miller in 1910.
On the mound for the Millers was Tom “Long Tom” Hughes who captured 31 wins, tops in the Association, against 12 losses (.721--another league high). Hughes’ 222 strikeouts was another league high; he pitched in 326 innings. Roy Patterson brought 22 wins against 12 losses in 318 innings. Nick Altrock was another member of the 300-inning club, posting a record of 19-13 in 300 innings of work.
Joe Cantillon led his Miller to a second consecutive American Association championship in 1911 with a record of 99-66 (.600).
Master moundsman Roy Patterson led the league with 24 wins while losing only 10 (.706--a league high) through 293 innings, while Rube Waddell racked up 300 innings while compiling a record of 20-17.
Offensively, Gavvy Cravath returned to form, leading the A.A. with his .363 batting average while walloping 29 home runs, the latter a previously unprecedented figure.
To round out their triple-season reign of American Association teams in 1912, Cantillon’s Millers added to their grist with 105 whole-grain wins against a meager 60 losses, finishing 6.5 games in front of runner-up Toledo.
Gavvy Cravath was gone in 1912, but the Millers were the strongest A.A. team offensively, hitting .278 while the league average was .257.
Compensating for Cravath’s clout was outfielder Claude Rossman who clobbered a club-leading .322 in 581 at-bats. Otis Clymer continued to perform well as an outfielder in the Minneapolis lineup with his .307 average in 651 at-bats, leading the league in runs (127) and hits (200) with a team-topping 37 doubles.
Fred Olmstead prove his worth as a premier moundsman for the Millers, assembling a record of 28 wins (a league high) and 10 losses (.737). Roy Patterson won 21 games against 9 losses (.700). The team leader in strikeouts was Irving “Young Cy” Young who fanned 142 while posting a record of 16-14 in a league leading 51 games and 275 innings.
After their triptych, the Millers’s wait for their next first-place finish was short.
In 1915, Minnepolis won their fourth American Association Championship. Manager Joe Cantillon was again equipped with a fine cadre of players who put their talents together to earn a record of 92-62.
Outfielder Henri Rondeau owned the team’s high batting average of .333 in 496 at-bats and he also topped the Millers with his 23 stolen bases. Rondeau was one of 42 players from 1902-52 to play in 10 or more seasons as a member of the American Association.
On the mound, D.C. “Mutt” Williams performed at a stellar level for the 1915 Millers, capturing a league-high 29 wins against 16 losses (.644) in a league-high 64 games through 441 innings of work, another league high while compiling an ERA of 2.53.
Minneapolis fans would wait a generation before their next American Association first-place finish. Under manager Donie Bush, the Millers captured the league’s top spot with a record of 100 wins, 68 losses in 1932.
With left-handed long-ball hitter Joe Hauser swatting 49 home runs for the Millers, the club had a potent lineup which resulted in a team batting average of .307, second in the league to Columbus (.308). Hauser was legendary as a Miller batsman during the 1930’s. The first-baseman was in his third decade of professional baseball.
Outfielder Art Ruble massacred the ball for the Millers, piling up a .376 batting average in 561 at-bats. Joe Mowry, another strong-swinging Millers’ outfielder, put up impressive numbers as well, leading the league in games (168), at-bats (739), runs (175) and hits (275) while putting up a handsome .348 batting average.
