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Akron Champs

Akron Champs
19051920
(1905–1913, 1915, 1920)
Akron, Ohio
Class-level
Previous
  • Double-A (1920)
  • Class D (1915)
  • Class B (1912–1913)
  • Class C (1905–1911)
Minor league affiliations
League International League (1920)
Previous leagues
Minor league titles
League titles 4 (1908, 1909, 1910, 1911)
Team data
Previous names
  • Akron Rubberducks(2015)
  • Akron Buckeyes (1920)
    • Akron Rubbernecks (1915)
  • Akron Giants (1913)
  • Akron Rubbermen (1912)
  • Akron Champs (1907–1911)
  • Akron Rubbernecks (1906)
  • Akron Buckeyes (1905)

The Akron Champs was the dominant name of a minor league baseball team that represented Akron, Ohio between 1905 and 1920.

The team began play in 1905 as Akron Buckeyes and were members of the Ohio–Pennsylvania League when the league was formed. In 1906 to the Akron Rubbernecks, an reflection of the city's top industry. Since 1880, Akron was the home of Goodyear, BFGoodrich, and Firestone, making Akron the "Rubber Capital" of the world.

The manager of the Akron team during their first three seasons was Walter East, who would later become the basketball coach at the University of Akron men's basketball team. East however also made headlines in the sport of professional football. In 1906, he played football for the Massillon Tigers of the "Ohio League" and is best known for his role fixing a championship football series in 1906 between the Canton Bulldogs and the Tigers. However, in Akron East was seen as being the hapless victim in the scandal. He was retained as manager of the Akron baseball team. It should also be noted that East, boasted of fixing a college football game, as well as a baseball game in 1905. However, in the summer of 1907, Akron owners', John Windsor and Ben Campbell, argued over retaining East as the Akron manager. The decision reportedly led to a fist-fight between the two owners. A reporter humorous wrote "It was the first time two men got into a fight over another man." Bob Quinn then bought the Akron team and kept East on as manager for the 1907 season.

However the team became known as the Akron Champs, a year later, and East was replaced by John Breckinridge as the team's manager. From 1908 until 1911, Akron won four consecutive Ohio–Pennsylvania League pennants. During this era, a team that won a league pennant was sometimes known as "Champion" or "Champ" the next season. When a champion failed to repeat the name was dropped.


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Wikipedia

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