Dayton Veterans

Beginning in 1903, the Dayton Veterans teams played the next fifteen seasons as members of the Class B level Central League.

Mansfield Haymakers, New Castle Quakers, Springfield Governors, Toledo Mud Hens, Wheeling Nailers and Youngstown Puddlers teams joined Fort Wayne in beginning league play on May 2, 1897.

With Dayton, Flick had 183 total hits, with 29 doubles, 10 home runs, and a league-leading 20 triples, with a .386 batting average.

The Ols Soldiers had a record of 71–51 in the eight-team league to end the season in second place, playing under managers Frank Torreyson and Bill Armour.

Dayton ended the season 8.5 games behind the first place Toldeo Mud Hens and qualified for a playoff final.

[15] In August 1897, the Sporting Life wrote that it was "one of the best teams that ever represented Dayton" and that Armour was "getting very good work out of the boys, who are all satisfied with his management.

[17] Dayton ended the 1898 season with a record of 84–65, finishing just 0.5 game ahead of the second place Toledo Mud Hens in the eight-team league.

Dayton ended the regular season in first-place finishing 7.5 games ahead of the second place Fort Wayne Indians.

[24] The Columbus Senators, Grand Rapids Woodworkers, Fort Wayne Railroaders, Indianapolis Hoosiers, Louisville Colonels, Toledo Mud Hens and Wheeling Stogies joined Dayton in the league, which reformed after not playing in 1900.

[25] During the season, a baseball rarity occurred when Clarence "Gene" Wright of Dayton threw consecutive no hitters.

[27] On Sept. 1 and 4, 1901, Wright no-hit the Columbus Senators, 9–0, and the Grand Rapids Woodworkers, 2–0, in consecutive starts for the Dayton Old Soldiers.

[25] The 1901 "Old Soldiers" won the Western Association championship, ending the regular season in first place, as the league held no playoffs.

[24] Dayton ended the season with a record of 84–55 to finish 1.0 games ahead of the second place Grand Rapids Woodworkers.

With Cleveland, Armor signed future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Nap Lajoie.

Armor said, "For his services with our club he will receive $28,000 for four years, every cent of which he will he paid, play or not, as the courts may direct.

Fort Wayne was followed by the Anderson/Grand Rapids Orphans (48–92), Dayton Veterans (61–76) Evansville River Rats (64–68), Marion Oilworkers (71–65), Terre Haute Hottentots (58–80) South Bend Green Stockings (88–50) and Wheeling Stogies (69–68) teams in the final standings.

Albert Minor, who was pitching for the Evansville River Rats against the Dayton Veterans, left the field in the middle of the game in anger.

[33] The Dayton Veterans of the Central League placed fifth in 1904, playing the season under managers John Spaatz, Charles Jewell and Hub Knoll.

[2][35][36] For a second consecutive season, the 1905, Dayton Veterans placed fifth as the team continued play in the eight-team Class B level Central League.

[40] With a final record of 66–71, the Veterans were managed during the season by Ed McKean, Bill Richardson and Mal Kittridge.

[41][2] Dayton Veterans player Bill Richardson led the Central League with 7 home runs.

[2] In 1909 Dayton finished in the basement of the eight-team Class B level Central League, as Bade Myers returned to manage the Veterans[45] The Veterans ended the season with a final record of 56–77 and finished 27.0 games behind the league champion Wheeling Stooges.

The Veterans ended the season 3.0 games ahead of the second place Fort Wayne Railroaders in the final standings of the Class B league.

[2] The Class B Central League expanded by four teams in 1912, as the Dayton Veterans looked to defend their championship.

[58][59] In the final standings of the six-team 1913 Central League, the Dayton Veterans had an overall record of 62–77, playing the season under manager John Nee.

Dayton ended the season 8.5 games ahead of the second place Evansville River Rats, as no league playoffs were held.

[64] Dayton finished 29.0 games behind the first place Evansville River Rats in the Central League final standings.

[65] With the league playing a split season schedule, Dayton won the first half pennant and qualified for the playoff.

Dayton finished 3.0 games behind the first place Grand Rapids Black Sox in the final overall standings, but the Springfield Reapers qualified for the playoff winning second half pennant in the split season schedule.

The ballpark was located at the northwest corner N. Main Street & W. Fairview Avenue in Dayton, Ohio.