Saginaw Bears

[5] The Athletics joined the Flint Gems, Grand Rapids Dodgers, Lansing Lancers, Muskegon Reds and St. Joseph Autos teams in beginning league play on May 14, 1940.

[6] The Saginaw Athletics franchise was owned by local businessman James "Ike" Bearanger, who also built a new ballpark for his team.

The Athletics were matched against the St. Joseph Autos in the Finals, but the series was cancelled due to weather without any games being played.

[10] Hank Camelli served as the catcher/manager of the Athletics at age 25 and later made his major league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1943.

[16][10] The Michigan State League permanently folded following the conclusion of the 1941 season, due to the onset of World War II.

[10] The Dayton Indians, Flint Arrows, Fort Wayne Generals, Grand Rapids Jets and Muskegon Clippers teams joined the Saginaw in beginning Central League play on April 28, 1948.

Robert Finley served as manager as Saginaw finished 35.0 games behind the first place Flint Arrows in the regular season standings.

At age 18, Buhl pitched his first professional season in 1947 for the Madisonville Miners in the Class D level Kitty League, where he had 19 wins in 216 innings and 40 games.

At the end of the season, he was upset with the Chicago White Sox offer of a contract paying $200 per month and a promotion to the Class C level.

Buhl then learned about some minor league players being declared free agents because they signed contracts while still in high school, which was against the rules.

Buhl wrote a letter to Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler, noting that he did not officially graduate until June 1947, after he signed a contract with Chicago in the winter of 1947.

After being declared a free agent, baseball scout Earle Halstead of the Boston Braves, signed Buhl to an $800 per month contract with a new car as a bonus.

[27] The Bears ended the Central League regular season with a record of 58–80, finishing 22.5 games behind the first place Dayton Indians, as Bob Finley again served as the Saginaw manager.

With their last place finish, the Saginaw Bears did not qualify for the four-team playoffs, won by the Grand Rapids Jets over the Charleston Senators in the final.

The Bears finished 26.0 games behind the first place Flint Arrows, who then swept the four-team playoffs to win the league championship in 1950.

[7] Albosta had last pitched in the major leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1946 and had his baseball career interrupted by military service in the U.S. Army World War II.

[39] The South Bend Blue Sox included players Bonnie Baker, Doris Barr and Dottie Schroeder.

[10] The Saginaw minor league teams from 1940 to 1951 hosted home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium.