Springfield Reapers

Baseball Hall of Fame member Jesse Haines played for the 1916 and 1917 Springfield Reapers teams.

[8] The Ohio State League reformed for the first time since 1898 and to begin the season, Springfield joined the Lancaster Lanks, Lima Cigarmakers, Mansfield Pioneers, Marion Diggers and Newark Newks teams in Ohio State League play, when began scheduled games on April 23, 1908.

Ned Ransick and R. Quinn served as managers, as the Cobblers ended the season 46.0 games behind the first place Lancaster Lanks.

[10][2] The Portsmouth Cobblers continued Ohio State League play, while Springfield remained without a franchise in 1909 and 1910.

Springfield and Chillicothe joined the returning Hamilton Mechanics, Lancaster Lanks, Lima Cigarmakers, Marion Diggers, Newark Newks and Portsmouth Cobblers teams in beginning the league schedule on April 20, 1911.

[12] Under manager Charley O'Day, the Reapers ended the season with a record of 84–55 and captured the Ohio State League championship.

[2][11] Pitcher Roy Ashenfelder, who split the season between the last place Hamilton Mechanics and Springfield, won 24 games to lead the Ohio State League.

The Akron Tyrites, Akron Rubbermen, Canton Statesmen, Dayton Veterans, Erie Sailors, Fort Wayne Railroaders, Grand Rapids Black Sox, South Bend Benders, Terre Haute Terre-iers, Wheeling Stogies, Youngstown Steelmen and Zanesville Potters teams joined Springfield in beginning Central League play on April 24, 1912.

Springfield finished 3.5 games behind the first place Fort Wayne Railroaders in the final regular season standings.

[30][2] In returning to the league in 1916, Springfield joined the Dayton Veterans, Evansville Evas, Grand Rapids Black Sox, Muskegon Reds, South Bend Benders, Terre Haute Highlanders and Wheeling Stogies teams in the eight-team Central League.

[31] In a 1915 game against Galveston, Dunn had a fight with an opposing player who reportedly insulted his membership in the Knights of Columbus.

Dunn subsequently agreed to become player/manager for Springfield, where he and helped to develop pitchers Jesse Haines and Lou Lowdermilk in 1916.

[2] Baseball Hall of Fame member Jesse Haines played for the 1916 Springfield Reapers and returned to the team in 1917.

[28][33] Having spent part of 1915 on their major league roster without appearing in a game, Haines was sent by the Detroit Tigers to pitch for Springfield in 1916.

[36] The 1917 Central League again utilized a split season schedule and Springfield had a second-place finish but did not qualify for the playoff.

Grand Rapids defeated the South Bend Benders/Peoria Distillers 4 games to 3 in the final as the two teams won the spilt season pennants.

[2] In 1928, the Springfield Buckeyes began play when the Central League reformed, with Joe Dunn becoming the team owner and manager.