Hannibal Cannibals

The Hannibal Cannibals was the original nickname of the minor league baseball team that played in Hannibal, Missouri. Hannibal minor league teams played in various leagues under numerous names between 1908-1955. Hannibal is the hometown of Author Mark Twain, also known as Samuel Clemens, the namesake of the Hannibal baseball park: Clemens Field.

History

Hannibal teams played in the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League (1952–1955), Central Association (1948–1949, 1909–1912), Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1916–1917) and began in the Illinois–Missouri League (1908).^[1] The team was known as the Cannibals (1908–1912), Hannibal Citizens (1955), Hannibal Cardinals (1953–1954), Hannibal Stags (1952), Hannibal Pilots, (1947–48) and Hannibal Mules (1916–1917). Hall of Famer Jake Beckley played for Hannibal in 1911.

Hannibal was an expansion team in the 1952 Mississippi–Ohio Valley League, the predecessor of today's Midwest League. I 1956, the franchise relocated to become the Michigan City White Caps for the first Midwest League season ^[2] and professional baseball left Hannibal for the last time.

Hannibal's Richard Lessman threw a no-hitter against the Lafayette Red Sox on August 9, 1955 in a 1-0 victory.^[3]

Today, the Hannibal Cavemen of the collegiate summer Prospect League play at a renovated Clemens Field.^[4][5]

Clemens Field

Clemens Field, named for native Samuel Clemens, was built in 1938 as a Works Project Administration (WPA) Project and was home to the Hannibal teams thereafter. After little usage, Clemens Field underwent a major renovation in 2009. Now, the stadium has the original grandstand and brick wall perimeter, holding 2,500. Clemens Field is located at 403 Warren Buffett Drive.^[6][7]

Previous to Clemens Field, the earlier Hannibal teams played at Mainland's Park (1910–1917), located at Market Street in Oakwood.^[8] and League Park (1908–1909), located at Lyon and Glasscock Street.^[9]

Hall of Fame Alumni

• Jake Beckley (1911) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame (1971)

Notable Alumni

• Julio Navarro (1955)
• Gary Geiger (1954)
• John Wyatt (1954) MLB AS;
• Hank Schmulbach (1947-198)
• Joe Lutz (1947)
• Roy Sievers (1947) 5 x MLB AS 1949 AL Rookie of the Year; 1957 AL Home Run Leader; 1957 AL RBI Leader
• John Castle (1917)
• Oscar Fuhr (1917)
• George Stutz (1917)
• Charlie Young (1917)
• Red Smyth (1912)
• Clyde Southwick (1912)
• Al Bashang (1911)
• Ollie O'Mara (1911–1912)
• Dan Kerwin (1910)
• Hack Spencer (1910)
• Cy Slapnicka (1909) GM and Scout; Signed Baseball Hall of Fame pitchers Bob Lemon and Bob Feller

References