The 1909
Abilene Red Sox first hosted minor league baseball in Abilene, Kansas. The Red Sox began play as members of the 1909
Class D level
Central Kansas League, as the league expanded from six teams to eight teams, adding Abilene. Other league members in 1909 were the Beloit team,
Clay Center Cubs,
Ellsworth Blues,
Junction City Soldiers,
Manhattan Maroons,
Minneapolis Minnies and
Salina Trade Winners. In their first season of play, the Abilene Red Sox placed third in the Central Kansas League. Abilene ended the 1909 season with a record of 37–30, as F.D. Parent and Affie Wilson served as managers. Abilene finished 7.0 games behind the first place Ellsworth Blues in the standings. The final standings were led by Ellsworth (44–23), followed by the Salina Trade Winners (40–28), Abilene (37–30), Minneapolis Minnies (36–32), Junction City Soldiers (34–32), Beloit (33–36), Clay Center Colts (32–37) and Manhattan Maroons (16–54). Abilene pitcher Ora Williams led the Central Kansas League with 19 wins, 178 strikeouts and a winning percentage of .826, with a 19–4 record. Abilene, Kansas has not hosted a minor league baseball team since the folding of the Reds. ==The ballpark==