1886 & 1887 Northwestern League Oshkosh began minor league play in 1886, when the "Oshkosh" team became members of the six-team independent
Northwestern League. The league was reformed with Oshkosh joining the
Duluth Jayhawks,
Eau Claire Lumbermen,
St. Paul Freezers,
Minneapolis Millers and
Milwaukee Brewers teams in beginning play on May 8, 1886. Duluth won the 1886 Northwestern League championship, finishing 6.5 games ahead of third place Oshkosh. Ending the season with a record of 39-39, Oshkosh played their first season under managers William Harrington, William Roche and
Walt Kinzie. Oshkosh began play at the Jackson Street Grounds ballpark. member
Frank Selee. Selee managed the 1887 Oshkosh team to the Northwestern League championship. In 1887, Oshkosh won the league championship as the Northwestern League continued play, becoming an eight-team league, having added franchises. The new
Des Moines Hawkeyes,
LaCrosse Freezers and
St. Paul Saints joined the
Duluth Freezers, Eau Claire Lumberman,
Milwaukee Cream Citys, Oshkosh and Minneapolis Millers in the league. Oshkosh won the championship. Ending the 1887 season with a record of 76–41 in winning the championship,
Baseball Hall of Fame member
Frank Selee was the Oshkosh manager. Ending the season with a final record of 76–41, Oshkosh finished just .005 ahead of the second place (78–43) Milwaukee Cream Cities (.650 to .645) in the final standings. No playoffs were held, as was common in the era. The Northwestern League did not return to play in 1888. As Oshkosh manager, Selee had convinced the Oshkosh team owners to sign numerous players, including
Tommy McCarthy,
Tom Lovett and
Dummy Hoy before the championship 1887 season. After winning the championship in Oshkosh, Selee was hired to manage
Omaha Omahogs of the
Western Association in 1888, receiving a reported $3,000 to manage the team.
1891 & 1892 Wisconsin State League In 1891, Oshkosh returned to minor league play when the Oshkosh "Indians" became charter members of the
Wisconsin State League. The
Appleton Papermakers,
Fond du Lac Mudhens,
Green Bay Dock Wallopers,
Marinette Lumber Shovers and
Oconto Log Drivers teams joined with Oshkosh in the six–team Wisconsin State League. The Oshkosh "Indians" nickname corresponds to local history. The city of Oshkosh was named for the
Menominee leader
Chief Oshkosh. His name means "claw." (cf.
Ojibwe oshkanzh, "the claw"). Oshkosh finished in fourth place in the 1891 Wisconsin State League standings. In 1892, the Oshkosh Indians placed fourth in the Michigan-Wisconsin League final standings after the league lost two teams during the season. The Indians finished with a record of 41–50, playing the season under manager Charles Faatz. After the season began on May 37, 1892, the Green Bay Bays won the 1892 Michigan-Wisconsin League with a 48–39 record in the six–team league, finishing 6.0 games ahead of Oshkosh. Green Bay was followed by the Menominee Wolverines (44–40), Marinette Badgers (45–44) and Oshkosh in the final standings. The Marquette Undertakers (20–29) and Ishpeming-Negaunee Unions (24–20) teams folded during the season. The Michigan-Wisconsin League permanently folded following the 1892 season.
1905 to 1907 Wisconsin State League After a decade without a minor league team, Oshkosh returned to Wisconsin State League play in 1902, managed by W.J. O'Rourke. The league reformed as an eight-team league. Final standings and records for the season are unknown, The league did not play as a minor league in 1903. The Oshkosh Indians resumed minor league baseball play as members of six–team
Class D level
Wisconsin State League, also called the "Wisconsin Association," with all league teams based in
Wisconsin. The Indians joined the
Beloit Collegians,
Freeport Pretzels,
Green Bay Colts,
La Crosse Pinks, and
Wausau Lumberjacks teams in league play. The 1905 Oshkosh Indians ended their first season of Wisconsin State League play in second place, led by the hitting of Frank DuChein and the pitching of
Fred Beebe. With a record of 60–47, the Indians placed second in the Wisconsin State League standings, finishing 7.0 games behind the champion LaCrosse Pinks (68–41). Morey Crall and John Lavie were the 1905 Oshkosh managers. The Indians ended the 1906 season with a 56–63 record, finishing third in the league standings under manager
Charlie Hanford. Oshkosh finished 20.5 games behind the first place LaCrosse Pinks in the final standings. The LaCrosse nickname was in reference to their manager Pink ahawley, who would later become the LaCrosse manager. The Oshkosh Indians continued play as the 1907 Wisconsin State League expanded to eight teams, adding the
Madison Senators and
Fond du Lac Webfoots as expansion franchises. The league remained classified as a Class D level league. Oshkosh ended the Wisconsin State League regular season in fifth place. With a record of 58–65, playing under manager George Bubser, the Indians finished 22.0 games behind the first place
Freeport Pretzels in the eight–team league. The league had no playoffs, with the regular season first place team winning the championship. During the 1908 season, Baseball Hall of Fame member
Kid Nichols joined Oshkosh during the season as a pitcher-manager. It was the last season Nichols appeared as a professional player. Taking over as manager in July, Nichols guided Oshkosh to a 34–31 record under his managerial guidance. At age 38, Nichols played himself in 35 games during the season and he had a 3–1 record as a pitcher for Oshkosh. His Oshkosh play was the final of his career, giving him a career record as a professional pitcher of 495–258. In 1908, Oshkosh played a Wisconsin-Illinois League 23-inning game at Fond du Lac, winning by the score of 4–2. The Indians placed sixth in the eight–team Wisconsin-Illinois League standings under managers the returning George Bubser, who was replaced by Kid Nichols, The Indians ended the season 17.0 games behind the champion
Wausau Lumberjacks. The 1909 Oshkosh Indians finished in seventh place in the eight-team Class D level Wisconsin-Illinois League final standings. The Indians ended the 1909 season with a record of 52–72 losses, placing seventh for the second consecutive season. The 1909 Oshkosh manager was former La Crosse manager
Pink Hawley, as the Indians ended the season 24.5 games behind the first place
Madison Senators. Tom Coates of Oshkosh had 151 total hits to lead the league. The Indians finished with a record of 51–72, playing the season under manager Earl Burwell. Oshkosh ended the season 24.5 games behind the first place
Appleton Papermakers in the final standings, and ahead of only the last place
Aurora Islanders. In 1911, Oshkosh broke their streak of three consecutive seventh places by placing fifth in the Wisconsin-Illinois League. The Indians ended the season with a record of 61–64 playing under managers Howdy Cassiboine and
Bill Warren. Warren had played for Oshkosh in three previous seasons. The
Rockford Wolverines won the championship with a final record of 74–46 and finished 15.5 games ahead of fifth place Oshkosh. Kluwin was a local attorney in Oshkosh. In winning their first league championship, Oshkosh finished 5.5 games ahead of the second place
Racine Belles in the Class C level eight-team league. The Indians ended the season with a record of 87–45 under manager Joe Killian. Killian often told his teams "Let's go now, it's never too late to win." In the eight-team league, the Indians compiled a final record of 74–46. With a record of 72–51, the Racine Belles again finished in second place, 4.0 games behind Oshkosh in the eight-team Class C level league Final standings. Oshkosh returning manager Joe Killian led the team to the second consecutive championship. The Oshkosh Indians won the 1914 Wisconsin-Illinois League championship, their third consecutive league title, all led by manager Joe Killian. With an overall record of 75–43 to place first in the final standings. Joe Killian again led the Indians to the title, as Oshkosh finished 5.0 games ahead of the second place Green Bay Bays in the final Wisconsin-Illinois League standings. Oshkosh next hosted minor league baseball in 1941, when the
Oshkosh Giants began a tenure of play in returning to the reformed Wisconsin State League. ==The ballparks==