The Butte Miners were a minor league baseball franchise based in Butte, Montana. Butte minor league teams played as members of the Montana State League (1892, 1900), Pacific Northwest League (1902), Pacific National League (1903–1904), Montana State League (1905), Northwestern League (1906–1908), Inter-Mountain League (1909), Montana State League (1909), Union Association (1911–1914), Northwestern League (1916–1917) and Montana State League (1925). Butte hosted home minor league games at the Mt. Columbia Grounds.
Baseball Hall of Fame member Joe McGinnity was a player/manager of the Butte Miners in 1916 and 1917.
History
Montana State League 1892, 1900
Minor league baseball began in Butte, Montana in 1892. The Butte team played as members of the newly formed Class B level Montana State League. The Bozeman, Great Falls Smelter Cities, Helena, Missoula and Philipsburg Burgers teams joined Buttte in league play.
Playing as charter members in the Montana State League, Butte finished as the 1892 Montana State League Champions. The league played a split–season schedule, with Butte capturing the first–half title and Missoula winning the second–half title, while Helena had the best overall record, but missed the playoff. Butte finished with a 26–22 overall record, playing under manager Jim Powell. Powell had moved to Butte to work as manager of Maguire’s Opera House after his major league career. As Butte won the first–half championship and Missoula won the second–half title, Butte was awarded the overall championship after Helena reportedly forfeited the playoff series over complaints regarding money and umpiring. The Montana State League folded after the 1892 season.
The Montana State League reformed in 1900 under the direction of president William Henry Lucas. The Butte Smoke Eaters were a member of the four–team league, along with the Anaconda Serpents, Great Falls Indians and Helena Senators. The 1900 Bute Smoke Eaters ended the season with a 30–40 record, placing fourth and last in the Montana State League. The Butte Smoke Eaters were again managed by Jim Powell. The Montana State League did not return to play in 1901.
Pacific Northwest/National League 1902–1904 / Montana State League 1905
The Butte Miners became members of the Class B level Pacific Northwest League in 1902 and won the first of back–to–back championships.
In 1902, Butte finished 1st with a 73–47 record, playing under manager John McCloskey. The Pacific Northwest League had no playoffs and Butte won the championship based on the final league standings. The Butte Miners finished 3.0 games ahead of the second place Seattle Clamdiggers in the six–team league. Seattle (70–50) was followed by the Helena Senators (65–54), Portland Webfoots (58–62), Tacoma Tigers (48-72) and Spokane Smoke Eaters (46–75) in the final standings.
The Butte Miners won a second consecutive league championship in 1903. The Butte franchise continued play as the Pacific Northwest League became a Class A level league and was renamed the Pacific National League, expanding to eight teams. In the era, Class A was the highest level of minor league baseball. Playing under managers Jerry Kane and Walt Wilmot, Butte ended the season with a 85–62 record, finishing 4.5 games ahead of the second place Spokane Indians (82–68) as only four teams finished the season. They were followed by the Seattle Chinooks (78–71) and Portland Green Gages/Salt Lake City Elders (56–91). The Helena Senators (40–62) and Tacoma Tigers (46–60) both disbanded on August 16, 1903. The Los Angeles Angels (65–42) and San Francisco Pirates (56–52) disbanded August 21, 1903.
The 1904 Pacific National League continued play as a four–team Class B level league and Butte finished in third place. The Butte Miners ended the season with a 54–75 record under manager Walt Wilmot, finishing the season 27.0 games behind the champion Boise Fruit Pickers. The 1904 Butte team was also called the Butte Fruit Pickers by some references.
Butte played in the 1905 four–team Montana State League, which operated as an Independent level league. Great Falls, Helena and Missoula were the other members. No 1905 Montana State League standings are known.
Northwestern League 1906–1908
In 1906, the Butte Miners became members of the Class B level Northwestern League, where they would continue play for the next four seasons. The Butte Miners finished with a 43–42 record, placing second under manager Charles McIntyre. Butte finished 8.5 games behind the first place Tacoma Tigers, no playoffs were held. On July 29, 1906, Butte Miners pitcher Oscar Bandelin threw a no-hitter in a 15–0 victory over the Spokane Indians.