The Nebraska State League (NSL) was an American professional minor league baseball league with five incarnations between 1892 and 1959. The Nebraska State League formed five times: in 1892, from 1910 to 1915, from 1922 to 1923, from 1928 to 1938 and from 1956 to 1959. League teams were based in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota. The 1892 league was a Class B level league, and the league was a Class D level league in all subsequent seasons.
History
Early seasons
The charter 1892 teams were the Beatrice Indians, Fremont, Grand Island Sugar Citys, Hastings, Lincoln Giants/Kearney and Plattsmouth. The league played just one season as a Class B level league before disbanding.
In 1889, a touring African-American baseball team called the "Lafayettes" was formed in Nebraska. In 1890, William Pope formed the Lincoln Giants. Pope had signed the best of the Lafayette players and the team subsequently folded. In 1892, the Lincoln Giants sought to join the Nebraska State League. Those against allowing black players in the league caused the Lincoln Giants to fold, with many of their players picked up by the other Nebraska State League teams.
The Nebraska State League in 1892 was racially integrated. Baseball Hall of Fame member Bud Fowler played for Kearney and was elected captain of the team. John W. Patterson, John Reeves, Frank Maupin, A.S. Kennedy, William Myers and F. Long played for Plattsmouth. George Taylor, played for Beatrice. The 1892 Nebraska State League was classified as a Class B level league and folded after the 1892 season.
The Nebraska State League reformed in 1910 as an eight–team Class D level league. The Columbus Discoverers, Fremont Pathfinders, Grand Island Collegians, Hastings Brickmakers, Kearney Kapitalists, Red Cloud, Seward Statesmen and Superior Brickmakers were the member franchises as the league resumed play.
In 1915, the Nebraska State League ran into financial difficulties as franchises struggled to remain solvent. Both Columbus and Kearney disbanded on June 4, 1915. After Grand Island withdrew June 28 and Norfolk disbanded June 29, the league folded on June 29, 1915. Kearney began the season 2,000 in debt and sold season tickets to eliminate the debt, but with 2,000 season tickets sold, the gameday gate money was minimal and the franchise was also affected by the city becoming "dry" and became unable to make its financial obligations to visiting teams. Kearney had logistical issuer as visiting teams were reluctant travel to Norfolk, as the train fares for the trip were expensive. Norfolk had agreed to pay extra to visiting clubs to make up the difference in train fares. Grand Island manager Harry Claire and player Crosby were given suspensions for the rest of the year due to gambling accusations and the team was also fined. The Grand Island franchise folded instead of paying the fines.
After folding following the 1915 season, the Nebraska State League reformed and played the 1922 and 1923 seasons with the Beatrice Blues, Fairbury Jeffersons, Grand Island Champions, Hastings Cubs, Lincoln Links and Norfolk Elk Horns as members of the six–team Class D level league. The league evolved into the 1924 Tri-State League.
In 1928, the Nebraska State League resumed play as an eight–team Class D level league. The Beatrice Blues, Fairbury Jeffersons, Grand Island Champs, Lincoln Links, McCook Generals, Norfolk Elks, North Platte Buffaloes and York Dukes were the 1928 league members. The league would play continually through the 1938 season.
1956 to 1959 seasons
The Nebraska State League formed for the final time in 1956. The league teams were all major league affiliates, as the Class D level eight–team league resumed play. The league members all took the monikers of their affiliate, as the Grand Island A's, Hastings Giants, Holdrege White Sox, Kearney Yankees, Lexington Red Sox, McCook Braves, North Platte Indians and Superior Senators were the 1956 franchises.
Originally 12 cities had showed interest in hosting a team in the 1956 Nebraska State League. Thie interest occurred after the eight major league teams had agreed to affiliate with the league. The Nebraska cities of Ogallala, Alma, Broken Bow and Norton, Kansas, were not granted franchises.