The Canton Chinks were a minor league baseball team based in Canton, Illinois. From 1908 to 1913, Canton teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level Illinois-Missouri League, as the 1912 team played as the "Highlanders." Canton hosted home minor league games at Athletic Park.
In 1908, the Canton Chinks were founded as the first minor league baseball team in Canton, becoming charter members of the Class D level Illinois-Missouri League. The Canton Chinks moniker derived from Canton being named after a Chinese city, as is nearby Pekin, Illinois. Relatedly, Pekin High School in the region used the same moniker until 1981, when the slur was deemed offensive and replaced.
In their first season of play, Canton finished the 1908 season with a 56âÂÂ61 record, placing fourth in the IllinoisâÂÂMissouri League standings, playing the season under manager Chuck Murphy. The charter members in the 1908 sixâÂÂteam league standings were the Canton Chinks (56âÂÂ61), Galesburg Hornets (50âÂÂ67), Hannibal Cannibals (68âÂÂ49), Havana Perfectos (58âÂÂ61), Macomb Potters (66âÂÂ53) and Monmouth Browns (55âÂÂ62). No league playoffs were held.
In the 1909 IllinoisâÂÂMissouri League standings, Canton placed fifth in the sixâÂÂteam league, finishing 27.5 games behind the champion Monmouth Browns. Canton finished with a regular season record of 51âÂÂ79, playing under manager Harry Lloyd. Canton 1909 home season attendance at Athletic Park was 30,000, an average of 462 per home contest.
On August 18, 1909, Canton pitcher Charles Fanning threw a losing noâÂÂhitter against the Macomb Potters. However, Canton lost the game by the score of 2âÂÂ0.
In 1910, Canton placed third in IllinoisâÂÂMissouri League play, ending the season 13.0 games behind the first place Pekin Celestials. Canton had a 55âÂÂ62 record playing under managers Elmer Smith and M. McDonald. The Macomb Potters and Jacksonville Jacks teams both folded during the season, leaving four teams to finish the season in the IllinoisâÂÂMissouri League.
The IllinoisâÂÂMissouri League again was a sixâÂÂteam league in 1911. Canton had a 60âÂÂ62 record in the final IllinoisâÂÂMissouri League standings, as the league remained a Class D level league. Canton placed fourth in the league standings, playing the season under manager Blackie Wilson and finishing 10.5 games behind the first place Clinton Champs.
In 1912, Canton was known as the Canton Highlanders. Continuing play in the IllinoisâÂÂMissouri League, the Highlanders finished the season with a record of 57âÂÂ56. The Highlanders placed third in the IllinoisâÂÂMissouri League, finishing 11.0 games behind the champion Lincoln Abes.
Canton returned to the Canton "Chinks" moniker in 1913, before folding midway through their final season. After beginning play in the sixâÂÂteam Class D level IllinoisâÂÂMissouri League, Canton folded on July 10, 1913, with a 20âÂÂ26 record under manager Ted Raines. The neighboring Pekin Celestials also folded on July 10, 1913, leaving the league with four teams to complete the season.
Canton was without a minor league team until the 1952 Canton Citizens played a partial season as members of the Class D level Mississippi-Ohio Valley League.
The Canton minor league teams hosted 1908 to 1913 home minor league games at Athletic Park. Today, the Canton Athletic Park is still in use. The park is located at 900 First Avenue in Canton, Illinois.