Ogden Gunners


The Ogden Gunners was a minor league baseball team based in Ogden, Utah. The Ogden Gunners played only the 1926–1928 seasons in the Class C Utah–Idaho League.
Earlier, Ogden hosted the Ogden Lobsters of the Inter-Mountain League, Ogden Lobsters of the Pacific National League and Ogden Canners of the Union Association. Ogden next had a team with the Ogden Reds, who joined the Pioneer League in 1939. The franchise set the foundation for the Ogden Raptors, who play today in the Pioneer League.
The Ogden Gunners won the 1927 Utah–Idaho League Championship. Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ernie Lombardi played for the 1927 Ogden Gunners.

History

Ogden first had a minor league baseball team with the Ogden Lobsters of the Utah-Idaho Intermountain League in 1900. The Lobsters won the 1900 Utah-Idaho Intermountain League Championship, finishing 32–13. They played alongside the Pocatello Indians, Rio Grande Rios and Short Line Shorts in the four-team Independent league.
The Ogden Lobsters joined the Inter-Mountain League in 1901, playing in the newly created four-team league, along with the Park City Ducks, Railway Miners and Salt Lake City White Wings. Ogden finished 31–10 to capture the 1901 Inter-Mountain League Championship. The league folded after the 1901 season.
The Ogden Lobsters played in the 1905 Pacific National League, alongside the Boise Infants, Salt Lake City Fruit Pickers and Spokane Indians. Ogden finished 2nd in the league with a 20–17 record. The Pacific National League disbanded on June 20, 1905 and did not reform.
The Ogden Canners played in the Class D Union Association from 1912 to 1914. Ogden finished 4th in 1912 and 6th in 1913. The Union Association folded on August 5, 1914, however Ogden and the Salt Lake Skyscrapers played 16 games against each other to complete their seasons. Ogden won 10 of the 16 games to finish 54–32, 2 games ahead of Salt Lake. In the Finals, Ogden defeated Salt Lake 4 games to 2 and captured the 1914 Union Association Championship.
The Ogden Gunners joined the Utah–Idaho League in 1926 and were charter members, along with the Idaho Falls Spuds, Logan Collegians, Pocatello Bannocks, Twin Falls Bruins and Salt Lake City Bees.
After finishing last with a 46–65 record in 1926, the Ogden Gunners finished 58–45 to claim the league championship in 1927. Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ernie Lombardi played for the 1927 Ogden Gunners at age 19, hitting.398.
In 1928, Ogden finished 4th at 57–59. The Utah–Idaho League disbanded after the 1928 season.
Ogden remained without a team until the Ogden Reds began play as founding members of the Pioneer League in 1939. Ogden still plays in the Pioneer League today, as the Ogden Raptors.

Ballparks

From 1912 to 1914, the Ogden Canners played at Glenwood Park. The ballpark opened in April 1912. It was located on 27th Street, between Washington Avenue and Grant Avenue, Ogden, Utah, 84404.
The Ogden Gunners and later the Ogden Reds played at Lorin Farr Park. With a capacity of 2,600 and 2,500, the park had dimensions of 325-377-325. The park itself still exists as a public park with a swimming pool complex. The address is 1691 Gramercy Avenue, Ogden, Utah, 84404.

Notable alumni