Bismarck Capitals

The Bismarck Capitals, based in Bismarck, North Dakota, gave the state capital its first minor league baseball in 1922, though the club arrived by accident rather than by plan. The Valley City Hi-Liners of the Class D Dakota League were 25-46 on August 3, 1922 when the franchise moved to Bismarck and played out the schedule as the Capitals at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark. The combined season finished 30-64, last in an eight-team league.

Bismarck got a club of its own the next year, joining the Minot Magicians, Jamestown Jimkotas and New Rockford-Carrington Twins as a charter member of the four-team North Dakota League. It did not go much better. The Capitals went 26-42 under managers Tom Shanley and Mo McKnight, finishing last, 21.5 games back. On May 26, 1923, Minot pitcher George Dennison no-hit them in a 2-1 game. The league folded when the season ended early that August.

Bismarck's most famous baseball came later and outside organized ball. The city fielded semiprofessional teams from the late 1800s into the 1930s, running integrated rosters that at various points included Satchel Paige. Bismarck returned to the minor leagues with the Barons from 1955 through 1957 and the Bismarck-Mandan Pards in the 1960s.