{{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox Minor League Baseball |name = Topeka Owls |firstseason = 1886 |lastseason = 1961 |allyears = 1886–1961 |city = Topeka, Kansas |past class level = {{plainlist| *Class-D *Class-C *Class-A }}
|past league = {{plainlist| *Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1959–1961) *Western League (1956–1958, 1933–1934, 1929–1931, 1909–1916, 1886–1887) *Western Association (1946–1954, 1939–1942, 1932, 1927–1928, 1924, 1905–1908, 1893) *Southwestern League (1925–1926, 1922–1923) *Kansas State League (1895, 1897–1898) }} |pastmajorleague = {{plainlist|
*Cincinnati Reds (1959–1961, 1933–1934) *Milwaukee Braves (1956–1958) *Chicago White Sox (1953–1954) *Chicago Cubs (1951–1952) *St. Louis Browns (1939–1940, 1930) *St. Louis Cardinals (1927–1928) }} |pastnames = {{plainlist| * Topeka Reds (1960–1961) * Topeka Hawks (1956–1959) * '''Topeka Owls''' (1946–1954, 1939–1942) * Topeka Senators (1933–1934, 1930–1931, 1924–1926) * Topeka Jayhawks (1932, 1927–1929, 1909–1915) * Topeka Kaws (1922–1923) * Topeka Savages (1916) * Topeka White Sox (1905–1908) * Topeka Saints (1904) * Topeka Colts (1897) * Topeka Populists (1893) * Topeka Giants (1895, 1898) * Topeka Capitals (1886, 1893) }} |pastparks = {{plainlist|
* Topeka Baseball Park * Freefair Park * Owl Ballpark (1939–1961) }} |leaguechamps = 1961, 1951, 1925, 1887 }}
The '''Topeka Owls''' was the primary name of the minor league baseball franchise based in Topeka, Kansas, USA.
==History== thumb|1887 Topeka "Golden" Giants
thumb|left|Joe Rickert, Topeka 1912
Topeka first began professional play in 1886 as the Topeka Capitals and had numerous names throughout their existence as a minor league team. Topeka was called the Topeka Reds (1960–1961), Topeka Hawks (1956–1959), Topeka Owls (1946–1954, 1939–1942), Topeka Senators (1933–1934, 1930–1931, 1924–1926), Topeka Jayhawks(1932, 1927–1929, 1909–1915), Topeka Kaws (1922–1923), Topeka Savages (1916), Topeka White Sox (1905–1908), Topeka Saints (1904), Topeka Colts (1897), Topeka Populists (1893), Topeka Giants (1895, 1898) and the Topeka Capitals (1886, 1893).<ref name="baseball-reference.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=Topeka, Kansas Encyclopedia|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>
Topeka competed in various leagues with various Major League Baseball affiliations. Topeka competed as a member the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1959–1961), Western League (1956–1958, 1933–1934, 1929–1931, 1909–1916, 1886–1887), Western Association (1946–1954, 1939–1942, 1932, 1927–1928, 1924, 1905–1908, 1893), Southwestern League (1925–1926, 1922–1923), and the Kansas State League (1895, 1897–1898).<ref name="baseball-reference.com"/> The Owls and their other namesakes were affiliates of the Cincinnati Reds (1959–1961, 1933–1934), Milwaukee Braves (1956–1958), Chicago White Sox (1953–1954), Chicago Cubs (1951–1952), St. Louis Browns (1939–1940, 1930) and St. Louis Cardinals (1927–1928).{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}
==Ballparks==
The Topeka teams played at the Topeka Baseball Park, located at 15th and Adams. They later played at Freefair Park. Beginning in 1940 they played at Owl Ballpark located at North Topeka Boulevard and Lyman Road, at the address of 225 NW. Lyman. The park was expanded from 2750 seats to 4700 seats during its existence with dimensions of (Left, Center, Right): 335-410-315 (1939) and 316-403-309 (1961). Owl Ballpark was demolished in 1963.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://digitalballparks.com/Reds.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017061123/http://digitalballparks.com/Reds.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=October 17, 2007|title=Cincinnati Reds Baseball Stadiums Past & Present - Minor League Teams & Ballparks - Spring Training Baseball Stadiums|website=digitalballparks.com|date=14 November 2024 }}</ref><ref name="baseball-reference.com"/><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oWTPXR5xnYgC&q=topeka+owls+ballpark&pg=PA42|title=Topeka|first=Greg A.|last=Hoots|date=22 March 2019|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=9780738584348|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/440499|title=The Great Topeka Flood album - Kansas Memory|website=www.kansasmemory.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/ballparkwatchdiscussions/owl-ball-park-hicks-filed-community-park-in-topeka-t892.html|title=Owl Ball Park / Hicks Filed/ Community Park in Topeka|website=Ballpark Digest Discussions}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-2718|title=Community Park in Topeka, KS history and teams on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref>
==Notable alumni== {{div col|colwidth=25em}} Baseball Hall of Fame Alumni
* Jake Beckley (1910) Inducted, 1971 Notable alumni
* Jack Baldschun (1959) * Ted Blankenship (1931) * Dave Bristol (1961) * Duff Cooley (1908–1909, 1911) * Vic Davalillo (1960–1961) MLB All-Star * Debs Garms (1930) 1940 NL Batting Title * Charlie Gelbert (1927) * Tommy Harper (1960–1961) MLB All-Star * Tommy Helms (1961) 2× MLB All-Star; 1966 NL Rookie of the Year * Joe Heving (1926) * Bug Holliday (1887) * Tom Hughes (1905) * Jim Maloney (1959) MLB All-Star * George McQuinn (1958) 7× MLB All-Star * Willie Mitchell (1924) * Fritz Ostermueller (1928) * Bill Rigney (1940) MLB All-Star * Ray Starr (1928) MLB All-Star * Art Shamsky (1961) * Gus Suhr (1923) MLB All-Star * Jesse Tannehill (1924) 1901 NL ERA Title * Johnny Vander Meer (1959–1960) 4× MLB All-Star
{{div col end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Baseball teams established in 1886 Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams Category:Professional baseball teams in Kansas Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1961 Category:Defunct baseball teams in Kansas Category:St. Louis Browns minor league affiliates Category:Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates Category:Chicago White Sox minor league affiliates Category:Milwaukee Braves minor league affiliates Category:St. Louis Cardinals minor league affiliates Category:Cincinnati Reds minor league affiliates Category:Sports in Topeka, Kansas Category:1886 establishments in Kansas Category:1961 disestablishments in Kansas