Carlsbad Potashers

Last updated
Carlsbad Potashers
Minor league affiliations
Class Class C (1953–1955)
Class B (1956–1957)
Class D (1958–1961)
League Longhorn League (1953–1955)
Southwestern League (1956–1957)
Sophomore League (1958–1961)
Major league affiliations
Team Chicago Cubs (1958–1961)
Minor league titles
League titles (1)1953
Wild card berths (3)
  • 1954
  • 1955
  • 1959
Team data
NameCarlsbad Potashers (1953–1961)
BallparkMontgomery Field (1953–1961)

The Carlsbad Potashers were a minor league baseball team based in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Carlsbad teams played as members of the Longhorn League from 1953 to 1955, Southwestern League in 1956 and 1957 and Sophomore League from 1958 to 1961, winning the 1953 league championship. Carlsbad played as a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs from 1958 to 1961 and hosted home games at Montgomery Field.

Contents

In 1959, at Montgomery Field in Carlsbad, Potasher player Gil Carter hit a home run claimed have traveled 733 feet, possibly the longest in professional baseball history.

History

The Carlsbad Potashers began minor league play in 1953. Carlsbad teams played as members of the Class C level Longhorn League (1953–1955), the Class B level Southwestern League (1956–1957) and Class D level Sophomore League (1958–1961) during their nine seasons of play. [1] [2]

In their first season, the 1953 Potashers finished with a record of 80–52 and captured the Longhorn League Championship. The 1954 and 1959 teams lost in the league Finals [2]

The Potashers attendance was 83,462 in their first season of 1953, an average of 1,265 per game. In their last season, 1961, they drew 14,974 an average of 236 per game. [3]

Gil Carter: Possibly longest home run in history

As reported in The Sporting News , Potashers player Gil Carter hit a majestic home run at Montgomery Field in 1959: "On a hot August night in 1959, former heavyweight boxer Gil Carter smashed a pitch through Carlsbad's high-elevated air and out of Montgomery Field. The ball carried over the left field wall, soared past two city streets and landed in a peach tree. A newspaper reporter later took an aerial photo from a plane and used the picture to estimate the ball traveled 733 feet. Carter's hometown paper, The Topeka Capital-Journal, said "the blast is considered the longest home run in baseball history." [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

The official scorer estimated the home run to have traveled 650 feet. However, aerial photographs measurements put the distance at 700–733 feet, which would make it the longest home run ever hit in professional baseball. The ball itself was signed by Carter and notes the distance of 733 feet. [9]

Gil Carter was inducted into the National Baseball Congress Hall of Fame in 2015. [10]

The ballpark

The Potashers played home minor league games at Montgomery Field. Montgomery Field had a capacity of 2,500 and dimensions of (Left, Center, Right) 340–390–340. The ballpark is no longer in existence. [11] [12]

Timeline

Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeagueAffiliateBallpark
1953–19553Carlsbad Potashers Class C Longhorn League NoneMontgomery Field
1956–19572 Class B Southwestern League
1958–19614 Class D Sophomore League Chicago Cubs

Year–by–year records

YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/Notes
195380-521st Pat McLaughlin League Champions
195487-523rd Pat McLaughlin Lost League Finals
195572-674thThurman TuckerLost in 1st round
195670-747thThurman TuckerDid not qualify
195765-543rdJodie PhippsDid not qualify
195855-655thTony YorkDid not qualify
195972-542nd Walt Dixon Lost League Finals
196066-643rd Verlon Walker Did not qualify
196156-715th Lou Klein / Walt Dixon Did not qualify

[2]

Notable alumni

See also

Carlsbad Potashers players

Related Research Articles

Several different minor league baseball teams have called the city of Orlando, Florida home from 1919–2003. Most have played in the Florida State League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wally Moon</span> American baseball player (1930–2018)

Wallace Wade Moon was an American professional baseball outfielder in Major League Baseball. Moon played his 12-year career in the major leagues for the St. Louis Cardinals (1954–1958) and Los Angeles Dodgers (1959–1965). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.

The Paris Lakers were a minor league baseball team based in Paris, Illinois from 1950 to 1959. The Lakers played as members of the Midwest League from 1956 to 1959 and its predecessor, the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League from 1950 to 1955. The Lakers won the first Midwest League championship in 1956. The Paris Lakers were a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs from 1955 to 1959.

The Beaumont Exporters was the predominant name of a minor league baseball team located in Beaumont, Texas that played between 1920 and 1957 in the Texas League and the Big State League. Beaumont rejoined the Class AA Texas League (1983-1986) and evolved into today's Northwest Arkansas Naturals.

The Sophomore League was a Class D level minor league baseball league that operated from 1958 through 1961. League franchises were located in New Mexico and Texas. The league evolved from the Southwestern League, which played in 1956 and 1957. The name change was part of a systemic change. The circuit went from being one with almost no ties to major league baseball to a league where every team was a minor league affiliate of a major league team.

The Southwestern League was the name of four former minor league baseball leagues that operated in the Southwestern United States. The second league, also known as the Oklahoma State League, was in operation for the 1904 season. The third league operated from 1921 to 1926. The fourth league, formerly the Longhorn League, operated from 1956 to 1957 before changing its name to the Sophomore League.

The Pueblo Dodgers were a Class A minor league baseball team that was located in Pueblo, Colorado and played in the Western League from 1947 to 1958.

The Fargo-Moorhead Twins were a minor league baseball team that existed from 1933 to 1942 and from 1946 to 1960, representing the neighboring cities of Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota. The Twins won six league championships during their seasons of play. Earlier minor league teams had also represented the cities. Baseball Hall of Fame members Dizzy Dean (1941) and Lloyd Waner (1947) are Fargo-Moorhead Twins alumni, as is 2x AL Most Valuable Player Roger Maris.

The Longhorn League was the name of a Minor league baseball circuit that operated from 1947 through 1955 in the Southwestern United States. In 1956, it was renamed the Southwestern League and operated through 1957 before changing its name to the Sophomore League. Joe Bauman hit 72 home runs in 1954 to set the minor league record, while playing for the Roswell Rockets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Lennon</span> American baseball player (1928-2005)

Robert Albert Lennon, nicknamed "Archie", was an American professional baseball player. Although Lennon struggled at the Major League level in three different trials during the mid-1950s, he was a prolific home run hitter in minor league baseball, hitting 278 homers in a 16-year career and setting the single-season home run record for the Double-A Southern Association when he belted 64 for the 1954 Nashville Vols.

The Palatka Redlegs were a minor league baseball team that existed from 1956 to 1962 as members of the Florida State League, as descendants from the Palatka Azaleas.

The Missoula Timberjacks represented Missoula, Montana, in the Class C level Pioneer League from 1956 to 1960. Previously, Missoula played as members of the Montana State League and Union Association (1911–1913). Their best season was 1958 when they went 70–59 under manager Jack McKeon and had Jim Kaat on the roster.

The Plainview Athletics were a minor league baseball team based in Plainview, Texas. The Plainview Ponies played as members of the West Texas-New Mexico League from 1953 to 1955 and Southwestern League in 1956 and 1957, before the Plainview Athletics, playing as a minor league affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics, became members of the Sophomore League in 1958 and 1959. Plainview hosted minor league home games at Jaycee Park.

The Basin League was an independent collegiate minor league, that operated from 1953 to 1973, featuring teams primarily from South Dakota and one from Nebraska. The league name reflected the number of teams situated along the Missouri River Basin. The league roster structure evolved from having some professional players to totally being amateur. The Basin League was a pioneer of what is known today as collegiate summer baseball.

The Corpus Christi Clippers was a primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Corpus Christi, Texas between 1910 and 1959. Corpus Christi teams played as members of the Southwest Texas League (1910–1911), Gulf Coast League (1926), Texas Valley League (1927–1928), Rio Grande Valley League (1931), Texas Valley League (1938), Rio Grande Valley League (1949–1950), Gulf Coast League (1951–1953), Big State League (1954–1957), Rio Grande Valley League (1949–1950) and Texas League (1958–1959).

The Midland Indians were a minor league baseball team based in Midland, Texas. Between 1937 and 1959, Midland teams played as members of West Texas-New Mexico League (1937–1940), Longhorn League (1947–1955), Southwestern League (1956–1957) and Sophomore League (1958–1959), while hosting minor league games at City Park and then Christensen Stadium. Midland teams played as a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals (1937–1938), Milwaukee Braves (1958–1959) and Washington Senators (1957).

The Minot Mallards were a minor league baseball team based in Minot, North Dakota. Earlier Minot teams preceded the Mallards and played as members of the 1917 Northern League and 1923 North Dakota League. Beginning play in 1950, the Mallards played as members of the Manitoba-Dakota League (1950–1957), Northern League and Prairie League (1995–1997), winning seven league championships in their history. The Mallards hosted minor league home games at Corbett Field and were a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians from 1958 to 1960 and Kansas City Athletics in 1962.

Minor league baseball teams were based in Ardmore, Oklahoma, playing in various seasons between 1904 and 1961. Ardmore teams played in the 1904 Texas League, Texas-Oklahoma League (1911–1914), 1917 Western Association, Texas-Oklahoma League (1921–1922), 1923 Western Association, 1924 Oklahoma State League, Western Association (1924–1926), Sooner State League (1947–1957) and Texas League (1961). Ardmore captured league championships in 1923, 1925 and 1957.

Minor league baseball teams were based in Roswell, New Mexico, in various seasons between 1923 and 1959, before resuming play in 2011. Roswell teams played as members of the Panhandle-Pecos Valley League in 1923, West Texas–New Mexico League in 1937, Longhorn League from 1949 to 1955, Southwestern League in 1956, Sophomore League in 1959 and Pecos League from 2011 to present. The 1959 Roswell Pirates were a minor league affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rosewll hosted home games at League Park in 1937 and Fair Park Stadium.

The Ballinger Westerners were a minor league baseball team based in Ballinger, Texas. In the 1956 and 1957 seasons, the Westerners played as members of the Class B level Southwestern League in both seasons. The Westerners were the final minor league team hosted in Ballinger, hosting home games at Cat Park.

References

  1. ↑ "Carlsbad, New Mexico Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. 1 2 3 Lloyd Johnson; Miles Wolff, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN   978-1932391176.
  3. ↑ "Montgomery Field in Carlsbad, NM history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. ↑ "Where was baseball's longest home run? A five-city mystery". Sporting News. 11 January 2016.
  5. ↑ "This Day in History - MiLB.com History - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com.
  6. ↑ "The longest homerun in baseball history was measured at 733 ft". 5 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "Elysian Fields Quarterly - The Baseball Review". www.efqreview.com.
  8. ↑ "Gil Carter".
  9. ↑ "Gil Carter home run baseball - Kansas Memory - Kansas Historical Society". www.kshs.org.
  10. ↑ "National Baseball Congress Hall Of Fame".
  11. ↑ "Chicago Cubs Minor League Affiliations and Baseball Stadium History". digitalballparks.com.
  12. ↑ "Minor league baseball at Montgomery Field in Carlsbad, NM on StatsCrew.com".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.