Erie Sailors

Last updated

Erie Sailors
Erie Sailors.png Erie Sailors cap.png
Team logoCap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes
  • Independent (1994)
  • Short-Season A (19641993)
  • Class A (1963)
  • Class D (19541962)
  • Class C (19461951)
  • Class D (19441945)
  • Class C (19381942)
  • Class B (19281932)
  • Class D (1916)
  • Class B (19121915)
  • Class C (19081911)
  • Class D (19051908)
League Frontier League (1994)
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles 8 (1906, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1957, 1994)
Team data
Previous names
  • Erie Sailors (19901994)
  • Erie Orioles (19881989)
  • Erie Cardinals (19811987)
  • Erie Tigers (1967)
  • Erie Sailors (19571963)
  • Erie Senators (19541956)
  • Erie Sailors (19161951)
  • Erie Yankees (1914)
  • Erie Sailors (19081913)
  • Erie Fishermen (1908)
  • Erie Sailors (19061907)
  • Erie Fishermen (1905)
Mascot The Sea Gull (1990-1994)
Previous parks
Ainsworth Field

The Erie Sailors was the primary name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Erie, Pennsylvania between 1906 and 1994.

Contents

Pre-1930s

Several unrelated teams used the Erie Sailors name in the Interstate League (19061907, 1913, 1916), the Ohio–Pennsylvania League (19081911), and the Central League (1912, 1915, 192830, 1932).

19381963

During these years, the Erie Sailors played in the Middle Atlantic League from 19381939, 19411942, and 19461951; the Pennsylvania–Ontario–New York League (PONY League) from 19441945 and 19541956; and the PONY's successor New York – Penn League from 19571963. Several times during this period, the team was also called the Erie Senators, after its major league affiliate, the Washington Senators. The Sailors won league championship in 1957. The Sailors won the regular season by nine games in 1951. They then lost the league championship series to the Niagara Falls Citizens, four games to two.

From 1948 onward, this team (and all subsequent Sailors teams) played at Ainsworth Field.

New York–Penn League 1990s

In 1990, after the Baltimore Orioles ended their affiliation with the team (then known as the Erie Orioles), they reclaimed the Sailors name and operated as an unaffiliated minor league team for two years before becoming the Florida Marlins' first farm team in 1992 and a Texas Rangers affiliate in 1993. Because of the deteriorating condition of Ainsworth Field, the team moved after the 1993 season to Fishkill, New York and then became the Hudson Valley Renegades.

Frontier League

In 1994, the Sailors were a team in the independent Frontier League, winning the league championship in their only year of existence as a member of the Frontier League. In 1995, the Erie SeaWolves moved to town, displacing the Sailors, forcing the franchise to move to Johnstown, Pennsylvania as the Johnstown Steal/Johnnies and then to Florence, Kentucky as the Florence Y'alls.

Notable alumni

Hall of Fame Alumni

Other notable alumni

Year-by-year record

YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
190558-392nd Daniel Koster, Bob McLaughlin & Jack Burke
190665-411st Tom O'Hara League Champs
190764-511stThomas Reynolds
19084-126th Frank Baumeister League disbanded on June 5
190837-53 (42-79 overall)8th Daniel Koster, Walter East & Richard Nallin Butler moved to Erie June 15
190948-696th Milt Montgomery, Red Davis & W. Brodericknone
191055-698thMatthew Brodericknone
191177-543rd William Gilbert none
191275-553rd William Gilbert none
191357-211st Larry Quinlan League disbanded July 21
191464-573rdCharles Smith & Frank Gygli
191564-585th Larry Quinlan none
191626-37-- Bill Bradley Team disbanded August 9
192876-591stHenry WetzelLost League Finals
192978-612nd Jocko Munch none
193076-632nd Jocko Munch none
193285-561st Chief Bender & Bill McCorry
193852-757th Jocko Munch
193955-738th Jocko Munch
194175-512nd Kerby Farrell League Champs
194263-654th Kerby Farrell League Champs
194461-636thBill Harris
194546-777thBill Harris
194691-391st Steve Mizerak League Champs
194768-563rd Don Cross Lost in 1st round
194880-442nd Don Ramsay League Champs
194985-531st Pete Pavich League Champs
195063-523rd Pete Pavich Lost in 1st round
195185-401st Pete Appleton Lost League Finals
195445-818thTom O'Connell, Nap Reyes, Thomas Milich,
Joe Consoli, & Thomas Milich
195566-605thTed Sepkowski
195645-746thJohnny Welaj
195770-472nd Chuck Kress League Champs
195853-727th Steve Gromek
195949-768th Al Lakeman / Pat Mullin / Al Lakeman
196083-461stHarry WarnerLost League Finals
196168-572nd Harry Warner Lost in 1st round
196268-512nd Frank Franchi Lost in 1st round
196357-736th Frank Franchi
196726-516th Eddie Lyons
198144-304thSonny Ruberto
198235-386thJoe Rigoli
198337-387thJoe Rigoli
198443-314thRich Hacker
198544-345thFred Koenig
198637-407thJoe Rigoli
198736-399thJoe Rigoli
198846-314thBobby Tolan
198925-4914thBobby Tolan
199044-333rd Mal Fichman Lost League Finals
199137-418th Barry Moss Lost in 1st round
199240-374th Fredi González Lost League Finals
199336-4110th Doug Sisson
199442-252nd Mal Fichman League Champs