History
Sandersville first hosted a minor league baseball team in 1953. Sandersville became a new franchise in the eight–team Class D level Georgia State League, replacing the Fitzgerald Pioneers team in league play. [4] The Douglas Trojans, Dublin Irish, Eastman Dodgers, Hazlehurst-Baxley Cardinals, Jesup Bees, Statesboro Pilots and Vidalia Indians teams joined Sandersville in beginning Georgia State League play on April 20, 1953. [5]
In their first season of minor league play, the Sandersville "Wacos" finished their first season of play with a record of 48–77. Playing as an affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves, the Wacos were managed by Gabby Grant, Parnell Ruark, Luscius Morgan and Julian Morgan, placing sixth in the Georgia State League and finishing 33.0 games behind the first place Hazlehurst-Baxley Cardinals. [6] [7]
In the 1954 season, the Sandersville Wacos finished a distant last in the Georgia State League, which reduced to a six–team league. With a record of 33–97, the Wacos finished 52.5 games behind the league champion Vidalia Indians, placing sixth in the Georgia State League final standings, while playing under managers Dave Madison and Sid West. [8] [7]
In 1955, the franchise became the Sandersville "Giants," as the team became a minor league affiliate of the New York Giants and won a co-championship. The Giants placed second in the Georgia State League regular season standings, finishing 5.5 gases behind the first place Douglas Trojans. The Giants finished the regular season with a record of 60–47 under player/manager Pete Pavlick. [9] In the 1955 playoffs, the Giants defeated the Hazlehurst-Baxley Cardinals 3 games to 1 to advance. In the Finals against the Douglas Trojans, the series was tied at 3 games each. Game 7 was cancelled due to rain and the teams were declared Georgia State League co–champions. [7] Jack Elias of Sandersville led the Georgia State League with a .332 batting average. Pitchers Leo Quatro and Victor Davis led the league with 15 wins and 183 strikeouts, respectively. [7]
Future Baseball Hall of Fame member Willie McCovey played for the 1955 Sandersville Giants and led the league in RBI. Having signed his first professional contract for $175.00 per month, McCovey was 17 years old and in his first professional season out of Mobile, Alabama. McCovey hit .305 with 19 home runs and led the league with 113 RBI in 107 games for Sandersville. [10] [11]
Said McCovey in his 1986 Baseball Hall of Fame acceptance speech: "My first manager in pro ball, Pete Pavlick; Pete was the skipper of the Class D Sandersville Club in the Georgia State League where I broke in, in 1955. He and his wife were the first to adopt me. They used to invite me to their home after the game and became very close to me. I also remember one of my teammates there, his name was Ralph Crosby, he was out of New York. We were the only two black players on that team and we had to stay in separate parts of town back then, so Ralph and I became good friends." [12]
In the Georgia State League's final season of 1956, the Sandersville Giants placed second in the Georgia State League. The Giants finished the regular season with a record of 70–50 under returning player/manager Pete Pavlick and placed second in the regular season standings, finishing 7.0 games behind the first place Douglas Reds. [13] In the first round of the playoffs, Sandersville defeated the Thomson Orioles 3 games to 2. In the last Georgia State League games ever played, the Giants lost to the Douglas Reds 3 games to 1 in the Finals. [7] [14] [15] Frank Reveira of Sandersville led the Georgia State League in batting average, hitting .332, while Giant players Pete Pavlick and Dan Sarver both led the league with 95 runs scored. Sandersville's Al Milley led the Georgia State League with 103 RBI and Giant pitcher Gilbert Bassetti had 21 wins to lead the league. [7]
The Georgia State League permanently folded following the 1956 season. [7] Sandersville, Georgia has not hosted another minor league team. [15] [7]
