Springfield Ponies

Last updated
Springfield Ponies
Minor league affiliations
ClassA (1893–1900, 1919–1932, 1939–1943)
B (1902–1914, 1916–1918, 1934)
Independent (1915)
League
Major league affiliations
Team New York Giants (1943)
Washington Nationals (1939)
New York Yankees (1932)
Minor league titles
League titles (2)1895, 1927
Pennants (4)1895, 1908, 1911, 1932
Team data
Previous names
  • Springfield Rifles (1932, 1942–1943)
  • Springfield Nationals (1939–1941)
  • Springfield Green Sox (1917)
  • Springfield Tips (1915)
  • Springfield Maroons (1895)
Ballpark Hampden Park

Springfield Ponies was the primary name of minor league baseball teams based in Springfield, Massachusetts that played between 1893 and 1943. The team competed as the Ponies through its history except for single seasons as the Maroons (1895), Tips (1915), and Green Sox (1917); and three seasons each as the Rifles (1932, 1942–1943) and Nationals (1939–1941). The team played its home games at Pynchon Park (also known as Hampden Park).[ citation needed ]

Contents

The team was a member of several baseball leagues, including three that were known as the Eastern League. The team's longest tenure was in the second Eastern League, in which it played from 1916 to 1932. During most of its history, the team had no farm-team arrangement with a Major League Baseball team, as much of its history predated formal affiliations. When operating as the Rifles, the team was affiliated for one season with the New York Yankees (1932) and for one season with the New York Giants (1943). When operating as the Nationals, it was affiliated with the Washington Nationals for the 1939 season.[ citation needed ]

The team finished atop league standings three times at the end of a full regular season (1895, 1908, 1911) and once at the end of a truncated regular season (1932). The team won playoff series twice (1895 and 1927), although it played mostly in leagues without postseasons.

Three of the team's managers were later inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in recognition of their major-league playing careers: Roger Connor (manager in 1902–1903), Billy Hamilton (manager in 1914), and Rabbit Maranville (manager in 1941). Two fellow inductees played for Springfield late in their careers: Dan Brouthers (1896–1899) [1] and Jim O'Rourke (1903, 1907). [2] Brouthers had a .415 batting average in 126 games for the Ponies in 1897. [1]

Earlier teams

Prior to 1893, teams from Springfield competed in six minor league seasons, each in a different league: [3] : 75 

These early teams were simply known as Springfield or the Springfields. The teams of 1879, 1885 and 1887 failed to complete their seasons.

Records by season

The following table lists each season between 1893 and 1943, when teams from Springfield competed primarily as the Ponies.

YearLeagueClassRecordFinishManagerPostseason (games)Ref.
1893 Eastern League 1A64–44 (.593)2nd of 8 Thomas E. Burns none held [3] : 163 
1894Eastern League1A57–54 (.514)4th of 8Thomas E. Burnsnone held [3] : 165 
1895†Eastern League1A79–36 (.687)1st of 8Thomas E. Burnsdefeated Providence Grays (4–2) [3] : 167 
1896Eastern League1A54–64 (.458)6th of 8Thomas E. Burnsdid not qualify [3] : 170 
1897Eastern League1A68–55 (.553)4th of 8Thomas E. Burnsdid not qualify [3] : 173 
1898Eastern League1A48–63 (.432)7th of 8 Billy Lush / Billy Barnie none held [3] : 176 
1899Eastern League1A52–56 (.481)5th of 8 Tom Brown none held [3] : 179 
1900Eastern League1A61–63 (.492)5th of 8Thomas E. Burnsnone held [3] : 181 
1901no team 
1902 Connecticut State League B65–45 (.591)2nd of 8 Roger Connor none held [3] : 187 
1903Connecticut State LeagueB40–61 (.396)7th of 8Roger Connornone held [3] : 190–191 
1904Connecticut State LeagueB69–46 (.600)2nd of 8Daniel O'Neillnone held [3] : 193 
1905Connecticut State LeagueB74–44 (.627)2nd of 8Daniel O'Neillnone held [3] : 198 
1906Connecticut State LeagueB70–56 (.556)2nd of 8Daniel O'Neillnone held [3] : 203 
1907Connecticut State LeagueB72–49 (.595)3rd of 8Daniel O'Neillnone held [3] : 207–208 
1908Connecticut State LeagueB84–41 (.672)1st of 8Daniel O'Neillnone held [3] : 213 
1909Connecticut State LeagueB60–63 (.488)5th of 8John Zellernone held [3] : 219 
1910Connecticut State LeagueB58–68 (.460)6th of 8John Zellernone held [3] : 224 
1911Connecticut State LeagueB71–45 (.612)1st of 8John Zellernone held [3] : 231 
1912Connecticut State LeagueB50–70 (.417)5th of 6John Zellernone held [3] : 237 
1913 Eastern Association B60–70 (.462)6th of 8 Frank Corridon / Jack O'Haranone held [3] : 242–243 
1914Eastern AssociationB63–61 (.508)5th of 8 Billy Hamilton / Simon McDonaldnone held [3] : 252 
1915† Colonial League Ind.47–50 (.485)5th of 8Henry Ramseynone held [3] : 260 
1916 Eastern League 2B70–53 (.569)3rd of 10 John Flynn none held [3] : 263 
1917†Eastern League2B48–57 (.457)7th of 8William Carey / John O'Haranone held [3] : 267 
1918Eastern League2B21–35 (.375)6th of 8 Freddy Parent league suspended July 22 [3] : 269–270 
1919Eastern League2A54–52 (.509)5th of 8 Ed Holly / Jack O'Haranone held [3] : 271 
1920Eastern League2A74–63 (.540)2nd of 8John Flynnnone held [3] : 277 
1921Eastern League2A70–82 (.461)6th of 8John Flynnnone held [3] : 280 
1922Eastern League2A77–76 (.503)5th of 8 John Hummel none held [3] : 284 
1923Eastern League2A76–77 (.497)4th of 8 Patsy Donovan none held [3] : 288 
1924Eastern League2A87–66 (.569)2nd of 8Eugene McCannnone held [3] : 292 
1925Eastern League2A76–76 (.500)5th of 8Eugene McCannnone held [3] : 296 
1926Eastern League2A78–71 (.523)4th of 8Eugene McCannnone held [3] : 300 
1927Eastern League2A86–68 (.558)2nd of 8 Joe Benes defeated Albany Senators (3–0) [3] : 305 
1928Eastern League2A78–73 (.517)6th of 8Joe Benesnone held [3] : 309 
1929Eastern League2A71–83 (.461)6th of 8 George J. Burns none held [3] : 314 
1930Eastern League2A78–89 (.467)3rd of 8 Kid Gleason did not qualify [3] : 321 
1931Eastern League2A65–74 (.468)3rd of 8Frank "Bud" Stapletonnone held [3] : 325 
1932†Eastern League2A53–26 (.671)1st of 8 Billy Meyer league disbanded July 17 [3] : 329 
1933no team 
1934 Northeastern League B41–62 (.398)6th of 8 Bobby Murray did not qualify [3] : 337 
1935–
1938		no team 
1939† Eastern League 3A74–66 (.529)3rd of 8 Spencer Abbott lost in first round[ citation needed ]
1940†Eastern League3A68–69 (.496)5th of 8Spencer Abbottdid not qualify[ citation needed ]
1941†Eastern League3A50–85 (.370)8th of 8 Rabbit Maranville did not qualify[ citation needed ]
1942†Eastern League3A33–107 (.236)8th of 8 Les Bell did not qualify [3] : 388 
1943†Eastern League3A46–88 (.343)7th of 8Spencer Abbottdid not qualify [3] : 392 

† designates a year in which the team's nickname was not Ponies: 1895 as Maroons, 1915 as Tips, 1917 as Green Sox, 1939–1941 as Nationals, and 1932/1942/1943 as Rifles.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ned Hanlon (baseball)</span> American baseball player and manager (1857–1937)

Edward Hugh Hanlon, also known as "Foxy Ned", and sometimes referred to as "the Father of Modern Baseball," was an American professional baseball player and manager whose career spanned from 1876 to 1914. He was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996 by the Veterans Committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Glasscock</span> American baseball player (1857–1947)

John Wesley Glasscock was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for several teams from 1879 to 1895. Nicknamed "Pebbly Jack", he was the top player at his position in the 1880s during the sport's bare-handed era. He led the National League in fielding percentage seven times and in assists six times; he was the only shortstop to lead in fielding percentage and total chances in a season three different times until Luis Aparicio matched him. Ozzie Smith eventually surpassed Glasscock's marks in the 1980s; Glasscock also led the NL in double plays four times and in putouts twice. He won the 1890 batting title with a .336 average for the New York Giants and led the league in hits twice; in his final season he became the sixth major league player to make 2,000 hits. He was the first player to appear in over 600 games as a shortstop, and ended his career with major league records for games (1,628), putouts (2,821), assists (5,630), total chances (9,283), double plays (620) and fielding percentage (.910) at the position. When he retired he ranked fifth in major league history in games (1,736) and at bats (7,030), seventh in total bases (2,630) and eighth in doubles (313).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Meyer</span> American baseball player and manager

William Adam Meyer was an American baseball player and manager. He holds the dubious distinction of having played with, then managed, two of the worst teams in the history of Major League Baseball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Brown (outfielder)</span> English baseball player (1860–1927)

Thomas Tarlton Brown was an Anglo-American center fielder in Major League Baseball. Born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, son of William Henry Tarlton Brown and Mary Nixon Lewis, he played for 17 seasons, a career in which he batted .265 while scoring 1,524 runs with 1,958 hits. Upon his retirement he served as an umpire, working mostly in the National League in 1898 and 1901–1902.

The New England League was a mid-level league in American minor league baseball that played intermittently in five of the six New England states between 1886 and 1949. After 1901, it existed in the shadow of two Major League Baseball clubs in Boston and alongside stronger, higher-classification leagues.

The Western Association was the name of five different leagues formed in American minor league baseball during the 19th and 20th centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buffalo Bisons (National League)</span> Former Major League Baseball team of the National League in Buffalo, New York from 1879–1885

The original Buffalo Bisons baseball club played in the National League between 1879 and 1885. The Bisons played their games at Riverside Park (1879–1883) and Olympic Park (1884–1885) in Buffalo, New York. The NL Bisons are included in the history of the minor-league team of the same name that still plays today; it is thus the only NL team from the 19th century that both still exists and no longer plays in Major League Baseball.

The Middle Atlantic League was a lower-level circuit in American minor league baseball that played during the second quarter of the 20th century.

The Interstate League was the name of five different American minor baseball leagues that played intermittently from 1896 through 1952.

The Utica Blue Sox was the name of two minor league baseball teams based in Utica, New York.

The Connecticut League, also known as the Connecticut State League, was a professional baseball association of teams in the state of Connecticut. The league began as offshoot of the original Connecticut State League, which dates back as far as 1884. In 1891, the Connecticut State League included the Ansonia Cuban Giants, a team made up of entirely African-American ballplayers, including future Hall of Famers Frank Grant and Sol White. In 1902, it was a Class D league with teams in eight cities. In 1905, the league became Class B, which lasted until 1913, when the league became the Eastern Association due to several teams outside of the state entering the league. Also a Class B league, it survived two more seasons, then folded after the 1914 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thurman Tucker</span> American baseball player

Thurman Lowell Tucker was an American professional baseball player. A center fielder, Tucker played in Major League Baseball for nine seasons in the American League with the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians. In 701 career games, Tucker recorded a batting average of .255 and accumulated 24 triples, nine home runs, and 179 runs batted in (RBI).

The Ohio State League was a minor league baseball league that operated in numerous seasons between 1887 and 1947, predominantly as a Class D level league. League franchises were based in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.

The Roanoke Red Sox was a primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Roanoke, Virginia. Between 1894 and 1953, Roanoke teams played as members of the Virginia League and Piedmont League (1943–1953), winning five league championships and one pennant. Roanoke teams were a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians in 1940 and Boston Red Sox from 1943 to 1953. Baseball Hall of Fame members Jack Chesbro (1896) and Heinie Manush (1943) played for Roanoke.

The Springfield Browns was a primary moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Springfield, Illinois between 1931 and 1950. Springfield teams played as members of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1931–1932), Mississippi Valley League (1933), Central League (1934), Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League and Mississippi-Ohio Valley League (1950), winning the 1939 league championship. Hosting home games at Reservoir Park, Lanphier Park and Jim Fitzpatrick Memorial Stadium, Springfield teams were an affiliate of the 1931 St. Louis Browns, St. Louis Cardinals (1933–1934), 1935 Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Browns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Cambria</span> American baseball scout and executive

Joseph Carl Cambria, also known as "Papa Joe," was an American professional baseball scout and executive who was a pioneer in recruiting Latin American players. From 1929 through 1940, he owned several Minor League Baseball teams, as well as the Negro league Baltimore Black Sox. He is best known, however, for his work as a scout for Major League Baseball, especially for his work in Cuba. From the mid-1930s until his death in 1962, he recruited hundreds of Cuban players for the Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins. Cambria was described as "the first of many scouts who searched Latin America for inexpensive recruits for their respective ball clubs."

The Pawtucket Maroons were an early minor league baseball team based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The "Maroons" were part of a Pawtucket tenure as members of the New England League beginning in 1892 and continuing through the 1899 season. Pawtucket teams then played briefly in the 1908 Atlantic League and were members of the Colonial League in 1914 and 1915.

Minor league baseball teams were based in Findlay, Ohio between 1895 and 1941, playing under four nicknames and hosting games in four ballparks. Findlay teams played as members of the Interstate League in 1895, Buckeye League in 1915 and Ohio State League from 1937 to 1941. The Findlay Browns were a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Browns in 1937 and 1938. Baseball Hall of Fame member Bud Fowler played for the 1894 Findlay Sluggers.

Minor league baseball teams were based in Centreville, Maryland between 1937 and 1946. Centreville teams played as exclusively as members of the Class D level Eastern Shore League in the 1937–1941 and 1946 seasons.

The Lima Pandas were a minor league baseball team based in Lima, Ohio. From 1939 to 1941 and 1944 to 1947, with the interruption due to World War II, Lima teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level Ohio State League, with the Pandas winning the 1939 and 1940 league championships. The franchise played as a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1944, Cincinnati Reds in 1945 and Chicago White Sox in 1946 to 1947, with the team adopting new monikers during the affiliate seasons. The Lima Ohio State League teams hosted home minor league games at Allen County Park.

References

  1. 1 2 "Dan Brouthers Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Jim O'Rourke Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN   978-1932391176.
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.