Tarboro Tars

Last updated
Tarboro Tars
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D
League Coastal Plain League
Major league affiliations
Team
Minor league titles
League titles 1940, 1948
Team data
Name
  • Tarboro Tars (1940, 1946–1948, 1950, 1952)
  • Tarboro A's (1951)
  • Tarboro Athletics (1949)
  • Tarboro Orioles (1941)
  • Tarboro Serpents / Goobers (1939)
  • Tarboro Serpents (1938)
  • Tarboro Combs (1937)
Ballpark
  • Municipal Park (1946–1952) [1]
  • Bryan Park (1937–1941) [2]

Tarboro Tars was the primary name of a minor league baseball team based in Tarboro, North Carolina. The team competed in the Coastal Plain League from 1937 to 1941 and from 1946 to 1952. The team used several other nicknames during its history, and had brief affiliations with the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Athletics of Major League Baseball.

Contents

In the team's 12 seasons of play, it qualified for the postseason five times, advanced to the league championship series three times (1937, 1940, and 1948), and won the championship twice (1940 and 1948). [3] [4]

Tarboro had previously fielded minor league teams in 1900 and 1901, [5] : 94  and for part of the 1921 season when the Petersburg Goobers relocated to Tarboro from Petersburg, Virginia, in early August. [5] : 281 

Notable players

Several players with Tarboro also made appearances in Major League Baseball:

Results by season

SeasonNickname†AffiliationRecord (win %)FinishManagerPlayoffs (games)AttendanceRef.
1937Combs—53–42 (.558)3rd of 8 Snake Henry defeated Williamston Martins (3–0)
lost to Snow Hill Hill Billies (1–4)		unknown [5] : 352 
1938Serpents—60–47 (.561)2nd of 8Snake Henrylost to Snow Hill Hill Billies (2–4)unknown [5] : 359 
1939Serpents /
Goobers		—34–90 (.274)8th of 8Guy Shatzer
Fred Neisler
Larry Merville		—unknown [5] : 366 
1940Tars—72–51 (.585)2nd of 8Arthur "Cowboy" McHenry
Bill Steinecke
Wes Ratteree		defeated Goldsboro Goldbugs (4–1)
defeated Kinston Eagles (4–2)		unknown [5] : 373 
1941Orioles—44–72 (.379)7th of 8Thomas "Poke" Whalen—unknown [5] : 381 
1942–1945Coastal Plain League did not operate during World War II— 
1946Tars Boston Red Sox 61–65 (.484)5th of 8Michael Kardish
F. L. "Bull" Hamons 		—46,679 [18] [5] : 405 
1947Tars—74–66 (.529)3rd of 8F. L. "Bull" Hamonslost to Kinston Eagles (2–4)75,281 [5] : 413 
1948Tars—87–53 (.621)1st of 8F. L. "Bull" Hamonsdefeated Rocky Mount Leafs (4–2)
defeated Kinston Eagles (4–1)		67,767 [5] : 422 
1949Athletics—68–68 (.500)6th of 8 Joe Antolick —41,212 [5] : 432 
1950Tars Philadelphia Athletics 67–71 (.486)7th of 8Joe Antolick—36,467 [5] : 443 
1951A'sPhiladelphia Athletics13–22 (.371)‡ Joe Rullo —6,431 [5] : 453 
1952Tars—49–71 (.408)7th of 8Bill Long—28,439 [5] : 463 

† Other sources list the team's 1937 nickname as Serpents, [6] 1940 nickname as Cubs, [9] and A's during 1948–1951. [13] [14] [15] [16]
‡ In 1951, Tarboro and the Greenville Robins withdrew from the league in early June. [19]

Related Research Articles

The Piedmont League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1920 through 1955. The league operated principally in the Piedmont plateau region in the eastern United States.

The Coastal Plain League was a Minor league baseball affiliated circuit which, except for the war years (1942–1945), operated in North Carolina between 1937 and 1952. It was classified as a "D" league. It grew out of a semi-pro league that operated from 1935 to 1936 under the same Coastal Plain League name. Today, the summer collegiate baseball league has adopted the Coastal Plain League moniker.

The North Carolina State League was a Class D level league in Minor League Baseball. The original version of the league played from 1913 to 1917 as the successor to the Carolina Association. The second version of the league was established in 1937 in part in order to compete with the Piedmont-region independent league, the Carolina League, and ran through 1953 when it combined with the Western Carolina League to form the Tar Heel League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soup Campbell</span> American baseball player

Clarence Campbell, better known as Soup Campbell was an American backup outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1940 through 1941 for the Cleveland Indians. Listed at 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), 188 lb., Campbell batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was born in Sparta, Virginia. In a two-season career, Campbell was a .246 hitter (96-for-432) with three home runs and 37 runs batted in in 139 games, including 10 doubles, four triples, one stolen base, and a .315 on-base percentage.

The Tobacco State League was a Class D level American minor baseball league that played for five seasons (1946–1950) in Organized Baseball in the state of North Carolina. The Red Springs Red Robins won two league championships.

The Virginia League of 1948–1951 was a Class D level American minor baseball league. The league was the last of five professional baseball circuits to be known by that name dating to 1894. The post-World War II league revived the previous incarnation of the Virginia League that had ceased operation after concluding the 1942 season.

The Statesville Owls were a minor league baseball team located in Statesville, North Carolina. Statesville minor league teams played a member of the North Carolina Association (1900), Tar Heel League (1939–1940), North Carolina State League,, Tar Heel League (1953), Western Carolina League (1960–1962) and Western Carolinas League, winning three league championships.

The Concord Weavers were a minor league baseball team based in Concord, North Carolina. Between 1936 and 1951, Concord teams played as a member of the Independent level Carolina League from 1936 to 1938 and the Class D level North Carolina State League from 1939 to 1942 and 1945 to 1951, winning two league pennants and one championship. The franchise played as the Concord Nationals from 1949 to 1950 and Concord Sports in 1951, with Concord teams hosting minor league home games at Webb Field.

The Greenville Greenies was the primary moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Greenville, North Carolina between 1928 and 1951. Greenville teams played as members of the Eastern Carolina League from 1928 to 1929 and Coastal Plain League from 1934 to 1941 and 1946 to 1951.

The Snow Hill Billies was a minor league baseball team based in Snow Hill, North Carolina. From 1937 to 1940, the Snow Hill Billies played exclusively as members of the Coastal Plain League, winning the 1937 league championship. The Billies played home minor league games at Snow Hill Park.

The Rutherford County Owls were a minor league baseball team based in the Rutherford County, North Carolina cities of Spindale, North Carolina and Forest City, North Carolina. Between 1936 and 1960, the Rutherford County based teams played as members of the 1936 Carolina League, the Western Carolina League from 1948 to 1952, Tar Heel League from 1953 to 1954 and Western Carolina League in 1960, winning the 1949 league championship and qualifying for the playoffs six other times. The franchise played as the Forest City Owls in the 1948 and 1953 seasons.

The Lenoir Red Sox were a minor league baseball team based in Lenoir, North Carolina. Between 1937 and 1951, Lenoir teams played as members of the 1937 and 1938 Carolina League, 1939 and 1940 Tar Heel League, 1946 and 1947 Blue Ridge League and the Western Carolina League from 1948 to 1951, winning three league championships. Lenoir teams hosted home minor league games at the Lenoir High School Field.

The Williamston Martins were a minor league baseball team based in Williamston, North Carolina. From 1937 to 1941, the Martins played as exclusively as members of the Coastal Plain League, winning the 1939 league championship. Williamston hosted home minor league games at Taylor Field.

The Edenton Colonials were a minor league baseball team based in Edenton, North Carolina. In 1951 and 1952, the Colonials played as members of the Class D level Virginia League in 1951 and Coastal Plain League in 1952, winning the 1952 league championship in their final season of play. The Edenton Colonials hosted home games at the Historic Hicks Field.

The Newton–Conover Twins were a minor league baseball team based in Newton, North Carolina. The team was operated in partnership with neighboring Conover, North Carolina. Newton–Conover Twins teams played as members of the North Carolina State League in 1937 and 1938, Tar Heel League in 1939 and 1940 and the Western Carolina League from 1948 to 1951 and again from 1961 to 1963.

Minor league baseball teams based in Fayetteville, North Carolina played between 1910 and 1956. Fayetteville teams played as members of the 1910 Eastern Carolina Association, the Eastern Carolina League in 1909, 1911, 1928 to 1929 and Carolina League from 1953 to 1956. The early minor league teams preceded today's Fayetteville Woodpeckers, who resumed minor league play in 2019, as members of the Carolina League.

Minor league baseball teams were based in Petersburg, Virginia and neighboring Colonial Heights, Virginia in various seasons between 1885 and 1954. Playing under numerous monikers, Petersburg teams played as members of the Virginia League beginning in 1885 and ending in 1951 and the 1954 Piedmont League. Petersburg teams won five league championships. Petersburg teams were a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1923 and Cincinnati Reds in 1954.

The New Bern Bears were a minor league baseball team based in New Bern, North Carolina. Between 1937 and 1952, with a break during World War II, the Bears teams played exclusively as members of the Coastal Plain League, winning three league championships with six playoff appearances. New Bern hosted minor league home games at Kafer Park.

The Suffolk Goobers were a minor league baseball team based in Suffolk, Virginia. From 1948 to 1951, the Goobers played as members of the Class D level Virginia League, winning the 1948 league pennant. The Suffolk Goobers hosted minor league home games at Peanut Park.

The Suffolk Nuts were a minor league baseball team based in Suffolk, Virginia. In 1915 and from 1919 to 1921, Suffolk teams played as members of the Virginia League, hosting minor league home games at Peanut Park. Suffolk teams did not win a Virginia League championship, with fifth place being the highest finish for the franchise.

References

  1. ↑ "Municipal Park (Field) in Tarboro, NC". StatsCrew.com. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Bryan Park in Tarboro, NC". StatsCrew.com. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Tarboro Annexes Coastal's Finals". The News & Observer . Raleigh, North Carolina. September 15, 1940. p. 14. Retrieved February 25, 2021– via newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Standings". The Charlotte Observer . Charlotte, North Carolina. September 22, 1948. p. 22. Retrieved February 25, 2021– via newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN   978-1932391176.
  6. 1 2 "1937 Tarboro Serpents Statistics".
  7. ↑ "1938 Tarboro Serpents Statistics".
  8. ↑ "1939 Tarboro Serpents/Goobers Statistics".
  9. 1 2 "1940 Tarboro Cubs Statistics".
  10. ↑ "1941 Tarboro Orioles Statistics".
  11. ↑ "1946 Tarboro Tars Statistics".
  12. ↑ "1947 Tarboro Tars Statistics".
  13. 1 2 "1948 Tarboro A's Statistics".
  14. 1 2 "1949 Tarboro A's Statistics".
  15. 1 2 "1950 Tarboro A's Statistics".
  16. 1 2 "1951 Tarboro A's Statistics".
  17. ↑ "1952 Tarboro Tars Statistics".
  18. ↑ "1946 Coastal Plain League". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  19. ↑ "League Drops Robins & A's". The News & Observer . Raleigh, North Carolina. June 8, 1951. p. 19. Retrieved February 25, 2021– via newspapers.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.