West Palm Beach Indians

Last updated
West Palm Beach Indians
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes
  • Class D (1955–1956)
  • Class B (1949–1954)
  • Class C (1946–1948)
  • Class D (1940–1942)
League Florida State League (1955–1956)
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
Conference titles 1 1941
Team data
Previous names
  • West Palm Beach Sun Chiefs (1956)
  • West Palm Beach Indians (1940–1955)
Previous parks
 Connie Mack Field

The West Palm Beach Indians were a minor league baseball team based in West Palm Beach, Florida. The team played its home games at Connie Mack Field. [1]

Contents

History

Through its existence, the Indians were mostly an independent team playing in the Florida East Coast League from 1940 to 1942, the Florida International League from 1946 to 1954, and the Florida State League in 1955. [2] In between, they were affiliated with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1950, Havana Sugar Kings in 1954, and Milwaukee Braves in 1955. [1]

In 1956, the franchise name was changed to the West Palm Beach Sun Chiefs an affiliate of the Cincinnati Redlegs. [3] Managed by Walt Novick, the 1965 team posted an 81–58 record to finish in third place, 8+1⁄2 games out of the first place spot. [2] The team included on its roster future big leaguers as Dave Bristol, Duane Richards and Cookie Rojas. The franchise but did not return for the 1957 season. [4]

West Palm Beach was without a professional team until 1965, when the West Palm Beach Braves joined the Florida State League as an affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves. [5] [2]

The ballpark

West Palm Beach teams played home minor league games at Connie Mack Field. [6] The ballpark was located at the intersection of Tamarind Avenue and Okeechobee Boulevard. It was demolished in 1992 and a parking garage for the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts occupies the site today. [7]

Notable alumni

Year–by–year records

YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/notes
194052–604thCecil Downs / Joe MurffLost in first round
194184–551stHarry HughesLost league finals
19429–186thAl ReitzLeague disbanded May 14
194658–644th Herb Thomas (6-21) / Shaw Buck (14-11)
/ Harry Hughes (38-32)		Lost league finals
194768–866thHarry HughesDid not qualify
194870–836thRudy Laskowski / Michael Schemer Did not qualify
194974–785th Lou Finney Did not qualify
195067–856th Clyde Smoll / Rudy LaskowskiDid not qualify
195164–757thRudy Laskowski / Herschel HeldDid not qualify
195268–856th Billy Holm / Bubba Harris Did not qualify
195357–805th Whitey Platt / Bubba Harris Did not qualify
195447–513rd Gil Torres League disbanded July 27
195571–685th Bill Steinecke No playoffs held

[2] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20]

Sources

  1. 1 2 "West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN   978-1932391176.
  3. ↑ "1956 West Palm Beach Sun Chiefs Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. ↑ "1956 Florida State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  5. ↑ "1965 West Palm Beach Braves minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  6. ↑ "Connie Mack Field in West Palm Beach, FL minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. ↑ Kleinberg, Eliot (2006). Palm Beach Past: The Best of "Post Time". Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. p. 51. ISBN   1-59629-115-X.
  8. ↑ "1940 West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  9. ↑ "1941 West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. ↑ "1942 West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. ↑ "1946 West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. ↑ "1947 West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. ↑ "1948 West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. ↑ "1949 West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  15. ↑ "1950 West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  16. ↑ "1951 West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  17. ↑ "1952 West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  18. ↑ "1953 West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  19. ↑ "1954 West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  20. ↑ "1955 West Palm Beach Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.


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