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 The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, editors (Third ed.). Baseball America. 2007. ISBN   978-1932391176.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  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.


Related Research Articles

The Valdosta Tigers were a "Class-D" minor league baseball team, based in Valdosta, Georgia, that operated in the Georgia–Florida League, from 1939 to 1958. The club played its home games at Pendleton Park, which was located on the current site of South Georgia Medical Center.

The West Palm Beach Braves were a Minor League Baseball team that operated from 1965 to 1968, based in West Palm Beach, Florida. The team was an affiliate of the Braves franchise of Major League Baseball (MLB)—the major-league Braves were based in Milwaukee from 1953 to 1965, and Atlanta thereafter. The minor-league Braves played in the Florida State League and their ballpark was Connie Mack Field.

The Tifton Blue Sox were a minor league baseball team based in Tifton, Georgia. From 1949 to 1955, Tifton played as members of the Class D level Georgia State League (1949–1950) and Georgia–Florida League (1951–1956), winning the 1949 league championship. The Tifton teams hosted home minor league games at Eve Park.

The Crestview Braves were a minor league baseball team based in Crestview, Florida. From 1954 to 1956, the Crestview Braves teams played exclusively as members of the Alabama-Florida League while hosting minor league home games at Richbourg Field. The 1956 Crestview Braves played the season as a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

The Donalsonville Seminoles were a minor league baseball team based in Donalsonville, Georgia. In 1955 and 1956, Donalsonville played as members of the Alabama–Florida League, beginning play as the Donalsonville Indians in 1955. The Seminoles captured the 1956 Alabama–Florida League championship. Donalsonville hosted minor league home games at Gibson Field.

The West Frankfort Cardinals were an American minor league baseball team based in West Frankfort, Illinois. The West Frankfort Cardinals played as members of the Illinois State League in 1947 to 1948 and the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League in 1949 and 1950, qualifying for the league playoffs twice. The two leagues were the direct predecessors to the Midwest League. West Frankfort was a minor affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals for their duration, while hosting home games at Memorial Stadium. Baseball Hall of Fame member Earl Weaver played for the 1948 West Frankfort Cardinals.

The Vidalia Indians was the final moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Vidalia, Georgia. With the exception of 1951, Vidalia teams between 1948 and 1956 played exclusively as members of the Class D level Georgia State League, winning Georgia State League championships in 1952 and 1954. From 1948 to 1950, Vidalia played as the "Vidalia-Lyons Twins," in partnership with neighboring Lyons, Georgia. The "Indians" nickname was adopted as Vidalia served as a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians from 1952 to 1956. Vidalia hosted home games in all minor league seasons at Vidalia Municipal Stadium.

The Plainview Athletics were a minor league baseball team based in Plainview, Texas. The Plainview Ponies played as members of the West Texas-New Mexico League from 1953 to 1955 and Southwestern League in 1956 and 1957, before the Plainview Athletics, playing as a minor league affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics, became members of the Sophomore League in 1958 and 1959. Plainview hosted minor league home games at Jaycee Park.

The Sandersville Giants were a minor league baseball team based in Sandersville, Georgia in 1955 and 1956. Playing previously as the Sandersville Wacos in 1953 and 1954, the Sandersville teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level Georgia State League, winning the 1955 league championship. The Sandersville teams hosted home games at the Sandersville Baseball Park.

The McCook Braves were a minor league baseball team based in McCook, Nebraska. From 1956 to 1959, the McCook Braves played as members of the short-season Class D level Nebraska State League as an affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves for their duration. The Braves won the 1959 league championship and were preceded in minor league play by the McCook Generals of the previous edition of the Nebraska State League from 1928 to 1932. The Braves hosted home games at the Ciabola Field, which was within the Red Willow County Fairgrounds.

The Lawton Braves was the final and primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Lawton, Oklahoma from 1947 to 1957. Lawton played as a member of the Texas-Oklahoma League in 1911 and the Sooner State League from 1947 to 1957, winning league championships in 1949, 1954 and 1955. Lawton hosted home games at Koehler Park in 1911 and all others at Memorial Park.

The Corpus Christi Clippers was a primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Corpus Christi, Texas between 1910 and 1959. Corpus Christi teams played as members of the Southwest Texas League (1910–1911), Gulf Coast League (1926), Texas Valley League (1927–1928), Rio Grande Valley League (1931), Texas Valley League (1938), Rio Grande Valley League (1949–1950), Gulf Coast League (1951–1953), Big State League (1954–1957), Rio Grande Valley League (1949–1950) and Texas League (1958–1959).

The Midland Indians were a minor league baseball team based in Midland, Texas. Between 1937 and 1959, Midland teams played as members of West Texas-New Mexico League (1937–1940), Longhorn League (1947–1955), Southwestern League (1956–1957) and Sophomore League (1958–1959), while hosting minor league games at City Park and then Christensen Stadium. Midland teams played as a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals (1937–1938), Milwaukee Braves (1958–1959) and Washington Senators (1957).

The Wichita Indians were a Class A level minor league baseball franchise based in Wichita, Kansas. The Wichita Indians played as members of the Western League from 1950 to 1955. Wichita won the 1955 Western League Championship. The Wichita Indians were an affiliate of the 1950 St. Louis Browns, Cleveland Indians from 1951 to 1952, 1953 St. Louis Browns and Baltimore Orioles in 1954 and 1955.

The Seminole Oilers were a minor league baseball team based in Seminole, Oklahoma. Between 1947 and 1957, Seminole teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level Sooner State League from 1947 to 1951 and 1954 to 1957, winning league championships in 1948 and 1956. The Oilers and Seminole Ironmen hosted minor league home games at Oiler Park.

Minor league baseball teams based in Fayetteville, North Carolina played between 1910 and 1956. The Fayetteville teams played as members of the Eastern Carolina Association in 1910, 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 began play in the Carolina League in 2019.

Minor league baseball teams were based in Lafayette, Louisiana between 1907 and 2000. Lafayette teams played as members of the 1907 Gulf Coast League 1920 Louisiana State League and Evangeline League. Lafayette teams won four league championships and one pennant in the era. The early Lafayette teams preceded the 1975 and 1976 Lafayette Drillers, who played as members of the Texas League and the 1998 to 2000 Bayou Bullfrogs of the Texas-Louisiana League.

Minor league baseball teams were based in Ardmore, Oklahoma, playing in various seasons between 1904 and 1961. Ardmore teams played in the 1904 Texas League, Texas-Oklahoma League (1911–1914), 1917 Western Association, Texas-Oklahoma League (1921–1922), 1923 Western Association, 1924 Oklahoma State League, Western Association (1924–1926), Sooner State League (1947–1957) and Texas League (1961). Ardmore captured league championships in 1923, 1925 and 1957.

Minor league baseball teams were based in Roswell, New Mexico, in various seasons between 1923 and 1959, before resuming play in 2011. Roswell teams played as members of the Panhandle-Pecos Valley League in 1923, West Texas–New Mexico League in 1937, Longhorn League from 1949 to 1955, Southwestern League in 1956, Sophomore League in 1959 and Pecos League from 2011 to present. The 1959 Roswell Pirates were a minor league affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rosewll hosted home games at League Park in 1937 and Fair Park Stadium.

Minor league baseball teams were based in Lawton, Oklahoma in 1911 and from 1947 to 1957. Lawton teams played as a member of the Texas-Oklahoma League in 1911 and the Sooner State League from 1947 to 1957, winning league championships in 1949, 1954 and 1955. Lawton was a minor league affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves from 1954 to 1957, Cincinnati Reds in 1952 and 1953 and the New York Giants from 1947 to 1951. Lawton hosted home minor league games at Koehler Park in 1911 and Memorial Park from 1947 to 1957.

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.