Professional baseball in Pittsfield before 1965edit
The Berkshire city fielded its first team in Organized Baseball in 1894 when the Pittsfield Colts debuted in the New York State League, but the Colts folded after 30 games.[1] After the Pittsfield Electrics played two seasons (1913–1914) in the Class B Eastern Association, which folded after the 1914 campaign, Pittsfield was first represented in the Eastern League (then Class A) in 1919–1920 as the Hillies, and won the 1919 EL pennant.[1]
Pittsfield then fielded a team in the Class C Canadian–American League from 1941 through 1951 (although the league suspended operations for 1943–1945 due to World War II). This club, initially nicknamed the Electrics, was affiliated with the Detroit Tigers (1942), Cleveland Indians (1946–1950) and Philadelphia Phillies (1951). After 1948, it dropped the Electrics identity and was named after its parent club.
The Pittsfield Red Soxedit
The Can-Am League folded after the 1951 campaign, and Pittsfield was without representation in organized ball for the next 13 years. But after the 1964 season, Joe Buzas, owner of the Reading Red Sox, Boston's Double-A farm team, announced plans to move his franchise to Pittsfield. The 1965 Pittsfield club, managed by Eddie Popowski, proved to be a powerhouse. Led by Scott, who won the league's Triple Crown, and left-handed pitcher Billy MacLeod, a Gloucester, Massachusetts, native who had a perfect 18–0 season, the Red Sox won 85 of 140 games and nipped the Elmira Pioneers (a Baltimore Orioles farm team managed by Earl Weaver) by a game for the EL pennant and league championship. Pittsfield also led the league in home attendance that season.
Three years later, Pittsfield enjoyed another banner season when the 1968 Red Sox, managed by Billy Gardner, won 84 of 139 games and the regular-season title before falling to the Reading Phillies in the finals of the playoffs. That club was paced by future MLB infieldersLuis Alvarado and Carmen Fanzone and included future MLB outfielder Billy Conigliaro. Attendance rose to a peak of 79,000 fans in 1969, but Buzas and the Red Sox decided to locate their Eastern League franchise closer to Boston, and moved the club to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and McCoy Stadium in 1970.
The Washington Senators moved quickly and replaced the Red Sox in 1970, and the Pittsfield Senators (later Rangers when the parent team moved to Dallas-Fort Worth) remained through 1975. The Milwaukee Brewers replaced the Rangers in 1976, and the team played a season as the Berkshire Brewers. With fan support at a new low — only 23,500 fans came through the turnstiles all season — the franchise moved to Holyoke, Massachusetts, as the Holyoke Millers, and Pittsfield was again left without baseball, this time for eight seasons.
But in 1985, the Buffalo Bisons moved up from the EL to the Triple-A American Association, creating a need for an eighth Eastern League franchise, and the Chicago Cubs placed their Double-A affiliate in Wahconah Park. The Pittsfield Cubs played through 1988, fielding such players as Rafael Palmeiro and Mark Grace, and winning the 1987 regular season title. But the Cubs' attendance was mired at the bottom of the league. After 1988, the Eastern League reorganized, replacing Pittsfield and other under-performing markets with new cities.
However, Pittsfield continued to participate in professional baseball at a lower classification, in the Short Season Class A New York–Penn League (1989–2001) and in various independent baseball leagues since 2002. The Pittsfield Mets of the New York–Penn League would shatter the attendance marks of the higher-classification Eastern League teams, despite playing in a short-season league with fewer than 40 home games each season.
pittsfield, name, american, minor, league, baseball, franchise, based, pittsfield, massachusetts, from, 1965, through, 1969, double, eastern, league, affiliate, boston, farm, system, produced, future, major, league, baseball, players, such, george, scott, spar. The Pittsfield Red Sox was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise based in Pittsfield Massachusetts from 1965 through 1969 It was the Double A Eastern League affiliate in the Boston Red Sox farm system and produced future Major League Baseball players such as George Scott Sparky Lyle Reggie Smith and Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk The team played at Wahconah Park Pittsfield Red Sox1965 1969Pittsfield MassachusettsMinor league affiliationsPrevious classesDouble A 1965 1969 LeagueEastern League 1965 1969 Major league affiliationsPrevious teamsBoston Red Sox 1965 1969 Minor league titlesLeague titles1965Team dataPrevious parksWahconah Park Contents 1 Professional baseball in Pittsfield before 1965 2 The Pittsfield Red Sox 3 Later Eastern League franchises 4 Future Major League Pittsfield Red Sox 5 Pittsfield Red Sox with previous Major League Experience 6 See also 7 ReferencesProfessional baseball in Pittsfield before 1965 editThe Berkshire city fielded its first team in Organized Baseball in 1894 when the Pittsfield Colts debuted in the New York State League but the Colts folded after 30 games 1 After the Pittsfield Electrics played two seasons 1913 1914 in the Class B Eastern Association which folded after the 1914 campaign Pittsfield was first represented in the Eastern League then Class A in 1919 1920 as the Hillies and won the 1919 EL pennant 1 Pittsfield then fielded a team in the Class C Canadian American League from 1941 through 1951 although the league suspended operations for 1943 1945 due to World War II This club initially nicknamed the Electrics was affiliated with the Detroit Tigers 1942 Cleveland Indians 1946 1950 and Philadelphia Phillies 1951 After 1948 it dropped the Electrics identity and was named after its parent club The Pittsfield Red Sox editThe Can Am League folded after the 1951 campaign and Pittsfield was without representation in organized ball for the next 13 years But after the 1964 season Joe Buzas owner of the Reading Red Sox Boston s Double A farm team announced plans to move his franchise to Pittsfield The 1965 Pittsfield club managed by Eddie Popowski proved to be a powerhouse Led by Scott who won the league s Triple Crown and left handed pitcher Billy MacLeod a Gloucester Massachusetts native who had a perfect 18 0 season the Red Sox won 85 of 140 games and nipped the Elmira Pioneers a Baltimore Orioles farm team managed by Earl Weaver by a game for the EL pennant and league championship Pittsfield also led the league in home attendance that season Three years later Pittsfield enjoyed another banner season when the 1968 Red Sox managed by Billy Gardner won 84 of 139 games and the regular season title before falling to the Reading Phillies in the finals of the playoffs That club was paced by future MLB infielders Luis Alvarado and Carmen Fanzone and included future MLB outfielder Billy Conigliaro Attendance rose to a peak of 79 000 fans in 1969 but Buzas and the Red Sox decided to locate their Eastern League franchise closer to Boston and moved the club to Pawtucket Rhode Island and McCoy Stadium in 1970 Year Record Finish Full Season Attendance Manager Postseason 1965 85 55 First 79 001 Eddie Popowski League champions 1966 68 71 Second tied 51 113 Eddie Popowski No playoffs held 1967 75 62 Second East Division 40 420 Billy Gardner DNQ 1968 84 55 First 48 067 Billy Gardner Lost to Reading in finals 1969 68 72 Fourth 79 642 Billy Gardner Playoffs cancelledLater Eastern League franchises editThe Washington Senators moved quickly and replaced the Red Sox in 1970 and the Pittsfield Senators later Rangers when the parent team moved to Dallas Fort Worth remained through 1975 The Milwaukee Brewers replaced the Rangers in 1976 and the team played a season as the Berkshire Brewers With fan support at a new low only 23 500 fans came through the turnstiles all season the franchise moved to Holyoke Massachusetts as the Holyoke Millers and Pittsfield was again left without baseball this time for eight seasons But in 1985 the Buffalo Bisons moved up from the EL to the Triple A American Association creating a need for an eighth Eastern League franchise and the Chicago Cubs placed their Double A affiliate in Wahconah Park The Pittsfield Cubs played through 1988 fielding such players as Rafael Palmeiro and Mark Grace and winning the 1987 regular season title But the Cubs attendance was mired at the bottom of the league After 1988 the Eastern League reorganized replacing Pittsfield and other under performing markets with new cities However Pittsfield continued to participate in professional baseball at a lower classification in the Short Season Class A New York Penn League 1989 2001 and in various independent baseball leagues since 2002 The Pittsfield Mets of the New York Penn League would shatter the attendance marks of the higher classification Eastern League teams despite playing in a short season league with fewer than 40 home games each season Future Major League Pittsfield Red Sox editChris Coletta 1965 1969 Pete Magrini 1965 Al Montreuil 1965 1968 Jerry Moses 1965 1967 George Scott 1965 Reggie Smith 1965 Gary Waslewski 1965 Fred Wenz 1965 Billy Conigliaro 1966 1968 Carmen Fanzone 1966 1968 Jerry Janeski 1966 1968 Sparky Lyle 1966 Bobby Mitchell 1966 1967 Bob Montgomery 1966 Ken Wright 1966 1968 Ken Brett 1967 Russ Gibson 1967 Ron Klimkowski 1967 Ed Phillips 1967 Ken Poulsen 1967 Luis Alvarado 1968 Dick Baney 1968 Mark Schaeffer 1968 Carlton Fisk 1969 Buddy Hunter 1969 Bill Lee 1969 Rick Miller 1969 Dick Mills 1969 Source 2 Pittsfield Red Sox with previous Major League Experience editDave Gray 1965 Billy MacLeod 1965 Pete Smith 1965 Ed Connolly 1966 Bobby Guindon 1966 1968 Pete Charton 1967 Galen Cisco 1967 Billy Gardner 1967 1969 Bill Schlesinger 1967 1968 Jose Tartabull 1967 Dave Gray 1968 1969 Russ Nixon 1968 Fred Wenz 1969 Tom Parsons 1969 Source 2 See also editBerkshire Brewers Pittsfield Mets Pittsfield SenatorsReferences edit a b Johnson Lloyd and Wolff Miles ed The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball 3rd edition Durham North Carolina Baseball America 2007 a b Eastern League AA Encyclopedia and History Retrieved 2009 06 11 Johnson Lloyd and Wolff Miles ed The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball 3rd edition Durham North Carolina Baseball America 2007 Preceded byReading Red Sox Boston Red SoxDouble A affiliate1965 1969 Succeeded byPawtucket Red Sox Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pittsfield Red Sox amp oldid 1169347687, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
