Pottstown Legionaires Explained

Pottstown Legionaires
Firstseason:1932
City:Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Class Level:Class D (1932)
League:Interstate League (1932)
Majorleague:None
Nickname:Pottstown Legionaires (1932)
Ballpark:Memorial Park* (1932)
Leaguenum:0
Leaguechamps:None

The Pottstown Legionaires were a short lived minor league baseball team based in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. In 1932, the Legionaires played as members of the six–team, Class D level Interstate League. The Interstate League folded during the 1932 season, with Pottstown in second place.

History

In 1904 the "Pottstown" team played the season as members of the independent six-team Pennsylvania League. The league standings are unknown.[1] [2]

Minor league baseball resumed in Pottstown in the 1932 season, when the Pottstown "Legionaires" became members of the reformed six-team Class D level Interstate League.[3] [4] The Interstate League started the season when the Lancaster Red Sox, Norristown, Stroudsburg Poconos, Tamaqua Dukes and Washington Potomacs joined Pottstown in beginning league play on May 20, 1932.[5] [6]

The Norristown team relocated to become the St. Clair Saints on May 27, 1932, before the Saints folded on June 12, 1932, leaving the Interstate League with five remaining teams.[5] [7] The Lancaster Red Sox folded in June 17. The Interstate League then folded three days later, on June 20, 1932.

The Legionaires ended their brief season in second place season with an overall record of 18–8. Managed by Earl Potteiger, Pottstown finished just 1.0 game behind the first place Stroudsburg Poconos (19–7) in the final standings. Pottstown finished ahead of the third place Norristown/St Clair (11–10) team. St. Clair was followed by the fourth place Slatington Dukes (10–16), while the Washington Potomacs (9–17) and Lancaster Red Sox (7–16) finished in fifth and sixth place.[4] [8] [6]

Pitcher Matt Ramsey of Pottstown lead the Interstate League with 7 wins and a 7–1 record.[8]

After folding in 1932, the Interstate League returned to play in 1939, without a Pottstown team.[8] Pottstown has not hosted another minor league team.[9]

The ballpark

The name of the Pottstown home minor league ballpark is not directly referenced.[10] Founded as a park in 1855, Memorial Park was in use in the era with a grandstand for racing and other events on the infield.[11] Today, Memorial Park is still in use as a public park with ballfields and other amenities on 70 acres. The park is located at 75 King Street in Pottstown.[12]

Notable alumni

See also

Pottstown (minor league baseball) players

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1904 Pennsylvania League. Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. Web site: 1904 Pottstown Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. Web site: 1932 Pottstown Legionaires Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. Web site: 1932 Pottstown Legionaires minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com. www.statscrew.com.
  5. Web site: 1932 Inter-State League (ISL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com. www.statscrew.com.
  6. Web site: 1932 Interstate League. Baseball-Reference.com.
  7. Web site: Dom Dallessandro – Society for American Baseball Research.
  8. Book: The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball . Lloyd . Johnson . Miles . Wolff . Third . . 2007 . 978-1932391176.
  9. Web site: Pottstown, Pennsylvania Encyclopedia. Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. Web site: Unknown in Pottstown, PA minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com. www.statscrew.com.
  11. Kerns. Davie . Origins of Memorial Park. Pottstown Historical Society Newsletter. Pottstown Historical Society . Pottstown, PA . 1 July 2017 .
  12. Web site: Memorial Park. Borough of Pottstown Park and Recreation | POWERED BY RECDESK.