West Palm Beach Indians Explained

West Palm Beach Indians
Firstseason:1940
Lastseason:1956
Allyears:1940–1942, 1946–1956
City:West Palm Beach, Florida
Past Class Level:
  • Class D (1955–1956)
  • Class B (1949–1954)
  • Class C (1946–1948)
  • Class D (1940–1942)
League:Florida State League (1955–1956)
Past League:
Pastmajorleague:
Pastnames:
  • West Palm Beach Sun Chiefs (1956)
  • West Palm Beach Indians (1940–1955)
Pastparks:Connie Mack Field
Conferencechamps:1 1941

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]

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, 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

Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs/notes
1940 52–60 4th Cecil Downs / Joe Murff Lost in first round
1941 84–55 1st Harry Hughes Lost league finals
1942 9–186th Al Reitz League disbanded May 14
1946 58–64 4th Herb Thomas (6-21) / Shaw Buck (14-11)
/ Harry Hughes (38-32) 		Lost league finals
1947 68–86 6th Harry Hughes Did not qualify
1948 70–83 6th Did not qualify
1949 74–78 5th Did not qualify
1950 67–85 6th Clyde Smoll / Rudy Laskowski Did not qualify
1951 64–75 7th Rudy Laskowski / Herschel Held Did not qualify
1952 68–85 6th Did not qualify
1953 57–80 5th Did not qualify
1954 47–51 3rd League disbanded July 27
1955 71–68 5th No playoffs held
[2] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20]

Notes and References

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

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