Palatka Azaleas
| Palatka Azaleas | |
|---|---|
| |
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Previous classes | Class D |
| League | Florida State League |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Previous teams |
|
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles | 1 (1952) |
| Team data | |
Previous parks | Azalea Bowl |
The Palatka Azaleas were a minor league baseball team, based in Palatka, Florida, that existed from 1936 to 1939 and from 1946 to 1953. The Azaleas were members of the Florida State League. In 1936, they were affiliated with the Detroit Tigers, in 1937 they were affiliated with the New York Yankees, and in 1949 they were affiliated with the Tampa Smokers. In 1956, a Palatka team began play again and evolved into the Palatka Redlegs.[1]
The Ballpark
[edit]Palatka teams played at the Azalea Bowl in Forrester Field, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The address is 1600 Twigg Street. The park, with the original grandstand demolished, is still in use today as home to the Palatka High School Panthers. Babe Ruth conducted clinics at the field in the late 1930s."[2]
Notable alumni
[edit]- Myril Hoag (1946) MLB All-Star
- Bernie Neis (1936)
- Bob Swift (1936-1937)
- Sam Zoldak (1938)
Year-by-year records
[edit]| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | 60-60 | 3rd | Jeff Emerson / Teen Gallegos | Lost in 1st round |
| 1937 | 71-69 | 5th | Sam Agnew / Shaw Buck | Did not qualify |
| 1938 | 63-76 | 6th | George Andrews / Herb Thomas | Did not qualify |
| 1939 | 36-99 | 8th | Bill Leitz / Sam "Cowboy" Jones | Did not qualify |
| 1946 | 62-75 | 6th | Myril Hoag | Did not qualify |
| 1947 | 64-75 | 6th | John Toncoff | Did not qualify |
| 1948 | 48-89 | 8th | Ray Ryan / John Toncoff Charlie Bowles / Ben Geraghty (17-44) |
Did not qualify |
| 1949 | 76-62 | 4th | Julian Morgan / Bitsy Mott | Lost League Finals |
| 1950 | 41-98 | 8th | Bitsy Mott / Robert Rucker | Did not qualify |
| 1951 | 80-59 | 3rd | Bill Steinecke | Lost League Finals |
| 1952 | 78-59 | 3rd | Bill Steinecke | League Champs |
| 1953 | 13-22 | -- | Charles Baird | Did not qualify Palatka moved to Lakeland (34-67) May 15 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
- ^ "Azalea Bowl, Palatka, Fla".
.jpg){kind=small} | This article about a baseball team in Florida is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- Defunct Florida State League teams
- Baseball teams established in 1936
- Baseball teams disestablished in 1953
- Detroit Tigers minor league affiliates
- New York Yankees minor league affiliates
- Defunct baseball teams in Florida
- 1936 establishments in Florida
- 1953 disestablishments in Florida
- Palatka, Florida
- Southern United States baseball team stubs
- Florida sports team stubs