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St. Petersburg Saints

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St. Petersburg Saints
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes
  • Class A-Advanced (1990–2000)
  • Class A (1963–1989)
  • Class D (1955–1962)
  • Class B (1947–1954)
  • Class D (1925–1928)
  • Class C (1921–1924)
  • Class D (1920)
LeagueFlorida State League (1955–2000)
Previous leagues
Florida International League (1947–1954) Florida State League (1920–1928)
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles 9 (1922, 1951, 1958, 1959, 1967, 1973, 1975, 1986, 1997)
Team data
Previous names
  • St. Petersburg Devil Rays (1997–2000)
  • St. Petersburg Cardinals (1966–1996)
  • St. Petersburg Saints (1920–1928; 1947–1965)
Previous parks
Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg, Florida (ca. 1950)

The St. Petersburg Saints were a minor league baseball team that operated out of St. Petersburg, Florida. The team began as a semi-pro team and as early as October 1908, the semi-pro Saints played the Cincinnati Reds in a post-season exhibition game.[1] By 1914, the Saints were receiving regular coverage in the local press.[2]

St. Petersburs teams played as members of the Florida State League from 1920 to 1928 and then folded operations. A second team, also called the St. Petersburg Saints played in the Florida International League from 1947 to 1954 and the Florida State League from 1955 to 1965. The team won four championships and were owned by R. Vernon and Irene C. Eckert from 1951–1954.

Baseball Hall of Fame members Sparky Anderson (1966) and Jimmie Foxx (1947) managed St. Petersburg minor league teams.

Affiliations

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They were affiliated with Cleveland in 1949, the New York Yankees from 1956–1961, and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1962–1965. The team name was changed to the St. Petersburg Cardinals upon their signing an affiliation deal with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1966. They continued as the Cards through 1996, winning four more championships. The team was renamed once more in 1997 as the St. Petersburg Devil Rays (an affiliation deal with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, now the Tampa Bay Rays) and remained operation until folding for good after the 2000 season when the Devil Rays affiliated with the Advanced Single-A Bakersfield Blaze for the 2001 season.

Legacy

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On June 23, 2007, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays wore 1955 St. Petersburg Saints uniforms in a turn back the clock game against the Dodgers. Rays coach Don Zimmer had played on the 1955 World Series champion Brooklyn Dodgers and the Rays honored the 1955 team and Zimmer.[3]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ Arsenault, Raymond (1998). "Spring Training Baseball in Florida - Our Roots Run Deep". Florida's Grapefruit League. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
  2. ^ "Saints Grab First Game of Series From East Brewster Team--4 to 3". The Evening Independent. 1914-08-21. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
  3. ^ "Rays celebrate Turn Back the Clock Night; Zimmer bobblehead, former Dodgers mates featured at Rays-Dodgers game". MLB.com. 2007-06-22. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
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