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86-610: The "Celeryfeds" nickname corresponded with the local celery agriculture industry in the era. The team uniforms contained a logo depicting celery stalks. From 1936 to 1939, the Sanford "Lookouts" played as a minor league affiliate of the Washington Senators . The 1939 Sanford Lookouts team was listed as one of the 100 greatest minor league teams of all time . With Sanford located within Seminole County, Florida ,

172-486: A diathermy treatment on an injured knee. The injuries from the burns and infection permanently limited his mobility as a 6'3" 210 pound first baseman , effectively ending his major league career. Alexander continued to play in the minor leagues and would compile a .334 batting average with 2,145 hits and 1,171 RBIs in minor league play through 1942. In 1938, Alexander played for the Chattanooga Lookouts in

258-593: A double and, then proceeded to score the winning run when Earl McNeely hit a ground ball that took another bad hop over Lindstrom's head. It was the only World Series triumph for the franchise during their 60-year tenure in Washington. The Senators repeated as American League champions in 1925 but lost the World Series to the Pittsburgh Pirates . After Johnson's retirement in 1927 ,

344-569: A 10–0 loss to the St. Louis Browns . A few days later Carter was sold to the Kansas City Blues of the minor league American Association . Carter pitched in 26 games for the Blues in 1908, pitching 208 innings and posting a 10–13 won-lost record. In 1909 he spent the entire season with the Blues, pitching in 32 games and 229 innings, posting a 15–12 record. By 1911 he was back in

430-706: A 99–53 record and swept to the pennant seven games ahead of the Yankees. But the Senators lost the World Series to the Giants in five games, and after that, the city would not host another World Series until 2019 , when the Washington Nationals , its current National League team, defeated the Houston Astros . The Senators sank all the way to seventh in 1934 . Attendance plunged as well, and after

516-553: A city that had been abandoned by the older National League a year earlier. The new Washington club, like the old one, was called the "Senators" (the second of three franchises to hold the name). Jim Manning moved with the Kansas City club to manage the first Senators team. The Senators began their history as a consistently losing team, at times so inept that San Francisco Chronicle columnist Charley Dryden famously joked, "Washington: First in war, first in peace, and last in

602-543: A final record of 20–45, playing under managers Joe Justice , Joe Whitlock and Charles Girk. The Leesburg Anglers were the eventual league pennant winners and the four-team playoff champions, as the league continued play with the remaining seven teams, following Sanford's departure. After the 1941 season, the Florida State League stopped play due to the onset of World War II . In 1945, the football team at Seminole High School based in Sanford were known as

688-522: A league leading 95 runs. Pitcher Ben Cantwell of Sanford won 24 games (with just 4 losses) to lead the Florida State League. Sanford pitcher Ben Cantwell had a ten-year major-league career. While pitching for Sanford he met LeClaire Jones, whom he married in March 1927. After winning 25 games for the 1927 Jacksonville Tars of the Class B level Southeastern League , Cantwell made his major league debut with

774-475: A minor league affiliate of the Washington Senators , Sanford ended the 1936 Florida State League regular season in fifth place. The Lookouts finished with a record of 56–62, managed by Stuffy McCrone (18–30) and Bill Rodgers (38–32). Rogers managed the Lookouts in the first of his four consecutive seasons. Sanford ended the Florida State League regular season 8.0 games behind the first place Gainesville G-Men in

860-590: A new manager, the 1940 Sanford team became known as the "Seminoles" and the team defended their championship in the 1940 Florida State League, advancing to the league finals. Sanford is the county seat of Seminole County, Florida . On Friday, August 20, 1940, Sanford hosted the Florida State League All-Star Game at Municipal Stadium. The game was scheduled to start at 8:00 P.M. and featured the Sanford Seminoles team facing

946-441: A player and hit .345 with 80 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. Sanford pitcher Sid Hudson had a pitching triple crown in the Florida State League. Hudson won 24 games with 192 strikeouts and a 1.79 ERA to lead the Florida State League in all three categories. The 1939 Sanford Lookouts were recognized in 2001 as one of the 100 greatest minor league teams of all time . Following his impressive season with Sanford in 1939, Sid Hudson became

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1032-547: A prolonged process that resulted in his rejecting the Twin Cities' first offer before agreeing to relocate. The American League opposed the move at first, but in 1960 , in the face of the Continental League 's proposed Minnesota franchise, a deal was reached. The Senators moved and were replaced with an expansion Washington Senators team for 1961 . The old Washington Senators became the new Minnesota Twins ;

1118-479: A successful manager with the Chicago White Sox and New York Highlanders . Walter Johnson blossomed in 1911 with 25 victories, although the Senators still finished the season in seventh place. In 1912 , the Senators improved dramatically, as their pitching staff led the league in team earned run average and in strikeouts . Johnson won 33 games while teammate Bob Groom added another 24 wins to help

1204-698: A total of 272 RBIs in his first two major league seasons. In 1932, while playing for the Boston Red Sox , Alexander won the American League batting championship, hitting .367 and winning the title over Baseball Hall of Fame member Jimmie Foxx (.364) of the Philadelphia Athletics . For his efforts in winning the batting title, Boston raised his salary by $ 500, from $ 10,500 to $ 11,000. In May 1933, Alexander received third degree burns on his leg and developed gangrene after receiving

1290-539: A two-time all-star pitcher in the major leagues. Following his playing career, he first became a scout. Then Hudson was hired to become the pitching coach of the Washington Senators, serving in that role from 1961 to 1971 with Washington. When the Senators team moved to become the Texas Rangers in 1972, manager Ted Williams retained Hudson to serve as the team's pitching coach. Hudson remained with

1376-529: Is still in use today, known as "Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium." The ballpark is located at Mellonville Avenue & East 11th Street in Sanford, Florida. Washington Senators (1901%E2%80%9360) The Washington Senators were a Major League Baseball team based in Washington, D.C. . It was one of the American League 's eight charter franchises, founded in 1901 . The team relocated to

1462-478: The Bartow Polkers , Bradenton Growers , Lakeland Highlanders , Orlando Caps and Tampa Smokers teams as charter members. The Sanford "Celeryfeds" nickname corresponed with agriculture in the region in the era. In the era, celery was the dominant crop in the region. Sanford was known as "The Celery City" in the era. The celery agriculture industry began after a cold season harmed the citrus industry in

1548-628: The Devil and becomes slugger Joe Hardy, the "long ball hitter the Senators need that he'd sell his soul for" (as spoken by him in a throwaway line near the beginning of the drama). His hitting prowess enables the Senators to win the American League pennant over the then-dominant Yankees. One of the songs from the musical, "Heart", is frequently played at baseball games. The (expansion) Washington Senators were mentioned several times in Tom Clancy's book Without Remorse . As they performed even worse than

1634-477: The Fort Myers Palms joined the league. The Stanford Celeryfeds continued Florida State League play in 1926 and were league champions of the expanded eight-team league. The new Bradenton Growers , Fort Myers Palms, Orlando Colts and Sarasota Gulls teams joined with the four returning teams in beginning league play on April 22, 1926. The Celeryfeds had a record of 70–35 and ended the 1926 season in

1720-576: The Southern Association . He was traded by Chattanooga to the Dallas Steers but refused to report to Dallas and temporarily retired before accepting the player-manager position with Sanford. The Sanford Lookouts went from last place to a championship in winning the 1939 Florida State League title. Sanford ended the regular season with a record of 98–35, finishing in first place. Playing the season under player/manager Dale Alexander,

1806-596: The St. Paul Saints and the Montreal Royals . Robinson had recently been signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and assigned to the Montreal Royals farm team. At the time, the city of Sanford did not allow integrated baseball teams to use city owned ballfields. During the game, Roy Williams, the police chief of Sanford, entered the dugout and forced Robinson to leave the ballpark. Robinson returned to

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1892-605: The Twin Cities in 1961 , becoming the Minnesota Twins . The team was officially named the "Senators" during 1901 – 1904 , the Nationals during 1905 – 1955 and the Senators again during 1956 – 1960 , but nonetheless was commonly referred to as the Senators throughout its history (and unofficially as the "Grifs" during Clark Griffith 's tenure as manager during 1912 – 1920 ). The name "Nationals" appeared on

1978-550: The "Celery Feds" and the school's student newspaper at the time was The Celery Fed . The Sanford "Celeryfeds" nickname returned, and the team resumed Florida State League play in 1946. Following the conclusion of World War II, the Florida State League reformed as an eight-team Class D level league. The Daytona Beach Islanders , DeLand Red Hats , Gainesville G-Men , Leesburg Anglers , Orlando Senators , Palatka Azaleas and St. Augustine Saints teams joined Sanford in beginning league play on April 16, 1946. In returning to play in

2064-412: The 1908 season, and his career, he pitched in 14 games, with 5 starts and 2 complete games . He had a win–loss record of 2–5 and an earned run average of 2.97. He had 17 walks and 17 strikeouts . The Cameron County Press described Carter as "a big husky chap" who has "great speed, good curves and an excellent spitter ." On June 8, 1908, Carter gave up 7 runs in less than 4 innings in

2150-404: The 1925 Florida State League season in last place among the four teams. Sanford had final record of 36–87 and finished in fourth place. Playing the season under managers Nick Carter and Jim Moore, Sanford finished 35.0 games behind first place Tampa in the overall standings. Lakeland won the first half of the split season schedule and Tampa won the second half. Tampa won the playoff series to claim

2236-435: The 1928 Florida State League season. The 1928 six-team Class D level Florida State League had a shortened season with Sanford continuing play. The Florida State League folded on July 4, 1928. The Celeryfeds had compiled a record of 25–33 and were in fifth place when the league folded. Sanford finished 12.0 games behind first place St. Petersburg Saints. Sanford was managed by Pop Wallace. The Florida State league did not play in

2322-414: The 1929 season and had a seven-season hiatus during The Great Depression before reforming in 1936. In 1936, the renamed Sanford "Lookouts" rejoined the six-team reformed Florida State League. The Daytona Beach Islanders , DeLand Reds , Gainesville G-Men , Palatka Azaleas and St. Augustine Saints teams joined Sanford in beginning league play in the Class D level league on April 19, 1936. Playing as

2408-406: The 6'0" 200-pound Wynn arrived at the camp wearing coveralls. Clyde Milan , a Washington scout, saw Wynn's fastball and signed immediately him to a contract. Wynn subsequently dropped out of high school and began his professional career in 1937 with Sanford. He compiled a record of 16–11 with a 3.41 ERA pitching for Sanford in the 1937 season. Wynn would go on to win 300 games in the major leagues and

2494-464: The All-Star selections from teams throughout the league. A reserved seat for the contest was $ 0.50. Sanford ended the 1940 eight-team Florida State League regular season in second place in the Class D level league. The Seminoles finished with a record of 84–55, playing the season under manager Lynn Campbell. The Seminoles ended the season 2.0 games behind the pennant winning Daytona Beach Islanders. In

2580-520: The American League," a play on the famous line in Henry Lee III 's eulogy for President George Washington as "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen". The 1904 Senators lost 113 games, and the next season the team's owners, trying for a fresh start, changed the team's name to the "Nationals" (and occasionally nicknamed the "Nats"). However, the "Senators" name remained widely used by fans and journalists — in fact,

2666-706: The Florida State League after by W. B. Kirby, the former president of the Bradenton Growers turned the Bradenton franchise over to Miami as part of his investment in the Miami franchise. In defending their championship the previous season, the 1927 Sanford Celeryfeds finished in second place in the overall standings but did not qualify for the playoffs. The Celeryfeds ended the season with an overall record of 68–53, finishing 2.5 games behind first place Orlando as Lee Crowe returned as manager. The Orlando Colts won

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2752-523: The Florida State League. The nickname change occurred after the New York Giants moved their spring training site to Sanford and the local franchise became a minor league affiliate of the Giants. The Sanford Base Ball Association hosted baseball games as early as 1908. Minor league baseball began in Sanford, Florida in 1919, when the Sanford "Celeryfeds" became a charter member of the six-team Class D level Florida State League . Sanford joined

2838-535: The Gainesville G-Men. Ellis Clary of Sanford led the Florida State League with 122 runs scored. At age 17, future Baseball Hall of Fame member Early Wynn played as a member 1937 Sanford Lookouts in his first professional season. In the spring of 1937, Wynn traveled from his home in Hartford, Alabama to Sanford, Florida, to attend a baseball camp operated by the Washington Senators. It was said that

2924-547: The Lookouts finished 12.0 games ahead of the second place Daytona Beach Islanders in the regular season standings. In the four-team playoffs, Sanford defeated the DeLand Red Hats 3 games to 2 in the first round to advance. In the finals, Sanford then defeated the Daytona Beach Islanders 4 games to 3 to win the 1939 Florida State League championship. Player/manager Dale Alexander appeared in 98 games as

3010-599: The New York Giants on August 19, 1927. Following the 1926 season, Sanford hosted the Florida State League winter meetings and franchise movements took place. On January 18, 1927, at the winter meeting in Sanford, the Fort Myers franchise was voted to have been "forfeited." The franchise was dissolved for "failing to meet league assessments and for failing to pay players." Later, the Miami Hustlers joined

3096-534: The Official Scorer for games at Sanford. The Seminoles ended the season with a record of 69–66, to finish in fifth place, playing the season under managers B.D. Lake (22–28), Don Murray (23–23) and John Krider (24–15). Sanford finished 15.5 games behind the first place St. Augustine Saints in the regular season standings and just 0.5 game behind the fourth place Orlando Senators for the final playoff spot. With their fifth-place finish, Sanford did not qualify for

3182-599: The Royals' spring training site in Daytona Beach, Florida . In 1947, the New York Giants partnered with the city of Sanford to develop a 10-field complex as a Spring Training site. The new ballfields were located further south, between Mellonville Avenue and Summerlin Avenue, bordered by 26th Street and 28th Street. Municipal Stadium was renovated to serve the Giants for hosting home spring training games. The ballpark

3268-589: The Sanford Athletic Field and the two ballparks were side by side. In 1940, Municipal Stadium hosted the Florida State League All-Star Game held on Friday, August 20, 1940. A reserved seat for the all-star game was priced at $ 0.50. In 1942, the Boston Braves used Municipal Stadium as its primary spring training facility. On March 7, 1946, Sanford Stadium was the site of an incident involving Jackie Robinson in an exhibition game between

3354-560: The Sanford wins were disallowed due to ineligible player violations. The series was declared to be 3 games to 3 tie and the teams were declared co-champions. Stuffy Stewart of Sanford led the Florida State League with 63 runs scored. The 1920 Florida State League expanded to eight teams and the Celeryfeds continued league play, finishing near the bottom of the standings of the Class D level league. The Bartow Polkers , Bradenton Growers , Daytona Beach Islanders and Orlando Caps joined

3440-553: The Senators and the minor leagues for the next few years. He became the Senators' regular third baseman in 1959 , leading the League with 42 home runs and earning a starting spot on the American League All-Star team. Clark Griffith died in 1955 , and his nephew and adopted son Calvin took over the team presidency. He sold Griffith Stadium to the city of Washington and leased it back, leading to speculation that

3526-473: The Senators endured a few losing seasons until returning to contention in 1930 , this time with Johnson as manager. But after the Senators finished third in 1931 and 1932 , behind powerful Philadelphia and New York, Griffith fired Johnson, a victim of high expectations. For his new manager in 1933 , Griffith returned to the formula that worked for him in 1924, and 26-year-old shortstop Joe Cronin became player-manager. The change worked, as Washington posted

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3612-424: The Senators finish the season in second place behind the Boston Red Sox . The Senators continued to perform respectably in 1913 with Johnson posting a career-high 35 victories, as the team once again finished in second place, this time to the Philadelphia Athletics . Starting in 1916 , the Senators settled back into mediocrity. Griffith, frustrated with the owners' penny-pinching, bought a controlling interest in

3698-495: The Series at three games apiece and force Game 7. The Senators trailed the Giants 3–1 in the eighth inning of Game 7, when Bucky Harris hit a routine ground ball to third which hit a pebble and took a bad hop over Giants third baseman Freddie Lindstrom . Two runners scored on the play, tying the score at three. In the ninth inning with the game tied, 3–3, Harris brought in an aging Johnson to pitch on just one day of rest – he had been

3784-598: The Texas Rangers organization until his retirement 1986. Following the 1939 season, Washington did not carry over their affiliation and Sanford continued play unaffiliated with a major league franchise. Player/manager Dale Alexander did not return to Sanford in 1940, as he became the player-manager for the Washington Senators affiliated Thomasville Tourists in the Georgia-Florida League and hit .388 in 91 games and 330 at bats for Thomasville. With

3870-683: The Washington Hall of Stars display at Nationals Park (previously they were listed at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium ). So are Ossie Bluege , George Case , Joe Judge , George Selkirk , Roy Sievers , Cecil Travis , Mickey Vernon and Eddie Yost . The Senators did not retire any numbers during their tenure in Washington D.C., though have had two players who played for the franchise in both Washington and Minnesota retired, that being Harmon Killebrew's #3, who played in Washington for seven seasons and Jim Kaat's #36, who played in Washington for two seasons. The longtime competitive struggles of

3956-418: The ball faster than anyone had ever seen. Johnson's breakout year was 1910 , when he struck out 313 batters, posted an earned-run average of 1.36 and won 25 games for a losing ball club. Over his 21-year Hall of Fame career, Johnson, nicknamed the "Big Train", won 417 games and struck out 3,508 batters, a major-league record that stood for more than 50 years. In 1911 , the Senators' wooden ballpark burned to

4042-476: The butt of many nationwide jokes during the 1950s, with the debut and running of a Broadway musical play in 1955 in New York City called " Damn Yankees " (based on an earlier best-selling novel and later movie in 1958), which followed a hapless elderly D.C. fan being given a "Faustian" or "devil's bargain," selling his soul to transform the team by becoming a young powerful new Senators player (played in

4128-481: The championship. In the midst of their last place finish in the Florida State League, the Sanford franchise was nearly sold and relocated during the 1925 season. On July 10, 1925, businessman John Wall Hendry publicly announced that he had purchased the Sanford Celeryfeds and intended to move the team to Fort Myers, Florida . However, the next day, Charley Britt, owner of the Sanford Celeryfeds, cancelled

4214-468: The complexion around the nation's capital for the rest of the 1950s as the new " Baltimore Orioles " swiftly built their team prospects with astute trades and farm system output during the rest of the decade, finally becoming pennant contenders by 1960 . They continued their winning ways as one of the most dominant teams in professional baseball for the next two decades overpowering even the hapless third Senators franchise in 1961–1971. The Senators were also

4300-666: The expansion Senators would become the Texas Rangers in 1972 , and baseball would not return to the city until 2005 , when the former Montreal Expos became the Washington Nationals . Stan Coveleski Joe Cronin Ed Delahanty Rick Ferrell Lefty Gomez Goose Goslin * Clark Griffith * Bucky Harris * Whitey Herzog Walter Johnson * Heinie Manush * Sam Rice * Al Simmons George Sisler Tris Speaker Early Wynn Cronin, Goslin, Griffith, Harris, Johnson, Killebrew and Wynn are listed on

4386-523: The final standings. Sanford did not qualify for the four0team playoffs, which were won by the St. Augustine Saints. Bill Rodgers would continue to manage Sanford in each of the next three seasons. Following his major league playing career Rodgers served as a player or manager in the minor leagues during 22 seasons between 1918 and 1951. During the 1846 season, Rodgers also managed the Peoria Redwings of

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4472-425: The first half of the season schedule and the Miami Hustlers won the second half, as Orlando took the championship series. Cecil Frisbie of Sanford led the Florida State League with both 78 runs and 145 hits. Celeryfeds' pitcher Herman Myers had a 13–4 record to top the league in winning percentage. Following the 1927 season, Sanford manager Lee Crowe left the team to become the manager of the rival Miami Hustlers for

4558-448: The first round of the playoffs 4 games to 3. Sanford then lost to Orlando in a 7-game series in the finals to fall one game short of the championship. In 1947, the team became known again as the Sanford "Seminoles," continuing play as members of the Class D level Florida State League and ending the season in second place. In 1947, Sanford was represented by John Krider on the Florida State League board of Directors. Arthur Beckwith served as

4644-532: The first round of the playoffs, Sanford defeated St. Augustine 3 games to 0 to advance. Sanford then lost in the league Finals being swept in 4 games by the Orlando Senators . Sanford's Ralph Hyder led the Florida State League with both 126 runs scored and 196 total hits. The Sanford Seminoles folded before the conclusion of the 1941 Florida State League season after the league began the season with eight teams. The Seminoles disbanded on June 25, 1941, with

4730-400: The four returning teams in beginning the league schedule on May 1, 1920. The defending co-champion Celeryfeds ended the 1920 Florida State League season with a final record of 45–68. Sanford finished in seventh place, playing the season under manager Jack Burns and ended the regular season 42.0 games behind the first place Tampa Smokers. Playoffs were not held, as Tampa won both half seasons of

4816-407: The four-team playoffs, won by the Gainesville G-Men over St. Augustine in the final. Beginning on October 7, 1947, the major league New York Giants had partnered with Sanford, Florida to develop a 10-field complex to host the Giants' Spring Training site. The ballfields were located between Mellonville Avenue and Summerlin Avenue, bordered by 26th Street and 28th Street. 30 acres were utilized along

4902-531: The ground, and they replaced it with a modern concrete-and-steel structure on the same location. First called National Park, it later was renamed Griffith Stadium , after the man who was named Washington manager in 1912 and whose name became almost synonymous with the ball club: Clark Griffith . A star pitcher with the National League's Chicago Colts in the 1890s, Griffith jumped to the AL in 1901 and became

4988-466: The hitting of Goose Goslin and Sam Rice , and a solid pitching staff headlined by the 36-year-old Johnson, the Senators captured their first American League pennant, two games ahead of Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees. The Senators faced John McGraw 's heavily favored New York Giants in the 1924 World Series . Despite Johnson losing both of his starts, the Senators kept pace to tie

5074-436: The league schedule. The Florida State League did not return to play in 1921 and remained defunct for the next three seasons before reforming in 1925. The Sanford franchise returned to play in 1925, joining the reformed four-team Class D level Florida State League. The Lakeland Highlanders, St. Petersburg Saints and Tampa Smokers teams joined with Sanford in beginning league play on April 13, 1925. The Sanford Celeryfeds ended

5160-721: The league that season by New York State League team managers. Carter pitched a late 1908 spring training game against the Athletics' cross-town rivals the Philadelphia Phillies and his performance was praised by the Philadelphia newspapers. Although he had never played in the majors prior to 1908, he was the Athletics' Opening Day starting pitcher on April 14, 1908, against the New York Yankees at Hilltop Park . The Athletics lost that game. For

5246-457: The losing pitcher in Game 5. Johnson held the Giants scoreless into extra innings. In the bottom of the 12th inning, Muddy Ruel hit a high foul ball near home plate . The Giants' catcher, Hank Gowdy , dropped his protective face mask to field the ball but, failing to toss the mask aside, stumbled over it and dropped the ball, thus giving Ruel another chance to bat. On the next pitch , Ruel hit

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5332-639: The more successful franchises in Major League Baseball . The team's rosters included Baseball Hall of Fame members Goose Goslin , Sam Rice , Joe Cronin , Bucky Harris , Heinie Manush and one of the greatest players and pitchers of all time, Walter Johnson . But the Senators are remembered more for their many years of mediocrity and futility, including six last-place finishes in the 1940s and 1950s. Joe Judge , Cecil Travis , Buddy Myer , Roy Sievers and Eddie Yost were other notable Senators players whose careers were spent in obscurity due to

5418-413: The movie version by heart-throb leading-man actor Tab Hunter ) and lead the lowly team to a pennant versus the Yankees. In 1954, Senators farm system director Ossie Bluege signed a 17-year-old Harmon Killebrew . Because of his $ 30,000 signing bonus, an enormous amount for that time, baseball rules required Killebrew to spend the rest of 1954 with the Senators as a "bonus baby." Killebrew bounced between

5504-459: The newly formed All-American Girls Professional Baseball League . Rodgers had the nickname "Rawmeat Bill," as he faithfully followed a diet that included eating uncooked meat. The Lookouts placed second in the 1937 Florida State League and advanced to the playoff finals, as the league expanded to become an eight-team league. The Lookouts ended the regular seasons with a record of 79–60 under returning manager Bill Rodgers (30–12), Lee Head (21–26) and

5590-416: The overall first place, winning the championship under manager Lee Crowe. Sanford ended the Florida State League season 3.5 games ahead of the second place Tampa Smokers. No playoffs were held as Sanford won both halves of the split season schedule. Sanford's Otto Dumas won the Florida State League batting championship, hitting 361, while also hitting a co-league leading 4 home runs. Teammate Ralph Dunbar scored

5676-415: The reformed league, Sanford ended the 1946 season in second place in the Florida State League regular season standings. The Celeryfeds had a final record of 81–57, playing under manager Ed Levy and finished 13.0 games behind the first place Orlando Senators in the final regular season standings. Qualifying for the playoffs, Sanford lost in the league finals. The Celeryfeds defeated the St. Augustine Saints in

5762-542: The region in the era. In 1948, William Kirchhoff sold the hotel to Horace Stoneham , the owner of the New York Giants. In 1948, the Sanford Florida State League franchise became a minor league affiliate of the New York Giants . The renamed Sanford Giants then continued Sanford's tenure of membership the Florida State League. Sanford hosted home minor league games at the site of Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium . The ballpark site also contained

5848-559: The regular season 34.5 games behind the first place Leesburg Gondoliers . With their last place finish, Sanford did not qualify for the playoffs won by the Gainesville G-Men. In February 1939, 36-year-old Dale Alexander , was hired to become the player-manager for the Sanford Lookouts in the Florida State League. As a rookie with the Detroit Tigers in 1929, Alexander led the American League with 215 total hits, and had

5934-478: The returning Rodgers (28–22). Manager Bill Rodgers left the team for a period and managed at both Charlotte and Chattanooga before returning to Sanford. Sanford ended the regular season 6.5 games behind the first place Gainesville G-Men in the final standings. Sanford qualified for the playoffs and won their first round series 3 games to 2, defeating the DeLand Reds. The Lookouts lost in the finals 4 games to 2 to

6020-464: The season Griffith traded Cronin to the Red Sox for journeyman shortstop Lyn Lary and $ 225,000 in cash (even though Cronin was married to Griffith's niece, Mildred). Despite the return of Harris as manager in 1935–42 and 1950–54, Washington remained mostly a losing ball club for the next 25 years, contending for the pennant only in the talent-thin war years of 1943 and 1945 . In the fall of 1953 ,

6106-475: The second major baseball franchise shift of the mid-20th century took place (after the Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee in 1952), with long suffering Baltimore civic and business interests purchasing the perennially cellar-dwelling St. Louis Browns from controversial but enterprising owner Bill Veeck and moving them 40 miles (64 km) northeast of Washington to the Chesapeake Bay port city. In

6192-699: The south end of 28th street containing six of the ballfields. The New York Giants also became owners of the Mayfair Inn hotel and the Mayfair Country Club golf course in Sanford. In 1934, local businessman William E. Kirchhoff leased the hotel site and the refurbished hotel reopened in 1935 at the Mayfair Hotel, after opening in 1926 known as the Hotel Forrest Lake. The Mayfair Inn developed a reputation as one of finest hotels in

6278-588: The spring of 1954 , the Browns moved to a newly renovated and modernized Memorial Stadium on the site of their former northeastern city collegiate football bowl, and replacing the earlier minor league level "Triple A" "Orioles" (also sometimes nicknamed the "Birds") of the International League where they had been consistent champions since the 1910s. The additional competition in the same League for Maryland and Virginia area baseball fans added to

6364-493: The team in 1920 and stepped down as field manager a year later to focus on his duties as team president. The minority interest was owned by William Richardson, who was content to remain in the background. The shares passed to his twin brother George on his death in 1942, and then to George's son William Richardson II in 1948. William Richardson II sold his shares to an unrelated party in 1949. In 1924 , Griffith named 27-year-old second baseman Bucky Harris player-manager. Led by

6450-432: The team they replaced, they were the subject of an updated joke: "Washington: First in war, first in peace, and still last in the American League." When the current Nationals had their own struggles, the joke was updated once again, this time to "Washington: First in war, first in peace, and last in the National League." Nick Carter (baseball) Conrad Powell " Nick " Carter (May 19, 1879 – November 23, 1961),

6536-471: The team was also known as the corresponding Sanford "Seminoles" for three seasons. In the era, Sanford teams hosted home Florida State League games at the site of Memorial Stadium. The ballpark is still in use today, known as " Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium ." At the age of 17, Baseball Hall of Fame member Early Wynn played for the 1937 Sanford Lookouts in his first professional season. The 1948 Sanford Giants continued Sanford's tenure as members of

6622-563: The team was planning to move, as the Boston Braves , St. Louis Browns and Philadelphia Athletics had done in the early 1950s, and the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers would do later in the decade. After an early flirtation with San Francisco (with a "Triple A" Pacific Coast League team, the San Francisco Seals ), by 1957 Griffith was courting Minneapolis–St. Paul in the Upper Midwest state of Minnesota ,

6708-597: The team were fictionalized in the 1954 book The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant , which became the 1955 Broadway musical Damn Yankees and the 1958 film starring then "heart-throb" leading-man actor Tab Hunter . The plot centers on Joe Boyd, a middle-aged real estate salesman and long-suffering fan of the Washington Senators baseball club. In this musical comedy-drama of the Faust legend , Boyd sells his soul to

6794-497: The team's lack of success. The Washington Senators had an overall win–loss record of 4,223–4,864–101 (.465) during their 60 years in Washington, D.C.. Six former Washington Senators players were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame . When the American League declared itself a major league in 1901 , the new league moved the previous minor Western League 's Kansas City Blues franchise to Washington,

6880-399: The two names were used interchangeably — although "Nats" remained the team's nickname. The Senators name was officially restored in 1956 . The club continued to lose, despite the addition of a talented 19-year-old pitcher named Walter Johnson in 1907 . Raised in rural Kansas , Johnson was a tall, lanky man with long arms who, using a leisurely windup and unusual sidearm delivery, threw

6966-456: The uniforms for only two seasons, and then was replaced with the "W" logo. However, the names "Senators," "Nationals" and shorter "Nats" were used interchangeably by fans and media throughout the team's history; in 2005 , the latter two names were revived for the current National League franchise that had previously played in Montreal . For a time, from 1911 to 1933, the Senators were one of

7052-547: The verbal agreement to sell the team after $ 5,000 was raised to keep the team in Sanford. Moving on from the Sanford purchase, Hendry next offered to purchase the Lakeland Highlanders , for $ 7,000, but an agreement with Clare Henley, president of the Lakeland franchise never materialized. Eventually, Hendry was successful in getting an expansion team in the Fort Myers for the 1926 Florida State League season, when

7138-417: The winter of 1884 to 1885. The Sanford Celeryfeds had uniforms with a logo depicting celery stalks. Playing the first Florida State League season in 1919, the Sanford Celeryfeds won the overall league pennant and had a controversial playoff series. In a split season schedule, Sanford won the first half pennant and Orlando won the second half pennant in the regular season. The Celeryfeds' overall record of 47–28

7224-611: Was a professional baseball player. He played one season in Major League Baseball as a pitcher in 1908 for the Philadelphia Athletics . Carter attended the University of Virginia . Carter was drafted by Athletics' owner and manager Connie Mack in 1907 after playing minor league baseball for the Syracuse Stars of the New York State League from 1903 to 1907. He was considered the best pitcher in

7310-548: Was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. He is also a member of the Florida State League Hall of Fame . The 1938 Sanford Lookouts finished in last place in the final standings of the eight-team Class D level Florida State League. The Lookouts ended the regular season with a record of 53-87 and finished in eighth place under manager Guy Lacy and the returning Bill Rodgers . Sanford ended

7396-499: Was the best in the league. The team played the season under manager Ed Chaplin , who became a Sanford resident, passing away in the city at age 84 in 1978. In winning the league pennant, Sanford finished the regular season 5.0 games ahead of Orlando in the overall standings. The finals champion was to be the first team to win 5 games. In the playoff final, Sanford won 5 games and the Orlando Caps 3 games. On October 11, 1919, two of

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