The York White Roses was the name of a minor league baseball team based in the city of York, Pennsylvania , US, that existed between 1894 and 1969.
25-856: The York White Roses began as members of the short-lived Keystone Association in 1884. The league disbanded after only 20 games. The White Roses transferred to the Eastern League after the Harrisburg Olympics folded. The team remained in the Eastern League until the 1893 season when York joined the Pennsylvania State League. York joined the Tri-State League as the York Penn Parks in 1904. York defeated Williamsport before 3,500 fans at
50-655: A new name days before the season opener against York. Yorkers viewed the change as a copycat maneuver since York had called itself the White Roses since 1884. The Red Roses went on to win the first game, 9–4, and an even heavier rivalry began. Some sources indicate that the rival teams were named for the opposing factions in England's Wars of the Roses . In 1907, the York franchise was moved to Reading, Pennsylvania , and became
75-683: The Baltimore Orioles from 1954 to 1955. Hall of Fame player Brooks Robinson played his first professional season for the 1955 White Roses. The White Roses re-joined the Eastern League, affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals , in the 1958 season and played there until the end of the 1959 season. The York White Roses returned in 1962 as a member of the Eastern League, as the Johnstown Red Sox moved to York. The Boston Red Sox affiliation lasted only that season. They were affiliated with
100-591: The Reading Phillies in the finals of the playoffs. That club was paced by future MLB infielders Luis Alvarado and Carmen Fanzone and included future MLB outfielder Billy Conigliaro . Attendance rose to a peak of 79,000 fans in 1969, but Buzas and the Red Sox decided to locate their Eastern League franchise closer to Boston , and moved the club to Pawtucket, Rhode Island , and McCoy Stadium in 1970. The Washington Senators moved quickly and replaced
125-673: The Washington Senators from 1963 to 1967. In 1968, the team was renamed as the York Pirates , affiliated once again with the Pittsburgh franchise / team . Sunday, April 21, 1968, marked a historic event in York baseball history when the York Pirates and Reading Phillies (of nearby Reading, Pennsylvania) played the first outdoor game on artificial turf at York's old Veterans Memorial Stadium. York lost 5–3 but
150-576: The 1987 regular season title. But the Cubs' attendance was mired at the bottom of the league. After 1988, the Eastern League reorganized, replacing Pittsfield and other under-performing markets with new cities. However, Pittsfield continued to participate in professional baseball at a lower classification, in the Short Season Class A New York–Penn League (1989–2001) and in various independent baseball leagues since 2002. The Pittsfield Mets of
175-521: The 6,248 audience was also the largest crowd in York's minor-league baseball history. The 1969 season was unfortunately the last season of York minor-league baseball in the 20th century. After many dismal losing seasons in the 1960s the York Pirates made it to the Finals against the Pittsfield Red Sox of Massachusetts. Pittsfield won the first game of the series 7–4 but the remaining games of
200-535: The Championship were rained out and York was named champions (York was in first place in the league that season). The White Roses had numerous ballparks during the first half of the 20th century. In 1947, York moved its minor-league team from Memorial Field in West York, Pennsylvania , to Memorial Stadium in York. York's minor-league clubs continued to play at Veterans Memorial Stadium/Bob Hoffman Stadium until
225-640: The Chester Blue Stockings, Lancaster Red Stockings, Littlestown Brown Stockings and York White Roses were the 1885 league members. The 1885 Keystone Association final team standings are unknown. The Keystone Association permanently folded after the 1885 season. The exact 1885 team records and standings are unknown Pittsfield Red Sox The Pittsfield Red Sox was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts , from 1965 through 1969. It
250-641: The Colts folded after 30 games. After the Pittsfield Electrics played two seasons (1913–1914) in the Class B Eastern Association, which folded after the 1914 campaign, Pittsfield was first represented in the Eastern League (then Class A) in 1919–1920 as the Hillies , and won the 1919 EL pennant. Pittsfield then fielded a team in the Class C Canadian–American League from 1941 through 1951 (although
275-611: The Phillies' ball park in Philadelphia for the new league's first championship. The name was quickly changed back to White Roses for the 1905 season. The 1906 season was full of controversy when the rival Lancaster Maroons changed their name to the Red Roses. George Heckert, White Roses manager, publicly denounced Lancaster's team and predicted that Lancaster would end the season in last place after it unveiled new jerseys and
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#1732790114504300-684: The Reading Pretzels for the 1908 season. In 1908 a York team played as members of the Pennsylvania-New Jersey League . The White Roses returned to York for the 1909 season. They made another move in 1914 when rival Lancaster Red Roses moved to Atlantic City. After a bad start to the season in York, the White Roses moved to Lancaster and became the Red Roses for the second half of the 1914 season. The franchise remained in Lancaster until The Tri State league broke up at
325-686: The Red Sox in 1970, and the Pittsfield Senators (later Rangers when the parent team moved to Dallas-Fort Worth) remained through 1975. The Milwaukee Brewers replaced the Rangers in 1976, and the team played a season as the Berkshire Brewers . With fan support at a new low — only 23,500 fans came through the turnstiles all season — the franchise moved to Holyoke, Massachusetts , as the Holyoke Millers , and Pittsfield
350-532: The Red Sox won 85 of 140 games and nipped the Elmira Pioneers (a Baltimore Orioles farm team managed by Earl Weaver ) by a game for the EL pennant and league championship. Pittsfield also led the league in home attendance that season. Three years later, Pittsfield enjoyed another banner season when the 1968 Red Sox, managed by Billy Gardner , won 84 of 139 games and the regular-season title before falling to
375-464: The York Pirates folded at the end of the 1969 season. Keystone Association The Keystone Association was a five–team independent level baseball minor league that played in the 1884 and 1885 seasons. The Keystone Association featured franchises based exclusively in Pennsylvania . The Keystone Association formed as Independent level minor league in 1884. The Keystone Association
400-538: The York White Roses and Lancaster Ironsides became members of the Eastern League for the remainder of the 1884 season. York replaced the Harrisburg Olympics after the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania based team folded. The Eastern League folded after the 1884 season. In their final season of play, the 1885 Keystone Association returned to play and featured the same five returning franchises. Chambersburg,
425-625: The bottom of the 11th to clinch the title. The White Roses were unaffiliated until the 1933 season when they became part of the Brooklyn Dodgers minor league system. Financial hardships due to the Great Depression caused this version of the White Roses to fold after the 1933 season. The team came out of the dark in 1936 when the Harrisburg Senators were forced to relocate after the 1935 season. The stay in York
450-633: The end of the 1914 season. York is one of the six original teams of the New York–Pennsylvania League , joining for the inaugural season in 1923. The White Roses quickly became one of the powerhouse franchises in the League and won their first league championship on September 25, 1925, defeating the Williamsport Grays 5–3, in 11 innings in the fourth and final game of a best-of-five series. York first baseman Del Bissonette homered in
475-553: The league suspended operations for 1943–1945 due to World War II). This club, initially nicknamed the Electrics , was affiliated with the Detroit Tigers (1942), Cleveland Indians (1946–1950) and Philadelphia Phillies (1951). After 1948, it dropped the Electrics identity and was named after its parent club. The Can-Am League folded after the 1951 campaign, and Pittsfield was without representation in organized ball for
500-479: The next 13 years. But after the 1964 season, Joe Buzas , owner of the Reading Red Sox , Boston's Double-A farm team, announced plans to move his franchise to Pittsfield. The 1965 Pittsfield club, managed by Eddie Popowski , proved to be a powerhouse. Led by Scott, who won the league's Triple Crown , and left-handed pitcher Billy MacLeod , a Gloucester, Massachusetts , native who had a perfect 18–0 season,
525-556: The season on June 10, 1884. The League standings when the league folded were Lancaster Red Stockings (15–4), York White Roses (10–10), Chambersburg (8–10), Chester Blue Stockings (8–10) and Littlestown Brown Stockings (6–8). During the 1884 season, the Chester franchise disbanded on June 2, 1884 and Lancaster disbanded on June 7, 1884. After the Keystone Association folded, York and Lancaster continued play, as
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#1732790114504550-673: Was again left without baseball, this time for eight seasons. But in 1985, the Buffalo Bisons moved up from the EL to the Triple-A American Association , creating a need for an eighth Eastern League franchise, and the Chicago Cubs placed their Double-A affiliate in Wahconah Park. The Pittsfield Cubs played through 1988, fielding such players as Rafael Palmeiro and Mark Grace , and winning
575-666: Was brief, as the franchise moved mid-season, becoming the Trenton Senators on July 2, 1936. The White Roses joined the Interstate League in 1943, spending most of their seasons in this league (1943–1952) as an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates until 1950. From 1953 to 1955, the White Roses were members of the Piedmont League , affiliated with the St. Louis Browns from 1952 to 1953 and
600-744: Was formed at a March 3, 1884 meeting in Lancaster, Pennsylvania . Carlisle, Pennsylvania and West Chester, Pennsylvania were franchises admitted to the league but never formed a team. The league adopted American Association rules. The league president was Thomas Hargreaves. The 1884 Keystone Association played as a five–team Independent league. The Keystone Association hosted franchises based in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania , Chester, Pennsylvania , Lancaster, Pennsylvania , Littlestown, Pennsylvania and York, Pennsylvania . The Keystone Association began play on May 2, 1884. The league then folded for
625-754: Was the Double-A Eastern League affiliate in the Boston Red Sox farm system and produced future Major League Baseball players such as George Scott , Sparky Lyle , Reggie Smith and Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk . The team played at Wahconah Park . The Berkshire city fielded its first team in Organized Baseball in 1894 when the Pittsfield Colts debuted in the New York State League , but
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