Utica Blue Sox
Encyclopedia
The Utica Blue Sox were a minor league baseball
team based in Utica, New York
. In their most recent incarnation, the Blue Sox played in the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League
from 1977-2001, with their home games at Donovan Stadium at Murnane Field. The NYP Blue Sox affiliations through the years include: Toronto Blue Jays
from 1977-80, independent from 1981-85, Philadelphia Phillies
from 1986-87, Chicago White Sox
from 1988-92, Boston Red Sox
from 1993-95, and Florida Marlins
from 1996 until 2001.
On February 7, 2002, Cal Ripken, Jr.
and the Ripken Professional Baseball Association purchased the Blue Sox and moved the club to northern Maryland
, where it became the Aberdeen IronBirds
. The city needed a standard level ball park and Donovan Stadium needed repairs in order to keep the Blue Sox team.
Utica's first baseball team took the field in 1878. The city fielded a team in the New York State League
from 1899-1917, then was without professional baseball until 1939
, except for one year, 1924
, when the Utica Utes, a member of an earlier edition of the New York-Pennsylvania League
, moved to Oneonta, New York
, in midseason.
Baseball returned with the Utica Braves of the Class C Canadian-American League
, formed when the former Auburn Bouleys were moved to Utica by Amby McConnell and Father Harold Martin. The Utica Braves were initially a Boston Braves
farm team and kept the nickname through 1942
.
In 1943
, Utica moved up to the Class A Eastern League
and became an affiliate of the Phillies. The nickname Blue Sox dates to 1944
when their parent team was unofficially called the Philadelphia Bluejays. The Blue Sox of the 1940s played in a ballpark in the northern part of the city called McConnell Field (itself named after the team owner and former pro player from Utica).
The Blue Sox of the ‘40’s were a feisty bunch, with many later becoming the Whiz Kids of the 1950
National League
champion Phillies. Future Philadelphia stars such as Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn
(who came to Utica as a catcher
but within a month was moved to center field by his manager
, Eddie Sawyer
, to utilize his speed), Stan Lopata
and Granny Hamner
all took the field for both Utica and Philadelphia during the late 1940s.
Sawyer, Ashburn’s manager with the Blue Sox in 1945 and 1947 and later for seven more years in Philadelphia (including 1950), once said, "We had great ballclubs in a bad ballpark." Ashburn recalled the peculiar way the field was laid out, with center field to the west. "The sun would set over it," he once said. "I never got a hit up there in the first five innings in 150 games, and I still hit .300."
Acclaimed author and journalist Roger Kahn ("The Boys of Summer") wrote about his year as owner of the team in the 1985 book "Good Enough to Dream."
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team based in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
. In their most recent incarnation, the Blue Sox played in the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League
New York - Penn League
The New York – Penn League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the northeastern United States. It is classified as a "Short-Season A" league; its season starts in June, after major-league teams have signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ends in early...
from 1977-2001, with their home games at Donovan Stadium at Murnane Field. The NYP Blue Sox affiliations through the years include: Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
from 1977-80, independent from 1981-85, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
from 1986-87, Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
from 1988-92, Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
from 1993-95, and Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
from 1996 until 2001.
On February 7, 2002, Cal Ripken, Jr.
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. , nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles ....
and the Ripken Professional Baseball Association purchased the Blue Sox and moved the club to northern Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, where it became the Aberdeen IronBirds
Aberdeen IronBirds
The Aberdeen IronBirds are a Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The IronBirds play in the New York - Penn League and are based in Aberdeen, Maryland, which is in Harford County....
. The city needed a standard level ball park and Donovan Stadium needed repairs in order to keep the Blue Sox team.
Utica's first baseball team took the field in 1878. The city fielded a team in the New York State League
New York State League
This article refers to the modern New York State League. For the original incarnations of the New York State League see New York State League ...
from 1899-1917, then was without professional baseball until 1939
1939 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:*On May 17, 1939, Princeton University and Columbia University played the first televised baseball game. On August 26, the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers played the first televised Major League Baseball game...
, except for one year, 1924
1924 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: Washington Senators over New York Giants *First Negro League World Series: Kansas City Monarchs over Hilldale -Awards and honors:*League Award** Walter Johnson, Washington Senators, P** Dazzy Vance, Brooklyn Dodgers, P...
, when the Utica Utes, a member of an earlier edition of the New York-Pennsylvania League
New York-Pennsylvania League (early 20th century)
The New York-Pennsylvania League of 1923 through 1937 was an American minor league baseball circuit.The forerunner to the modern Class AA Eastern League, it was a Class B circuit through 1932 and upgraded to Class A for the final five seasons of its existence. It is actually the second of three...
, moved to Oneonta, New York
Oneonta, New York
Oneonta is a city in southern Otsego County, New York, USA. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, had a population of 13,901. Its nickname is "City of the Hills." While the word "oneonta" is of undetermined origin, it is popularly believed to mean "place of open rocks" in the Iroquois language...
, in midseason.
Baseball returned with the Utica Braves of the Class C Canadian-American League
Canadian-American League
This article refers to the original incarnation of the Can-Am League, which operated between 1936 and 1951. For the modern league, see Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball...
, formed when the former Auburn Bouleys were moved to Utica by Amby McConnell and Father Harold Martin. The Utica Braves were initially a Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
farm team and kept the nickname through 1942
1942 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over New York Yankees *All-Star Game, July 6 at Polo Grounds: American League, 3-1-Other champions:*Negro Leagues World Series: Kansas City Monarchs over Homestead Grays...
.
In 1943
1943 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over St. Louis Cardinals *All-Star Game, July 13 at Shibe Park: American League, 5-3-Other champions:*Negro League World Series: Homestead Grays over Birmingham Black Barons...
, Utica moved up to the Class A Eastern League
Eastern League (U.S. baseball)
The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League...
and became an affiliate of the Phillies. The nickname Blue Sox dates to 1944
1944 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over St. Louis Browns , in the "Streetcar Series"*All-Star Game, July 11 at Forbes Field: National League, 7-1-Other champions:...
when their parent team was unofficially called the Philadelphia Bluejays. The Blue Sox of the 1940s played in a ballpark in the northern part of the city called McConnell Field (itself named after the team owner and former pro player from Utica).
The Blue Sox of the ‘40’s were a feisty bunch, with many later becoming the Whiz Kids of the 1950
1950 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Philadelphia Phillies *All-Star Game, July 11 at Comiskey Park: National League, 4-3 -Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Carta Vieja *College World Series: Texas...
National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
champion Phillies. Future Philadelphia stars such as Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn
Richie Ashburn
Don Richard "Richie" Ashburn , also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" due to his light-blond hair, was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tilden, Nebraska...
(who came to Utica as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
but within a month was moved to center field by his manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
, Eddie Sawyer
Eddie Sawyer
Edwin Milby Sawyer was an American manager and scout in Major League Baseball. As a manager, he led the 1950 Philadelphia Phillies — the "Whiz Kids", as the youthful club was known — to the second National League championship in team history.-A scholar-athlete:Born in Westerly, Rhode Island,...
, to utilize his speed), Stan Lopata
Stan Lopata
Stanley Edward Lopata was an American professional baseball player. Lopata played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for parts of 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Braves...
and Granny Hamner
Granny Hamner
Granville Wilbur Hamner was an American shortstop and second baseman in Major League Baseball. Hamner was one of the key players on the "Whiz Kids", the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies...
all took the field for both Utica and Philadelphia during the late 1940s.
Sawyer, Ashburn’s manager with the Blue Sox in 1945 and 1947 and later for seven more years in Philadelphia (including 1950), once said, "We had great ballclubs in a bad ballpark." Ashburn recalled the peculiar way the field was laid out, with center field to the west. "The sun would set over it," he once said. "I never got a hit up there in the first five innings in 150 games, and I still hit .300."
Acclaimed author and journalist Roger Kahn ("The Boys of Summer") wrote about his year as owner of the team in the 1985 book "Good Enough to Dream."
External links
- Lloyd Johnson and Miles Wolff, editors. The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 1997 edition. Durham, N.C.: Baseball AmericaBaseball AmericaBaseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
.