The Williamsport A's were a Class AA Eastern League affiliate of the Philadelphia Athletics in Williamsport

Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...

, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. They played their home games in Bowman Field which is currently the home of the Williamsport Crosscutters

Williamsport Crosscutters

The Williamsport Crosscutters are a Short-Season A classification minor league baseball team based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in the United States...

 of the New York-Penn League. The franchise had previously been known as the Williamsport Grays

Williamsport Grays

*Location: Williamsport, Pennsylvania*League: New York-Penn League 1924-1937; Eastern League 1938-1942, 1944–1946, 1950, 1954–1956, 1958–1962...

 or Tigers

Williamsport Tigers

The Williamsport Tigers were a Class AA Eastern League affiliate of the Detroit Tigers in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. They played their home games in Bowman Field which is currently the home of the Williamsport Crosscutters of the New York-Penn League. Detroit had a working relationship with...

 and existed as the A's for just the 1953 season. The franchise was purchased at the end of the 1952 season by five anonymous businessmen from the Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

. The ownership group moved to establish a working arrangement with the Philadelphia A's owned by Connie Mack

Connie Mack (baseball)

Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...

.

The Williamsport A's struggled on the field. They finished in sixth place with a record of 65 wins and 85 losses. The first African-Americans to play professional baseball in Williamsport were members of the squad. Joe Taylor

Joe Taylor (baseball)

Joe Cephus Taylor was an American professional baseball outfielder . Taylor's career began in semipro baseball in 1946. From 1949 to 1951, he played in the Negro leagues before joining the baseball minor leagues...

 a veteran of the Negro League

Negro league baseball

The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...

s and Héctor López

Héctor López

Héctor Headley López Swainson is a former left fielder and third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees from to...

 who would go on to play in the majors

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 with the A's and New York Yankees

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

 played the full season for the Williamsport A's.

Year-by-year record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs
1953	65-85	6th	George Staller George Staller George Walborn Staller was an American outfielder, scout and coach in Major League Baseball. He served as first base coach on Earl Weaver's Baltimore Orioles staff from 1968-75, working on the Orioles' three consecutive American League championship teams and Baltimore's 1970 World Series...