Thursday, June 15, 2023

Florida leagues

 Florida


Miami baseball
1956-4-18 memories

Central Florida League
    1931 Cocoa
    1932 9-1 standings
    1933 Cocoa 8-17 standings
    1934 did not play
    1936 dnp

    Lake Buddy milb good two-way. Very good control. w/ Sanford FLOR 1946-50  
    Leitz, Al 1933AA 1932 New Smyrna
    Newcomb, Tete Orlando
    Norwood, Call "Red" 1935 Cocoa

    Ferrazzi, Bill p - made pro debut at 28 with 1935 PHA 1931 Deland Demons

                a ton of close games in series

    1931-7-13 Review of Sanford Celery Feds
    1933-6-08 Neil Williamson appointed manager-catcher of Orlando. Succeeds Purcell as manager. Team has 6-7 record. Williamson has played in Piedmont and West Virginia leagues.
    1936-4-02 Jake Baker won 28 games last year - has been with Millers in training three weeks at DeLand and has made good. - Red Norwood signing with DeLand.
    1936-6-04 Last year Jake Baker was declared league's top pitcher
    1936-11-07 League planned for next year

    1931 Cocoa Indians

Dade County League
    1935
    1938
 

    Covington, Chet 
        
    1935-9-17 In ten-inning game on Sunday, Chet Covington struck out 16 Sunshine Sweepers and Warren struck out 16 Wildcats. Now that is some pitching.

Dade Victory League
    1944
    1945

    1945-4-08 Pic of four Eastern Airline players, including Chester Covington

    1945-4-08 Eastern Airline 3, Army Ground and Service Forces Redistribution Station 0. Box. EAL used three pitchers, Covington last.

East Coast League

    1938-4-22 First half schedule for Vero Beach. In pre-season game, Lefty Covington of Miami beats Vero Beach 2-0 in 11-inning game. Vero Beach pitchers combined to K 20. White background behind pitcher made it hard to hit; a green screen will be installed.
    1938-7-31 Red Kaiser has 8-1 record. Only loss went thirteen innings and was mostly the fielders' fault anyways.
    1938-8-12 On 8-07 the Vero Beach Indians beat league-leading East Coast Motors twice. Short descr.
    1938-8-26 Vero Beach Indians will play double-header crucial to second half pennant. 

Florida Central League
    1932

    1932-8-25  On labor day, Leesburg and Center Hill, the half-season winners of the Florida Central League, will play St. Petersburg and Plant City of the Florida West Coast League. Plant City won first half of the West Coast League.
    "A special train will bring hundreds of Leesburg and Center Hill rooters to the city and these, added to the local and Plant City rooters, should result in the largest turnout of the year."

Florida State League (D)
    1919

    1919-8-21 Boxes. Hernandez, Cheo called Corcho
    1919-9-22 Orlando box

Florida State League (D)
    1936

    1936-2-21 Description of how the Sanford team was funded. Lots of donations from locals. Organized by farmers.
    Sanford has team in FLOR but Orlando, three times the size, does not. 

Lake-Orange League
    1933
    1936

    1936-5-01 Leesburg roster. After absence last year, it looks like they have one of this year's strongest clubs in eight-team circuit.

    
Northeast Florida League
    1933 



Pensacola Twilight League
    1935



    1935-6-07 Russ Scarritt (MLB) is new Police manager.

Southeast Florida League
    1933 



    1934-6-09 team and player commentary
    1934-7-28 Gossip. Doubleheader was big-hitting in first game, small hitting in second, as same four balls were used for both games. 

    1933-5-07 Opening day boxes
    

Southeastern Florida League
    1924-25 Lake Worth
 

South Florida Coast-Glades League

    1953-5-21 Fort Pierce Chicks article
    1953-9-15 Commented final stats with first names
    
Sunshine League
    1925-26 
    Gearin, Dinty 5'4" 148lb. 1925-26 Miami
    Yaryan, Yam an all-time great hitting catcher 1925-26 Johnson-Moffat


Sunshine League
    1932

    1932-8-25 Local amateur league. Games are free of charge. Milton Logan, former West Coast league pitcher, will pitch for Largo. 

West Coast League
    1932 1st half Tampa batting + pitching - first half was 59 games final 2nd half standings

    Granell, Vincent ss 1932 Tampa Smokers
    Todd, Stanley p - abt 150 pro wins * 1932 Tampa Smokers

    Onis, Manuel c - 1 for 1 in MLB career * 1932 Tampa Smokers

    1932-7-20 "The [Clearwater] city commission voted Monday night to get behind the Clearwater baseball club of the West Coast league and guarantee its operation throughout the season. The commission instructed City Manager H.S. Riddle to confer with the ball park committee on a method of supervising receipts and expenditures of the junior and senior organizations."
    "Earl Sands, star shortstop of the Saints, is an expert tennis and bridge player."
    Stanley Todd is flame-haired. 
    Saints sign four players to strengthen team for second half, including Hoyt Ewing, 6'0" 175 BR of, who was hitting .375 for Lakeland when the the club was dropped from the league.
    W/boxes and standings.
    1932-8-25 Earl Sands is president of St. Petersburg club. 
    On labor day, Leesburg and Center Hill, the half-season winners of the Florida Central League, will play St. Petersburg and Plant City of the Florida West Coast League. Plant City won first half of the West Coast League.
    "A special train will bring hundreds of Leesburg and Center Hill rooters to the city and these, added to the local and Plant City rooters, should result in the largest turnout of the year."
    1932-8-26 "Hal Lanigan, former former St. Louis and Boston sports editor, who has put the West Coast league over in good shape this summer," suggests that Jacksonville and Daytona Beach enter a winter league.
    W/ standings and boxes. 
    1932-9-06 (Tampa Bay Times) President Lanigan ordered Plant City to play afternoon double-header against St. Petersburg. They refused to play the games, and both games were forfeited to Saints.
    The Saints and Berries had both already won morning games. 
    To avoid disappointing largest crowd of season, Saints played exhibition game against Tampa Smokers. 
    Statement from President Lanigan, which ends:
        "Due to all this excitement, tomorrow night's Winter League meeting in Plant City has been called off. Will hold it middle of next week and will let you know in what city. 
    "Applications for franchises received from Earl Sands for St. Petersburg, Lester Glasscock, the aviator, for Clearwater; F.G. Surchio for Fort Myers, and Fred Harrison for Winter Haven. W.F. White of St. Petersburg prepared to finance a club in any city on west coast I could name.
    "I have invited St. Augustine, Daytona Beach, Sanford and Deland to enter."

    1932-9-07 (Tampa Bay Times) President of Plant Head, W.H. Prosser, has been indefinitely suspended. Plant City has been invited to league championship v. Saints thru VP, Jim Robinson. 
    If the Plant City Berries refuse to play the Saints, they will be suspended from the league and the first-half championship will be taken from them and bestowed upon Tampa.
    "[Lanigan] also stated that all he required from Manager "Red" Evers of the Berries was a promise of good behavior in the future, but he was emphatic in his statement that Prosser could not be connected with the Berries' organization in any capacity in a play-off series."
    1932-9-08 (Tampa Bay Times) Officials vote unanimously to uphold President Lanigan's proposal that Plant City be removed from league.
    Admission will be forty cents to "little world series" between St. Petersburg and Tampa.
    With Plant City out of the league, Clearwater is the only remaining team. The Saints and Smokers will be strengthened by its players. 
    Explanation of how the gate receipts will be divided.
    1932-9-08 Tampa Times is outraged at way Plant City Berries were cheated out of pennant by President Lanigan.
    1932-9-09 (Tampa Bay Times) At four o'clock today, in Tampa at Plant Field, the St. Petersburg Saints and Tampa Smokers will initiate the West Coast League playoffs. 
    "Hal W. Lanigan, president of the West Coast league, announced last night that William A. Kenmuir, who staged a successful drive to keep the Saints in the league this summer, had been appointed honorary commissioner of the little world series between the Saints and the Smokers. Kenmuir will have the final decision in all questions and disputes arising from the playing of the series."

    1932-8-26 Hugh Webber, Saints' curve baller.
    

Pros:

Antley, Joe 1911 Pensacola cartoons & interesting write-up. Big crowd. Lost to New Orleans Eddys.
Mitchell, Babe p 1930 Little River shutout University of Havana. 1931 Miami

1912-7-04 Pensacola 4, Eddys 1. 
1912-7-08 Pensacola takes double-header from Eddy's

Tampa Smokers

https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Tampa_Smokers records
https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/295201#! vg pics incl Tony Cucinello w/cigar
https://tampahistorical.org/items/show/23 some comparison with free baseball of city leagues v. unsuccessful 1924 team.

Chet Covington

1932-4-24 Rosters listed for Miami diamondball leagues - he is on one.
1932-5-29 Dade County League today will for third time attempt to open season 
1932-7-03 Dade County standings. Has k'd 26 in two games. Tom Marshall = cigarmen.
1932-7-17 standings. I have all games.
1934-5-13 Pic with other employees of company?
1934-7-10 Fort Lauderdale stats incl. pitching. 
1934-7-28 Gossip. Doubleheader was big-hitting in first game, small hitting in second, as same four balls were used for both games. Covington pitched in second game
1934-8-12 Has 5-1 record
1935-6-02 Leading diamondball league in batting with .518
1935-9-17 In ten-inning game on Sunday, Chet Covington struck out 16 Sunshine Sweepers and Warren struck out 16 Wildcats. Now that is some pitching.
1936-5-09 With South Miami - will pitch in exhibition game against Tarpons, who he has played with for past two years
1938-7-10 Pic. Described as eccentric
Dade County stats listed - 1-1 with 28K and 7 walks in two games
1953-5-02 Will appear with North Miami - team is full of pros, who are listed. Team has 12-3 record.
1953-5-18 Beat Okeechobee 23-7. Okeechobee played game under protest, claiming Covington was illegal. 
1953-6-17 Former pros allowed in South Florida Coast-Glades League as long as they have been released.
1953-8-04 Leading South Florida Coast-Glades League with 7-0 record
1953-8-22 Came to terms today with Fort Lauderdale
1953-8-23 Was very good in debut for Lions. Called Bobo Newsom of minors. Interesting.
1953-8-26 Comes out of relief for Fort Lauderdale, FLIN.
1953-8-28 Started and lost for Fort Lauderdale Lions
1953-9-15 Led league with 7-1 record.
1954-7-19W/ pic.  Miami Flamingos offer him contract for last bit of season - he will accept only if his employer, Rolfe Armored Truck Service, grants him leave of absence. 
    Complains of effects of minor league chain system. 
1954-9-09 Trying to organize Dade County Amateur League for next season. Hopes to add four more clubs to four that have already filed for positions.
1954-9-15 Will bring club to play Key West. Covington managed own team, Dade Gas, and won Miami Amateur pennant.
1954-9-30 Stats for Stuart Sailfishers. Covington pitched three games for them and then disappeared - Tom Deese had to take over pitching.
1955-1-16 newly organized Dade County semi-pro league has six teams - Covington is one of organizers.
1955-1-20 Pic. Formed semi-pro league, but will leave its direction to others - namely, Joe Eaton and Ed Little. League is one of two chances for summer ball in Miami. 
1955-5-01 Stuart Sailfishers will face Miami team lead by Covington, who will pitch.
1955-8-07 (Miami News) Note to Chester Covington, the old Florida International figure: We lost track of you - report in, please, and tell us what you're doing. 
1955-12-11 Jerry Brooks, Patio Restaurant, writes asking what happened to Lefty Covington
1956-7-01 Greater Miami Amateur League standings + top batters. Knobby Rosa, former Miami Sun Sox star, is manager of Dixie Lily - Rosa and Covington were also together with North Miami (see 1953-5-02) Pitching staffs of all-stars and Dixie Lily listed.
1956-7-05 Greater Miami Amateur League all-star team wins 4-2 over league-leading Dixie Lily at Miami Field before 400 fans. Covington struck out 10 and walked none in relief for Dixie Lily - lost game in eighth
1956-7-14 Returned to softball diamond in old timer's game
1958-5-01 Currently drives truck for Miami meat wholesaler
1958-5-22 Says he is pitching coach for Dixie Lily
1958-7-17 Dixie Lily is 1st in Miami semi-pro league - has several old FLIN players
1958-7-20 Manager of Dixie Lily, Miami semi-pro team
1963-9-21 One of those running for Hialeah mayor
1961-10-13 "Lashed out at the proposed golf course and country club, said the bond issues would mean a 'huge tax increase.'"
1961-10-29 Lists professions of candidates.
1961-10-29 Aspiring councilman's platforms listed.
    Covington's: "Called for more economy in city government and added: 'I don't want a liquor license.'"
1963-10-30 Far back in final voting in race for Hialeah mayor. Received 485 votes 
1964-8-11 Joe Palaveda, former teammate, recollects Chet - tells yo-yo story.
    About 1946 FLIN:
    "That was back when minor league baseball wasn't quite as minor as it is now. It was when you didn't have so much TV, and baseball was the only game in town."
1972-8-12 Tomorrow Tampa Smokers old timers will play a few innings against Tampa Tarpons
1972-8-14 Pic. Interview + recollections. Was wrestler and boxer. Mixed relationship with Cubans.
1973-8-22 Pic pitching for old timers v Tarpons
1974-2-03 One of those who accepted invitation for MLB old timer's game in Florida
1975-6-11 Old timers v Tampa Tarpons

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Western League

  1898-7-07 -  Columbus WL franchise will move to Denver