Allentown Red Sox
Encyclopedia
The Allentown Red Sox were a minor league baseball
team affiliated with the Boston Red Sox
. They played in the Class A Eastern League and were based in Allentown, Pennsylvania
.
In 1957, the Red Sox purchased the former Detroit Tigers
Eastern League team, the Syracuse Chiefs
and moved the club to Allentown mid-season, being operated as an unaffiliated team for the balance of the season. The Red Sox ended their affiliation with their Eastern League team in Albany, New York
after the season and reassigned it to Allentown for the 1958 season.
Owned by Joe Buzas
, the team played for three seasons at Max Hess Stadium (formerly Breadon Field
), owned by Max Hess, Jr., owner of the Allentown Hess Brothers
department store.
On September 3d 1960, the Red Sox kept its Eastern League playoff hopes alive with a 7-6, 3-2 sweep of Williamsport at Hess Stadium, the second of four straight doubleheaders the A-Sox played to close out the season. Two days later, Allentown's playoff bid ends in a 5-4, 11-inning defeat at Springfield in the first game of a Labor Day doubleheader. The holiday crowd of 1,297 at Hess Stadium witnessed the last professional baseball game in Allentown for 37 years.
It was moved after the 1960 season due to a lack of attendance (average 650 per game in 1960), the team moved to Johnstown, Pennsylvania
on December 5, 1960 for the 1961 season and became the Johnstown Red Sox. Today, the Red Sox AA affiliate Portland (Maine) Sea Dogs
is the latest descendant of the team.
1958 Complete Team Statistics
1959 Complete Team Statistics
1960 Complete Team Statistics
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 affiliated with the 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"...
. They played in the Class A Eastern League and were based in Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
.
In 1957, the Red Sox purchased the former 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...
Eastern League team, the Syracuse Chiefs
Allentown Chiefs
The Allentown Chiefs were a minor league baseball team. They played in the Class A Eastern League, and started the 1957 season in Syracuse, New York...
and moved the club to Allentown mid-season, being operated as an unaffiliated team for the balance of the season. The Red Sox ended their affiliation with their Eastern League team in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
after the season and reassigned it to Allentown for the 1958 season.
Owned by Joe Buzas
Joe Buzas
Joseph John "Joe" Buzas was a Major League Baseball shortstop. Buzas played for the New York Yankees in the baseball season. In 30 career games, he had 17 hits, 6 RBIs and a .262 batting average. He batted and threw right-handed.He was the owner of the Salt Lake Stingers and the team's president...
, the team played for three seasons at Max Hess Stadium (formerly Breadon Field
Breadon Field
Breadon Field was a minor league ballpark in Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, located on the east side of MacArthur Road, about 0.5 mile north of the U.S. Route 22 interchange. It was named for St. Louis Cardinals owner Sam Breadon, who built the ballfield in 1948. In 1958, it was purchased by...
), owned by Max Hess, Jr., owner of the Allentown Hess Brothers
Hess's
Hess's was a department store chain based in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania in the United States.- History :The department store known as Hess Brothers was founded on February 19, 1897, by Charles and Max Hess. Max Hess came to Allentown in 1896 on a business trip and envisioned a...
department store.
On September 3d 1960, the Red Sox kept its Eastern League playoff hopes alive with a 7-6, 3-2 sweep of Williamsport at Hess Stadium, the second of four straight doubleheaders the A-Sox played to close out the season. Two days later, Allentown's playoff bid ends in a 5-4, 11-inning defeat at Springfield in the first game of a Labor Day doubleheader. The holiday crowd of 1,297 at Hess Stadium witnessed the last professional baseball game in Allentown for 37 years.
It was moved after the 1960 season due to a lack of attendance (average 650 per game in 1960), the team moved to Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
on December 5, 1960 for the 1961 season and became the Johnstown Red Sox. Today, the Red Sox AA affiliate Portland (Maine) Sea Dogs
Portland Sea Dogs
The Portland Sea Dogs are the Double-A minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Established in 1994 and based in Portland, Maine, the Sea Dogs play in the Northern Division of the Eastern League....
is the latest descendant of the team.
Seasons
- 1958 Season
- Won: 51 Lost: 83 Pct: .381 4th Place Eastern Division, 24 GB
- Manager: Eddie PopowskiEddie PopowskiEdward Joseph Popowski , nicknamed "Pop," was an American coach and interim manager for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...
Pos | Player | Avg | Pos | Player | W-L | ERA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1B | Matthew Daskalakis | .273 | SP | Albert Antinelli | 7-10 | 4.04 |
2B | Douglas Hubacek | .305 | SP | Walt Payne | 8-9 | 4.11 |
SS | Al Moran | .206 | SP | John Issac | 10-9 | 4.01 |
3B | Ed Lavene | .249 | SP | Leverette Spencer | 4-8 | 3.33 |
C | Don Gile | .274 | SP | Ronald Jirsa | 2-12 | 4.02 |
OF | Jerry Mallett | .233 | SP | Edwin Binder | 3-5 | 3.14 |
OF | Jim Tolleson | .226 | RP | Larry Kendig | 4-4 | 3.73 |
OF | John Siegert | .245 | RP | Jack Thomas | 3-4 | 6.29 |
1958 Complete Team Statistics
- 1959 Season
- Won: 82 Lost: 59 Pct: .582 2d Place, 3 GB
- Manager: Sheriff RobinsonSheriff RobinsonWarren Grant "Sheriff" Robinson was an American catcher and manager in minor league baseball and a coach and scout for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball...
- Attendance: 84,000
Pos | Player | Avg | Pos | Player | W-L | ERA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1B | Daniel Lynk | .299 | SP | Albert Antinelli | 17-9 | 3.83 |
2B | Marlan Coughtry | .296 | SP | Ronald Cote | 14-12 | 3.89 |
SS | Andrew Madalone | .276 | SP | Hal Kolstad | 12-13 | 3.64 |
3B | Matthew Sczesny | .266 | SP | William Thom | 5-3 | 4.11 |
C | Bob Tillman | .272 | SP | Tracy Stallard | 9-4 | 1.68 |
OF | Jerry Mallett | .278 | RP | Jay Richie | 9-5 | 1.90 |
OF | Richard McCarthy | .281 | RP | Ralph Birkofer | 6-1 | 3.60 |
OF | Ezell King | .242 | RP | Arnold Early | 2-5 | 2.86 |
1959 Complete Team Statistics
- 1960 Season
- Won: 67 Lost: 72 Pct: .482 5th Place, 9 GB
- Manager: Sheriff RobinsonSheriff RobinsonWarren Grant "Sheriff" Robinson was an American catcher and manager in minor league baseball and a coach and scout for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball...
- Attendance: 51,654
Pos | Player | Avg | Pos | Player | W-L | ERA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1B | Joseph Pedrazzini | .285 | SP | Bob Heffner | 16-9 | 3.23 |
2B | Marlan Coughtry | .308 | SP | William Thom | 14-7 | 4.47 |
SS | John Jenson | .275 | SP | Ben Tench | 3-9 | 4.95 |
3B | Ted Schreiber | .257 | SP | Guido Grilli | 9-5 | 3.31 |
C | Robert Hoffer | .225 | SP | Stan Willis | 2-9 | 6.04 |
OF | Robert Fidler | .268 | SP | Tracy Stallard | 4-5 | 4.82 |
OF | Richard McCarthy | .295 | RP | George Moton | 8-7 | 3.13 |
OF | Paul Jernigan | .245 | RP | Ronald Cote | 8-7 | 4.73 |
1960 Complete Team Statistics
Major league players
- Joe Albanese, 1958
- Washington Senators, AL, 1958
- Al CihockiAl CihockiAlbert Joseph Cihocki is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played for one season. He played for the Cleveland Indians from April 17, 1945 to September 22, 1945.-External links:...
, 1958
- Al Cihocki
- Cleveland Indians, AL, 1945
- Galen CiscoGalen CiscoGalen Bernard Cisco is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for three different teams between and . Listed at 6' 0", 200 lb., Cisco batted and threw right-handed...
, 1959
- Galen Cisco
- Boston Red Sox, AL, 1961, 1967
- New York Mets, NL, 1963-1964
- Kansas City Royals, AL, 1969
- Marlan CoughtryMarlan CoughtryJames Marion "Marlan" Coughtry is a former backup infielder in Major League Baseball. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed, stood and weighed ....
, 1959, 1960
- Marlan Coughtry
- Boston Red Sox, AL, 1960
- Los Angeles Angels, AL, 1962
- Kansas City Athletics, AL, 1962
- Cleveland Indians, AL, 1962
- Arnold EarleyArnold EarleyArnold Carl Earley was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball.-Career:Born in Lincoln Park, Michigan, Earley played eight seasons in the major leagues with the Boston Red Sox , Chicago Cubs , and Houston Astros...
, 1959
- Arnold Earley
- Boston Red Sox, AL, 1960-1965
- Chicago Cubs, NL, 1966
- Houston Astros, NL, 1967
- Don GileDon GileDonald Loren Gile is a former utility first baseman/catcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1959 through 1962 for the Boston Red Sox. Nicknamed "Bear" — he was listed at and — Gile batted and threw right-handed...
, 1958, 1959
- Don Gile
- Boston Red Sox, AL, 1959-1962
- Guido GrilliGuido GrilliGuido John Grilli is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Athletics during the 1966 season. Listed at 6' 0", 188 lb., he batted and threw left-handed....
, 1960
- Guido Grilli
- Boston Red Sox, AL, 1966
- Kansas City Athletics, AL, 1966
- Bob HeffnerBob HeffnerRobert Frederic Heffner is an American former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox , Cleveland Indians and California Angels . He batted and threw right-handed.Through his major league career Heffner was used both as starter and reliever...
, 1959, 1960
- Bob Heffner
- Boston Red Sox, AL, 1963-1965
- Cleveland Indians, AL, 1966
- Jim KirbyJim Kirby (baseball)James Herschel Kirby was a pinch-hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs during the season. Listed at 5' 11", 175 lb., Kirby batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Nashville, Tennessee....
, 1958
- Jim Kirby
- Chicago Cubs, NL, 1940
- Hal KolstadHal KolstadHarold Everette Kolstad is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Boston Red Sox. Listed at 5' 9" Weight: 190 lb., Kolstad batted and threw right-handed...
, 1959
- Boston Red Sox, AL, 1962-1963
- Jerry MallettJerry MallettGerald Gordon Mallett is an American former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the 1959 season. Listed at , , he batted and threw right-handed....
, 1958, 1959, 1960
- Jerry Mallett
- Boston Red Sox, AL, 1959
- Al MoranAl MoranRichard Alan Moran is a former right-handed Major League Baseball shortstop who played from 1963 to 1964 for the New York Mets.Moran attended Detroit Catholic Central High School...
, 1958, 1959, 1960
- Al Moran
- New York Mets, NL, 1963-1964
- Jim PagliaroniJim PagliaroniJames Vincent Pagliaroni was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1955-1969 for the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Pilots....
, 1958
- Jim Pagliaroni
- Boston Red Sox, AL, 1960-1962
- Pittsburgh Pirates, NL, 1963-1967
- Oakland Athletics, AL, 1967
- Seattle Pilots, AL, 1969
- Bill Pleis, 1958
- Minnesota Twins, 1961-1966
- Jay RitchieJay RitchieJay Seay Ritchie is a former right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1964 to 1968 for the Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds. He was 6'4" tall and he weighed 190 pounds....
, 1958, 1959
- Jay Ritchie
- Boston Red Sox, AL, 1964-1965
- Atlanta Braves, NL, 1966-1967
- Cincinnati Reds, NL, 1968
- Ted Schreiber, 1959, 1960
- New York Mets, NL, 1963
- Tracy StallardTracy StallardEvan Tracy Stallard is a retired American professional baseball player, a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1960 to 1966. He played with the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and St...
, 1959, 1960
- Tracy Stallard
- Boston Red Sox, AL, 1960-1962
- New York Mets, NL, 1963-1964
- St. Louis Cardinals, NL, 1965-1966
- Bob TillmanBob TillmanJohn Robert Tillman was an American professional baseball player. A catcher, he threw and batted right-handed, stood tall and weighed ....
, 1959
- Bob Tillman
- Boston Red Sox, AL, 1962-1967
- New York Yankees, AL, 1967
- Atlanta Braves, NL, 1968-1970
See also
- Sports in Allentown, PennsylvaniaSports in Allentown, PennsylvaniaWhile most of the Allentown, Pennsylvania area supports professional sports teams in New York City or Philadelphia, Allentown itself is home to a Triple-A-level baseball team, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball, and other professional...
- History of baseball in Allentown, PennsylvaniaHistory of baseball in Allentown, PennsylvaniaAllentown's association with the national pastime spans nearly 125 years, from the formation of the Allentown Dukes in the late 19th century to the startup of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the early 21st century.-Late 19th century:...