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Writer's pictureSteve Potter

7/9/2020 : Phillies Minor League History - The Baltimore Orioles


Time Period - 1940 & 1951 to 1953


Venues : Oriole Park V & Memorial Stadium


City : Baltimore, MD


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Franchise History :


Orioles" has a long history as a name for baseball clubs in Baltimore. It was used by major league teams representing the city in the American Association and the National League from 1882 to 1899 and by a charter team franchise in the American League ( 1901 to 1902 ). The AL franchise was shifted to New York City in 1903 and renamed the Highlanders, later becoming the Yankees.


In 1903 a Minor League version of the Orioles joined the Eastern League (renamed the International League in 1911 ). They played as a minor league franchise thru the 1953 season.


Major League affiliation for the Minor League Orioles included :


Phillies - 1940 & 1951 to 1953

Cleveland Indians - 1942 to 1948

St Louis Browns - 1949 to 1950


Major League Baseball returned to Baltimore to stay in 1954, the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore and took the name of the Baltimore Orioles. The Minor League Orioles team re-located to Richmond as the Virginians from 1954–64, later relocating to northwest Ohio in 1965 to become the Toledo Mudhens.


Information from Wikipedia


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The Stadiums the Phillies teams played in :


Oriole Park V :


The 1940 Phillies AA Club played here


Also Known As: Terrapin Park 1914-1915

Location: 11th Street (LF), 10th Street (1B), Vineyard Street (3B), & York Road (RF), across 10th Street from American League Park.

Capacity: 14,000 (1936); 11,000 (1941)

Dimensions (Left, Center, Right): 300-450-335 (1914); 290-404-313 (1938); 290-404-313 (1940)


Terrapin Park, later named Oriole Park, was built in 1914 to house Baltimore's Federal league team. Other new parks in the league were constructed of concrete and steel to guard against the fires that consumed many ballparks, but Terrapin Park was built of wood. The park burned July 4, 1944 as a result of a fireworks mishap.


Memorial Stadium :


The 1951 to 1953 Phillies AAA club played here


Location: 900 E. 33rd Street (Babe Ruth Plaza), Ellerslie Avenue (3B), 5th Street (CF), & Ednor Road (1B).

Capacity: 31,000 (minors)

Dimensions (Left, Center, Right): 309-445-309 (1950); 309-390-410-390-309 (1975)


Memorial Stadium hosted the International League Orioles ( 1950 to 1953 ) for four seasons before Baltimore gained an American League franchise.


Information from Statscrew.com


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The Seasons :


1940


International League (AA ) ... Manager : Tommy Thomas ... 81-79 , 4th place ... Attendance: 119,095. Defeated Rochester Red Wings 4 games to 2 in playoffs. Lost to the Newark Bears 4 games to 3 in Championship Series


31 year old Outfielder Reid Howell led the league in slugging percentage ( .592 ) and Total Bases ( 330 ) and was second in Batting Average ( .359 in 559 AB’s ) ... he was nearing the end of his career but his season in Baltimore earned him 11 games of big league play with the 1941 Cleveland Indians ... his only exposure to the Major Leagues ... he played 17 seasons of Minor League Baseball ( 1928 to 1944 ) appearing in 2,002 games


25 of the 30 players on the roster either previously played or would play in the Major Leagues


1951


International League (AAA ) ... Manager : Nick Cullop ... 69-82 , 6th place ... Attendance: 158,013.


30 year old Outfielder/First Baseman Marv Rickett led the league in home runs ( 35 ), was second in RBIs ( 104 ) and Total Bases ( 315 ) and third in Batting Average ( .321 ), OBP ( .421 ), Slugging ( .577 ) and OPS ( .998 ) ... he had previously played in 6 major league seasons from 1942 to 1950 with the Cubs, Reds, Braves, White Sox and Pirates


1952


International League (AAA ) ... Manager : Don Heffner ... 70-84 , 6th place ... Attendance: 153,828.


26 year old RHP Bob Miller went 12-9 with a 2.35 ERA in 32 games ( 22 starts ) tossing 184 innings and 12 complete games ... he pitched in 10 major league seasons from 1949 to 1958 with the Phillies and went 11-6 for the 1950 NL Champion Whiz Kids ... his season in Baltimore in 1952 earned him his way back to the big leagues with the 1953 Phillies where he remained thru the 1958 campaign


1953


International League (AAA ) ... Manager : Don Heffner ... 82-72 , 4th place ... Attendance: 207,182. Lost to Rochester Red Wings in Playoffs 4 games to 3.


31 year old Outfielder Marv Rackley led the team with a .320 batting average in 363 AB’s ... he had played in 4 major league seasons from 1947 to 1950 with the Dodgers, Pirates and Reds appearing in 185 games and posting a lifetime .317 batting average in 518 AB’s ... Marv also played 12 minor league seasons ... retiring from pro baseball after the 1955 campaign


Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️


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