Time Period - 1945 & 1948 to 1949
Venues : see below
Cities : Concord, NC & Portland, ME
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Franchise Histories :
Concord Weavers :
The North Carolina State League orginally existed from 1913–1917. The second version of the league was established in 1937 and operated thru 1953.
The Concord Weavers played from 1936 to 1952. They were an affiliate of the Phillies in 1945 and the Washington Senators from 1949 to 1950.
Portland Pilots :
The New England League was a mid-level league that played between 1886 and 1949.
The Portland Pilots franchise was created in 1946, the team lasted until 1949, when the New England League collapsed. The Pilots were affiliated with the Phillies in 1948-49.
Today the Portland Sea Dogs ( established 1994 ) represent the city as an Eastern League affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
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The Stadiums the Phillies teams played in :
Webb Park - Concord, NC
Location: Stadium Drive NE, near Brookwood Avenue NE at Concord High School.
Capacity: 3,000
Dimensions (Left, Center, Right): 345-388-345
The athletic stadium at Concord High School was named for principal and Cabarrus County Schools superintendent Dr. A.S. Webb in the 1920s. Visiting teams are said to be entering “the spider’s Webb.” The facility once featured a grandstand and played host to minor-league baseball with the Concord Weavers in the 1930s and 1940s.
Webb Park is still in use today.
Portland Stadium - Portland, ME
Location: 40 Preble Street at Cumberland Avenue.
Capacity: 7,000
Fitzpatrick Stadium is a multi-purpose outdoor venue. Formerly known as Portland Stadium, it was renamed in 1989 to honor James J. Fitzpatrick, one of the most respected figures in Maine athletic history.
It’s the home field for Portland High School’s Bulldogs for almost all field sports and is also used for occasional University of Maine Black Bears football games. It was formerly home to the Portland Pilots from 1946 to 1949.
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The Seasons :
1945 - Concord :
North Carolina State League ( D ) ... Manager : John Lehman ... 34-79 , 8th place ... Attendance : ?
LHP Tommy Lasorda made his professional debut. At age 17 Lasorda pitched and played the field. He finished with a 4.09 ERA in 27 games ( 121 IP ). As a hitter, Lasorda played in 67 games and hit .274 in 208 at bats. He was the only player on the roster to reach the major leagues ( he pitched in 26 MLB games from 1954 to 1956 with the Brooklyn Dodgers & KC Athletics ) ... we know him as the Hall of Fame Manager of the LA Dodgers for 21 seasons ( 1976 to 1996 ).
1948 - Portland :
New England League ( B ) ... Manager : Del Bissonette ... 78-47 , 3rd place ... Attendance : 117,606 ... Lost in Playoffs to Lynn Red Sox 3 games to 2
20 year old RHP Bob Chakales went 12-7 with a 3.16 ERA in 25 games ( 148 IP ) ... he would go on to play in seven major league seasons with the Indians, Orioles, White Sox, Senators and Red Sox between 1951 and 1957 appearing in 171 big league games
1949 - Portland :
New England League ( B ) ... Manager : Skeeter Newsome ... 66-57 , 3rd place ... Attendance : 83,100 ... League Champions ... Defeated Springfield Cubs 4 games to 3 in Championship Series
21 year old Catcher Charles Hood ( from Norristown, PA ) hit .307 with 14 home runs in 482 AB’s ... he played 8 minor league seasons with the Phillies ( interrupted by military service in 1952 and 1953 ) before leaving pro baseball after the 1956 campaign.
Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️
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