Charlotte Hornets (baseball)

Early history (1892, 1901–1936)

The earliest "Charlotte Hornets" team was founded in 1892, according to Minor League Baseball records. The team played in the 19th-century South Atlantic League for one season. Their nickname was the "Maroons" because of the maroon colour of the stockings and caps for their uniforms, while the jersey and pants were probably gray, with CHARLOTTE written across the jersey in maroon. Later in 1900, the Charlotte "Presbyterians" played a 27-game season in the

In 1908, the Hornets were a founding member of the

Affiliation with the Senators/Twins (1937–1972)

The team was purchased by the Washington Senators in 1937. The club would remain affiliated with the Senators/Twins franchise for 35 years. In 1938 the team was managed by

Following a three-year break during World War II, the Hornets returned to competition by joining the

The mainstay of the Hornets through the years was Phillip "Phil" Howser, who became Charlotte General Manager in 1935 and except for three years in the early 1940s when he worked in the Washington Senator's front office, ran the Charlotte operation until January 1970. Sometimes he served both as president and general manager of the club. Howser worked his entire 39-year baseball career for the Griffith family, beginning in 1935 in Chattanooga. From 1971 until his death in 1974 he was southern scouting supervisor for the Twins.

In 1962 Howser was named "King of Baseball", by the National Association of Minor League Baseball and in 1969 he was named minor league baseball's executive of the year. From 1967 to 1969 he was named the Southern League's baseball executive of the year.

In 1972 / maybe or maybe not 1973, there was plans to bring a current affiliate of the Reds? from maybe Tennessee or Kentucky? to Charlotte, called the "Charlotte Pines", but unfortunately, the plans fell through, and thus failing to bring baseball back to Charlotte, for the time being.

Memorable teams and players

The 1931 team won 100 games and lost 37 with a winning percentage of .730. The club was managed by 33-year-old player/manager Oceola Guy Lacy of Cleveland, Tenn., whose playing career spanned a quarter-century, 1916–1941. The Hornets finished 13 1/2 games ahead of the second place Raleigh, which was beaten four games to two in the championship series. The team had several .300 hitters, including Frank "What-A-Man" Packard (.366 with 21 home runs and 123 RBIs); Vern Brandes (.335 with 144 RBIs and a league high 44 stolen bases) and George Rhinehardt (.325). Jimmy Hudgens batted (.290) and was the only one of the group to play in the major leagues. The team's top pitcher was right-hander Charles "Struttin' Bud" Shaney, who led the league with a 24–10 record. Shaney never played in the majors, but won 230 games during his lengthy minor league career. In 1954 at age 54 he played in his annual Tri-State Leaguye game with the Asheville Tourists and was still good enough to pitch five innings of four-hit shutout ball for a victory. In 1942, Donald O'Dell "Red" Barbary, a second-string catcher, pitched and won a 22-inning game.