Richmond Colts
Richmond Colts | |
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Minor league affiliations | |
Class | B (1932–1953) |
Previous leagues |
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Major league affiliations | |
Team |
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Minor league titles | |
League titles | 1908, 1923–1926, 1935, 1952 |
Team data | |
Name | Colts |
Ballpark | Broad Street Park (1906–1912) Tate Field (1921–1941) Mooers Field (1942?–1953) |
Owner(s)/ Operator(s) |
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The Richmond Colts were a minor league baseball team based in
They were affiliated with the
One of their home ballparks was Mooers Field, from the early 1940s until 1953, named after Eddie Mooers, who purchased the team in 1931.[4][5][6] Prior to Mooers Field, the team played at Tate Field on Mayo Island in the James River, but that facility was destroyed in a fire in May 1941.[4][7]
In 1953, the team signed Whit Graves as its first black player.[8][9]
When Richmond obtained a Class AAA franchise in 1954, Mooers moved the Colts to Colonial Heights' Shepherd Stadium.[6][10] Harry Seibold purchased the team and renamed it the Virginians.[11][12] Mooers Field was turned into a racing track, and then torn down in 1958.[6][13]
League championships
Under manager Perry Lipe in 1908, the Colts won their first league championship. They were co-league champions in 1923 under manager Dave Robertson, and from 1924 to 1926 they won the league championship every year.[4][7] In 1924, they were managed by Jack Onslow; in 1925, Percy Dawson and in 1926, Troy Agnew, Guy Lacy and Rube Oldring. They won a league championship again in 1935, under manager Eddie Rommel. In 1952, they won their final league championship, under manager Tom O'Connell.
References
- ^ Hyland, Mike (Apr 16, 1987). "Golden Times 1937 Richmond Colts Were Team To Watch". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved Oct 13, 2009.
- ^ Richmond, Virginia BR page
- ^ Dawson, James P. (Apr 14, 1934). "Yanks Overwhelm Richmond, 20-12". The New York Times. Retrieved Oct 13, 2009. (story on exhibition game in Richmond against New York Yankees, including a home run by Lou Gehrig that landed in the James River)
- ^ ISBN 978-0786414895)
- The Hartford Courant. Dec 31, 1931. Retrieved Oct 13, 2009.
- ^ a b c Rolfe, Shelley (Dec 29, 1988). "Mooers Field Had One Benefit Over Park It Replaced". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved Oct 13, 2009.
- ^ a b "Ex-Richmond Colt Draws On Memories". The Richmond News Leader. Feb 2, 1982. Retrieved Oct 21, 2009. (notes that team won Virginia League pennant in 1925)
- ^ Johnson, Ophelia (Nov 19, 1996). "Between the Lines: Museum Exhibit on Negro Leagues Tells Two Stories of Baseball Glory". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved Oct 13, 2009.
- ^ "Richmond Signs Graves; Negro Pitcher Will Play With Colts in Piedmont League". The New York Times. Apr 20, 1953. Retrieved Oct 13, 2009. (noting that the Colts became the fourth team in the Piedmont League to sign a black player; the league had no black players for its first 34 years)
- ^ "Graveside Rite Held for Ex-Team Owner". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Nov 15, 1989. Retrieved Oct 13, 2009.
- ^ "Richmond Owner of Baseball, Grid Teams Is Dead". The Free Lance–Star. Jan 4, 1960. Retrieved Oct 13, 2009.
- ^ "Richmond is Closer to League Franchise". The New York Times. Nov 23, 1953. Retrieved Oct 13, 2009.
- ^ Redmon, Jeremy (May 12, 2004). "At the Plate Again: City Has Had Its Share of Baseball Teams and Ballparks". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved Oct 13, 2009.