The Eastern Carolina League was a Minor League Baseball affiliation which operated in the eastern part of North Carolina in the early part of the 20th century. The league had two distinct periods of operation: 1908 to 1910, and a revival of the league in 1928 and 1929. It was classified as a league.
A notable player in the league was Jim Thorpe—it was his involvement with the Eastern Carolina League that cost him his amateur status and his 1912 Summer Olympics metals.
Eastern Carolina League champions
1908 – Wilson Tobacconists † 1909 – Wilson Tobacconists 1910 – Fayetteville Highlanders 1928 – Goldsboro Manufacturers 1929 – Rocky Mount Buccaneers
† In late August 1908, Eastern North Carolina was hit by what is now known as Tropical Storm #5. The playoffs were abandoned with Wilmington leading Wilson 2 games to 1.
Cities represented Fayetteville, NC: Fayetteville Highlanders 1909–1910 Goldsboro, NC: Goldsboro Giants 1908–1910; Goldsboro Manufacturers 1928; Goldsboro Goldbugs 1929 Greenville, NC: Greenville Tobacconists 1928–1929 Kinston, NC: Kinston 1908; Kinston Eagles 1928–1929 New Bern, NC: New Bern 1908 Raleigh, NC: Raleigh Red Birds 1908–1910 Rocky Mount, NC: Rocky Mount Railroaders 1909–1910; Rocky Mount Buccaneers 1928–1929 Wilmington, NC: Wilmington Sailors 1908–1910; Wilmington Pirates 1928–1929 Wilson, NC: Wilson Tobacconists 1908–1910
Standings & statistics 1908 to 1910
+1908 Eastern Carolina League1908 schedule Team nameWLPCTGBManagers Wilson Tobacconists3618.667 – Earl Holt Wilmington Sailors3521.6252Dick Smith Goldsboro Giants2928.5098½ H.E. Kling Raleigh Red Birds2336.39015½ George "King" Kelly / Frank Thompson Wallace Warren New Bern516.238NA NA Kinston612.333NA Lloyd Wooten New Bern and Kinston withdrew July 15 Playoffs: Abandoned August 27 due to bad weather. Wilmington was leading Wilson 2 games to 1.
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Earl Holt WilsonBA.286Harvey Bussey WilmingtonW14 Walker Moore Wilson Runs28 Fred AndersonWilsonSO120 Walker Moore WilsonHits57 Hatton Ogle WilsonPct.846; 11–2 L. Fox Kinston/RaleighHR3
+1909 Eastern Carolina League1909 scheduleTeam nameWLPCTGBManagers Wilson Tobacconists5039.562 – Earl Holt Wilmington Sailors5040.556½Dick Smith Fayetteville Highlanders4941.5441½ Charles Moss / Charles Clancy Raleigh Red Birds4941.5441½ Richard Crozier Goldsboro Giants4346.4867 H. E. Kling Rocky Mount Railroaders2761.30722½ W. B. Fenner / Joe Walsh Playoffs: Wilson awarded championship after ineligible player violations were enacted.
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Bill Schumaker FayettevilleBA.340Harry OtisGoldsboroW19 Pete Clemens Fayetteville Runs46 Bill Luyster FayettevillePct.786; 11–3 Charlie Armstrong WilsonHits76
+1910 Eastern Carolina League1910 scheduleTeam nameWLPCTGBManagers Fayetteville Highlanders 4737.560 – Charles Clancy Wilson Tobacconists 4439.5302½Charles McGeehan Wilmington Sailors 4243.4945½ Bert Kite / L.T. Mills Rocky Mount Railroaders 4345.4896 M.J. Phelan / James Connors Goldsboro Giants 3944.4707½William "King" Kelley Raleigh Red Birds 3845.4588½ Richard Crozier Playoffs: Fayetteville 4 games, Rocky Mount 1.
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTotCurly BrownGoldsboroBA.294Bunny HearnWilsonW16 J. T. Mullins Fayetteville Runs40Erskine MayerFayettevillePct.882; 15–2 Pete Clemens RaleighHits74
1928 to 1929 +1928 Eastern Carolina League Team nameWLPCTGBManagers Wilmington Pirates6846.596 – Hal Weafer Goldsboro Manufacturers6648.5792 Jim Teague Rocky Mount Buccaneers5556.49511½ Charles McMillan Kinston Eagles 5559.48213 Paul Bennett / Marty Walters Fayetteville Highlanders5360.46914½Lee Gooch / Pooly Hubert Greenville Tobacconists4371.37725 Taylor Jolliff / Tom Abbott Playoffs: Goldsboro 4 games, Wilmington 2
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Frank Roscoe WilmingtonBA.387 Ralph Carver GoldsboroW17 Charles Hamel Goldsboro Runs101 Bobo NewsomGreenville/WilmingtonSO114 Frank Roscoe WilmingtonHits154 Eddie Alsobrook Fayetteville/Rocky Mt.ERA2.70 Frank Roscoe WilmingtonRBI101 Ralph Carver GoldsboroPCT.944; 17–1 Frank Roscoe WilmingtonHR36
+1929 Eastern Carolina LeagueTeam nameWLPCTGBManagers Rocky Mount Buccaneers6947.595 – Zip King / Charles Moore Goldsboro Goldbugs6850.5762Jim Teague / Spoke Emery Wilmington Pirates6752.5633½Hal Weafer Fayetteville Highlanders5562.47014½ Cy Chisholm / Marty Walters Greenville Tobacconists4568.39822½ Lester Bangs / Guy Smith Dan Pasquella Kinston Eagles 4671.39323½ Clarence RoperPlayoffs: Rocky Mount 4 games, Wilmington 2
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Clarence Roper KinstonBA.368Edward Heller GoldsboroW17 Sam Fayonsky Rocky Mount Runs94 Eddie Alsobrook Rocky MountW17 Roland Robins WilmingtonHits154 Edward Heller GoldsboroERA2.37 Tom YoungFayette/WilmingtonRBI89 Henry Thormahlen WilmingtonSO135 Tom YoungFayette/WilmingtonHR21 Henry Thormahlen WilmingtonPCT.875; 14–2
External links Page about Thorpe
References