The Winter Haven Red Sox were a minor league baseball team in the Florida State League (FSL), based in Winter Haven, Florida, from 1969–1992.
Team history The franchise began in 1966 in Deerfield Beach, Florida, as the Deerfield Beach Sun Sox, a Class-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. However, on June 27, 1966, the team moved to Winter Haven becoming the Winter Haven Sun Sox. It was the city's first entry in Organized Baseball since the 1919 Bartow Polkers played part of their home schedule in Winter Haven. The Sun Sox were managed by Don Bacon and Bruce Andrew and had a 55–83 record overall.
In 1967, the Sun Sox were renamed the Winter Haven Mets after their new parent club, the New York Mets. The Mets posted a stellar 94–46 record, but were defeated by the St. Petersburg Cardinals for the western division title by two and a half games. Nolan Ryan, then 20, pitched for the 1967 team, appearing in one game as a starting pitcher and allowing one hit and one earned run in four innings pitched, with five strikeouts. It was Ryan's last year in the minors before he began his Baseball Hall of Fame big-league career.
The Mets left Winter Haven after only a single season, then the franchise lay dormant during 1968. In 1969, the Boston Red Sox, who had established their spring training home in Winter Haven in 1966, took over the Florida State League franchise. The Winter Haven Red Sox then played for the next 24 consecutive seasons. In 1983, 16 years after Ryan's one-game stint, Roger Clemens began his pro career with Winter Haven, winning three of four decisions in four starts, and striking out 36 in 29 innings pitched.
The Winter Haven Red Sox effectively folded after the 1992 season, when, after 27 years, the parent Red Sox moved their spring headquarters to Fort Myers and their FSL affiliate to Fort Lauderdale. Although the Cleveland Indians replaced the Red Sox as Winter Haven's spring training tenants from 1993 through 2008, they never revived an FSL franchise for the city.
The ballpark The team played home games at Chain of Lakes Park, located at 500 Cletus Allen Drive. The park still exists as part of the Chain of Lakes Sports Complex.
Notable alumni
Baseball Hall of Fame alumni Jeff Bagwell (1989) Inducted, 2017 Jim Rice (1972) Inducted, 2009 Nolan Ryan (1967) Inducted, 1999
Notable alumni
Brady Anderson (1986) 3 x MLB All-Star Oil Can Boyd (1981) Ellis Burks (1984) 2 x MLB All-Star Rick Burleson (1970) 4 x MLB All-Star Roger Clemens (1983) 1986 AL Most Valuable Player, 7 x Cy Young Award Scott Hatteberg (1991) Bruce Hurst (1977) MLB All-Star Bob Ojeda (1979) Ben Oglivie (1969) 1980 AL Home Run Leader Paul Quantrill (1990) MLB All-Star Ken Singleton (1967) 3 x MLB All-Star Bob Stanley (1975, 1988) 2 x MLB All-Star
Year-by-year record Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs 1966 55-83 8th Don Bacon & Bruce Andrew 1967 94-46 2nd Pete Pavlick 1969 76-53 3rd Rac Slider 1970 61-71 7th John K. Butler 1971 58-79 10th 1972 61-70 10th 1973 50-94 10th Al Lehrer 1974 59-71 6th (t) Rac Slider 1975 57-70 5th (t) 1976 65-76 6th 1977 70-66 5th 1978 82-56 2nd 1979 79-58 2nd League Champs 1980 60-80 10th 1981 62-77 9th 1982 59-74 8th Tom Kotchman 1983 49-83 9th 1984 70-74 8th Dave Holt 1985 71-68 7th 1986 80-47 2nd Lost in 1st round 1987 67-71 8th Doug Camilli 1988 45-94 14th 1989 52-87 13th Dave Holt 1990 40-94 14th 1991 43-85 14th Mike Verdi 1992 51-86 13th Felix Maldonado
References