The Wilkes-Barre Barons were a minor league baseball team that existed off-and-on from 1886 to 1955. They began as an unnamed team in the Pennsylvania State Association in 1886.
The following season the team was known as the Wilkes-Barre Coal Barons and played in the Central League in 1888, but the league disbanded after that season. Two Wilkes-Barre team took the field in 1889 and 1892, with the later sharing representation with Pittsburgh, as Wilkes-Barre Coal Barons/Pittsburgh in the record books. The team then played from 1893 until 1898 in the Eastern League, and from 1898 to 1900 in the Atlantic League.
After spending the 1902 season in the Pennsylvania State League, as Wilkes-Barre/Mount Carmel. Their next incarnation came about in 1905, when they began playing in the New York State League, as the Wilkes-Barre Barons. They played in that league until 1917. From 1923 to 1937, they played in the New York–Pennsylvania League and from 1938 to 1948 they played in the Eastern League. Until 1939, they did not have any affiliations, however from 1939 to 1951 they were affiliated with the Cleveland Indians. The team was briefly named the Wilkes-Barre Indians from 1949 to 1951 and were managed by Bill Norman. They won a league championship in 1950 and made the league playoffs each year they played between 1949 and 1951.
From 1953 to 1955 the team regained the Barons name and once again played in the Eastern League, and in 1954 they were affiliated with the Chicago White Sox. In 1955, they were affiliated with the New York Giants when the franchise moved midseason to become the Johnstown Johnnies.
The ballpark Wilkes-Barre games were played at Artillery Park from 1925 to 1955.
Notable alumni Multiple notable players spent time with the team, including:
Tony Lazzeri (1943, MGR) – inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991 Bob Lemon (1940–1941) – inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976 Joe McCarthy (1912–1914, 1916) – inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957 Ray Boone (1946) 2× MLB All-Star Frank Brannan, Bob Bruce (1954) Leon Cadore (1912) Bill Dietrich (1932) Hank Edwards (1941) Nick Etten (1936) MLB All-Star; 1940 AL Home Run Leader Elbie Fletcher (1935) MLB All-Star Alex Ferguson (1932) Buck Freeman (1893) Mike Garcia (1946-1947) 3× MLB All-Star; 1954 AL ERA Title Doug Hansen, Jim Hegan (1940) 5 x MLB All-Star Dave Hoskins (1950-1951) Sam Jones (1950) 2× MLB All-Star; 1959 NL ERA Title Bob Kuzava (1946) Brooks Lawrence (1951) MLB All-Star Danny Litwhiler (1953) MLB All-Star Don Mossi (1951) MLB All-Star Ray Narleski (1948) 2 x MLB All-Star Johnny Niggeling (1933) Bill Norman (1947-1951, MGR) Dave Pope (1950-1951) Allie Reynolds (1962) 6 x MLB All-Star; 1952 AL ERA Title Jack Scott (1931) Jose Santiago (1950-1951) Joe Shaute (1938) Harry Simpson (1949) MLB All-Star Al Smith (1948-1949) 3 x MLB All-Star Scott Stratton (1900) 1890 ERA Title Fred Thomas (1948) Outfielder, first black player in the Eastern League Hal White (1939) Gene Woodling (1942-1943) MLB All-Star Heinie Zimmerman (1907) 1912 NL Triple Crown
Year-by-year record
Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs 1888 59-48 3rd James Donnelly / John Irwin none 1905 70-52 3rd John Sharrott none 1906 52-76 8th John Sharrott / Mike Donovan none 1907 69-66 5th Abel Lizotte none 1908 60-77 7th Abel Lizotte / Robert Drury none 1909 88-53 1st Malachi Kittridge League Champs 1910 85-53 1st Bill Clymer League Champs 1911 82-61 1st Bill Clymer League Champs 1912 81-57 2nd Bill Clymer none 1913 84-56 2nd Joe McCarthy none 1914 79-55 2nd Joe McCarthy none 1915 54-60 6th Peter Noonan none 1916 62-63 4th Joe McCarthy none 1917 81-37 1st Jack Calhoun League Champs 1923 47-74 5th Tom Downey none 1924 51-82 7th Tom Downey / Dutch Brannan / Joe Wall none 1925 60-71 7th James Sharp / George Maisel 1926 56-73 7th George Maisel / Earl Potteiger none 1927 80-56 2nd Earl Potteiger none 1928 71-65 3rd Mike Konnick none 1929 50-86 8th Mike Konnick / Don Sykes / Punch Knoll none 1930 79-59 1st Mike McNally League Champs 1931 80-59 2nd Mike McNally none 1932 78-61 1st Mike McNally League Champs 1933 71-67 3rd Elmer Yoter none 1934 66-67 5th Elmer Yoter 1935 79-57 2nd Elmer Yoter 1936 62-75 7th Jake Pitler 1937 77-57 2nd Mike McNally Lost League Finals 1938 51-87 8th Mike McNally 1939 58-82 8th Eddie Phillips 1940 56-76 8th Earl Wolgamot 1941 87-51 1st Earl Wolgamot Lost in 1st round 1942 79-61 4th Earl Wolgamot Lost in 1st round 1943 77-61 4th Tony Lazzeri Lost in 1st round 1944 51-89 8th Jack Sanford 1945 78-59 2nd Dick Porter / Mike McNally Lost League Finals 1946 76-62 3rd Dick Porter Lost in 1st round 1947 80-60 3rd Bill Norman Lost in 1st round 1948 48-91 8th Bill Norman 1953 54-95 7th Danny Litwhiler 1954 80-59 1st Danny Carnevale Lost in 1st round 1955 59-78 overall -- Mike McCormick Final Wilkes-Barre game July 29, 1955 after which moved to Johnstown
References