The Crookston Pirates were a minor league baseball team based in Crookston, Minnesota. Crookston teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level Northern League, in two different spans, fielding league teams from 1902 to 1905 and again from 1933 to 1941. The Crookston Pirates were a minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox in 1936, St. Louis Cardinals in 1937, and Boston Red Sox in 1938. Crookston teams hosted home Northern League games at Crookston Field (1902–1905) and Highland Park (1933–1941).
Today, the Crookston "Pirates" moniker is used by Crookston High School, established in 1914.
History Crookston was a charter member of the Class D level Northern League in 1902, playing as the Crookston Crooks before disbanding after the 1905 season.
Beginning in 1933, the Crookston Pirates played in the Northern League from 1933 to 1941 and were affiliates of the Chicago White Sox in 1936, the St. Louis Cardinals in 1937 and the Boston Red Sox in 1938.
The Crookston teams did not win a championship in their duration of play but did qualify for the 1937 and 1938 Northern League playoffs.
Crookston High School was founded in 1914 and still uses the "Pirates" moniker.
The ballparks The Crookston Crooks teams hosted minor league home games at Crookston Field from 1902 to 1905.
From 1933 to 1941, the Crookston Pirates hosted home minor league games at Highland Park in Crookston. With dimensions of 340–420–329, Highland Park had a capacity of 2,000 (1938). Today, the park is still in use a public park. The Highland Park Complex sits on , located at North Central Avenue and Barrette Street in Crookston.
Timeline Year(s) # Yrs. Team Level LeagueAffiliateBallpark1902–1905 4 Crookston Crooks Class DNorthern LeagueNoneCrookston Field1933–1935 3 Crookston PiratesHighland Park1936 1 Chicago White Sox1937 1 St. Louis Cardinals1938 1 Boston Red Sox1939-1940 2None1941 1 Class C
Year-by-year records Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs/Notes190231–252ndWilliam Lycan No playoffs held190355–413rdWilliam Lycan / William Bray No playoffs held190433–364thBill McNeil / William Lycan No playoffs held190538–636thBill McNeil / N. Davies No playoffs held 1933 48–48 5th Lute Boone No playoffs held 1934 62–58 3rd Lute Boone No playoffs held 1935 45–65 7th Lute Boone Did not qualify 1936 54–68 7th Ken Penner Did not qualify 1937 61–57 4th Erwin Schueren Lost in 1st round 1938 69–47 3rd Bill Burwell Lost in finals 1939 43–76 8th Phil Todt Did not qualify 1940 49–74 7th Fred Neisler Did not qualify 1941 46–68 7th Abe Stemig Did not qualify
Notable alumni
Sheldon "Chief" Bender (1939–1940) Lute Boone (1933–1935, MGR) Bill Burwell (1938, MGR) Bill Butland (1938) Walter Carlisle (1902–1904) Oscar Georgy (1937) Jack Hallett (1935) Joe Hatten (1939) Jesse Hoffmeister (1903–1904) Elmer Johnson (1934–1936, 1939–1940) Dan Lally (1904) Ham Patterson (1904) Ken Penner (1936, MGR) Les Rock (1934–1935) Ernie Rudolph (1937) Phil Todt (1939, MGR) Julie Wera (1937) Wes Westrum (1940) 2x MLB All–Star Rollie Zeider (1905)
See also Crookston Crooks players Crookston Pirates players
References
External links Crookston - Baseball Reference