The Waterbury Indians were a minor league team based in Waterbury, Connecticut. Waterbury hosted minor league baseball beginning in 1884, with teams playing under numerous nicknames. The Waterbury team was first called the "Indians" in the 1897 season. The nickname returned in 1968, as the "Waterbury Indians" of the Class AA level Eastern League played on two occasions, with the franchise twice serving as a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.
Prior to the Eastern League era, the "Waterbury Timers" played as members of the Class B level Colonial League from 1947 to 1950.
From 1966 to 1986, Waterbury had tenure of hosting teams as members of the Class AA level Eastern League. Waterbury Eastern League teams adopted the nicknames of their various major league affiliates. The Waterbury teams played as a minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants (1966–1967), Cleveland Indians (1968–1969), Pittsburgh Pirates (1970–1971), Los Angeles Dodgers (1973–1976), San Francisco Giants (1977–1978), Oakland Athletics (1979), Cincinnati Reds (1980–1983), California Angels (1984) and Cleveland Indians (1985–1986) during their tenure in the league. The 1970 Waterbury Pirates team won the Eastern League championship.
Beginning with the 1947 season, all subsequent Waterbury minor league teams hosted home games at Municipal Stadium. The ballpark is still in use today.
Baseball Hall of Fame member Roger Connor was the player/manager of the 1897 Waterbury Indians.
History
Early minor league teams Waterbury first hosted minor league baseball in 1884, when the "Waterbury" team began a tenure of Waterbury teams that played primarily in the Connecticut State League between 1884 and 1912.
The Waterbury team was first known as the "Indians" in 1897, playing the season as members of the Connecticut State League. After serving as player/manager of the St Louis Browns (today's St. Louis Cardinals) in 1896, in his final major league season, Baseball Hall of Fame member Roger Connor managed the 1897 Waterbury Indians for the final portion of their 1897 season, beginning a tenure with the franchise. Connor was a Waterbury native. Connor remained with Waterbury as their manager for the 1898 season, when the team became known as the Waterbury Pirates and won the Connecticut State League championship, with his brother Joe Connor in the roster. Connor would manage Waterbury through the 1901 Connecticut State League season.
The Waterbury Nattatucks and Waterbury Brasscos teams played as members of the Eastern League from 1918 to 1928. The 1928 Brasscos were the last minor league team before the 1947 Waterbury "Timers" team resumed minor league play.
1947 to 1950: Waterbury Timers - Colonial League After an eighteen-season hiatus, Waterbury resumed minor league play in 1947, when the Waterbury "Timers" began play in the reformed six-team, Class B level Colonial League. The Timers began playing minor league home games at Municipal Stadium, which would host all Waterbury minor league teams through 1986. In the era, the Class B minor league level was the equivalent of today's Class AA level minor leagues. The Bridgeport Bees, New London Raiders, Port Chester Clippers, Poughkeepsie Giants and Stamford Bombers teams joined with Waterbury to begin Colonial League play in on May 7, 1947.
The Waterbury "Timers" nickname corresponds to local history and local industry in the era. The Waterbury Clock Company was based in Waterbury from 1894 through 1944. The company was later purchased and moved to Middlebury, Connecticut and evolved to become known as the Timex Corporation.
In their first season of Colonial League play, the 1947 Waterbury Timers won the league pennant. Waterbury ended the regular season with an 83–38 record and a first-place finish, playing the season under manager James Acton. Waterbury finished 14½ games ahead of the second place Poughkeepsie Giants in the final regular season standings. After winning the Colonial League pennant, the Timers lost in the first round of the four-team playoffs 4 games to 3 to eventual the champion Samford Bombers. Waterbury's Frank Lamanna led the Colonial League with both 21 home runs and 123 RBI. Pitcher Mike Kash of Waterbury won 20 games to lead the league.
The 1948 season saw the Timers continue Colonial League play and end the regular season in third place and qualify for the playoffs. Waterbury ended the season with a 65–68 record, playing the season under player/manager Mike Kash. The Timers finished 18.0 games behind the first place Port Chester Clippers in the final regular season standings. In the four-team playoffs, Waterbury lost in first round of the playoffs 4 games to 1 to eventual champion Port Chester. Waterbury's Aldo Casadei led the Colonial League with 157 total hits.
Bert Shepard was named as the Waterbury manager in 1949. Shepard took the position, stating he wanted to manage because, "Always before I’ve had a manager who was afraid to take a chance on me. Now, it’s up to me. Every fourth day when I make up the lineups, that ninth man is going to be B. Shepard, pitcher."
A rising minor league player, Shepard had returned to baseball after suffering major injuries while serving in World War II. Shepard was as a pilot for the U.S. Army 55th Fighter Group. On May 21, 1944, Shephard was piloting a Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter plane while returning from a mission over Hamburg, Germany, when his plane was shot down by enemy gunfire. The gunfire hit and pierced Shephard's right leg and foot and also his chin, rendering him unconscious as his plane crashed. After his plane crashed, the injured Shephard was captured by German troops who held off German citizens intent on killing Shepard. Doctors at the Meiningen Prisoner-of-war camp amputated his injured right leg and he remained a POW after the surgery to remove his leg.
In February 1945, Shephard was returned to the United States after a prisoner exchange. With his injuries, he was sent to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. There, Shepard was fitted with a new prosthesis. With the prosthesis, Shephard eventually began pitching again and returned to baseball. On July 10, 1945, Shapard was the starting pitcher for the Washington Senators against the Brooklyn Dodgers in an exhibition contest. On August 4, 1945, Shepard became the only major league player to play with a prosthetic leg when he pitched a perfect inning of relief for the Senators in a game against the Boston Red Sox/
In the winter of 1949, Shepard again was at Walter Reed Hospital. He had surgery where a portion of his leg had been re-amputated, the fifth time the leg had required such a surgery. While in the hospital recovering, Shepard saw an ad in The Sporting News for the managerial position with the Waterbury Timers. He submitted his application in the mail from the hospital and was hired by Waterbury."The extraordinary story of Bert Shepard, prisoner of war turned one-legged pitcher". The Athletic.
Waterbury continued Colonial League play in 1949 and ended their regular season with a final record of 62–63. The Timers finished in fourth place, playing under managers Bert Shepard and Leo Eastham amidst controversy. The Timers had compiled a record of 42–46 when a managerial situation became an issue. Upon joining Waterbury as player/manager, Shepard had suggested to be paid a salary of $1 for the entire season, with the stipulation he receive $400 for each pitching victory he earned as a pitcher. This would cause controversy during the season, as Shepard eventually agreed to a salary of between $4,000 and $4,500 for the season. In August, the franchise claimed it could no longer afford his salary and Shepard was removed as manager. Player Leo Eastham compiled a record of 5–4 in his absence. The Waterbury players threatened to go on strike after Shepard's removal and wanted him reinstated. The situation was settled when a player's committee raised enough money from local merchants to pay Shepard to return as manager for the rest of the season.
Bert Shepard then returned to manage Waterbury for a 15–13 record to conclude the season. Ultimately, Waterbury ended the season 18.0 games behind first place Bristol in the final regular season standings. As a pitcher, Bert Shepard compiled a 5–6 record with a 6.16 ERA. With their fourth-place finish, Waterbury qualified for the four-team playoffs. The Timers lost in first round 4 games to 1 to eventual champion Bristol. Player and briefly manager Leo Eastham led the Colonial League with 26 home runs.
Shepard worked for IBM Typewriters in 1950 and 1951, before returning to pitching in 1952, playing through 1955. After his baseball career ended, Shepard married, became an engineer and won the national amputee golf championship twice.
The Waterbury Timers played their final season in 1950, as the Colonial League folded during the season. The 1950 season was short, as the Class B level Colonial League disbanded on July 16, 1950. The Timers had compiled a record of 23–39 and were in fifth place when the league folded. Waterbury was managed by John Morris (13–16), John McKenna and Charlie Bowles in the shortened season. At the time the Colonial League folded, the Timers finished 16½ games behind Poughkeepsie in the final standings. The Colonial League never reformed and Waterbury was without a minor league team for over a decade.
1966 to 1971: Eastern League membership After a sixteen-season hiatus from professional baseball, Waterbury next hosted minor league baseball in 1966, when the Waterbury "Giants" became members of the six-team Class AA level Eastern League. The "Giants" were so named as Waterbury served as a minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. The newly formed Waterbury franchise replaced the Springfield Giants in the six-team league, as the San Francisco Giants' affiliate was relocated. The Waterbury Giants joined the Elmira Pioneers (Baltimore Orioles affiliate), Pawtucket Indians (Cleveland Indians), Pittsfield Red Sox (Boston Red Sox), Williamsport Mets (New York Mets) and York White Roses (Washington Senators) teams in beginning Eastern League play on April 23, 1966. The Waterbury Giants resumed play at Municipal Stadium, which would host Eastern League teams for the duration of the franchise.
In returning to minor league play, the Waterbury Giants ended the 1966 Eastern League regular season in fifth place. Waterbury finished with a record of 64–76, playing the season under manager Andy Gilbert. The Giants ended the season 24½ games behind the first place Elmira Pioneers. No playoffs were held in 1966. Robert Taylor of Waterbury led the league with 150 total hits.
The 1967 Waterbury Giants continued play as the Eastern League expanded to become an eight-team league with two four-team divisions. Waterbury became a member of the East Division record of 71–69 fifth place under overall returning manager Andy Gilbert. The Giants placed third in the East Division, finishing 11.0 games behind the division champion Binghamton Triplets. Waterbury did not qualify for the two-team playoff won by Binghamton over the Elmira Pioneers. Bobby Bonds played for the 1967 Waterbury Giants in his second professional season after almost quitting baseball the season before. Bonds played in 137 games for Waterbury, hitting .261 with 15 home runs and 24 stolen bases. He would make his major league debut with the San Francisco Giants in 1968.
The 1968 Waterbury "Indians" continued Eastern League play as the franchise became a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The Eastern League dropped the Pawtucket Indians and Williamsport Mets franchises and returned to playing as a six-team Class AA level league.