A missing season?
Baseball Wiki is the only place I’ve found that has attempted to provide the teams in the league from 1945 through 1954. Wiki states that it is unknown if the league played this year. So, here you go…
Standings through 9/29/46
| Team | Won | Lost | Pct. |
| Tampa | 21 | 6 | .778 |
| Lakeland | 16 | 9 | .640 |
| Daytona Beach | 16 | 10 | .615 |
| Bartow | 14 | 11 | .539 |
| Orlando | 14 | 15 | .483 |
| Bradenton | 14 | 15 | .483 |
| Miami | 13 | 15 | .464 |
| W. Palm Beach | 13 | 17 | .433 |
| St. Pete | 11 | 18 | .379 |
| Cocoa | 6 | 20 | .230 |
Champion: Lakeland Tigers Runner-up: Daytona Beach Black Cats
In a best of 5-game series
Lakeland won game 1 in Lakeland Oct. 13
2nd game at Daytona Oct. 20
3rd game at Plant Field, Tampa Oct. 28 for Shriners Convention
Shaughnessy Playoff
1st Round: Best of 3 games
Lakeland d. Bartow 5 – 1, 4 – 3
Daytona d. Tampa 4 – 2, 9 – 0 (Forfeit)
Championship Trophy provided by Dr. E. C. Eccleston – Orlando
Season opened Sun. 4/28/46
5,000 fans at 5 fields including 1,350 at Orlando
8/12/46 All-Star Game @ Orlando
9/1/46 Game 2 at Tampa’s Plant Field
East Squad Teams: Daytona Beach Orlando, Miami Cocoa, West Palm
West Squad Teams: Bartow, Lakeland, Tampa, St. Pete, Bradenton
1st All-star game – West defeats Easte 10 – 9 in 10 innings
West players:
Hill LHP – Bartow 13 K’s
“Schoolboy” Tugerson – Bartow, 4 – 5 hitting
Elmore Edwards – Tampa Pepsi Cola Giants also pitched
East player:
Jeff Williams – Daytona Beach, 2 hits
Miami Giants played all games on road
11/3/46 League announced that Giants organization is suspended from league
Ownership
Lakeland Tigers Jesse Richardson
Daytona Beach Black Cats Henry Lee
Tampa Pepsi Cola Giants David “Fats” Waitman
Bartow Polk County All-Stars Ben Williams
Orlando All-Stars F. E. “Felix” Crosby
Bradenton Nine Devils Bish Christopher
West Palm Beach Black Yankees Bill Elam/ “Big Robert” Willie Matthews
St. Petersburg Pelicans Jack Peters
Cocoa Indians Brady “Bo” Williams Mgr.
West Palm co-owner “Big Robert” Willie Matthews dies in-season as a result of an accident
President Claude Keyes
Vice President Goldie Thompson
League Secretary E. H. McLin
Treasurer G. D. Rogers
Sarasota Tigers – Associate Club?
Belle Glade All-Stars – reported in news article as league member, is ikely an associate member
Jacksonville Eagles also reported in league – associate?
Carl “Bubber” Ford – Owner Harry “Jeff” Jeffries – Mgr.
- Associate clubs get priority in scheduling games vs. league teams
- Known Rosters:
- Tampa Pepsi Cola Giants Plant Field and Port Tampa Field
| Mgr. Jim Maxie | C Rosell Sails | OF J. B. Broom |
| Capt. Alan (Bill) Spotford | 2B Clifford “Quack” Brown | OF John Henry McQueen |
| P Walter “Dirk” Gibbons | IF Charlie “Mutt” Brooks | OF Marion Spotford |
| P John “Bebe” Gibbons | P Perry | C McDavis |
| P Elmore Edwards | P Lopez | C Davis |
| P Robert “Minny” Cartledge | P Green | Palmer |
| P Otis Gambrell | P Fernandez | Robinson |
| P Adell “Peanut” Jordan | P Campbell | Pox |
| P Peanut Davis | Harris |
Started Season 27 – 2
- * Gibbons played for Jackie Robinson’s All-Stars in ’47. Indianapolis Clowns in ’48/49, and from ’49 – ’57 played for teams in the integrated Man – Dak (Manitoba/Dakota) league where he is a Hall of Famer
- ** Played in the “White” minor Leagues in ’52 with the Fort Lauderdale Braves/Key West Conchs of the Florida International League, the correct spelling of his name has not been identified
- *** Broom in ’47 played for the New York Black Yankees
- **** Brown played with the NY Black Yankees in ’50, Philly Stars in ’51, Indianapolis Clowns in ;53 and the Detroit Stars in ’54. Brown coached 10 years at Belmont Heights Little League (Former 22nd St. Ball Grounds location) He mentored Doc Gooden, Derek Bell, Gary Sheffield and others there.
| Player | Hits | At-Bats | .Avg |
| Marion Spotford | 10 | 24 | ,418 |
| J. B. Broome | 22 | 53 | .415 |
| Mutt Brooks | 9 | 22 | ,409 |
| J. H. McQueen | 18 | 49 | .367 |
| Palmer | 1 | 3 | .333 |
| Robinson | 6 | 18 | .333 |
| Rosell Sails | 13 | 45 | .288 |
| McDavis | 13 | 47 | .276 |
| John Gibbons | 4 | 17 | .235 |
| Elmore Edwards | 3 | 19 | .155 |
| Alan Spotford | 1 | 12 | .094 |
Lakeland Tigers (Originally Jimmy Hill’s All-Stars)*
| Mgr. John L Murphy | P James “Lefty” Bell ***** | P Jimmy “Squab” Hill ** | C Modie Risher |
| IF Ralph “Big Cat” Johnson *** | C Dennis “Hoggie” Gordon ****** | P Murray | C Gardner |
| Reubin Williams **** | Booker T. Robinson ***** | P Bailey | P Tim |
- *Jimmy Hill’s All-Stars who played during the winter in 1944 reformed and renamed as the Lakeland Tigers
- ** Jimmy “Squab” Hill in 1937 served as a left-handed batting paractice pitcher for the Detroit Tigers during Spring traininf in Lakeland. Hill played for the Albany Black Sox in ’37/38, the Newark Eagles from ’38 – 45, he formed the Jimmy Hill All-Stars for the fall/winter of ’44, the Homestead Grays in ’49/50. and finally the Winnepeg Buffaloes in 1950.
- *** Johnson played ’41/42 in Panama City before joining the Clowns to finish ’42, he came to Lakeland in ’43 and played with the traditional league cities until ’62, also played w/Willie Mays with the Barons according to a Bio of him
- **** Reuben Williams was said to be Aaron’s roommate with the Clowns in ’52
- ***** Robinson – “Lil Book” regarded as one of the best hitters out of Polk County, played for the Grays in ’45/46
- ****** Bell was picked up by the Homestead Grays in ’48
- ****** Gordon (60’s) at one point ran the Kitchen at Tiger Town
Daytona Beach Black Cats
| C Millard “Popeye” Taylor | P Eddie Session | P Browning | P Cisco |
| P Basston | P Patrick | P Simmons | P/C Jones |
| IF Norldon Leroy “Jeff” Williams | IF Deedie Francis | P Macy/Mack? | IF Charles Gary |
- Had 14 game winning streak
- Taylor considered best throwing catcher in the league
Bartow Polk County All-Stars
| P Leander “Schoolboy“ Tugerson * | OF Isaiah “Rabbit” Saab | 1B “Portside” | C Walter Perry |
| P Rueben Williams | P Canady | P Little | C/P Sanders |
| F Louis “Snooks” McDuffie | P/C Hill | P Colbert | C Dan |
| P “Pink” Dunlap | P Dabney | C Sampson |
- Tugerson played in both the Negro major leagues and white minor leagues
Orlando All-Stars Carter Park
| C Charles Pelham | P Sam “Red” Jones | P “Lefty“” Kelley |
| IF/C Jimmie Thompson | P Fred “Lefty” Douglas | P Simms/Sims ? |
| OF Louis “Sleepy” Garvin | P “Shipwreck” Kelly Butler | P Smith |
| IF Bish Tyson | P Baker | Dixon |
| C Neal | C Roy |
- Jones credits Charlie Pelham for turning him from a catcher into a pitcher Jones is stationed in Orlando during WWII
Bradenton Nine Devils 13th Street Park
| P “Red” Hughes | P Mason Shamrock | P Joe “Jumoing Joe” Grissett | C Ben Baker |
| P/OF J. C. Hamilton | P Rudolph “Snow” Riley | P Bell | C Warren “Dadd” O’Neil |
| P Murray | P Davis | C Gordon | P/C Simms |
| OF Waymon “Honey Bread” Armstead | IF Louis “Snooks” McDuffie | IF Lefty Williams | OF “Cuff” Boutin |
| IF Carlo “Greek” Suarez | C Streeter |
Miami Giants
| Mgr/P/CF Fred “Big” Wilson | OF Leroy Cromartie * | P Livingston Sands | C Boyer |
| P James Everett | P Miller | P Jones | C Bass |
| OF E. Wilson | C Porter | P Davis | C Johnson |
| OF Ralph Cole | P O’Dell | P Clayton | Stevens |
| 3B Rabbit Bethel | P “Bozo” | P Whaley | P Burnside |
| C Lazier | C Lawrence |
Played all games on the road
West Palm Beach Black Yankees Lincoln Park
| P Willie “Tatum” Burns | P Clarence Hambone Simms | LF Fermin | P Kelly Butler |
| 1B Connie Green | C Baker | P Red | LF Farmington |
| P Mason Shamrock | P Fuller | C O’Neal | P Riley |
| SS Sam Gardner | P Bellamy | “Schoolboy” | P Kelley |
| 2B Jim Madison | Richardson | Davis |
- Tatum Burns had a 3 homerun game vs. Cocoa
St. Petersburg Pelicans Campbell Park
| Mgr. Howard “Bo” Williams | Capt/SS Jim Oliver | P/C J. D. Brown | 1B Mack “Red” Anderson |
| OF Buddy “Brock” Brockington | P C. L. Howard | P L. C. “Workhorse” Monroe | C Eddie Nixon |
| 2B Clifford Williams | IF Frank Grayson | 2B Torrenta | P Richardson |
| P John “Bull” McCoy | P Boley | P Mose | C Jodo Royal |
| CF Lee Artist Burgess | SS “Groundhog” Mason | James Johnson | C Marking |
| Leon “Blue” Waters | “Big” Joe Lovett | “Bro” Jones |
- Archie “Dee” or “D” Ware (middle name was actually Virgil) – Cleveland Buckeyes & Ray Neil Cincinati Clowns helped coach preseason practice
- Jim Oliver listed as playing with Cleveland Buckeyes in ’46, returned home June 9 due to family illness
- J. D. Brown was named manager in June.
- “Big” Archie Colbert served as a league umpire
Cocoa Black Indians
| Mgr/P Brady ‘Bo Williams | P Cuellar | P Willie Weaver Sylvestor? | C Jack Henry |
| P Richardson | P/IF Joseph “Shoeless Joe” Jackson | P Strickland | C Doll |
| P John Henry Hunter | P/C Walker | P “Schoolboy” | C Wilson |
| P Benn | P Daniels | P Baters | Heyboard |
| P Bolden |
1st FSNBL All-Star Game, 8/12/46 Plant Field – Tampa , West 10 – 9, 10 inn.
West Squad: Manager Jim Maxie, Tampa Pepsi Cola Giants
| C “Dadd” O’Neil, Brad. | C Hoggie Gordon, Lake | C Sanders, Bar |
| IF Jim Oliver, St. Pete | IF Frank Grayson, St. P | IF Mack “Red” Anderson, St. Pete |
| IF Carlo “Greek” Swaris, Brad | IF Louis McDuffie, Polk | IF Rueben Williams, Polk |
| IF Ralph “Big Cat” Johnson, Lake | IF Mutt Brooks, TPA | OF “Cuff”, Brad |
| OF Torrenta, St. P | OF Isaiah “Rabbit” Saab Bar | OF John Henry McQueen, TPA |
| OF Alan Spotford, TPA | P Jimmy”Squab” Hill, Lake | P James “Lefty” Bell, Lake |
| P Red Hughes, Brad | P Elmore Edwards, TPA | P James “Schoolboy” Tugerson Bar |
| C Reddick Bar |
East Squad: Manager Charlie Pelham, Orlando All-Stars
| C Charlie Pelham, Orl | C Jack Henry, Coa | C Popeye Taylor, DB |
| IF Sam Gardner, WPB | IF Connie Green, WPB | IF Jeff Williams, DB |
| IF Charles Gary, DB | IF Deedie, DB | IF Joe Jackson, Coa |
| IF Tison, Orl | IF Thompson, Orl | OF E. Wilson, Mia |
| OF Fred “Big” Wilson, Mia | OF Coles, Mia | OF L. Garvin. Orl |
| P “Hambone’ Simms, WPB | P Kelley, WPB | P “Schoolboy” Coa |
| P “Lefty” Coa | P Fred “Lefty” Douglas, Orl | P O’Dell, Mia |
2nd FSNBL All-Star Game “Dream Game”, 9/1/46 Orlando
East Squad: Manager Charlie Pelham, Orlando All-Stars
IF Jeff Williams, DB
West Squad: Manager Jim Maxie, Tampa Pepsi Cola Giants
| P Schoolboy Tugerson, Polk | P Elmore Edwards, TPA | P Jimmy Hill, Lake |
| IF Louis McDuffie, Polk | OF Torrenta, St. P |
League Umpires:
- E,.H. McLin, St. Petersburg
- Archie Colbert, Tampa
- Joe Meyers, Daytona Beach
- James Storr, West Palm Beach
- Joe Small, Tampa
- James McNeil, Cocoa
- Alex Mathews, Bartow
- S. Earlie Simpson, Lakeland
- Willie Wallace, Orlando
- Goldie Thompson, St. Petersburg
- Joe Bures, West Palm Beach (Suspended indefinitely for “conduct unbecoming”)