Author: Ken Clawson
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1924 Florida State League and the Advent of the Clearwater Pelicans
In 1985, the Phillies fielded a minor league team at its spring training home, Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, Fl. Clearwater began hosting spring training in 1923 when Charles Ebbetts brought the Brooklyn Robins to train in Clearwater while building his new winter residence in the nearby Harbor Oaks neighborhood. Brooklyn would train there for…
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Bob Feller’s Post-War Baseball School
1946 Bob Feller served faithfully in World War II while in the prime of his major league career. Feller was able to play baseball in the military intermittently during his stint that began when he heard of the Pearl Harbor bombing and immediately enlisted in the Navy. In March of 1942 he began playing for…
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FSNBL to the Minors
No fewer than 30 get a shot at the “White” minors 30 or these players definitely played in the league, the rest either can’t be confirmed or were on league teams before of after the 1945 – 54 timeframe. Waymon Armstead ‘53 David Black ‘54 E. Lincoln Boyd ’53 – 56 Alonzo Brooks ’53 &…
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1930 Negro Florida Stars Bus Accident
15 players, 1 vehicle mentioned 1930 – Florida Stars (Sunshine Babies) –St. Petersburg based -Florida Champs Barnstormed through Florida opposing the Clowns Also barnstormed further away – car fell into the Susquehanna River travelling between Philly (DC?) and Baltimore injuring a few and sending the others into shock – only mentioned 1 vehicle, 15…
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1945 – 54 FSNBL Champions
Florida State Negro Baseball League 1945 Orlando All-Stars 1946 Lakeland Tigers 1947 Tampa Rockets 1948 St. Petersburg Pelicans 1949 Orlando All-Stars 1950 Orlando All-Stars 1951 Orlando All-Stars 1952 Bradenton Nine Devils 1953 Tampa All-Stars 1954 Daytona Beach Red Wings – 1st Half – no record if season completed
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Whites Only
A man’s memories of when baseball integrated but towns didn’t Paul Stewart was born in 1948 one year after Jackie Robinson integrated into the major leagues. He was three when spring training integrated in St. Petersburg Florida. These are his recollections from living around and in a home that boarded African-American (“negro” at the time)…
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1954 Florida State Negro Baseball League
The Final Season Teams: Daytona Beach Red Wings Owners – Steve Hale & Jim Taylor Gum Charles – Mgr. W. Gary – Field Captain St. Petersburg Pelicans Owner – Joe Bryant David Gomez – Mgr. Jim Oliver – Field Captain Orlando All-Stars Owner – F. E. (Felix) Crosby Charley Pelham – Mgr. Jimmie Thompson –…
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1953 Florida State Negro Baseball League
Final Standings – Tampa All-Stars League Champs Team Won Lost Pct. Tampa All-Stars 11 4 .733 Orlando All-Stars 7 5 .583 Cocoa Brownies 6 5 .545 St. Petersburg Pelicans 7 6 .538 Daytona Beach Red Wings 6 7 .462 Ft. Lauderdale Braves 2 6 .250 Ownership: Tampa All-Stars David “Fats” Waitman & Norton Frazier…
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1952 Florida State Negro Baseball League
Standings with one game remaining Team Won Lost Pct. Bradenton Nine Devils 20 2 .903 Orlando All-Stars 17 6 .739 Daytona Beach 14 8 .636 Tampa All-Stars 13 8 .613 St. Petersburg Pelicans 11 12 .478 Cocoa Brownies 9 13 .403 Clearwater Black Sox 8 16 .333 Ocala Black Barons 0 21 .000 Bradenton Nine Devils…