The Rockingham Eagles were a minor league baseball team based in Rockingham, North Carolina who won the league championship in their only season of play. In 1950, the Eagles played as members of the Class D level Tobacco State League, winning the league championship in the last season of play for the league. The Rockingham Baseball Park served as home to the Eagles.
| Rockingham Eagles | |
|---|---|
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Class D (1950) |
| League | Tobacco State League (1950) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Team | None |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (1) | 1950 |
| Wild card berths (1) | 1950 |
| Team data | |
| Name | Rockingham Eagles (1950) |
| Ballpark | Rockingham Baseball Park (1950) |
History edit
Rockingham, North Carolina first hosted minor league play in 1950, whet the Rockingham "Eagles" became members of the eight–team Class D level Tobacco State League during the last season of the league.[1][2]
The Clinton Sampson Blues, Dunn-Erwin Twins, Lumberton Auctioneers, Red Springs Red Robins, Sanford Spinners, Smithfield–Selma Leafs and Wilmington Pirates joined Rockingham in beginning Tobacco State League play on April 28, 1950.[3][4][5]
In their only season of play, the 1950 Rockingham Eagles won the final Tobacco State League championship.[1] Rockingham finished the regular season with a record of 63–64, to place fourth in the Tobacco State League standings. Playing under managers Jack Bell and Turkey Tyson, Rockingham finished 27.5 games behind the first place Lumberton Auctioneers. The Eagles then swept through the four-team playoffs to win the championship. In the first round of the playoffs, the Rockingham Eagles defeated the Lumberton Auctioneers four games to two to advance. In the Finals, the Rockingham Eagles defeated the Sanford Spinners four games to three to claim the championship.[6][3][2]
The Tobacco State League permanently folded following the 1950 season.[2] Rockingham, North Carolina has not hosted another minor league team.[7][2]
The ballpark edit
The 1950 Rockingham Eagles minor league team was noted to have played home games at the Rockingham Baseball Park. The ballpark reportedly was later called Rockingham Stadium and had hosted traveling Negro league baseball games.[8][9]
Year–by–year record edit
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 63–69 | 4th | Jack Bell / Turkey Tyson | League Champions |
Notable alumni edit
Turkey Tyson (1950, MGR)
References edit
- ^ a b "1950 Rockingham Eagles Statistics".
- ^ a b c d Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
- ^ a b https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-TOBS/y-1950
- ^ "1950 Tobacco State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ Holaday, Chris (2016). "The Tobacco State League; A North Carolina Baseball History, 1946–1950".. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-6670-9.
- ^ "1950 Rockingham Eagles minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Rockingham, North Carolina Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Rockingham Baseball Park in Rockingham, NC minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ Edith, Wallace (2019). "An Incorporation of the Adventurers" (PDF). National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior (Northeast Region History Program).