Belmont Chiefs
| Belmont Chiefs 1961 Belmont, North Carolina | |
| Minor league affiliations | |
|---|---|
| Class | Class D (1961) |
| League | Western Carolina League (1961) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Team | San Francisco Giants (1961) |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (0) | None |
| Team data | |
| Name | Belmont Chiefs (1961) |
| Ballpark | Davis Park (1961) |
The Belmont Chiefs were a minor league baseball team based in Lexington, North Carolina in 1961. Belmont played as exclusively members of the Western Carolina League.
The Belmont Chiefs were a minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.
History[]
In 1961, minor league baseball play began in Belmont, North Carolina. The Belmont Chiefs began play as members in the six–team Class D level Western Carolina League. The Chiefs were a minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants in 1961. Belmont joined the Salisbury Braves, Statesville Owls, Lexington Indians, Shelby Colonels and Newton-Conover Twins in league play.[1][2]
Reportedly, the Belmont Chiefs were owned by Jim Poole, who also began the season at the Chiefs' manager. The team began the season with a 2–22 record. On May 27, 1961 Whitey Ries replaced Poole as manager. On July 17, 1961, Ries was replaced as manager by Max Lanier.[3]
Beginning Western Carolina League play on May 1, 1961, Belmont finished the season in 5th place in the final league standings. The Chiefs improved to go 37–39 after their 2–22 start and had a final record of 39–61. The Chiefs finished the season 24.0 games behind the 1st place Salisbury Braves in the final standings. The Belmont Chiefs folded after the 1961 season, after drawing 10,081 home fans for the season,. The Western Carolina League reduced to four teams in 1962.[4][1][5][2][6]
Belmont, North Carolina has not hosted another minor league team.[7]
The ballparks[]
The Belmont Chiefs were noted to have played minor league home games at Davis Park. Today, Davis Park is still in use as a public park with a "baseball field." Davis Park is located at 203 Park Drive, Belmont, North Carolina.[8][9]
Timeline[]
| Year(s) | # Yrs. | Team | Level | League | Affiliate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1 | Belmont Chiefs | Class D |
Western Carolina League | San Francisco Giants |
Year-by-Year Record[]
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 39–61 | 5th | Jim Poole (2–22) Whitey Ries / Max Lanier |
Did not qualify |
Notable alumni[]
- Max Lanier (1961, MGR) 2x MLB All–Star
- Jim Poole (1961, MGR)
- Fred Wenz (1961)
See also[]
Belmont Chiefs players
References[]
- ^ a b "1961 Western Carolina League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ a b "1961 Western Carolina League (WCL) minor league baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Belmont Chiefs - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- ^ "Western Carolina League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- ^ "1961 Belmont Chiefs Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1961 Belmont Chiefs minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Belmont, NC - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- ^ "Davis Park in Belmont, NC minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Davis Park". Belmont, NC.
External References[]
- Defunct minor league baseball teams
- San Francisco Giants minor league affiliates
- Baseball teams disestablished in 1961
- Baseball teams established in 1961
- Defunct baseball teams in North Carolina
- Professional baseball teams in North Carolina