Louisville Colonels (minor league baseball)

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Louisville Colonels 1901–1972 (1901–1962, 1968–1972) Louisville, Kentucky
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Class	Triple-A (1946–1962, 1968–1972) Double-A (1908–1945) Class A (1902–1907)
League	International League (1968–1972) American Association (1902–1962) Western Association (1901)
Major league affiliations
Team	Boston Red Sox (1968–1972) Milwaukee Braves (1959–1962) Baltimore Orioles (1958) Washington Senators (1956) Boston Red Sox (1939–1955) Pittsburgh Pirates (1936–1938)
Minor league titles
Class titles (5)	1921 1939 1945 1954 1960
League titles (15)	1909 1916 1921 1925 1926 1930 1939 1940 1944 1945 1946 1954 1960 1961 1962
Team data
Name	Louisville Colonels (1901–1962, 1968–1972)
Ballpark	Fairgrounds Stadium (1957–1962, 1968–1972) Parkway Field (1923–1956) Eclipse Park III (1902–1922)

The Louisville Colonels was the name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Louisville, Kentucky, in the 20th century. The name, like that of the 19th century Major League team of that name, is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels.

Twentieth century minor league teams[]

In the 20th century, the Louisville Colonels has been the name of several minor league baseball teams in Louisville. In 1909 the Colonels won the American Association pennant, as they also did in 1921, 1925, 1926, and 1930 while featuring players such as Joe McCarthy, Billy Herman, and Earle Combs; Combs hit .344 in 1923 and .380 in 1924 before joining the New York Yankees in 1925. Pee Wee Reese was a rookie with the 1938 Colonels. The Colonels were one of few minor league teams to play throughout World War II and they won pennants in 1944 and 1945. In 1944 the Colonels played in the Junior World Series against Baltimore and the game drew an attendance of 52,833 – 16,265 more than any single World Series game that year. In 1946 the Colonels played a role in the desegregation of baseball when they faced the Montreal Royals and Jackie Robinson in the 1946 Junior World Series. Sadly, Robinson later recalled his appearance in Louisville as among his worst experiences with hostile crowds. Through the 1940s and 1950s, the Colonels were part of the Boston Red Sox farm system, and they won the pennant in 1954 but the Red Sox transferred its farm team to San Francisco after the 1955 season.

Starting in 1956 the Colonels were affiliated with the Washington Senators. They moved to Fairgrounds Stadium in 1957. In 1959 the Colonels became affiliated with the Milwaukee Braves. They won (in 1960, with pitcher Phil Niekro) one of three appearances in the Junior World Series in that time, but in 1962 the American Association folded.

In October 1967, Walter J. Dilbeck purchased the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League and moved them to Louisville, renaming them the Colonels. This last Louisville Colonels team played in the minor league International League through the 1972 season. During this last incarnation, stars included Carlton Fisk, Dwight Evans, Luis Tiant, and Cecil Cooper. The franchise had to move when the Kentucky State Fair Board announced that Fairgrounds Stadium would be renovated for football in a manner that would make it unsuitable for baseball. The team relocated to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and became known as the Pawtucket Red Sox. Baseball returned to Louisville when the same stadium was renovated for baseball in 1981 and the Springfield Redbirds came to Louisville as the Louisville Redbirds, later called the Louisville Bats, setting minor league attendance records and outdrawing several major league teams.

The most recent incarnation of the Louisville Colonels is several teams carrying the name playing in the Kentuckiana Adult Baseball League. These Colonels just celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2011.

Notable former players[]

• Pee Wee Reese – Major League Baseball All-Star shortstop with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
• Goody Rosen – Major League Baseball All-Star outfielder
• Joe Tanner - inventor of the Tanner Tee

Affiliations[]

The Colonels were affiliated with the following major league teams:

See also[]

• Louisville Grays
• Sports in Louisville, Kentucky