Northampton Red Sox

The Northampton Red Sox were a minor league baseball team based in Cape Charles, Virginia, which lies within Northampton County, Virginia, in 1927 and 1928. The Northampton teams played as exclusively as members of the Class D level Eastern Shore League.

Northampton Red Sox
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D (1927–1928)
LeagueEastern Shore League (1927–1928)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (1)1928
Team data
NameNorthampton Red Sox (1927–1928)
BallparkPatton Field (1927–1928)

History

Prior to minor league baseball, Cape Charles, Virginia hosted the semi–pro Pennsylvania Railroad Baseball Team at Patton Field.[1]

Minor league baseball began in Cape Charles, Virginia and Northampton County, Virginia with the 1927 Northampton Red Sox, who became members of the six–team Class D level Eastern Shore League. The league began play on May 27, 1927, with the Cambridge Canners, Crisfield Crabbers, Easton Farmers, Parksley Spuds and Salisbury Indians joining Northampton in league play.[2][3]

The Northampton Red Sox team wore red trim hose and the franchise took the name of Northampton County, while playing home games at Patton Field in Cape Charles. The team was not an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.[4]

In their first season of play, the 1927 Northampton Red Sox finished last in the 1927 Eastern Shore League. With a regular season record of 30–55, the Red Sox placed 6th in the final standings under manager Jack Sauter, finishing 28.5 games behind the 1st place Parksley Spuds. Northampton finished behind the Parksley Spuds (60–28), Salisbury Indians (48–38), Crisfield Crabbers (44–43), Cambridge Canners (41–47) and Easton Farmers (36–48) in the standings.[5][6][2][7][8]

The 1928 Eastern Shore League folded during the season with the Northampton Red Sox in 1st place. After beginning play on June 2, 1928, the league folded on July 10, 1928, with the Northampton Red Sox having a record of 22–9 under manager Lester Bangs. Northampton was in 1st place in the standings when the six–team league folded, 0.5 game ahead the 2nd place Salisbury Indians. Northampton finished ahead of the Salisbury Indians (22–10), Crisfield Crabbers (14–17), Cambridge Canners (13–19), Easton Farmers (13–20) and Parksley Spuds (12–21) in the final standings.[9][10][11][12][13]

The Northampton franchise permanently folded following the 1928 season. Cape Charles, Virginia and Northampton County, Virginia have not hosted another minor league team.[14][15]

The ballpark

The Northampton Red Sox reportedly played minor league home games in Cape Charles, Virginia. The ballpark was noted to have been named Patton Field and built before 1915, near the New York & Pennsylvania Railroad / Pennsylvania Railroad tracks. The ballpark was named after William A. Patton, president of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The ballpark no longer exists.[16][17][18]

(2013) Cape Charles - Railway lines

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeague
1927–19282Northampton Red SoxClass DEastern Shore League

Year-by-Year Record
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/notes
192730–556thJack SauterNone held
192822–91stLester BangsLeague folded July 10
League champions

[19]

Notable alumni

See also

Northampton Red Sox players

References
  1. "Pennsylvania Railroad Baseball Team, Patton Field, Cape Charles | The Countryside Transformed". eshore.iath.virginia.edu.
  2. "Eastern Shore League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  3. "1927 Eastern Shore League (ESL) minor league baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. Worth, Richard (February 21, 2013). Baseball Team Names: A Worldwide Dictionary, 1869-2011. McFarland. ISBN 9780786491247 – via Google Books.
  5. "1927 Eastern Shore League (ESL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  6. "1927 Northampton Red Sox minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. "1927 Eastern Shore League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. "1927 Northampton Red Sox Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. "1928 Eastern Shore League (ESL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. "1928 Northampton Red Sox minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. "1928 Northampton Red Sox Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  12. "1928 Eastern Shore League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  13. "1928 Eastern Shore League (ESL) minor league baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. "Cape Charles, VA - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  15. "Northampton, Virginia Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  16. "Unknown in Northhampton, VA minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  17. "Story Map Tour". salisburyu.maps.arcgis.com.
  18. Historical, Sunday. "Patton Field Cape Charles Va". Sunday Historical material copyrighted.
  19. "Northampton Red Sox - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
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