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ericnease84 · 05-28-2024, 05:51 AM

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Best Record: 109-45 (1942)
Worst Record: 42-83 (1932)
Playoff Appearances: 12
Championships: 0

The Charlotte Roadrunners were born for the 1929 season, as one of the first four expansion teams in the NBL. One year after the Cleveland Blue Sox and Kentucky Kings moved south, the league forced the Hartford Lions and Virginia Beach Captains to move to Ohio and Kentucky, respectively, to replace them. The league then replaced them with expansion teams: the Connecticut Coyotes and the Norfolk Destroyers. They also placed two new teams in new markets, and one of those two was the Charlotte Roadrunners (the other was the Birmingham Bobcats). The Roadrunners went 63-62 in their inaugural season, and to this day are still the only expansion team in the NBL to ever finish with a winning record in their first season. They experienced growing pans during the next few years before finally becoming competitive in 1937, winning 91 games only two years removed from what to this day is still their only 100-loss season. After winning 109 games in 1942 but still falling short of the playoffs, they finally finished in first place in 1943. They met up with the Norfolk Destroyers, one of the expansion teams they were born with, as they lost the first of what would be three World Series in a row. They lost to Norfolk, then to the Dover Green Sox the following year, and then again to Norfolk in 1945. After missing out for two seasons, they had another run of three World Series appearances in a row, and once again they lost all three. This time, it was the New York Knights that defeated them all three times.
After tumbling to 91 losses and suffering through six losing seasons in a row, the Roadrunners returned to the playoffs in 1957. By now, the playoff format had four teams as the league had two divisions per conference, so the Roadrunners had to get through the Los Angeles Captains to reach the World Series again. The Captains swept them, and when the two had a rematch in 1958 Charlotte got its revenge by defeating the Captains. They moved on to the World Series, where they lost to the Oakland Panthers in a seven-game thriller. It would be another 25 years before the Roadrunners would make the playoffs again, when they won a weak division in 1984. They made it all the way to the World Series again, losing again to the New York Knights. This was their 8th World Series appearance--all losses--and most recent to date. They have made the playoffs each of the last three seasons, but have not made it back to the World Series yet.

Outlook for 1990:
They have been a regular playoff contender for most of the 1980s, and going into 1990 should still be considered a serious contender. They are clearly the strongest team in their division and should have a relatively easy path back to the postseason. Once they get there, who knows?

Current Manager:
Jeremy Stowell just finished his first year as the Roadrunners' manager. Before then, he was the LA Captains' bench coach for most of the 1980s. Stowell was a first baseman in the Dragons' organization from 1958 to 1963, but never made the Majors. He is under contract for two more seasons as Charlotte's manager and has already stated his intention to retire when his contract is up. It is widely speculated that longtime Roadrunners bench coach Jeremy Leonhardt, a Hall of Fame pitcher, is in line to be the Roadrunners' next manager once Stowell does retire.

Hall of Famers
Chris Allison, P, 1936-1952
Chris Allison was a workhorse who led the league in innings pitched five times, and had five seasons with an ERA under 2 en route to 273 wins over a 17-year career. He came up with the Roadrunners in 1936, and won double-digit games every year until 1951. 1951 was his worst season as he went 8-18 with a 4.05 ERA. Following that season, the Roadrunners traded him to the New York Knights. He pitched for one final season in New York in 1952 before deciding to retire. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1958, his first year on the ballot. His grandson, Cody Allison, currently pitches in the Miami Gators' minor league system.

Bobby Raub, P, 1960-1979
Bobby Raub came up in 1960 with the Norfolk Destroyers, turning in a very impressive rookie season. Following t he season, the Destroyers dealt him to Charlotte for outfielder Danny Hernandez. Hernandez was a backup for the Destroyers for a decade, but Raub turned into a star for the Roadrunners. He never got the opportunity to pitch in the postseason, but he was a mainstay in the Roadrunners' rotation from 1962 through 1979, winning a total of 259 games. He retired after the 1979 season and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985, his first year of eligibility. He is currently serving as the Denver Wolves' third base coach.

Jeff Shedlock, 3B, 1932-1948
Shedlock came up initially with the Atlanta Colonels in 1932. After the 1935 season, he was dealt to Charlotte in a deal that sent another future Hall of Famer--pitcher Eric McClanahan--the other way to Atlanta. He played for Charlotte until he retired in 1948. A triples machine and a very consistently good hitter, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1954, his first year on the ballot. From 1950 to 1971, he worked as a minor league hitting coach but never coached on the Major League level. He retired from coaching in 1971 and passed away from a heart attack in 1985.

Gene Temple, P, 1933-1951
Gene Temple signed with the Cincinnati Silverbacks, earning a "cup of coffee" on their Major League roster at the end of the 1933 season. Following the season, he was traded to Charlotte, where he spent the rest of his career. Temple pitched with the Roadrunners until his retirement in 1951, winning 264 games. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1957, his first year on the ballot. He spent time as a minor league pitching coach in the 1970s and has been retired for about 13 years now.

05-28-2024, 05:51 AM	#8
ericnease84 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 144	Charlotte Roadrunners Best Record: 109-45 (1942) Worst Record: 42-83 (1932) Playoff Appearances: 12 Championships: 0 The Charlotte Roadrunners were born for the 1929 season, as one of the first four expansion teams in the NBL. One year after the Cleveland Blue Sox and Kentucky Kings moved south, the league forced the Hartford Lions and Virginia Beach Captains to move to Ohio and Kentucky, respectively, to replace them. The league then replaced them with expansion teams: the Connecticut Coyotes and the Norfolk Destroyers. They also placed two new teams in new markets, and one of those two was the Charlotte Roadrunners (the other was the Birmingham Bobcats). The Roadrunners went 63-62 in their inaugural season, and to this day are still the only expansion team in the NBL to ever finish with a winning record in their first season. They experienced growing pans during the next few years before finally becoming competitive in 1937, winning 91 games only two years removed from what to this day is still their only 100-loss season. After winning 109 games in 1942 but still falling short of the playoffs, they finally finished in first place in 1943. They met up with the Norfolk Destroyers, one of the expansion teams they were born with, as they lost the first of what would be three World Series in a row. They lost to Norfolk, then to the Dover Green Sox the following year, and then again to Norfolk in 1945. After missing out for two seasons, they had another run of three World Series appearances in a row, and once again they lost all three. This time, it was the New York Knights that defeated them all three times. After tumbling to 91 losses and suffering through six losing seasons in a row, the Roadrunners returned to the playoffs in 1957. By now, the playoff format had four teams as the league had two divisions per conference, so the Roadrunners had to get through the Los Angeles Captains to reach the World Series again. The Captains swept them, and when the two had a rematch in 1958 Charlotte got its revenge by defeating the Captains. They moved on to the World Series, where they lost to the Oakland Panthers in a seven-game thriller. It would be another 25 years before the Roadrunners would make the playoffs again, when they won a weak division in 1984. They made it all the way to the World Series again, losing again to the New York Knights. This was their 8th World Series appearance--all losses--and most recent to date. They have made the playoffs each of the last three seasons, but have not made it back to the World Series yet. Outlook for 1990: They have been a regular playoff contender for most of the 1980s, and going into 1990 should still be considered a serious contender. They are clearly the strongest team in their division and should have a relatively easy path back to the postseason. Once they get there, who knows? Current Manager: Jeremy Stowell just finished his first year as the Roadrunners' manager. Before then, he was the LA Captains' bench coach for most of the 1980s. Stowell was a first baseman in the Dragons' organization from 1958 to 1963, but never made the Majors. He is under contract for two more seasons as Charlotte's manager and has already stated his intention to retire when his contract is up. It is widely speculated that longtime Roadrunners bench coach Jeremy Leonhardt, a Hall of Fame pitcher, is in line to be the Roadrunners' next manager once Stowell does retire. Hall of Famers Chris Allison, P, 1936-1952 Chris Allison was a workhorse who led the league in innings pitched five times, and had five seasons with an ERA under 2 en route to 273 wins over a 17-year career. He came up with the Roadrunners in 1936, and won double-digit games every year until 1951. 1951 was his worst season as he went 8-18 with a 4.05 ERA. Following that season, the Roadrunners traded him to the New York Knights. He pitched for one final season in New York in 1952 before deciding to retire. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1958, his first year on the ballot. His grandson, Cody Allison, currently pitches in the Miami Gators' minor league system. Bobby Raub, P, 1960-1979 Bobby Raub came up in 1960 with the Norfolk Destroyers, turning in a very impressive rookie season. Following t he season, the Destroyers dealt him to Charlotte for outfielder Danny Hernandez. Hernandez was a backup for the Destroyers for a decade, but Raub turned into a star for the Roadrunners. He never got the opportunity to pitch in the postseason, but he was a mainstay in the Roadrunners' rotation from 1962 through 1979, winning a total of 259 games. He retired after the 1979 season and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985, his first year of eligibility. He is currently serving as the Denver Wolves' third base coach. Jeff Shedlock, 3B, 1932-1948 Shedlock came up initially with the Atlanta Colonels in 1932. After the 1935 season, he was dealt to Charlotte in a deal that sent another future Hall of Famer--pitcher Eric McClanahan--the other way to Atlanta. He played for Charlotte until he retired in 1948. A triples machine and a very consistently good hitter, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1954, his first year on the ballot. From 1950 to 1971, he worked as a minor league hitting coach but never coached on the Major League level. He retired from coaching in 1971 and passed away from a heart attack in 1985. Gene Temple, P, 1933-1951 Gene Temple signed with the Cincinnati Silverbacks, earning a "cup of coffee" on their Major League roster at the end of the 1933 season. Following the season, he was traded to Charlotte, where he spent the rest of his career. Temple pitched with the Roadrunners until his retirement in 1951, winning 264 games. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1957, his first year on the ballot. He spent time as a minor league pitching coach in the 1970s and has been retired for about 13 years now.