Baseball's Rebirth in the Old North State (1945- )

[AZTarHeel]

Apparently I have readers for this dynasty thread. The forum threads page tells me so even if no one has chimed in with any comments.

Just curious if folks like the format I am using.

I am trying to figure out the balance between what to post - because I want to tell folks about EVERYTHING in my little baseball universe - and not overwhelming readers with a total stats dump.

Anyways, feedback is always welcome, especially suggestions or if there is a team you are fond of (or are rooting against). Thanks

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

-- AZ

[SugaredLemonade]

Hey there! Loving the dynasty! Will we see another Fuquay-based club make an appearance?

[AZTarHeel]

Originally Posted by SugaredLemonade

Hey there! Loving the dynasty! Will we see another Fuquay-based club make an appearance?

Hey, thanks for reading! We'll see what the future holds for the Fuquay area. One of my daughters lives in Angier now so maybe the Bulls will return.

Or maybe the Holly Springs Salamanders will show up at some point...

[AZTarHeel]

1947 North Carolina State League – Regular Season Recap



Weavers juggernaut continues in 1947

Final Standings
x-Concord Weavers 75-39
x-Mooresville Moors 69-45
Mount Airy Graniteers 68-46
Thomasville Dodgers 67-47
Salisbury Pirates 65-49
Landis Millers 53-61
Statesville Owls 52-62
Hickory Rebels 44-70
Lexington A’s 39-75
Lenoir Red Sox 38-76

Concord does it again. The most dominant team since the North Carolina State League’s post-WWII revival collected its second straight regular season crown (after finishing as runner-up in 1945). The Weavers will now go for their third consecutive playoff championship.

Manager Bill Shoemaker has built a powerhouse for sure. The Weavers led the league in runs scored despite being LAST in true batting average. Talk about putting pressure on defenses in a variety of ways!

The team had a .361 OBP and countered with a lockdown defense and pitching staff. (Editor’s note: as one who appreciates dynasties and dominant teams, this is fun to watch despite Concord foiling Landis time and again).

Mooresville will be the third team to try and dethrone the Weavers in the playoffs. Landis and Hickory couldn’t do it the past two years.

Mount Airy has only itself to blame for missing out on the post-season. The Graniteers lost their last five games to let Mooresville slip in ahead of them (one of those L’s came courtesy of the Landis – about our only highlight in September).

There was clearly a line of demarcation in the NCSL this year. Concord, Mooresville, Mount Airy, Thomasville and Salisbury were heads-above better than the rest. Twelve games separated fifth-place Salisbury and sixth-place Landis.

Names and Numbers to Remember

• Concord went 40-22 in the back half of the season, the best record of any team.
• Mooresville’s Adam Abernathy earned the 1947 batting honors with a .330 average, edging out Thomasville’s James Bussone by one point.
• Home runs were light in this league, with Lexington’s Justin George ending up the leader with 15. Landis’ Mike Andersen finished tied for second with 11.
• Looking forward to the pitching battles in the playoff series between hurlers like Concord’s Chris Foster (2.28 ERA) and Steve Allen (2.65 ERA) and Mooresville’s Chris Jones (league best 16 wins).
• This was definitely a pitch-to-contact league as well, with the strikeout leader only finishing with 63 on the season (Hickory’s Jon Hall). This is part of why Boone Tucker is struggling as Landis manager – as stated before he has not constructed a roster that aligns with this division’s 1940s dynamics.

It wasn’t Millers time – again
The Landis Millers had their best stretch in the middle of the summer. The Millers reeled off 10 wins in a row and improved to 42-34. We were still 13 back of Concord at the time (so frustrating – they had just won 9 in a row). But we drew within four games of second-place Mount Airy and three of Mooresville! Look out playoffs, here we come!

Hickory finally ended our win streak, then we faced Mount Airy in a pivotal three-game stretch. Well, we went splat in that series and never recovered. By August, it felt like a lot of the guys just checked out and no matter what buttons I pushed, we never pulled out of the slump.

I had hoped for at least .500 ball. Egads, we missed that boat by a lot!

We were a very imperfect team in 1947, with no margin for error. Some late injuries didn’t help and a dysfunctional bullpen killed us.

Boone Tucker has a lot of roster decisions to make in the off-season…

[AZTarHeel]

1947 Tobacco State League – Regular Season Recap



Turning over a new Leaf: Smithfield-Selma wins regular season

Final Standings
x-Smithfield-Selma Leafs 81-43
x-Wilmington Pirates 78-46
Sanford Spinners 74-50
Dunn-Erwin Twins 67-57
Clinton Blues 59-65
Warsaw Red Sox 53-71
Lumberton Auctioneers 43-81
Red Springs Red Robins 41-83

Smithfield-Selma won a three-horse race to collect its first Tobacco State League crown and earn a spot in its first playoff series. The Leafs improved by 24 wins from 1946 to 1947. Nice!

Sanford made a late charge, but Wilmington held off the Spinners to return to the post-season for the second year in a row. The Pirates also were significantly better, winning 12 more games.

Both Smithfield-Selma and Wilmington boast strong offenses, so the championship series could be a slugfest. Warsaw proved the most competitive of the new franchises, winning 53 games. Red Springs and its anemic offense brought up the rear in the Robins’ baseball debut.

Names and Numbers to Remember

• Clinton’s Kyle Hern had the best batting average of any North Carolina player in 1947, finishing with a .357 average. The 1946 TSL Rookie of the Year bumped his average up by 70 points and led the TSL with 171 total hits. (I’m guessing he’s your offensive player of the year?).
• Dunn-Erwin’s Marten Lennon (26 home runs) and Jim Bogle (21 HRs) kept fans returning to the ballpark just to see if one or both of them could hit balls out of the park.
• Smithfield-Selma’s Matt Campbell (no relation to the current Penn State football coach) posted the best ERA in the league (2.19). Teammate Mike Thomson wasn’t far behind (2.52). Nate Hamilton collected 15 saves for the Leafs.
• Dunn-Erwin’s Brian Zilliox finished with a losing record (9-11) and a subpar ERA (4.86). But he put his name into the history books with a no-hitter – the first in Tobacco State League history.
• Dunn-Erwin’s Dave Parsons mustered a 23-game hitting streak. Dave Van Every of Smithfield-Selma nearly caught him but his streak ended after 22 games.

[AZTarHeel]

1947 Carolina League – Playoff Recap



Asheville cruises to first-ever Carolina League championship

Game 1: Asheville 5, Greensboro 4 – WP: Bob Sustarsic (1-0)
Game 2: Asheville 6, Greensboro 1 – WP: Justin Pearson (1-0)
Game 3: Asheville 6, Greensboro 5 – WP: Zach Tucker (1-0)
Game 4: Greensboro 5, Asheville 3 – WP: Tom Peters (1-0)
Game 5: Asheville 3, Greensboro 2 (10 innings) – WP: Jonathan Hiestand (1-0)

Bob Sustarsic pitched two gems, T.J. Hoover hit two home runs with 7 RBIs, and the Tourists avenged their 1946 defeat to the Patriots in the Carolina League championship series. Hoover was named series MVP.

Greensboro looked ready to make things uncomfortable in the top of the 10th inning of game five. The Patriots pushed a run across after multiple Asheville errors to take a 2-1 lead. But Hoover bashed a two-run homer in the bottom of the frame to end the series and touch off celebrations in the North Carolina high country.

Carolina League Champions
1945: Burlington Bees def. Charlotte Hornets 4-2
1946: Greensboro Patriots def. Asheville Tourists 4-3
1947: Asheville Tourists def. Greensboro Patriots 4-1

[AZTarHeel]

1947 Coastal Plain League – Playoff Recap



Home-field advantage proves big in Kinston championship repeat

Game 1: Kinston 6, Rocky Mount 0 – WP: John Martindale (1-0)
Game 2: Kinston 2, Rocky Mount 1 – WP: Bill Atkinson (1-0)
Game 3: Rocky Mount 3, Kinston 2 – WP: Bryant Fry (1-0)
Game 4: Rocky Mount 3, Kinston 0 – WP: Greg Higgins (1-0)
Game 5: Rocky Mount 8, Kinston 7 – WP: John Meltzer (1-0)
Game 6: Kinston 5, Rocky Mount 3 – WP: Bill Atkinson (2-0)
Game 7: Kinston 6, Rocky Mount 4 – WP: Nate Stewart (1-1)

John Martindale threw a complete-game, two-hitter in the opener for Kinston. Rocky Mount’s Greg Higgins countered with a nine-inning, one-hitter in game three. Wow. Great series

The home team won every game.

Rocky Mount’s Daniel Miller went 5-for-5 in the game six loss. Our boy Phil Durham, of former Landis fame, finished 2-for-4 in game six with a home run, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored (dammit). Teammate Tris Boone (pictured above) had the same stat line – 2-for-4 with a homer, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.

Game seven was a slug fest in the early innings. Rocky Mount scored 2, then Kinston added 2 right back. The Leafs notched 2 more runs in the second inning. Kinston put 1 on the board, then took the lead for good with a 2-run third. From there, defense and pitching held things down, and the Eagles repeated as CPL champions.

Voters gave 3B Dylan Stabel series MVP honors. Stabel mustered 10 hits with a home run and 4 RBIs.

Coastal Plain League Champions
1946: Kinston Eagles def. Greenville Greenies 4-3
1947: Kinston Eagles def. Rocky Mount Leafs 4-3

[AZTarHeel]

1947 North Carolina State League – Playoff Recap



Three-peat! Concord wins another title

Game 1: Concord 4, Mooresville 3 – WP: Steve Allen (1-0, 3.00 ERA)
Game 2: Mooresville 11, Concord 3 – WP: Jay Terry (1-0, 2.45 ERA)
Game 3: Mooresville 5, Concord 3 – WP: Tyler Frasier (1-0, 3.52 ERA)
Game 4: Concord 11, Mooresville 5 – WP: Joe Cole (1-0, 4.05 ERA)
Game 5: Mooresville 5, Concord 0 – WP: Chris Jones (1-1, 0.77 ERA)
Game 6: Concord 9, Mooresville 4 – WP: Chris Foster (1-1, 7.53 ERA)
Game 7: Concord 8, Mooresville 3 – WP: Bobby Gebhart (1-1, 4.72 ERA)

This series lived up to its explosive hype.

Adam Abernathy went 3-for-3 in Mooresville’s game three rout. Dean Cable hit a home run and had four RBIs. In game three, Mooresville’s Danny Castro torched Concord pitching with four hits (including a triple) and scored three runs.

Not to be outdone, Concord’s Chris Hubbard had a 4-for-5 day with a triple and home run in game four. He batted home four runs. Mooresville’s Dave Satterly recorded two triples in game four, while teammate Micah Williams hit a three-bagger in game five.

The Weavers stayed alive with a game six rout, then left no doubt in the decisive game seven.

Right fielder Jamie Jones, who entered the league after playing for the UNC Tar Heels, became the eventual series MVP (pictured above). He had five hits and scored five runs in the final two games. He finished the series with 11 hits, walked seven times and came home eight times (.581 OBP!).

Three years, three North Carolina State League championships for the Concord Weavers. (In real life, Concord won titles in 1936 and in 1946 but not ‘47).

North Carolina State League Champions
1945: Concord Weavers def. Landis Millers 4-2
1946: Concord Weavers def. Hickory Rebels 4-1
1947: Concord Weavers def. Mooresville Moors 4-3

[AZTarHeel]

1947 Tobacco State League – Playoff Recap



Brown helps Smithfield-Selma earn gold in Tobacco State finale

Game 1: Wilmington 6, Smithfield-Selma 4 – WP: Travis Snapp (1-0, 6.00 ERA)
Game 2: Smithfield-Selma 9, Wilmington 6 – WP: Matt Hickey (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Game 3: Smithfield-Selma 3, Wilmington 1 – WP: Mike Thomson (1-0, 1.29 ERA)
Game 4: Smithfield-Selma 16, Wilmington 0 – WP: Kevin Carle (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Game 5: Wilmington 7, Smithfield-Selma 3 – WP: Travis Snapp (2-0, 3.21 ERA)
Game 6: Wilmington 10, Smithfield-Selma 8 – WP: Chris Radtke (1-1, 3.38 ERA)
Game 7: Smithfield-Selma 15, Wilmington 3 – WP: Mike Thomson (2-0, 2.51 ERA)

A lot of momentum swings in this series.

Cody Nutter went nuts for Smithfield-Selma in game two, earning four of the Leafs’ 13 hits. He had three RBIs and scored twice. Nutter homered in game three.

The floodgates opened for Smithfield-Selma in game four: 16 runs and 19 hits (complimented by a four-hit pitching performance from Kevin Carle). Andy Brown carried the hot bat in game four – 2 doubles, a home run, 5-for-6 overall with 5 RBIs and 3 runs scored.

Credit Wilmington for getting up off the mats after that 16-0 disaster and extending the series. But that just seemed to make Smithfield-Selma all the more angry. The Leafs unleashed 16 hits and 15 runs in the finale to claim their first Tobacco State League championship. Brown had two homers in game seven with 4 RBIs. Paul Butler finished 3-for-4.

Brown was an easy choice for series MVP. The 29-year-old catcher bashed four home runs and logged 15 RBIs over seven games.

Tobacco State League Champions
1946: Dunn-Erwin Twins def. Wilmington Pirates 4-3
1947: Smithfield-Selma Leafs def. Wilmington Pirates 4-3

[AZTarHeel]

1947 Champions Playoff – Pairings Set

Here are the pairings for the upcoming Champions Tournament, featuring the playoff winners from each of the state's four professional baseball leagues:


SEMIFINAL #1: Smithfield-Selma Leafs (Tobacco State League) vs. Asheville Tourists (Carolina League)



SEMIFINAL #2: Concord Weavers (North Carolina State League) vs. Kinston Eagles (Coastal Plain League)

The semifinals and championship rounds will be best-of-seven. I am really excited about Concord vs. Kinston. Two dynamic teams who play in leagues of similar financial standing, but with differing styles. Can Smithfield-Selma stun the world – or at least the state – and take out the Tourists?

[AZTarHeel]

1947 Champions Playoff - Semifinals Recap


Asheville, Concord advance to championship series

SEMIFINAL #1: Asheville def. Smithfield-Selma 4-2
Game 1: Smithfield-Selma 3, Asheville 2 – WP: Arturo Jimenez (1-2, 6.27 ERA)
Game 2: Asheville 5, Smithfield-Selma 2 – WP: Zach Tucker (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Game 3: Asheville 9, Smithfield-Selma 6 – WP: Justin Pearson (2-0, 3.97 ERA)
Game 4: Smithfield-Selma 15, Asheville 6 – WP: Kevin Carle (1-0, 7.11 ERA)
Game 5: Asheville 3, Smithfield-Selma 2 – WP: Edwin Alfaro (1-0, 4.50 ERA)
Game 6: Asheville 5, Smithfield-Selma 3 – WP: Bob Sustarsic (1-0, 3.21 ERA)

SEMIFINAL #2: Concord def. Kinston 3-2
Game 1: Kinston 6, Concord 3 – WP: Colt Jarvis (1-0, 2.08 ERA)
Game 2: Concord 11, Kinston 7 – WP: Chris Foster (1-0, 5.40 ERA)
Game 3: Kinston 4, Concord 3 – WP: Bill Atkinson (1-0, 3.38 ERA)
Game 4: Concord 4, Kinston 3 – WP: Joe Cole (2-0, 3.14 ERA)
Game 5: Concord 7, Kinston 5 – WP: Steve Allen (2-1, 3.60 ERA)
Game 6: Concord 3, Kinston 2 – WP: Chris Foster (2-0, 3.63 ERA)

Asheville played around with its food a bit in the early going against the Tobacco State League champs. Smithfield-Selma cranked out 18 hits in its game-four win. Chris Nutter and Andy Brown each had three hits and 4 RBIs. But the Tourists took care of business in games five and six with well-known stars Bob Sustaric and right fielder T.J. Hoover leading the way. The Leafs acquitted themselves well against the best of the best…

Concord will get its THIRD shot at winning the Great North Carolina title. The Weavers overcame Kinston in a fun series that saw pretty much every game and every inning played close. Pitcher Chris Foster picked up two wins for the Weavers. Going back to 1945, Concord is 4-2 in post-season series, winning all three championships in the North Carolina State League and now taking its first series in the Champions Playoff.

[AZTarHeel]

Boone Tucker kept mostly to himself in the days following the end of the Landis Millers baseball season, his disappointment evident. He was surprised, then, when he got a phone call on the party line from an official with the Reidsville Luckies baseball team, gauging his interest in possibly managing their squad in 1948.

Tucker certainly wasn’t anticipating this. Reidsville had been awful in 1947 – and I mean historically awful – posting a 33-107 record in its Carolina League debut. The Luckies lost their last 21 games, and their top four pitchers each lost either 16 or 17 games during the season (the No. 5 starter was 0-10).

But, Tucker was being offered a chance to manage in the Carolina League! The flagstaff baseball circuit in North Carolina. A fresh start after some frustrating seasons in Landis. The chance to build a franchise from the ground up (maybe from underneath the ground up). Likely a lot better pay and more resources. Competing with the best of the best in NC baseball! This could be the break of a lifetime!

The GM who made the call made no promises but said the Reidsville owner was “exploring the idea of making changes” in the off-season and wanted someone young and energetic to set a new tone. Tucker didn’t make promises either but said he’d be open to more conversations if anyone from the organization wanted to discuss the matter further.

As he hung up, though, he was conflicted. On the one hand, this could be a great new door that just opened up. On the other hand, there was a feeling of unfinished business in Landis – and a lot of unmet expectations after such a breakout season in 1945. He wanted to be the one to help derail the emerging Concord Weavers’ dynasty!

With a family trip to Wrightsville Beach in his near future, Boone Tucker had a lot to think about beyond rebuilding the Landis Millers. Would he even be in Landis in 1948?

[AZTarHeel]

1947 Champions Playoff - Championship Recap



Carolina League still perfect in interleague playoffs, Asheville outlasts feisty Concord

Game 1: Asheville 12, Concord 3 – MVP Justin Pearson (6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 K, W)
Game 2: Concord 3, Asheville 0 – MVP Steve Allen (9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 K, W)
Game 3: Asheville 6, Concord 3 – MVP J.P. Burns (3-for-4, 4 RBI)
Game 4: Concord 12, Asheville 2 – MVP Adam Cross (3-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI, R)
Game 5: Asheville 3, Concord 2 – MVP Justin Pearson (9.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 K, W)
Game 6: Concord 3, Asheville 0 – MVP Steve Allen (9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, W)
Game 7: Asheville 3, Concord 1 – MVP Bob Sustarsic (8.1 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 4 K, W)

This was the closest Champions Playoff final yet, with the teams alternating wins.

Concord pushed the Tourists to seven games but couldn’t overcome the stellar pitching combo of Justin Pearson and Bob Sustarsic, who in this writer’s mind deserved to be named series co-MVPs. Pearson went 3-0 in the 1947 Champions event, including two wins in this series. Sustarsic had a 4-0 record in the whole playoffs, with two great starts against Concord.

Hats off to the Weavers. Steve Allen earned two shutout wins. But the NCSL champs didn’t quite have enough to finish the job. Mario Lopez (who didn’t star in Saved by the Bell by the way) had the big hit of game seven for Asheville, driving home a pair of important runs in the fifth. The Tourists' defense locked down from there…

And that’s it for game action in 1947 North Carolina baseball! Three seasons in the books!

Champions Playoff: "Best Team in North Carolina"
1945: Burlington Bees def. Concord Weavers 4-1
1946: Greensboro Patriots def. Concord Weavers 4-0
1947: Asheville Tourists def. Concord Weavers 4-3

[AZTarHeel]

1947 North Carolina Baseball - Awards Recap

The 1947 season produced four very different award races across North Carolina baseball.



Carolina League
Greensboro slugger Ricardo Alvarez captured Player of the Year honors after hitting .313 with 31 home runs and 102 RBIs, edging Asheville standout T.J. Hoover. Raleigh's David "Mr. Chips" Ruf (pictured) claimed Pitcher of the Year in one of the closest races of the season, while Durham second baseman Cesar Velez earned unanimous Rookie of the Year honors. Asheville manager Jarrod Fish was recognized after guiding the Tourists to both the Carolina League title and the Champions playoff crown.




Coastal Plain League
One of the big stories in the CPL was expansion club Roanoke Rapids, which immediately became a factor. Darius Davis won Player of the Year after blasting 29 home runs, while teammate Jonathan Page earned Pitcher of the Year honors following a league-record 19-win season.

Goldsboro's Nick Hoag (pictured) was named Rookie of the Year, and Kinston manager Steve Gipe took home Manager of the Year after leading the Eagles to a second consecutive championship.




North Carolina State League
Championship-winning Concord dominated the awards ballot. Outfielder Jamie Jones claimed MVP honors thanks to an incredible .498 on-base percentage and 137 walks. Teammate Chris Foster earned Pitcher of the Year, while Statesville center fielder Roger Garcia was named Rookie of the Year. Concord skipper Bill Shoemaker collected his third straight Manager of the Year award as the Weavers continued their run atop the league.


Tobacco State League
The Tobacco State League featured a mix of regular-season and postseason success. Wilmington outfielder Jesse Winchell earned Player of the Year after batting .316 and helping the Pirates claim the regular-season crown. Clinton ace Jared Roy won Pitcher of the Year, while Smithfield-Selma rookie Matt Campbell burst onto the scene with a 2.19 ERA. The league's Manager of the Year honor went to Caleb Papadopoulos, a Greek baseball savant who somehow ended up in tobacco country in North Carolina and led the Leafs to both the TSL championship and a memorable postseason run.

[AZTarHeel]

1947 Landis Millers - Season Rewind

As mentioned before, Boone Tucker's Landis Millers were really flawed, especially offensively and in the bullpen. Some final thoughts as we close the books on the season

Final record: 53-61, 22 GB
Position in Division: 6th
Home: 29-28
On the road: 24-33
Extra innings: 7-4
One-run games: 15-16
Worst month: We quit in September, 6-12 …

We finished either 8th, 9th or 10th (last) in every major offensive category except batting average (.259 – 7th), home runs (43 – 5th) and striking out (185 – 2nd). Proof that you can’t just hit for average and pop some homers to win in the NCSL …

We were mostly back-of-the-pack in every pitching and defensive category (6th, 7th or 8th), with the exception of strikeouts (288 – 1st).

Landis Batting Leaders
CF Mike Andersen: 130 hits, 24 doubles, 11 home runs, 54 RBIs, .312 avg, .372 OBP
2B Ross Stokes: 101 hits, 14 doubles, 43 RBIs, .260 avg., .322 OBP
3B Joe Hayes: 84 hits, 12 doubles, 3 HRs, 32 RBIs, .292 avg, .361 OBP
C Brandon Windstein: 84 hits, 10 doubles, 2 HRs, 16 RBs, .345 OPB

Decent averages. But pretty anemic overall with regards to generating crooked innings.

Starting Pitching
John Twitty: 9-8, 3.45 ERA, 38 Ks, 3.8 BB/9
Miles Wilson: 8-9, 3.27 ERA, 47 Ks, 4.0 BB/9
Vincente Carrillo: 7-11, 3.90 ERA, 36 Ks, 3.8 BB/9
Dylan Myott: 6-8, 4.12 ERA, 50 Ks, 5.2 BB/9
Abraham Urbano: 1-3, 4.74 ERA, 2 saves,

Relief Pitching
Dave Brownlee: 8-3, 5.33 ERA, 10 saves,
Kevin Meadows: 5-1, 2.41 ERA, 5 saves
John Moore: 2-3, 3.04 ERA, 6 saves

OK, that’s all folks for 1947 … We’re off to 1948 and year four of our dynasty story!!

(Fade out to Appalachian bluegrass music)

[AZTarHeel]

Name change coming for Thomasville baseball club



Thomasville’s baseball team won’t be moving but it will be attaching another city to its branding for 1948.

Going forward, the club will be known as the High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms, paying homage to the two neighboring communities’ shared connection in furniture and textiles manufacturing. The Hi-Toms will continue to play at Thomasville’s Finch Field, the largest ballpark in the North Carolina State League (4,000 capacity in this universe).

Thomasville has fielded professional baseball teams since 1937. Past nicknames include Chair Makers (still a fan favorite), Orioles, Tommies and, over the past three seasons, Dodgers.

High Point has had its own baseball teams in the past as well. The city's first pro baseball club was formed in 1920, known then as the High Point Furniture Makers. They played in the Piedmont League from 1920-22. The club rebranded as the High Point Pointers from 1923-32, also competing in the Piedmont League before folding.

The Hi-Toms are expected to be one of the contenders in the North Carolina State League in 1948.

Editor’s Note: Just following real-life history with this name change…

[AZTarHeel]

1948 Western Carolina League – Special Announcement



Welcome Western Carolina League: Yet another pro baseball circuit coming to North Carolina!

Spurred on by the increasing popularity of baseball across the Old North State, yet another professional league will join the fun for the 1948 season. North Carolina’s FIFTH baseball circuit – the Western Carolina League – will throw out the first pitch in May.

The Western Carolina League will field eight teams in its inaugural season, taking one team from the existing North Carolina State League and adding seven clubs mostly new to the professional level of the sport. Here is the lineup:

Forest City Owls
Hendersonville Skylarks
Lenoir Red Sox – spent 1946, 1947 in the NCSL
Lincolnton Cardinals
Marion Marauders
Morganton Aggies
Newton-Conover Twins
Shelby Farmers

The Western Carolina League will play a 108-game schedule.

While the North Carolina State League sees the WCL as a direct threat to its territory, the new circuit will be at a slight disadvantage financially in comparison at its outset. While the NCSL’s finances are about 65 percent of the flagship Carolina League, the Western Carolina League will operate with finances about 45 percent of the Carolina League.

Fans are already wondering if the Western Carolina League will be allowed to send a representative to the "Champions Playoff." at the end of the season. One step at a time, WCL. One step at a time. Let's get the league off the ground first...

The departure of Lenoir will leave the North Carolina State League with nine teams, but NCSL officials believe they have a plan to fill the void.

[AZTarHeel]

Several weeks went by, and Boone Tucker still hadn’t heard anything more from the Reidsville Luckies. He checked the papers – no mention of their manager being fired or any kind of shakeup in the organization.

Finally Boone got off his duff, made a few phone calls and learned that Reidsville brass were staying the course with their current manager for 1948. No job offer would be forthcoming, at least not this year.

Boone was upset at this at first, and he felt a little misled by the earlier phone call. But also he was relieved. This door had closed, and now he knew his task for 1948 – lock in on making the Landis Millers a championship contender.

The next day, though, his owner dropped another bombshell on him. He wouldn’t, technically, be managing in Landis in 1948 after all…

[AZTarHeel]

Landis Millers to relocate to Albemarle for 1948 season

Due to ongoing construction issues at Landis High School Park, the Landis Millers baseball club will relocate for the entirety of the 1948 season.

The team announced it will play in Albemarle and will be known as the Albemarle Rockets.

“Don’t worry, we’re coming back home after the season!” club owner Randy Winn said. “We’re fixing up our baseball park here in Landis, and unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, it is just not going to be ready for the 1948 season. We apologize for the inconvenience but are looking forward to the temporary partnership with the fine folks in Stanly County.”

Albemarle is located about 35 miles to the south and east of Landis via U.S. 52. It is still firmly in the North Carolina State League geographic footprint.

Albemarle has never had a professional baseball team before. The Rockets will play home games at Morton Park, which is being outfitted with lighting so that some contests can be played at night – a novelty in the NCSL!

Boone Tucker will manage the Albemarle Rockets in 1948 despite rumors floating around that he had inquired about other jobs in the off-season.

Editor’s Note: It took me a little digging to find the Landis-Albemarle connection. I saw in historical NCSL standings where Landis disappeared in 1948, replaced by the Rockets. I eventually learned why – their home baseball park really was undergoing either a renovation of some sort or was being rebuilt completely. So Landis moved for the season and rebranded itself. Still trying to find out where the “Rockets” nickname came from. But I like it – and the quirky logo I found that will be ours for the season!

[AZTarHeel]

North Carolina State League set to add North Wilkesboro club

The North Carolina State League has found a replacement for the Lenoir Red Sox, who left in the off-season to join the new Western Carolina League. The NCLS will add the North Wilkesboro Flashers as its 10th member.

This is the first season for professional baseball in Wilkes County. The team will play home games in Memorial Park (capacity 2,050).

Why Flashers? The team is named for its manager Harry Lohman, who is referred to affectionately as “Flash.” (Note: this is all real stuff).

This will be the North Carolina State League lineup for 1948:

Albemarle Rockets (formerly Landis Millers)
Concord Weavers (3x champions)
Hickory Rebels
High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms (formerly Thomasville Dodgers)
Lexington A’s
Mooresville Moors
Mount Airy Graniteers
North Wilkesboro Flashers (new team)
Salisbury Pirates
Statesville Owls