Boston Blues (minor league baseball)

The Boston Blues was a primary moniker of the minor league baseball franchises based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Blues (1886–1887) and Boston Reds (1893) played as members of the New England League. Earlier, the Boston Reserves played as members of the Massachusetts State Association in 1884 and may have been the first true farm team. The Boston minor league teams shared the city with the Boston major league teams. The 1893 Boston Reds were the final minor league team hosted in Boston.

Boston Blues
1884–1893
(1884 1886–1887, 1893)
Boston, Massachusetts
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes
Independent (1884, 1886–1887, 1893)
Previous leagues
Massachusetts State Association (1884)
New England League (1886–1887, 1893)
Minor league titles
League titles None
Team data
Previous names
Boston Reserves (1884)
Boston Blues (1886–1887)
Boston Reds (1893)
Previous parks
South End Grounds (1886–1887, 1893)

History

The 1884 Boston Reserves were the first minor league team to play in Boston. The Reserves were owned and operated by the Boston Beaneaters National League team and may have been the first farm team. The Boston Reserves played as charter members of the eight–team Massachusetts State Association, which played one or two games per week in its only season of play. The Boston Reserves of the Massachusetts State Association ended the 1884 season with a record of 13–8, finishing 2nd in the Massachusetts State Association, 1.0 games behind 1st place Springfield. John Morrill and S. R. Brown served as manager. The Boston Reserves played in the league alongside Holyoke (7–11), Lawrence (7–15), Lynn (4–8), Salem (2–11), Springfield (12–5), Waltham (9–6) and Worcester (11–4).[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

In 1886, Boston fielded another minor league team, as the Boston Blues became members of the New England League. The Blues finished the 1886 season with a record of 35–63, placing 6th and last in the New England League under Managers Walter Burnham and Tim Murnane. The Boston Blues (35–63) played with Brockton (45–56), Haverhill (59–38), Lawrence (42–55), Newburyport Clamdiggers/Lynn (53–52) and Portland (66–36). The Blues their played home games at South End Grounds.[9][10][11][12][13][14][15]

The Boston Blues returned to play in the 1887 New England League, but relocated during the season. The Boston Blues had a 35–18 record when the franchise moved to Haverhill, Massachusetts on July 11, 1887. The Boston/Haverhill Blues of the New England League ended the 1887 season with a record of 47–36, finishing 3rd in the eight–team New England League, 13.5 games behind the 1st place Lowell Blues. Walter Burnham was the manager.[16][17][18][13][14][19]

In 1893, Boston returned briefly to the New England League, playing as the Boston Reds. The Lowell team had a 14–20 record when the franchise relocated to Manchester on June 26, 1893. The team was 3–13 in Manchester when Manchester relocated the franchise to Boston on July 16, 1893 to finish the season. The Lowell/Manchester/Boston Reds finished the 1893 season with a record of 29–55, placing last in the six–team in the New England League, 28.0 games behind the 1st place Fall River Indians. Bill McGunnigle and Thomas H. O'Brien served as managers of the Lowell/Manchester/Boston team.[20][21][22][23][13]

The 1893 Boston Reds did not return to the New Encland League the next season and were the last minor league team to be based in Boston. The Boston Blues moniker was revived in 1946 by the Boston Blues Negro league baseball franchise, which played as members of the United States League.[24][25]

The ballpark

The Boston Blues and Boston Reds teams played at the South End Grounds. Located at Gainsborough Street, Huntington Avenue, Walpole Street and Columbus Avenue in Boston, the South End Grounds was the home to the National League Boston Braves. The ballark had dimensions of (Left, Center, Right): 250-450-255. The original South End Grounds grandstand burnt down in 1894 and was immediately rebuilt. Overall, baseball was played at South End Grounds for 43 seasons.[12][26]

Notable alumni

See also

Boston Blues players
Boston Reds (minor league) players
Boston Reserves players

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeague
18841Boston ReservesIndependentMassachusetts State Association
1886-18872Boston BluesNew England League
18931Boston Reds

References
  1. "1884 Boston Reserves Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. "1884 Massachusetts State Association". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. "1884 Boston Reserves/Colts Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. "1884 Massachusetts State Association (MSA) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/john-connor/
  6. "1884 Boston Beaneaters Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  7. "Massachusetts State Association - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  8. "Non-Signatory 19th Century Leagues - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  9. "1886 Boston Blues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. "1886 New England League (NEL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. "1886 Boston Blues Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. "South End Grounds I & II & III in Boston, MA history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. "New England League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  14. "Boston Blues - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  15. Reichard, Kevin (November 5, 2008). "New England League".
  16. "1887 Boston Blues/Haverhill Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  17. "1887 Boston/Haverhill Blues Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  18. "1887 New England League (NEL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  19. "Haverhill Blues - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  20. "1893 Lowell/Manchester/Boston Reds Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  21. "1893 New England League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  22. "1893 Lowell/Manchester/Boston Reds Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  23. "1893 New England League (NEL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  24. "1946 Boston Blues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  25. "Boston, Massachusetts Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  26. https://sabr.org/bioproj/park/south-end-grounds-boston/
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