Holdrege White Sox
The Holdrege White Sox were a minor league baseball team based in Holdrege, Nebraska that played in the short-season Class D level Nebraska State League from 1956 to 1959. Holdrege was an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Holdrege played their home games at Holdrege Fairgrounds Park.
| Holdrege White Sox 1956–1959 Holdrege, Nebraska | |
| Minor league affiliations | |
|---|---|
| Previous classes | Class D (1956–1959) |
| League | Nebraska State League (1956–1959) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Previous teams |
|
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles | None |
| Team data | |
Previous names |
|
Previous parks | Holdrege Fairgrounds Park (1956–1959) |
History
The Holdrege White Sox played four seasons in the Class D level Nebraska State League (1956-1959) and were an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Holdrege finished 33–30 (6th) in 1956, 33–23 (3rd) in 1957, 29–34 (6th) in 1958 and 39–23 (2nd) in 1959. There were no playoffs in the seasons that Hastings played.[1][2]
On opening day in 1956, fans came to the Hotel Dale in Holdrege to see Carl Hubbell, who was a participant in opening day festivities at Fairgrounds Park.[3]
Holdrege had a tradition of Saturday night being "shopping night" in the business district. As a result, Holdrege played Saturday games during the afternoon, as the city's electrical system could not support lights in both the business district and the ballpark being on at the same time.[4]
The Nebraska State League folded after the 1959 season, along with 1959 league members Hastings Giants, Holdrege White Sox, Grand Island Athletics, Kearney Yankees, McCook Braves and North Platte Indians.[5]
The ballpark
The White Sox played at Holdrege Fairgrounds Park, which was also known as "White Sox Park" during their play there. On July 24, 1956 the wooden grandstands burned down. The bleachers were quickly replaced and some damaged light poles were also replaced at the ballpark. The park was a favorite of hitters, averaging about three home runs per game. The field is still in use today at the Phelps County Fairgrounds.[6][3][7]
Timeline
| Year(s) | # Yrs. | Team | Level | League | Affiliate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956–1959 | 4 | Holdrege White Sox | Class D | Nebraska State League | Chicago White Sox |
Year-by-year record
(from Holdrege White Sox - BR Bullpen)
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 33–30 | 6th | Frank Scalzi | none |
| 1957 | 33–23 | 3rd | Frank Parenti | none |
| 1958 | 29–34 | 6th | George Noga | none |
| 1959 | 39–23 | 2nd | Frank Parenti | none |
Notable alumni
- Alan Brice (1956)
- Cam Carreon (1956)
- Jim Hicks (1959)
- Jerry McNertney (1958)
- JC Martin (1956)
- Gary Peters (1956) 2 x MLB All-Star; 1963 AL Rookie of the Year
- Fred Talbot (1959)
- Al Weis (1959)
References
- "Holdrege White Sox Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- "Holdrege White Sox - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- "Nebraska Minor League Baseball Holdredge 1956". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
- "Nebraska State League Holdrege White Sox 1956-59". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
- "Nebraska State League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- "Holdrege Nebraska Baseball". nebaseballhistory.com.
- "White Sox Park in Holdrege, NE history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.