The West Palm Beach Indians were a minor league baseball team based in West Palm Beach, Florida. The team played its home games at Connie Mack Field.
History Through its existence, the Indians were mostly an independent team playing in the Florida East Coast League from 1940 to 1942, the Florida International League from 1946 to 1954, and the Florida State League in 1955. In between, they were affiliated with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1950, Havana Sugar Kings in 1954, and Milwaukee Braves in 1955.
In 1956, the franchise name was changed to the West Palm Beach Sun Chiefs an affiliate of the Cincinnati Redlegs. Managed by Walt Novick, the 1965 team posted an 81–58 record to finish in third place, games out of the first place spot. The team included on its roster future big leaguers such as Dave Bristol, Duane Richards and Cookie Rojas. The franchise did not return for the 1957 season.
West Palm Beach was then without a professional team until 1965, when the West Palm Beach Braves joined the Florida State League as an affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves.
The ballpark
West Palm Beach teams played home minor league games at Connie Mack Field. The ballpark was located at the intersection of Tamarind Avenue and Okeechobee Boulevard. It was demolished in 1992 and a parking garage for the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts occupies the site today.
Notable alumni
Dave Bristol (1956) Lou Finney (1949) MLB All-Star Claude Raymond (1955) MLB All-Star Cookie Rojas (1956) 5 x MLB All-Star
Year–by–year records Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs/notes 1940 52–60 4th Cecil Downs / Joe Murff Lost in first round 1941 84–55 1st Harry Hughes Lost league finals 1942 9–18 6th Al Reitz League disbanded May 14 1946 58–64 4th Herb Thomas (6-21) / Shaw Buck (14-11) / Harry Hughes (38-32) Lost league finals 1947 68–86 6th Harry Hughes Did not qualify 1948 70–83 6th Rudy Laskowski / Michael Schemer Did not qualify 1949 74–78 5th Lou Finney Did not qualify 1950 67–85 6th Clyde Smoll / Rudy Laskowski Did not qualify 1951 64–75 7th Rudy Laskowski / Herschel Held Did not qualify 1952 68–85 6th Billy Holm / Bubba Harris Did not qualify 1953 57–80 5th Whitey Platt / Bubba Harris Did not qualify 1954 47–51 3rd Gil Torres League disbanded July 27 1955 71–68 5th Bill Steinecke No playoffs held
References