View source for Centreville, Maryland minor league baseball history

{{Infobox Minor League Baseball
| name             =Centreville, Maryland<br/>minor league baseball teams
| firstseason      =1937
| lastseason       =1946
| allyears         =1937–1941, 1946
| city             =Centreville, Maryland
| logo             =
| uniformlogo      =
| class level      =[[Class D (baseball)|Class D]] (1937–1941, 1946)
| league           =[[Eastern Shore League]] (1937–1941, 1946)
| majorleague      =[[Boston Red Sox]] (1937)<br />[[Philadelphia Phillies]] (1937–1938)<br />[[Boston Red Sox]] (1939–1941)<br />[[Cleveland Indians]] (1946)
| nickname         =Centreville Colts (1937–1939)<br />Centreville Red Sox (1940–1941)<br />Centreville Orioles (1946)
| ballpark         =Centreville Park (1937–1941, 1946)
| classnum         =
| classchamps      =
| leaguenum        =1
| leaguechamps     =1946
| confnum          =
| conferencechamps =
| divnum           =
| divisionchamps   =
| wildcardnum      =3
| wildcardberths   ={{hlist|1937|1939|1940|1941}}
}}
[[Minor league baseball]] teams were based in [[Centreville, Maryland]] between 1937 and 1946. Centreville teams played as exclusively as members of the [[Class D (baseball)|Class D]] level [[Eastern Shore League]] in the 1937–1941 and 1946 seasons.
Centreville was an affiliate of the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] in 1937 and 1938, the [[Boston Red Sox]] from 1939 to 1941 and the [[Cleveland Indians]] in 1946.
==History==
=== 1937 to 1941: Eastern Shore League===
Minor league baseball began in Centreville, Maryland in 1937. After disbanding in 1928, the [[Class D (baseball)|Class D]] level [[Eastern Shore League]] resumed play in 1937 and expanded the league from six franchises to eight.<ref name="encyc">{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball |editor1-first=Lloyd |editor1-last=Johnson |editor2-first=Miles |editor2-last=Wolff |edition=Third |publisher=[[Baseball America]] |date=2007 |isbn=978-1932391176}}</ref>
The 1937 '''Centreville Colts''' made the league Finals as they played their initial season, joining the eight–team league and playing as an affiliate of the [[Boston Red Sox]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1937 Centreville Colts Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> The Centerville Colts finished fourth in the 1937 Eastern Shore League regular season with a record of 52–43 under Manager Ed O'Rourke. The Colts finished 6.0 games behind the first place [[Salisbury Indians]] in the standings. In the playoffs, the Colts defeated the [[Easton Browns]] 2 games to 1 to advance to the Finals. In the 1937 Finals, the Salisbury Indians defeated Centreville 3 games to 2. Centreville played home games at Centreville Park, then called Queen Anne County Park. Centreville would play at the ballpark throughout their minor league duration.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-ESHL/y-1937|title=1937 Eastern Shore League (ESL) on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-cc10783/y-1937|title=1937 Centreville Colts Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref name="auto4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?code=ESHL&class=D|title=Eastern Shore League (D) Encyclopedia and History|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref name="auto9">{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-452|title=Centreville Park in Centreville, MD history and teams on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref name="encyc"/>
With the Eastern Shore League continuing play, the 1938 Centreville Colts placed seventh in the eight–team league, playing as a [[Philadelphia Phillies]] minor league affiliate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1938 Centreville Colts Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> The Centreville Colts finished the 1938 regular season with a record of 51–60, missing the playoffs and finishing 13.5 games behind the first place Salisbury Indians. [[Joe O'Rourke]] was the Colts' manager in 1938.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-cc10783/y-1938|title=1938 Centreville Colts Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-ESHL/y-1938|title=1938 Eastern Shore League (ESL) Standings on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.philliesbaseballfan.com/post/7-29-2020-phillies-minor-league-history-eastern-shore-evangaline|title=7/29/2020 : Phillies Minor League History - Eastern Shore & Evangaline|first=Steve|last=Potter|date=July 29, 2020|website=Phillies - A Fan’s V}}</ref><ref name="encyc"/>
In 1939, the Colts again became an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73509121/red-sox-will-operate-club-at-centreville/ |title=Red Sox Will Operate Club At Centreville |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |newspaper=[[Reading Times]] |location=[[Reading, Pennsylvania]] |page=12 |date=March 23, 1939 |accessdate=March 15, 2021 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> and qualified for the 1939 Eastern Shore League playoffs. The team ended the 1939 season with a record of 62–60, placing fourth in the regular season standings under manager [[Cap Clark]].{{efn|name=Coble}} The Colts were 21.5 games behind the first place Federalsburg A's. In the Playoffs, the [[Cambridge Cardinals]] swept Centreville in three games.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-cc10783/y-1939|title=1939 Centreville Colts Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1939 Centreville Colts Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref name="encyc"/>
In 1940, Centreville became the '''Centreville Red Sox'''. The franchise continued as a Boston Red Sox affiliate, changing monikers after the Pocomoke City Red Sox dropped the "Red Sox" moniker. The Centreville Red Sox ended the Eastern Shore League ended the 1940 season 20 games over .500, with a record of 68–48 losses. Centreville placed second in the regular season standings, 2.0 games behind the [[Dover Orioles]] as, Edwin Walls served as the Colts' manager. In the Playoffs, Centreville lost to the [[Salisbury Cardinals]] 3 games to 2.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-cs10785/y-1940|title=1940 Centreville Red Sox Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-ESHL/y-1940|title=1940 Eastern Shore League (ESL) Standings on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1940 Centreville Red Sox Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1941 Centreville Red Sox Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref name="encyc"/>
The Centreville Red Sox again qualified for the playoffs in the 1941 Eastern Shore League, which had reduced to six teams after the Dover Orioles and Pocomoke City Chicks franchises folded. Centreville ended the Eastern Shore League 1941 regular season with a record of 54–52 and placed fourth in the standings, 11.0 games behind the pennant winning [[Milford Giants]]. Qualifying for the Playoffs under managers Edwin Walls, Lee Wortman and [[Eddie Popowski]], the [[Milford Giants]] swept the Red Sox in 3 games. <ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-ESHL/y-1941|title=1941 Eastern Shore League (ESL) Standings on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-cs10785/y-1941|title=1941 Centreville Red Sox Statistics on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref name="encyc"/> After the 1941 season, the league did not return for the 1942 season due to [[World War II]].<ref name="encyc"/>
===1946: Eastern Shore League===
In 1946, the '''Centreville Orioles''' won the Eastern Shore League Championship in their final season of minor league play.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1946 Centreville Orioles Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> The Class D Eastern Shore League reformed following World War II as an eight-team league, with Dover returning a franchise and the [[Seaford Eagles]] joining the league. Centreville became an affiliate of the [[Cleveland Indians]] in 1946. Managed by [[Jim McLeod (baseball)|Jim McLeod]], Centreville dominated the regular season, finishing 51 games over .500 with an 88–37 record, 11.5 games ahead of second place [[Milford Red Sox]]. In the Playoffs Centreville defeated the [[Dover Phillies]] 4 games to 3 to advance. In the Eastern Shore League Finals, The Orioles defeated Milford 4 games to 1 to win the championship. On the season, Centreville led the league in offense (815 runs) and were second in pitching/defense (577 runs allowed). Despite the championship, the Centreville franchise folded following the 1946 season and were replaced in the 1947 Eastern Shore League by the [[Rehoboth Beach Pirates]]. Minor league baseball has not returned to Centreville.<ref name="auto8">{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-ESHL/y-1946|title=1946 Eastern Shore League (ESL) Standings on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-co10784/y-1946|title=1946 Centreville Orioles Statistics on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref name="auto4"/><ref name="encyc"/>
==The ballpark==
Centreville teams played home games exclusively at '''Centreville Park.''' The ballpark had a capacity of 1,500 (1939) and 2,500 (1946) with dimensions of:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Year !! Left !! Center !! Right
|-
| 1939 || {{convert|360|ft|m}} || {{convert|425|ft|m}} || {{convert|262|ft|m}}
|-
| 1940 || {{convert|375|ft|m}} || {{convert|420|ft|m}} || {{convert|265|ft|m}}
|}
Known as the Queen Anne County Park, the site is still in use as a public park today, although the ballpark was dismantled. The address is SR 898, Old Centreville Road, Centreville, Maryland.<ref name="auto9"/><ref name="auto1"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://salisburyu.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapTour/index.html?appid=c9a4c1e56da447f094eea5fa4c297280|title=Story Map Tour|website=salisburyu.maps.arcgis.com}}</ref>
==Centreville timeline==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;"
! Year(s) !! # Yrs.  !! Team !! Level !! League!! Affiliate!!Ballpark
|-
|1937 || 1 || rowspan=3|Centreville Colts  ||rowspan=5|[[Class D (baseball)|Class D]]|| rowspan=5|[[Eastern Shore League]] || [[Boston Red Sox]]||rowspan=5|Centreville Park
|-
|1938||1||[[Philadelphia Phillies]]
|-
|1939|| 1 || rowspan=2|[[Boston Red Sox]]
|-
|1940–1941|| 2 ||Centreville Red Sox
|-
|1946||1||Centreville Orioles||[[Cleveland Indians]]
|-
|}
== Year-by-year record ==
Each season, the top four teams in the Eastern Shore League qualified for the postseason, structured as a [[Bracket (tournament)|bracket tournament]].
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Year !! Record !! Finish !! Manager !! Playoffs (games)<ref name="encyc"/>
|-
| 1937 || 52–43 || 4th || Ed O'Rourke || align=left|defeated [[Easton Browns]] in semi-finals (2–1); lost to [[Salisbury Indians]] in finals (2–3)
|-
| 1938 || 51–60 || 7th || [[Joe O'Rourke]] || align=left|''did not qualify''
|-
| 1939 || 62–60 || 4th || [[Cap Clark]]{{efn|name=Coble|Some sources also list "Dave Coble" as a manager during 1939.<ref name="auto2"/> It is unclear if that person may be the [[Dave Coble]] who played 15 games with the Phillies during 1939 and later managed multiple minor league teams.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=coble-002dav |title=Dave Coble Minor Leagues Statistics & History |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |accessdate=March 15, 2021}}</ref>}} || align=left|lost to [[Cambridge Cardinals]] in semi-finals (0–3)
|-
| 1940 || 68–48 || 2nd || Ed Walls || align=left|lost to [[Salisbury Cardinals]] in semifinals (2–3)
|-
| 1941 || 54–52 || 4th || Ed Walls / [[Eddie Popowski]] || align=left|lost to [[Milford Giants]] in semifinals (0–3)
|-
| 1946 || 88–37 || 1st || [[Jim McLeod (baseball)|Jim McLeod]] || align=left|defeated [[Dover Phillies]] in semi-finals (4–3); defeated [[Milford Red Sox]] in finals (4–1)
|-
|}
==Notable alumni==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
*[[Cap Clark]] (1939, MGR)
*[[Walker Cress]] (1939)
*[[Danny Doyle (baseball)|Danny Doyle]] (1940)
*[[Joe Holden]] (1938)
*[[Eddie Feinberg]] (1937)
*[[Roy Lee (baseball)|Roy Lee]] (1939)
*[[Jim McLeod (baseball)|Jim McLeod]] (1946 Player/MGR)
*[[Hal Marnie]] (1938)
*[[Joe O'Rourke]] (1937, MGR)
*[[Joe Ostrowski]] (1941)
*[[Mel Parnell]] (1941)
*[[Bill Peterman]] (1940)
*[[Alex Pitko]] (1937)
*[[Eddie Popowski]] (1941, MGR)
*[[Ray Stoviak]] (1938)
*[[Jocko Thompson]] (1940)
*[[:Category:Centreville Colts players|Centreville Colts players]]
*[[:Category:Centreville Orioles players|Centreville Orioles players]]
*[[:Category:Centreville Red Sox players|Centreville Red Sox players]]
{{div col end}}
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
==External links==
* [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73591288/centreville-club-triumphs-in-shore/ Box score] of September 21, 1946 (deciding game of championship series)
*[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Centreville&state=MD&country=US Centreville - Baseball Reference]
[[Category:Queen Anne's County, Maryland]]