Cairo Dodgers
{{Infobox Minor League Baseball
| name =Cairo Dodgers
| firstseason =1949
| lastseason =1950
| allyears =
| city =Cairo, Illinois
| logo =
| uniformlogo =
| class level =Class D (1949–1950)
| league =Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (1949–1950)
| majorleague =Brooklyn Dodgers (1949–1950)
| nickname =Cairo Dodgers (1949–1950)
| ballpark =Dodger Field (1949–1950)
| classnum =
| classchamps =
| leaguenum =0
| leaguechamps =None
| confnum =
| conferencechamps =
| divnum =
| divisionchamps =
| wildcardnum =1
| wildcardberths =1949
}}
The Cairo Dodgers were a minor league baseball team based in Cairo, Illinois. As a minor league affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949 and 1950, the Cairo Dodgers played as members of the Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (KITTY League), qualifying for the playoffs in their first season. Cairo hosted minor league home games at Dodger Field.
History
In 1897, minor league baseball began in the city, when the Cairo Egyptians played the season as charter members of the Class C level Central League.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46419658/central-league-organized/ |via=Newspapers.com |title=Central League Organized |work=The Indianapolis Journal |location=Indianapolis |date=February 8, 1897 |accessdate=March 9, 2020 |page=5}} Another Egyptians team played in the 1903 Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (KITTY League), followed in league play by the 1904 Cairo Champions and Cario Giants (1905–1906). The Egyptians resumed play from 1911 to 1914 in the second KITTY League and returned from 1922 to 1924, playing in a third incarnation of the league.{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball |editor-first1=Lloyd |editor-last1=Johnson |editor-first2=Miles |editor-last2=Wolff |edition=Third |publisher=Baseball America |date=2007 |isbn=978-1932391176}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=Cairo, Illinois Encyclopedia|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}
In 1946, the Cario Egyptians began play in the reformed Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1946 Cairo Egyptians Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The Egyptians continued league play through 1948.
In 1949, Cario became a minor league affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers, with the franchise continuing play as members of the eight-team, Class D level Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1949 Cairo Dodgers Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The Clarksville Cats, Fulton Railroaders, Hopkinsville Hoppers, Madisonville Miners, Mayfield Clothiers, Owensboro Oilers and Union City Greyhounds teams joined the Cario "Dodgers" in beginning league play on May 4, 1949.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-KITL/y-1949|title=1949 Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League (KITL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}
The Dodgers advanced to the Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League Finals in 1949. Cairo ended the regular season with a record of 74–51, playing the season under manager Bill Hart. The Dodgers ended the regular season 9.5 games behind the first place Owensville Oilers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kittyleague.com/history/chronology.htm|title=Chronology|website=www.kittyleague.com}} In the playoffs, the Cairo Dodgers defeated the Hopkinsville Hoppers three games to two and advanced. In the playoff Finals, the Madisonville Miners were leading Cairo two games to one when the series was ended due to bad weather.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-cd10672/y-1949|title=1949 Cairo Dodgers minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Player/manager Bill Hart won the league batting title, hitting .404.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HlVYPs7Rr1AC&dq=Cairo+Dodgers&pg=PA88 | isbn=9780738593722 | title=The Kitty League | year=2012 | publisher=Arcadia }}{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fAryBgAAQBAJ&dq=Cairo+Dodgers&pg=PA63 | isbn=9781933599908 | title=Who's on First: Replacement Players in World War II | date=19 March 2015 | publisher=SABR }}
In 1950, Cairo played their final minor league season, as the Dodgers finished the season in last place in the Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1950 Cairo Dodgers Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The Dodgers finished the season with a record of 26–85, placing eighth. Managed by Hal Seawright and Paul Box, Cairo ended the regular season 43.5 games behind first place Mayfield Minors, as the Fulton Railroaders were the eventual league champion.
After drawing 8,485 total fans in 1950,{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-cd10672/y-1950|title=1950 Cairo Dodgers minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Cairo did not return to the 1951 Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League, replaced in league play by the Paducah Chiefs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-KITL/y-1951|title=1951 Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League (KITL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Cairo has not hosted another minor league team.
The ballpark
The Cario Dodgers hosted minor league home games at the ballpark known as "Dodger Field." It was previously known as "Egyptian Field" in hosting the Cairo Egyptians beginning in 1946. The ballpark was located at 2007 Commerce Avenue in Cairo.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kittyleague.com/history/ballparks/index.htm|title=Ballparks|website=www.kittyleague.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-393|title=Dodger Field in Cairo, IL minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Today, the site is a vacant field.{{cite map
| author =
| date =2013
| title =2007 Commerce Avenue
| url =https://www.google.com/maps/place/2007+Commercial+Ave,+Cairo,+IL+62914/@37.0071997,-89.1735137,3a,75y,45.9h,78.75t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1seyNsRFeCZZA1O5CtJjOAdw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DeyNsRFeCZZA1O5CtJjOAdw%26cb_client%3Dsearch.gws-prod.gps%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D330.53146%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x8879c6cdb1fa6cfb:0x8cc389fbfe9417b7!8m2!3d37.0070801!4d-89.1738895
| publisher =Google Maps
| section =
| access-date = }}
In 1943 and 1944, the St. Louis Cardinals held their Spring training at Cotter Field in Cairo.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kfvs12.com/story/23773116/cairo-holds-claim-to-cardinals-past|title=Cairo holds claim to Cardinals past|website=www.kfvs12.com|date=24 October 2013 }}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G1-KEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Cotter+Field%22+Cairo%2C+IL&pg=PA78|title=100 Years of Baseball on St. Petersburg's Waterfront: How the Game Helped Shape a City|first=Rick|last=Vaughn|date=August 1, 2022|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=9781439675809 |via=Google Books}} The ballpark became flooded in the spring of 1945, causing the Cardinals to hold spring training in St. Louis.{{Cite web|url=https://tarakieschnick.com/tag/cairo-illinois/|title=Cairo Illinois|first=Tara|last=Kieschnick|website=Pressing On|date=19 June 2016 }}
Timeline
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;"
! Year(s) !! # Yrs. !! Team !! Level !! League!!Affiliate!!Ballpark | ||||||
| 1949–1950 | 2 | Cairo Dodgers | Class D | Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League | Brooklyn Dodgers | Dodger Field |
Year–by–year records
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | |||||
| style="background: #F2F2F2;"
! Year !! Record !! Finish !! Attend!!Manager!! Playoffs/Notes | |||||
| 1949 | 74–51 | 2nd | 31,563 | Bill Hart | Lost in Finals |
| 1950 | 26–85 | 8th | 8,485 | Hal Seawright / Paul Box | Did not qualify |
Notable alumni
=See also=
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?city=Cairo&state=IL&country=US&empty=0 Cairo - Baseball Reference]
Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams
Category:Brooklyn Dodgers minor league affiliates
Category:1950 disestablishments in Illinois
Category:Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League teams
Category:Defunct baseball teams in Illinois
Category:Baseball teams established in 1949