Norfolk Braves
{{Infobox Minor League Baseball
| name =Norfolk Braves
| firstseason =1894
| lastseason =1896
| allyears =
| city =Norfolk, Virginia
| logo =
| uniformlogo =
| class level =Independent (1894
Class B (1895–1896)
| league =Virginia League (1894–1896)
| majorleague =None
| nickname =Norfolk Clam Diggers (1894)
Norfolk Clams (1895)
Norfolk Braves (1896)
| ballpark =Bain Field* (1894–1896)
| classnum =
| classchamps =
| leaguenum =0
| leaguechamps =None
| confnum =1
| conferencechamps =1896
| divnum =
| divisionchamps =
| wildcardnum =
| wildcardberths =
}}
The Norfolk Braves were a minor league baseball team based in Norfolk, Virginia in 1896. The Norfolk Braves played as members of the Virginia League. The Braves were immediately preceded in Virginia League play by the 1894 Norfolk "Clam Diggers" and the 1895 Norfolk "Clams" in the era when team nicknames were informal and changed frequently.
The Braves were succeeded in Norfolk by the 1987 Norfolk Jewels, who played as members of the Atlantic League. The Norfolk Tides continue minor league play today in Norfolk.
History
The 1896 Norfolk Braves played as a member of the Virginia League, succeeding the Clam Diggers and Clams in Virginia League play.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1896 Norfolk Braves Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}
In 1894, the Virginia League began play as an Independent league. The Norfolk Clam Diggers joined the Lynchburg Hill Climbers, Petersburg Farmers, Richmond Bluebirds, Roanoke Magicians, Staunton Hayseeds/Newport News-Hampton Deckhands teams in 1894 league play.{{cite web | url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/league.cgi?id=ff21af93 | title = 1894 Virginia League | access-date = 3 August 2011}}
The 1894 Norfolk "Clam Diggers" placed 2nd in the Virginia League final standings. With a record of 66–45, the Clam Diggers played the season under managers James Gill and Camden Sommers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1894 Norfolk Clam Eaters Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The 1894 Norfolk team was also referred to as the "Oystermen."{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-ne13385/y-1894|title=1894 Norfolk Clam Eaters/Oystermen minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Norfolk finished 3.5 games behind the first place Petersburg Farmers in the final standings.{{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}}
Norfolk continued 1895 Virginia League play, as the "Clams" placed third in the six–team league, with a record of 55–61. The managers were Camden Sommers, A.A. O'Neal, William F. Hoggins, and Pop Tate.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1895 Norfolk Clams/Crows Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The 1895 team was also referred to as the "Crows."{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nc13386/y-1895|title=1895 Norfolk Clams/Crows minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Norfolk ended the season 19.0 games behind the first place Richmond Bluebirds in the overall standings, as the Virginia League upgraded to a Class B level league.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-VIRL/y-1895|title=1895 Virginia State League (VSL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}
The Norfolk Braves placed second in the 1896 Class B level Atlantic League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-ATLL1/y-1896|title=1896 Atlantic League (AL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} The Braves ended the season with a record of 70–60, playing the season under managers Claude McFarland and W. B Bradley. In the final standings, the Braves finished 3.0 games behind the first place Richmond Blue Birds in the six–team league. The 1896 Atlantic League played three partial seasons, with separate standings and the Braves won one of the partial season standings. The Virginia League did not return to play in 1897 and Norfolk switched leagues.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-VIRL/y-1896|title=1896 Virginia State League (VSL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}
The next season, the Braves were succeeded in Norfolk by the 1897 Norfolk Jewels, who played as members of the eight–team, Class A level, Atlantic League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-ATLL1/y-1897|title=1897 Atlantic League (AL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=54321e70|title=1897 Atlantic League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}
The ballpark
The name of the home minor league ballpark of the Norfolk teams from 1894 to 1896 is not directly referenced.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-1914|title=Unknown in Norfolk, VA minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Norfolk's Bain Field was originally called "League Park" and was in use in the era. When League Park was originally constructed is unknown, however newspaper coverage for baseball games at League Park started as early as 1894.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/604960464/ "Baseball"], The Norfolk Landmark, Norfolk, Virginia, volume XXXVIII, number 137, June 9, 1894, page 1.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/605187438/ "The Second Waterloo: For the Hill City Boys at Hill Park."], Norfolk Virginian, Weekly Virginian and Carolinian, Norfolk, Virginia, volume LVII, number 137, April 26, 1894, page 3.{{Cite web|url=http://www.projectballpark.org/history/ecl/alt/norfolklg.html|title=League Park, Norfolk, VA|website=www.projectballpark.org}}
Timeline
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;"
! Year(s) !! # Yrs. !! Team !! Level !! League | ||||
| 1894 | 1 | Norfolk Clam Diggers | Independent | rowspan=3|Virginia League |
| 1895 | 1 | Norfolk Clams | Rowspan=2|Class B | |
| 1896 | 1 | Norfolk Braves |
Year–by–year records
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs/notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=center
| 1894 | 66–45 | 2nd | James Gill / Camden Sommers | No playoffs held |
| align=center
| 1895 | 55–61 | 3rd | Camden Sommers / A.A. O'Neal / William F. Hoggins / Pop Tate | No playoffs held |
| align=center
| 1896 | 70–60 | 2nd | Claude McFarland / W.B Bradley | No playoffs held |
| align=center |
Notable alumni
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
- Frank Bowerman (1896)
- Fritz Clausen (1896)
- Dick Cogan (1894)
- Harry Colliflower (1894–1985)
- Joe Corbett (1896)
- John Corcoran (1894-1895)
- Henry Cote (1895)
- Ira Davis (1896)
- Jocko Fields (1896)
- Phil Geier (1895)
- Jim Gilman (1895)
- John Gilroy (1896)
- Bob Langsford (1896)
- Tacks Latimer (1895)
- Alfred Lawson (1895)
- Bill Kissinger (1894)
- John McCloskey (1894)
- Tom McCreery (1894–1895)
- Ambrose McGann (1895)
- Dan McGann (1895)
- Frank McPartlin (1895)
- Alex McFarlan (1896)
- Hal O'Hagan (1894–1895)
- Charlie Petty (1894)
- Crazy Schmit (1896)
- Doc Sechrist (1896)
- Dummy Stephenson (1896)
- Pop Tate (1895, MGR)
- John Thornton (1894–1895)
- Harry Truby (1894)
- Jack Wentz (1896)
- Tom Williams (1895)
- Pete Woodruff (1894)
- Bill Wynne (1895)
{{Div col end}}
=See also=
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Norfolk&state=VA&country=US Norfolk - Baseball Reference]
Category:Defunct baseball teams in Virginia
Category:Baseball teams established in 1896
Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1896
Category:1896 establishments in Virginia
Category:1896 disestablishments in Virginia
Category:Baseball in Norfolk, Virginia