Paris Lakers
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox Minor League Baseball
| name =Paris Lakers
| firstseason =1950
| lastseason =1959
| allyears =
| city =Paris, Illinois
| logo =
| uniformlogo =
| class level =Class D (1950–1959)
| league =Mississippi–Ohio Valley League (1950–1955)
Midwest League (1956–1959)
| majorleague =Chicago Cubs (1955–1959)
| nickname =Paris Lakers (1950–1959)
| ballpark =Laker Stadium (1950-1959)
| classnum =
| classchamps =
| leaguenum =1
| leaguechamps =1956
| confnum =1
| conferencechamps =1951
| divnum =
| divisionchamps =
| wildcardnum =3
| wildcardberths ={{hlist|1952|1953|1956}}
}}
The Paris Lakers were a minor league baseball team based in Paris, Illinois from 1950 to 1959. The Lakers played as members of the Midwest League from 1956 to 1959 and its predecessor, the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League from 1950 to 1955. The Lakers won the first Midwest League championship in 1956. The Paris Lakers were a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs from 1955 to 1959.
History
The Lakers were preceded in Paris, Illinois by the 1908 Paris Parisians, who played as a member of the Class D level Eastern Illinois League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1908 Paris Parisians Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}
The Paris Lakers were an original franchise in the 1956 Midwest League, having previously had played in the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League, the predecessor of the Midwest League.{{cite web|url=http://mwlguide.com/cities/paris/|title=Baseball in Paris, Illinois|access-date=July 3, 2018}}
From 1950 to 1954, the Lakers played as a non-affiliated team, and from 1955 to 1959, they were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs.
Paris finished 85–42 in the 1952 Mississippi–Ohio Valley League, to place 2nd. Their manager from 1950 to 1954 was Paris native Tom Sunkel.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=3dec0828|title=1952 Paris Lakers|website=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=July 3, 2018}}
The Lakers won the first ever Midwest League championship in 1956, defeating the Dubuque Packers 3 games to 1 in the Finals.{{cite web|url=http://mwlguide.com/years/1956/|title=Midwest League 1956|access-date=July 3, 2018}}
On August 18, 1957 Kenneth Rollins threw a no-hitter against the Michigan City White Caps, winning 12–0.{{cite web|url=http://mwlguide.com/reference/nohitters.html|title=No Hit Games|access-date=July 3, 2018}}
The ballpark
The Lakers' home field was Laker Stadium.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-2042|title=Laker Stadium in Paris, IL history and teams on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Laker Stadium hosted the 1951 Mississippi–Ohio Valley League All-Star Game. The ballfield and part of the original stands are still in use today at the stadium, which sits within Twin Lakes Park. The address is 137 West Steidl Road, Paris, Illinois.{{cite web|url=http://mwlguide.com/cities/paris/park.html|title=Baseball in Paris|access-date=July 3, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lib.niu.edu/1996/ihy960465.html|author=Kathleen Stephens|title=Paris Lakers|publisher=Northern Illinois University|access-date=March 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327182759/http://www.lib.niu.edu/1996/ihy960465.html|archive-date=March 27, 2016|url-status=dead}}
Timeline
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;"
! Year(s) !! # Yrs. !! Team !! Level !! League!!Affiliate | |||||
| 1950–1954 | 5 | rowspan=3| Paris Lakers | rowspan=3|Class D | rowspan=2|Mississippi–Ohio Valley League | None |
| 1955 | 1 | rowspan=2|Chicago Cubs | |||
| 1956–1959 | 4 | Midwest League |
Year–by–year records
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager(s) | Playoffs / notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 43–675 | 6th | Earl Skaggs / Von Price / John Morris | Did not qualify |
| 1951 | 84–36 | 1st | Tom Sunkel | Lost in 1st round |
| 1952 | 82–42 | 2nd | Tom Sunkel | Lost in 1st Round |
| 1953 | 66–53 | 2nd | Tom Sunkel | Lost in Finals |
| 1954 | 58–68 | 6th | Tom Sunkel | Did not qualify |
| 1955 | 62–64 | 7th | Richard Rigazio | Did not qualify |
| 1956 | 73–52 | 2nd | Marty Purtell | League champions |
| 1957 | 51–473 | 7th | Verlon Walker | Did not qualify |
| 1958 | 64–61 | 4th | Verlon Walker | Did not qualify |
| 1959 | 57–68 | 6th | Verlon Walker | Did not qualify |
Notable alumni
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
- Tony Balsamo (1959)
- Doc Bracken (1953–1954)
- Harvey Branch (1958–1959)
- Dick Burwell (1959)
- John Buzhardt (1955)
- Jack Curtis (1956)
- Dave Gerard (baseball) (1955)
- Bob Giggie (1951)
- Lou Johnson (1958)
- Mike Krsnich (1950–1951)
- Nelson Mathews (1959)
- Moe Morhardt (1959)
- Don Prince (1958)
- Marty Purtell (1956, MGR)
- Joe Schaffernoth (1956)
- Johnnie Seale (1959)
- Quincy Smith (1951–1954)
- Morrie Steevens (1959)
- Tom Sunkel (1950–1954, MGR)
- Harry Taylor (1955)
- Verlon Walker (1957–1959, MGR)
- Jim Zapp (1952)
{{div col end}}
=See also=
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Midwest League}}
Category:Defunct Midwest League teams
Category:Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates
Category:Professional baseball teams in Illinois
Category:1950 establishments in Illinois
Category:1959 disestablishments in Illinois
Category:Mississippi-Ohio Valley League
Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams
Category:Baseball teams established in 1950
Category:Defunct baseball teams in Illinois