Williamsport Red Sox

{{Short description|Minor league baseball team in the 1960s and 1970s}}

{{More references needed|date=June 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox Minor League Baseball

| name = Williamsport Red Sox

| firstseason = 1964

| lastseason = 1972

| allyears =

| city = Williamsport, Pennsylvania

| logo =

| caplogo =

| past class level = {{plainlist|

• Short-Season A (1968–1972)
• Class-AA (1964–1967)

}}

| league =

| conference =

| division =

| past league = {{plainlist|

• New York–Penn League (1968–1972)
• Eastern League (1964–1967)

}}

| pastmajorleague = {{plainlist|

• Boston Red Sox (1971–1972)
• Houston Astros (1968–1970)
• New York Mets (1964–1967)

}}

| pastnames = {{plainlist|

• Williamsport Red Sox (1971–1972)
• Williamsport Astros (1968–1970)
• Williamsport Mets (1964–1967)

}}

| pastparks =

| classchamps =

| leaguechamps =

| conferencechamps =

| divisionchamps =

}}

The Williamsport Red Sox were a minor league baseball team, based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The team began in 1964 as the Williamsport Mets a class-AA affiliate of the New York Mets, in the Eastern League, from 1964 through 1967. The club played all of its games at Williamsport's Bowman Stadium. Among the future major leaguers who played for the Williamsport Mets are: Jerry Koosman, Ken Boswell, Kevin Collins, Nolan Ryan and Jim Bethke. During the 1967 season, the New York Mets announced that the team would leave Williamsport at the end of the season.{{cite book |last1=Quigel |first1=James P. |title=Gateway to the Majors: Williamsport and Minor League Baseball |date=2001 |publisher=Penn State Press |isbn=978-0-271-03937-4 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Gateway_to_the_Majors_Williamsport_and_M/Pj-2tG9TsvcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Williamsport%20Red%20Sox%22%20-wikipedia&pg=PA141&printsec=frontcover |access-date=June 1, 2025 |language=en}}{{rp|139-141}}

In 1968, the club re-organized as the Williamsport Astros, dropping down from AA to the Short-season A New York–Penn League. The team's roster consisted of players both from the team's main major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, as well as some additional players from the Philadelphia Phillies.{{rp|141-142}}

After a particularly bad 1970 season, the club changed its affiliation to the Boston Red Sox and its name to the Williamsport Red Sox. {{rp|142}} Managed by Dick Berardino, the Red Sox went 30-39-1 their first season, finishing 6th in the 8-team NY-Penn. Steve Foran (10-4, 2.38) was the only All-Star, striking out a league-high 138 in 117 innings and also leading in wins and finishing 5th in ERA. 1B Jack Baker (.249/~.358/.502) was second in the league with 12 homers. The most prominent player to emerge from the team, though, was clearly OF Jim Rice, who was far from a star that year with a .256/~.308/.409 line.

The Red Sox continued under Berardino in 1972 but finished last at 22-47. They drew 19,038 fans, 5th in the league, and were outscored 411-278. The team managed no All-Stars though they again had the #2 home run hitter – this time it was 1B-OF Chester Lucas (.285/~.366/.500), who hit 12 long balls. The best career would belong to Don Aase, who led the league in losses with a miserable 0-10, 5.81 season. The team did not play another season.

Sources: 1972 and 1973 Baseball Guides