Fort Lauderdale Yankees

The Fort Lauderdale Yankees, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, were an American Minor League Baseball franchise that existed from 1962 through 1992. The team was a member of the Florida State League (FSL) as an affiliate of the New York Yankees and won seven FSL championships during its 31 years of existence.

Fort Lauderdale Yankees
1962–1993
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Minor league affiliations
Class
  • Class A-Advanced (1990–1993)
  • Class A (1963–1989)
  • Class D (1962)
LeagueFlorida State League (1937–1968)
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles (7)
  • 1962
  • 1964
  • 1965
  • 1980
  • 1982
  • 1984
  • 1987
Team data
Nickname
  • Fort Lauderdale Red Sox (1993)
  • Fort Lauderdale Yankees (1962–1992)
BallparkFort Lauderdale Stadium

The team was formed when the Yankees moved their spring training base from St. Petersburg, Florida, to Fort Lauderdale Stadium after the 1961 season. Its last championship team, in 1987, was managed by Buck Showalter and featured future Major Leaguers Jim Leyritz, Kevin Maas and Dave Eiland.

When the Yankees left Fort Lauderdale for their new spring training home in Tampa, Florida, in 1993, the parent club maintained its other High-A affiliate, the Prince William Yankees of the Carolina League, and left the FSL for one season — returning in 1994 with the Tampa Yankees. The Boston Red Sox transferred their Winter Haven club to Fort Lauderdale Stadium for 1993 as the Fort Lauderdale Red Sox.

When the spring training relationship with Winter Haven ended, Boston tried to move its FSL franchise to its new spring training stadium, Fort Myers' City of Palms Park, but the shift was blocked by the established Fort Myers Miracle, a Minnesota Twins FSL affiliate that played in nearby Hammond Stadium.[1] While the Red Sox and the Miracle ownership tried to resolve the impasse, Boston needed a 1993 venue for its displaced Winter Haven franchise. Fort Lauderdale Stadium was available.

As events turned out, the Red Sox/Miracle territorial dispute never permitted Boston to place its FSL team in Fort Myers. Instead, Boston moved the Fort Lauderdale Red Sox to Sarasota, Florida in 1994 and operated the Sarasota Red Sox there for eleven seasons before departing the Florida State League in 2005. The Red Sox' parent company, Fenway Sports Group, now owns and operates its own High Class A farm club, the Salem Red Sox, in the Carolina League.

The Red Sox' one year in Fort Lauderdale was an athletic and economic disappointment. The team, managed by DeMarlo Hale (later the Red Sox' bench coach), compiled the worst record in the FSL at 46–85 (.351), ​32 1⁄2 games out of first place. It drew 28,000 fans, second last in the league and almost 73,000 fans fewer than the 1992 Fort Lauderdale Yankees team. (It still out-paced the 1992 Winter Haven Red Sox entry, which attracted only 16,000 fans in its lame-duck season).[2] Of the 40-plus players who suited up for the Fort Lauderdale Red Sox, only Shayne Bennett, Alex Delgado, Peter Hoy, Ryan McGuire and Lou Merloni would see Major League service.

Fort Lauderdale has not been represented in the Florida State League since 1993. Although the Baltimore Orioles eventually replaced the Yankees as Fort Lauderdale's spring training tenants, they never placed an FSL franchise in the city.

The Ballpark

For the duration of their existence, the Yankees played their home games at Fort Lauderdale Stadium located at 1401 NW 55th Street. The stadium doubled as the spring training home of the parent New York Yankees. Fort Lauderdale Stadium still exists today, but sits vacant without a tenant.[3]

Notable alumni

Hall of Fame Alumni

Notable alumni

Year-by-year record
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
196271–501stBob BauerLeague Champs
196360–604thPinky May (22–19) / Steve Souchock (7–13) / Cloyd Boyer (31–28)
196481–592ndFrank VerdiLeague Champs
196587–511stJack ReedLeague Champs
196663–757thLamar North
196769–694thBilly Shantz
196862–757thBilly Shantz
196968–554thBilly Shantz
197059–7610thLamar North
197171–706th (t)Bobby Cox
197264–657thPete Ward
197367–727thPete Ward
197482–491stPete WardLost League Finals
197561–755th (t)Leo Posada
197677–623rdMike FerraroLost in 1st round
197753–809thEd Napoleon
197874–685thDoug Holmquist
197992–511stDoug HolmquistLost League Finals
198083–542ndDoug HolmquistLeague Champs
198181–531stDoug HolmquistLost in 1st round
198282–501stStump MerrillLeague Champs
198377–542ndStump Merrill
198474–685thBarry FooteLeague Champs
198577–634thBucky DentLost League Finals
198680–595thBucky Dent
198785–531stBuck ShowalterLeague Champs
198869–659thBuck Showalter
198961–7711thClete Boyer
199062–759thMike Hart
199159–6911thGlenn Sherlock
199259–7610thBrian Butterfield
199346-854thDeMarlo Hale
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References
  1. "Florida State League Log". fslfans.blogspot.com.
  2. Lloyd Johnson and Miles Wolff, eds., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3d edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007
  3. rcooke1717@yahoo.com, RICK COOKE Sports Correspondent. "The Last Yankee and the Ghosts of Fort Lauderdale Stadium". Homenewshere.com.
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