Portsmouth Cubs

The Portsmouth Cubs (1936–1952) was a primary name of the Class B minor league baseball franchise based in Portsmouth, Virginia from 1935–1955. The Portsmouth Cubs were affiliates of the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies, playing in the Class B Piedmont League (1936-1955). They became the Portsmouwth Merrimacs (1953-1955).

Portsmouth Cubs
1895–1955
(1895-1897, 1900-1901, 1906-1910, 1912-1917, 1919-1928, 1935-1955)
Portsmouth, Virginia
Minor league affiliations
Previous classesClass B (1895-1896, 1920-1928, 1935–1955)
Class C (1906-1909, 1912-1919)
Class D (1900, 1911)
Previous leagues
Piedmont League (1935–1955)
Virginia League (1895-1897, 1900-1901, 1912-1917 and 1919-1928)
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles 1945
Conference titles 1943, 1950
Team data
Previous names
  • Portsmouth Cubs (1936-1952)
  • Portsmouth Merrimacs (1953–1955)
  • Portsmouth Truckers (1895, 1906-1910, 1914-1917, 1919-1928, 1935)
  • Portsmouth Browns (1896-1897, 1901)
  • Portsmouth Pirates (1900, 1912-1913)
Previous parks
  • Lawrence Stadium (1936-1968)
  • Sewanee Stadium (1921-1928, 1935)
  • High Street Park (1985-1920)

Earlier, Portsmouth teams, called the Portsmouth Truckers, Portsmouth Pirates and Portsmouth Browns were Virginia League members based in Portsmouth, playing on-and-off from 1895 to 1928.[1]

Baseball Hall of Fame inductees Pie Traynor (1920), Hack Wilson (1923) and Buck Leonard (1953) played for Portsmouth, while Jimmie Foxx (1944) and Tony Lazzeri (1942) served as managers of the Portsmouth Cubs. Actor Chuck Connors played for Portsmouth in 1942 and 1946.

Later, Portsmouth hosted the Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides from 1961–1968, evolving into the Tidewater Tides and today's Class AAA Norfolk Tides.[1][2]

History

The Portsmouth Truckers began play in 1935 as members of the Piedmont League, joining the Asheville Tourists, Durham Bulls, Norfolk Tars, Richmond Colts and Rocky Mount Red Sox. Portsmouth changed their moniker to "Cubs" in 1936. Portsmouth remained a member of the Piedmont League until the league itself folded after the 1955 season.[3]

Earlier, Portsmouth had played in the Virginia League. The first team in Portsmouth was the Portsmouth Truckers in 1985. Portsmouth fielded teams in the Virginia League in 1895–1897, 1900–1901, 1912–1917 and 1919–1928. The Virginia League folded after the 1928 season.[1][4]

They were affiliates of the Chicago Cubs (1936-1938), the Philadelphia Phillies (1939-1940) and again the Chicago Cubs (1941-1947).[5][6]

Later, Portsmouth was home of the Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides, who played in the Class A South Atlantic League (1961-1962) and the Class A Carolina League (1963-1968). The franchise played one last season in Portsmouth when the Jacksonville Suns of the Class AAA International League moved there in 1969. The franchise relocated permanently to neighboring Norfolk, Virginia in 1970 to become the Tidewater Tides of the International League (1969-1992), evolving into today's Class AAA Norfolk Tides.[1][2][7]

Baseball Hall of Fame members Jimmie Foxx (1944) and Tony Lazzeri (1942) both managed and played briefly for Portsmouth. Hall of Famer and Negro League star Buck Leonard, played for Portsmouth in 1953 at age 45 (hitting .333 in 10 games) and Hall of Famers Hack Wilson (1923)(hit .388 in 115 games) and Pie Traynor (1920) (.270 in 110 games), also played for Portsmouth. Actor and 2-sport professional athlete Chuck Connors played for Portsmouth in 1942 and 1946.[5][3][8][9][10]

Portsmouth won the Piedmont League Championship in 1945 and regular season titles in 1943 and 1950.[3]

The ballparks

Beginning in 1936, Portsmouth teams played at Lawrence Stadium, originally called Portsmouth Stadium, which was demolished in 1997. The stadium was named for Frank Lawrence, owner of the Portsmouth Cubs and Merrimacs. Previous teams had played exclusively at Sewanee Stadium, which was built in 1921. Piedmont still played a few games each season at Sewanee Stadium after Lawrence Stadium was constructed. Sewanee Stadium was located near the corner of Washington and Lincoln Streets in Portsmouth, Virginia. Initially, teams played at High Street Park.[7][11][12][13]

Frank Lawrence often leased leased Lawrence Stadium to Joe Lewis, a former Negro Leagues player. Lewis would organize exhibitions with Negro League teams such the Indianapolis Clowns, Kansas City Monarchs and the Homestead Grays, with Hall of Famer Josh Gibson. Gibson once hit a home run at Lawrence Stadium that was said to have cleared the football press box and landed on Glasgow Street, traveling an estimated 585 feet. Gibson's Grays teammate, Hall of Famer Buck Leonard, later played for Portsmouth.[13]

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable alumni

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References
  1. "Portsmouth, VA - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  2. "Tidewater Tides - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  3. "Piedmont League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  4. "Virginia League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  5. "Portsmouth Cubs - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  6. "Portsmouth Merrimacs - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  7. "City Stadium, Portsmouth, VA". www.projectballpark.org.
  8. "1953 Portsmouth Merrimacs Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. "1923 Portsmouth Truckers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. "1920 Portsmouth Truckers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  11. "Frank D. Lawrence Stadium aka FDL Stadium aka Portsmouth Stadium - Portsmouth Virginia - Tidewater Tides - Portsmouth Tides - Portsmouth Cubs - Portsmouth Norfolk Tides - Portsmouth Merrimacks". digitalballparks.com.
  12. "Frank D. Lawrence Stadium - Portsmouth Virginia - Former Home of the Portsmouth Tides / Cubs". digitalballparks.com.
  13. Virginian-Pilot, The. "Hampton Roads plays host to major salute to Negro Leagues". pilotonline.com.
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