| Leesburg Athletics | |
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| Minor league affiliations | |
| Previous classes |
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| League | Florida State League (1937–1968) |
| Major league affiliations | |
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| Minor league titles | |
| League titles(2) |
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| Team data | |
Previous names |
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Previous parks | Pat Thomas Stadium |
TheLeesburg Athletics (or the interchangeableA's) was the final name of a professionalminor league baseball team, based inLeesburg, Florida from 1965 to 1968. Beginning play in 1937, Leesburg teams played exclusively as members of theFlorida State League, winning league championships in 1941 and 1966.
Baseball Hall of Fame memberRollie Fingers played for the 1965 Leesburg Athletics.
The club was first formed in 1937 as theLeesburg Gondoliers, aFlorida State League team that did not share an affiliation with a big-league club. From 1939–1941 the team became known as theLeesburg Anglers, who again were a non-affiliated minor league team. After not hosting a team from 1942–1945 the Anglers would return in 1946 as the Packers.
From 1947–1948 the team became theLeesburg Pirates, and were aClass-D affiliate of thePittsburgh Pirates. In 1949 theBrooklyn Dodgers operated the team as theLeesburg Dodgers. They used four different managers as the Dodgers and went 37-97. 44-year-oldLuke Hamlin, who managed for them, also pitched in eight games for them.
From 1950–1952 they would again become an un-affiliated team known as theLeesburg Packers. In 1953 the team would change its name to theLeesburg Lakers but would remain independent of any affiliation. The team would go on hiatus for two seasons and would then emerge in 1956 as an affiliate of theMilwaukee Braves, known as theLeesburg Braves. They would remain that way until the end of the 1957 season. After that, they would become theLeesburg Orioles from 1960–1961 and were affiliated with theBaltimore Orioles. Again breaking for a few years the team would re-emerge for a final time, this time as the Leesburg A's from 1965–1968, they would be an affiliate of theKansas City/Oakland A's during this stint, winning the 1966 league championship.[1]
Rollie Fingers played for the Leesburg Athletics in 1965 and was inducted into theBaseball Hall of Fame in 1992.
The Leesburg teams won Florida State League championships in 1941 and 1966.[2]
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | 71-67 | 4th | Spec Meadows | Lost in 1st round |
| 1938 | 87-52 | 1st | Nelson Leach | Lost league finals |
| 1939 | 72-65 | 3rd | Nellie Leach | Lost in 1st round |
| 1940 | 62-77 | 6th | Emil Yde | Did not qualify |
| 1941 | 63-66 | 4th | Wilbur Good Jr. | League Champions |
| 1946 | 63-71 | 5th | Bill Good | Did not qualify |
| 1947 | 54-81 | 7th | Bill Good | Did not qualify |
| 1948 | 60-77 | 6th | Ed Leip | Did not qualify |
| 1949 | 37-97 | 8th | Lou Haneles /Julian Acosta Luke Hamlin | Did not qualify |
| 1950 | 54-84 | 7th | Frank Piet / Floyd Clift Bill Steinecke | Did not qualify |
| 1951 | 71-69 | 4th | Floyd Clift, Mickey Burnett | Lost in 1st round |
| 1952 | 52-84 | 7th | Walt Chipple / Don Anderson John Pawlick /Bob Latshaw | Did not qualify |
| 1953 | 56-77 | 6th | Red Dulaney /Frank Barrett | Did not qualify |
| 1956 | 58-82 | 7th | Tommy Giordano | Did not qualify |
| 1957 | 64-75 | 5th | Tommy Giordano | Did not qualify |
| 1960 | 53-80 | 8th | Bob Hooper | Did not qualify |
| 1961 | 56-80 | 7th | Billy DeMars /Cal Ripken Sr. Ray Scarborough | Did not qualify |
| 1965 | 53-80 | 9th | Tony Frulio | Did not qualify |
| 1966 | 87-44 | 2nd | James Williams | League Champions |
| 1967 | 64-71 | 5th | James Williams | Did not qualify |
| 1968 | 51-92 | 10th | Al Ronning | Did not qualify |