York White Roses

Defunct MiLB infobox
name = York White Roses
firstseason = 1884
lastseason = 1969
allyears =
city = York, Pennsylvania

cap
lastclasslevel = Single-A (1884-1969)
pastclasslevel =
lastleague = Eastern League (1958-1969)
* Piedmont League (1953-1955)
* Interstate League (1943-1952)
* New York-Penn League (1923-1933)
* Tri-State League (1909-1914)
* Pennsylvania State League (1893)
* Eastern League (1884)
* Keystone Association (1884)
conference =
division =
pastleague =
lastmajorleague = Pittsburgh Pirates (1968-1969)
pastmajorleague = Washington Senators (1963-1967)
* Boston Red Sox (1962)
* St. Louis Cardinals (1958-1959)
* Baltimore Orioles (1954-1955)
* St. Louis Browns (1952-1953)
* Pittsburgh Pirates (1943-1950)
* Brooklyn Dodgers (1933)
lastnickname = York Pirates (1968-1969)
pastnames = York White Roses (1884-1899)
lastballpark = Bob Hoffman Stadium
pastparks =
classchamps =
leaguechamps = 2 (1925), (1969)
conferencechamps=
divisionchamps =

The York White Roses was the name of a former minor league baseball team in the city of York, Pennsylvania that existed from 1894-1969.

History

Early Years

The York White Roses began as members of the short-lived Keystone Association in 1884. The league disbanded after only 20 games. The White Roses transferred to the Eastern League after the Harrisburg Olympics folded ["Nineteenth Century Baseball: Year-By-Year Statistics for the Major League Teams, 1871 Through 1900" (ISBN 0-7864-0181-8)] . The team remained in the Eastern League until the 1893 season when York joined the Pennsylvania State League.

Turn of the Century

York joined the Tri-State League as the York Penn Parks in 1904, the Penn Parks name was quickly changed back to White Roses for the 1905 season. The 1906 season was full of controversy when the rival Lancaster Maroons changed their name to the Red Roses. George Heckert, White Roses manager, publicly denounces Lancaster's team and predicted that Lancaster would end the season in last place after it unveiled new jerseys and a new name days before the season opener against York [ [http://www.lancasterhistory.org/collections/exhibitions/Baseball/baseball5.htm 1906-1914: A Rose by Any Other Name ] ] . Yorkers viewed the change as a copycat maneuver since York had called itself the White Roses since 1884 [http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_9094525 York-area baseball through the years - The York Daily Record ] ] . The Red Roses went on to win the first game, 9-4, and an even heavier rivalry began. [cite web | title=The York and Lancaster Rivalry | work=Lancaster County Historical Society | url=http://www.lancasterhistory.org/collections/exhibitions/Baseball/baseball5.htm | accessdate=May 6 | accessyear=2006] Some sources indicate that the rival teams were named for the opposing factions in England's historic Wars of the Roses.

In 1907 the York Franchise was moved to Reading, Pennsylvania and became the Reading Pretzels for the 1908 season. The White Roses returned to York, Pennsylvania for the 1909, The White Roses made another move in 1914 when rival Lancaster Red Roses moved to Atlantic City. After a bad start to the season in York, the White Roses moved to Lancaster and became the Red Roses for the second half of the 1914 season. The franchise remained in Lancaster until The Tri State league broke up at the end of the 1914 season.

New Era Of White Roses

York is one of the six original teams of the New York-Penn League joining for the inaugural season in 1923. The White Roses quickly became one of the powerhouse franchises in the NY-Penn League and won their first league championship on September 25, 1925 When York defeated the Williamsport Grays 5-3, in 11 innings in the fourth and final game of a best-of-five series. York first baseman Del Bissonette homered in the bottom of the 11th to clinch the title.

The White Roses where they were unaffiliated until the 1933 season when they became part of the Brooklyn Dodgers minor league system. Financial hardships due to the Great Depression limited play in the 1930s. The team came out of the dark in 1936 but only lasted the season when the New York-Penn league ended play due to economic reasons.

The White Roses joined the Interstate League in 1943 spending most of their seasons in this league (1943-to 1952) as an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates until 1950. From 1953 to 1955 The White Roses were members of the Piedmont League, they were affiliated with the St. Louis Browns from 1952 to 1953 and the Baltimore Orioles from 1954 to 1955.

The White Roses re-joined the Eastern League, affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals, in the 1958 season and played there until the end of the 1959 season. The York White Roses returned in 1962 as a member of the Eastern League, as the Johnstown Red Sox moved to York. The Boston Red Sox affiliation lasted only that season. They were affiliated with the Washington Senators from 1963 to 1967.

York Pirates

In 1968, the team was renamed as the York Pirates, affiliated once again with Pittsburgh. Sunday, April 21, 1968 marked a historic event in York Baseball history when The York Pirates and Reading Phillies played the first outdoor game on artificial turf at York's Memorial Stadium. York lost 5-3 but the 6,248 fans was also the largest crowd in York's minor-league history.The 1969 season would be the last season of York minor-league baseball in the 20th century. After many dismal seasons in the 1960s the York Pirates made it to the Finals against the Pittsfield Red Sox. Pittsfield won the first game of the series 7-4 but the remaining games of the Championship were rained out and York was named champions (York was in 1st place in the league that season).

tadium

The White Roses had numerous ballparks during the first half of the 20th century. In 1947 York moved its minor-league team from Memorial Field in West York, Pennsylvania to Memorial Stadium in York, Pennsylvania . York's minor-league clubs continued to play at Veterans Memorial Stadium/Bob Hoffman Stadium until the York Pirates folded at the conclusion of the 1969 season.

Year-by-Year Record

Keystone Association (1894)

Tri-State League (1909-1914)

Piedmont League (1953-1955)

Eastern League (1958-1969)

* *1969- Playoffs Rained out, York Pirates named Eastern League Champions

ee also

* York Revolution
* Lancaster Red Roses

References