Springfield Ponies
Minor league affiliations
ClassA (1893–1900, 1919–1932, 1939–1943)
B (1902–1914, 1916–1918, 1934)
Independent (1915)
League
Major league affiliations
TeamNew York Giants (1943)
Washington Nationals (1939)
New York Yankees (1932)
Minor league titles
League titles (2)1895, 1927
Pennants (4)1895, 1908, 1911, 1932
Team data
Previous names
  • Springfield Rifles (1932, 1942–1943)
  • Springfield Nationals (1939–1941)
  • Springfield Green Sox (1917)
  • Springfield Tips (1915)
  • Springfield Maroons (1895)
BallparkHampden Park

Springfield Ponies was the primary name of minor league baseball teams based in Springfield, Massachusetts that played between 1893 and 1943. The team competed as the Ponies through its history except for single seasons as the Maroons (1895), Tips (1915), and Green Sox (1917); and three seasons each as the Rifles (1932, 1942–1943) and Nationals (1939–1941). The team played its home games at Pynchon Park (also known as Hampden Park).

The team was a member of several baseball leagues, including three that were known as the Eastern League. The team's longest tenure was in the second Eastern League, in which it played from 1916 to 1932. During most of its history, the team had no farm-team arrangement with a Major League Baseball team, as much of its history predated formal affiliations. When operating as the Rifles, the team was affiliated for one season with the New York Yankees (1932) and for one season with the New York Giants (1943). When operating as the Nationals, it was affiliated with the Washington Nationals for the 1939 season.

The team finished atop league standings three times at the end of a full regular season (1895, 1908, 1911) and once at the end of a truncated regular season (1932). The team won playoff series twice (1895 and 1927), although it played mostly in leagues without postseasons.

Three of the team's managers were later inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in recognition of their major-league playing careers: Roger Connor (manager in 1902–1903), Billy Hamilton (manager in 1914), and Rabbit Maranville (manager in 1941). Two fellow inductees played for Springfield late in their careers: Dan Brouthers (1896–1899)[1] and Jim O'Rourke (1903, 1907).[2] Brouthers had a .415 batting average in 126 games for the Ponies in 1897.[1]

Earlier teams

Prior to 1893, teams from Springfield competed in six minor league seasons, each in a different league:[3]:75

These early teams were simply known as Springfield or the Springfields. The teams of 1879, 1885 and 1887 failed to complete their seasons.

Records by season

The following table lists each season between 1893 and 1943, when teams from Springfield competed primarily as the Ponies.

YearLeagueClassRecordFinishManagerPostseason (games)Ref.
1893Eastern League1A64–44 (.593)2nd of 8Thomas E. Burnsnone held[3]:163
1894Eastern League1A57–54 (.514)4th of 8Thomas E. Burnsnone held[3]:165
1895Eastern League1A79–36 (.687)1st of 8Thomas E. Burnsdefeated Providence Grays (4–2)[3]:167
1896Eastern League1A54–64 (.458)6th of 8Thomas E. Burnsdid not qualify[3]:170
1897Eastern League1A68–55 (.553)4th of 8Thomas E. Burnsdid not qualify[3]:173
1898Eastern League1A48–63 (.432)7th of 8Billy Lush / Billy Barnienone held[3]:176
1899Eastern League1A52–56 (.481)5th of 8Tom Brownnone held[3]:179
1900Eastern League1A61–63 (.492)5th of 8Thomas E. Burnsnone held[3]:181
1901no team 
1902Connecticut State LeagueB65–45 (.591)2nd of 8Roger Connornone held[3]:187
1903Connecticut State LeagueB40–61 (.396)7th of 8Roger Connornone held[3]:190–191
1904Connecticut State LeagueB69–46 (.600)2nd of 8Daniel O'Neillnone held[3]:193
1905Connecticut State LeagueB74–44 (.627)2nd of 8Daniel O'Neillnone held[3]:198
1906Connecticut State LeagueB70–56 (.556)2nd of 8Daniel O'Neillnone held[3]:203
1907Connecticut State LeagueB72–49 (.595)3rd of 8Daniel O'Neillnone held[3]:207–208
1908Connecticut State LeagueB84–41 (.672)1st of 8Daniel O'Neillnone held[3]:213
1909Connecticut State LeagueB60–63 (.488)5th of 8John Zellernone held[3]:219
1910Connecticut State LeagueB58–68 (.460)6th of 8John Zellernone held[3]:224
1911Connecticut State LeagueB71–45 (.612)1st of 8John Zellernone held[3]:231
1912Connecticut State LeagueB50–70 (.417)5th of 6John Zellernone held[3]:237
1913Eastern AssociationB60–70 (.462)6th of 8Frank Corridon / Jack O'Haranone held[3]:242–243
1914Eastern AssociationB63–61 (.508)5th of 8Billy Hamilton / Simon McDonaldnone held[3]:252
1915Colonial LeagueInd.47–50 (.485)5th of 8Henry Ramseynone held[3]:260
1916Eastern League2B70–53 (.569)3rd of 10John Flynnnone held[3]:263
1917Eastern League2B48–57 (.457)7th of 8William Carey / John O'Haranone held[3]:267
1918Eastern League2B21–35 (.375)6th of 8Freddy Parentleague suspended July 22[3]:269–270
1919Eastern League2A54–52 (.509)5th of 8Ed Holly / Jack O'Haranone held[3]:271
1920Eastern League2A74–63 (.540)2nd of 8John Flynnnone held[3]:277
1921Eastern League2A70–82 (.461)6th of 8John Flynnnone held[3]:280
1922Eastern League2A77–76 (.503)5th of 8John Hummelnone held[3]:284
1923Eastern League2A76–77 (.497)4th of 8Patsy Donovannone held[3]:288
1924Eastern League2A87–66 (.569)2nd of 8Eugene McCannnone held[3]:292
1925Eastern League2A76–76 (.500)5th of 8Eugene McCannnone held[3]:296
1926Eastern League2A78–71 (.523)4th of 8Eugene McCannnone held[3]:300
1927Eastern League2A86–68 (.558)2nd of 8Joe Benesdefeated Albany Senators (3–0)[3]:305
1928Eastern League2A78–73 (.517)6th of 8Joe Benesnone held[3]:309
1929Eastern League2A71–83 (.461)6th of 8George J. Burnsnone held[3]:314
1930Eastern League2A78–89 (.467)3rd of 8Kid Gleasondid not qualify[3]:321
1931Eastern League2A65–74 (.468)3rd of 8Frank "Bud" Stapletonnone held[3]:325
1932Eastern League2A53–26 (.671)1st of 8Billy Meyerleague disbanded July 17[3]:329
1933no team 
1934Northeastern LeagueB41–62 (.398)6th of 8Bobby Murraydid not qualify[3]:337
1935–
1938
no team 
1939Eastern League3A74–66 (.529)3rd of 8Spencer Abbottlost in first round
1940Eastern League3A68–69 (.496)5th of 8Spencer Abbottdid not qualify
1941Eastern League3A50–85 (.370)8th of 8Rabbit Maranvilledid not qualify
1942Eastern League3A33–107 (.236)8th of 8Les Belldid not qualify[3]:388
1943Eastern League3A46–88 (.343)7th of 8Spencer Abbottdid not qualify[3]:392

designates a year in which the team's nickname was not Ponies: 1895 as Maroons, 1915 as Tips, 1917 as Green Sox, 1939–1941 as Nationals, and 1932/1942/1943 as Rifles.

See also

  • Springfield Cubs, a baseball team based in Springfield from 1948 to 1953
  • Springfield Green Sox players
  • Springfield Maroons players
  • Springfield Nationals players
  • Springfield Ponies players
  • Springfield Rifles players
  • Springfield Tips players

References

  1. 1 2 "Dan Brouthers Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  2. "Jim O'Rourke Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, editors (Third ed.). Baseball America. 2007. ISBN 978-1932391176.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
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