Lexington Red Sox

The Lexington Red Sox were a minor league baseball team, based in Lexington, Nebraska. From 1956 to 1958, the Red Sox played exclusively as members of the short–season Class D level Nebraska State League, winning the 1956 league championship. The Red Sox played as a minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, hosting home minor league games at the Dawson County Fairgrounds Park.

Lexington Sox
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D (1956–1958)
LeagueNebraska State League (1956–1958)
Major league affiliations
TeamBoston Red Sox (1956–1958)
Minor league titles
League titles (1)1956
Team data
NameLexington Red Sox (1956–1959)
BallparkDawson County Fairgrounds Park (1956–1958)

History

Based in Lexington, Nebraska, and Dawson County, Nebraska, the Lexington Red Sox were a Class D level affiliate of the Boston Red Sox that played in the Nebraska State League from 1956 to 1958.[1][2] The Lexington Red Sox played their home games at the Dawson County Fairgrounds Park. Lexington won the Nebraska State League Championship in 1956. The team disbanded after the 1958 season when the league reduced from eight teams to six teams, with Lexington and the Superior Senators disbanding.[3]

The 1956 Lexington Red Sox captured the Nebraska State League Championship in their first season.[4] Opening day drew 1,900 fans, as Lexington defeated the Holdrege White Sox 10–7. The Lexington Red Sox ended the 1956 season with a record of 41–22, placing first in the league standings, playing the season under manager Danny Doyle. The Red Sox finished 3.0 games ahead of the second place Grand Island Athletics in the final standings, as the league had no playoffs. The Red Sox drew 28,393 for the season, an average 901, to Dawson County Fairgrounds Park.[5][2][1][6][3]

The Lexington Red Sox narrowly missed defending their championship in 1957, as the team finished in a second place tie, just 0.5 behind.[7] Lexington finished with a 33–23 record, the same record as the Holdrege White Sox, to finish in a tie for second place. The champion Grand Island Athletics place first with a record of 33–22. Jack Kaiser was the Lexington Manager in 1957. Season attendance was 24,218, an average of 865 per game.[8][2][9][10]

In their final season, the 1958 Lexington Red Sox placed fifth in the eight–team Nebraska State League. Lexington finished with a 30–33 record, playing again under manager Jack Kaiser.[2] In their final season at Dawson County Fairgrounds Park, the Red Sox had season attendance of 2,838, an average of 408 per home game. Lexington folded after the 1958 season, as the Nebraska State League reduced to six teams.[11][12][13]

Lexington, Nebraska has not hosted another minor league team.[14]

The ballpark

The Lexington Red Sox played their minor league home games at the Dawson County Fairgrounds Park. The ball field had a dirt infield and utilized the existing raceway grandstands at the fairgrounds to accommodate fans. Today, the grandstands are still in use at the Dawson County Fairgrounds for the Dawson County Raceway. The location is 1000 Plum Creek Parkway in Lexington, Nebraska.[15][16][17][18]

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeagueAffiliateBallpark
1956–19583Lexington Red SoxClass DNebraska State LeagueBoston Red SoxDawson County Fairgrounds Park

Year–by–year records
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
195641–221stDanny DoyleLeague Champions
195733–233rdJack KaiserNo playoffs held
195830–335thJack KaiserNo playoffs held

Notable alumni

See also

Lexington Red Sox players

References
  1. "Nebraska State League Lexington Red Sox 1956". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
  2. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  3. writer, Danny GruberC-H. staff. "The Lexington Red Sox: A farm team history". Lexington Clipper-Herald.
  4. "1956 Lexington Red Sox Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. "1956 Nebraska State League (NSL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  6. "Nebraska State League 1956". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
  7. "1957 Nebraska State League (NSL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  8. "1957 Lexington Red Sox Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  9. "Nebraska State League 1957". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
  10. "Lexington Nebraska Red Sox Baseball 1957". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
  11. "Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew". www.statscrew.com.
  12. "1958 Nebraska State League (NSL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. "Nebraska State League 1958". www.nebaseballhistory.com.
  14. "Lexington, Nebraska Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. "Dawson County Fairgrounds - Lexington Nebraska - Former Home of the Lexington Red Sox". digitalballparks.com.
  16. Fairgrounds, Dawson County. "Welcome to Dawson County Fairgrounds". Dawson County Fairgrounds.
  17. "Dawson County Fairgrounds - Lexington Nebraska - Former Home of the Lexington Red Sox". digitalballparks.com.
  18. Group, Nitroquest Media. "Dawson County Raceway | Lexington, Nebraska". dcraceway.com.
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