Middletown Middies

The Middletown Middies were a minor league baseball team based in Middletown, New York. In 1913 and 1914, the Middies played as members of the New York–New Jersey League in 1913 and Atlantic League in 1914, hosting home minor league games at Watts Field.

Middletown Middies
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D (1913–1914)
LeagueNew York–New Jersey League (1913)
Atlantic League (1914)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Team data
NameMiddletown Middies (1913–1914)
BallparkWatts Field (1913–1914)

History

Minor league baseball play began in Middletown, New York in 1913, when the Middletown "Middies" became members of the six–team Class D level New York–New Jersey League. The Danbury Hatters, Kingston Colonials, Long Branch Cubans, Newburgh Hillclimbers and Poughkeepsie Honey Bugs teams joined Middletown in league play.[1][2][3]

Middletown ended the 1913 season with a record of 42–51, placing fourth in the New York–New Jersey League as Jack Lawlor served as manager. Middletown finished 22.5 games behind the first place Long Branch Cubans. Long Branch (65–29) was followed by the Poughkeepsie Honey Bugs (48–49), Kingston Colonials (45–46), Middletown Middies (42–51), Danbury Hatters (43–55) and Newburgh Hilltoppers (41–54) in the final league standings.[4][2][5][6]

The 1914 Middletown Middies continued play in a new league. Middleton joined the eight–team Class D level Atlantic League.[7] The league had been known as the New York–New Jersey League a season earlier.[7]: 1  The Atlantic League president was Rosslyn M. Cox, who had also presided over the New York–New Jersey League.[8] Cox would later serve as the mayor of Middletown, New York. The league began play on May 20, 1914, and concluded the season with Middletown as a member on September 7, 1914.[9][10]

The Middletown Middies ended the 1914 season in third place in the Atlantic League standings. The Middies ended the season with an overall record of 44–49, playing under returning manager Jack Lawlor. Middleton finished the season 16.0 games behind the first place Poughkeepsie Honey Bugs in the final standings. Poughkeepsie finished in 1st place with a record of 65–31, followed by the Newark Cubans/Long Branch Cubans (59–32), Middletown Middies (47–45), Danbury Hatters (49–48), Perth Amboy Pacers (44–49), Newburgh Hill Climbers (40–48), Paterson Silk Citys (32–54) and Bloomfield-Long Branch Cubans/Asbury Park Sea Urchins (30–59) in the final standings. The league had no playoff system and folded after the 1914 season.[11][2][12][7][13]

Middletown, New York has not hosted another minor league team.[14]

The ballpark

The Middletown Middies teams hosted their minor league home games at Watts Field. Today, the site is known as "Watts Memorial Park" and is still in use as a public park with ballfields.[15][16][17]

(1909) East Main Street, Middletown, New York

The park is located at 120 Watkins Avenue in Middletown, New York.[16]

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeagueBallpark
19131Middletown MiddiesClass DNew York–New Jersey LeagueWatts Field
19141Atlantic League

Year–by–year records
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/Notes
191442–514thJack LawlorNo playoffs held
191447–453rdJack LawlorNo playoffs held

[2]

Notable alumni

No alumni of the Middletown Middies reached the major leagues.[3][13]

1913 Middleton player James O'Rourke went on to play with the 1914 Newark Indians of the International League, batting .321. O'Rourke was killed fighting in France in World War I in 1918.[18]

References
  1. "1913 New York-New Jersey League (NYNJL) minor league baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  2. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  3. "1913 Middletown Middies Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. "1913 Middletown Asylums/Middies minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. "1913 New York-New Jersey League (NYNJL) minor league baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  6. "1913 New York-New Jersey League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  7. Pawlush, George G. (2001). "The Rise and Fall of the 1914 Atlantic League" (PDF) – via SABR.
  8. "Name Changed to Atlantic League". Asbury Park Press. Asbury Park, New Jersey. March 16, 1914. p. 12. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  9. "Mayors of the City of Middletown Past to Present". City of Middletown. Retrieved July 14, 2019 – via middletown-ny.com.
  10. "1914 Atlantic League (AL) minor league baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. "1914 Atlantic League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  12. "1914 Middletown Middies minor league baseball Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. "1914 Middletown Middies Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  14. "Middletown, New York Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. "Watts Field in Middletown, NY minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  16. "Watts Memorial Park - City of Middletown". www.middletown-ny.com.
  17. "Watts Memorial Park - Middletown, New York". ballparkreviews.com.
  18. "James O'Rourke - Baseball's Greatest Sacrifice". www.baseballsgreatestsacrifice.com.
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