Newport News Pilots

The Newport News Pilots were a minor league baseball team based in Newport News, Virginia. In 1941 and 1942, as a minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Athletics, Newport News played as members of the Class C level Virginia League, playing as the Newport News Builders in 1942. The teams hosted minor league home games at Shipbuilders Park.

Newport News Pilots
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass C (1941–1942)
LeagueVirginia League (1941–1942)
Major league affiliations
TeamPhiladelphia Athletics
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Wild card berths (1)1941
Team data
NameNewport News Pilots (1941)
Newport News Builders (1942)
BallparkShipbuilders Park (1941–1942)

Baseball Hall of Fame member Chief Bender managed the 1941 Pilots.

History

After minor league baseball began in Newport News with the 1894 Newport News-Hampton Deckhands of the Virginia League, the Pilots were immediately preceded by the 1922 Newport News Shipbuilders, who ended an 11-consecutive season tenure as members of the Virginia League.[1]

The 1941 Virginia League expanded to six teams and became a Class C level league, adding the Newport News Pilots and Petersburg Rebels franchises.[2] The Pilots and Rebels were joined by the Harrisonburg Turks, Lynchburg Senators, Salem-Roanoke Friends and Staunton Presidents in beginning league play on May 2, 1941.[3]

In their first season of play, the Newport News "Pilots" were an affiliate of the Philadelphia Athletics and ended the 1941 season in fifth place with a record of 58–58.[4] The Pilots were managed by Baseball Hall of Fame member Chief Bender, finishing 6.5 games behind the first place Petersburg Rebels in the final regular season standings. Newport News did not qualify for the playoffs, won by the Salem-Roanoke Friends.[5][6][2]

In 1942, the Newport News "Builders" continued play as a Philadelphia Athletics affiliate and qualified for the Virginia League playoffs. The Builders ended the Virginia League regular season with a 62–67 record to place fourth in the six–team league with Harry Chozen managing the team. Newport News finished 18.5 games behind the first place Pulaski Counts in the regular season standings.[2] In the 1st round of the playoffs, the Lynchburg Senators defeated Newport News Builders 4 games to 2 to advance to the finals, won by Pulaski.[7][8][9] The Virginia League folded after the 1942 season with the onset of World War II.[10]

In 1944, Newport News next hosted the Newport News Dodgers, who began play as members of the Class B level Piedmont League.[11]

The ballpark

The Newport News Pilots and Newport News Builders hosted home games at Shipbuilders Park, also nicknamed "Builders Park."[12] The ballpark was located on Virginia Avenue, called Warwick Boulevard today.[13]

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeagueAffiliateBallpark
19411Newport News PilotsClass CPhiladelphia AthleticsVirginia LeagueShipbuilders Park
19421Newport News Builders

Year–by–year records
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/Notes
194142–766thChief BenderDid not qualify
194262–674thHarry ChozenLost in 1st round

Notable alumni

See also

Newport News Pilots players
Newport News Builders players

References
  1. "1922 Newport News Shipbuilders Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  3. "1941 Virginia League (VL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. "1941 Newport News Builders minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. "1941 Virginia League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. "1941 Newport News Pilots Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  7. "1942 Virginia League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. "1942 Newport News Builders Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. "1942 Virginia League (VL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. "Top 100 Teams | MiLB.com History | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com.
  11. "1944 Newport News Dodgers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  12. "Shipbuilders Park in Newport News, VA minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. "FACT GETS IN THE WAY OF A GOOD JOHNSON TALE". Daily Press.
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