North Wilkesboro Flashers (baseball)

The North Wilkesboro Flashers were a minor league baseball team based in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. From 1948 to 1950, the "Flashers" played exclusively as members of the Class D level Blue Ridge League, winning the 1949 league championship. North Wilkesboro hosted home minor league games at Memorial Park. The team nickname was in reference to team manager Harry Lohman, whose nickname was "Flash."

North Wilkesboro Flashers
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D (1948–1950)
LeagueBlue Ridge League (1948–1950)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (1)1949
Wild card berths (2)
  • 1948
  • 1949
Team data
NameNorth Wilkesboro Flashers (1948–1950)
BallparkMemorial Park (1948–1950)

History

Minor league baseball was first hosted in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina in 1948, when the North Wilkesboro "Flashers" became as members of the six–team Class D level Blue Ridge League. The Galax Leafs, Leaksville-Draper-Spray Triplets, Mount Airy Graniteers, Radford Rockets and Wytheville Pioneers teams joined North Wilkesboro in beginning league play on May 1, 1948,.[1][2]

The North Wilkesboro use of the "Flashers" moniker was in reference to player/manager Henry Lohman, who was nicknamed "Flash." Lohman would manage the team in each of the three seasons of play.[3][4]

The Flashers placed second in their first season of play and qualified for the playoffs. With a record of 72–54, playing under manager Henry Loman, North Wilkesboro finished 4.5 games behind the first place Galax Leafs in the regular season standings. North Wilkesboro lost in the first round of the playoffs, as the Mount Airy Graniteers defeated North Wilkesboro 3 games to 1 in the playoff series.[5][6][7]

Following the 1948 season, the North Wilkesboro Flashers sought public sources for funding. The North Wilkesboro franchise sold stock shared to the public. Two hundred shares were issued at $100.00 each by "The North Wilkesboro Baseball Club, Inc."[8]

The North Wilkesboro Flashers won the 1949 Blue Ridge League championship.[9] The Flashers ended the 1949 Blue Ridge League regular season in fourth place. The Flashers ended the regular season with a 62–62 record, finishing 5.0 games behind the first place Mt. Airy Graniteers, while playing under managers Tom Daddino, the returning Henry Loman and Bernie Keating. In the playoffs, the North Wilkesboro Flashers defeated the Galax Leafs 4 games to 2 to advance. In the Finals, North Wilkesboro won the championship by defeating the Wytheville Statesmen 4 games to 1.[10][11][5][12][13]

In their final season, the 1950 North Wilkesboro Flashers placed last in the Blue Ridge League standings. As the league played with six teams in its final season, the Flashers ended the 1950 season with a record of 40–76, placing sixth in the Blue Ridge League regular season standings.[14] Playing under managers Bernie Loman and Henry Loman, North Wilkesboro finished 44.0 games behind the first place Elkin Blanketeers in the final standings. The Blue Ridge League permanently folded after the 1950 season.[15][16][5][17][18]

North Wilkesboro, North Carolina has not hosted another minor league franchise.[19]

The ballpark

The North Wilkesboro Flashers were noted to have played minor league home games at Memorial Park. The site today is reportedly called William K. Newton Memorial Park.[20][21]

(2000) Town Hall. North Wilkesboro, North Carolina

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeagueBallpark
1948–19503North Wilkesboro FlashersClass DBlue Ridge LeagueMemorial Park

Year–by–year records
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/Notes
194872–542ndHenry LomanLost in 1st round
194962–624thThomas Daddino /
Henry Loman / Bernard Keating		League champions
195040–786thBernard Loman / Henry LomanDid not qualify

[5]

Notable alumni

See also

North Wilkesboro Flashers players

References
  1. "1948 Blue Ridge League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. "1948 Blue Ridge League (BRL) minor league baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  3. Holaday, Chris (October 24, 2002). Baseball in North Carolina's Piedmont. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738514130 – via Google Books.
  4. Writer, Charles Wheeler Staff. "BASEBALL FOR THE AGES". Greensboro News and Record.
  5. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  6. "1948 North Wilkesboro Flashers minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. "1948 North Wilkesboro Flashers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. McGee, Marty. "Glory days of baseball". journalpatriot.
  9. "1949 Blue Ridge League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. "1949 Blue Ridge League (BRL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". statscrew.com.
  11. "1949 Elkin Blanketeers Roster on StatsCrew.com". statscrew.com.
  12. "1949 North Wilkesboro Flashers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  13. "1949 North Wilkesboro Flashers minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. "1950 Blue Ridge League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. "1950 North Wilkesboro Flashers minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  16. "1950 Blue Ridge League (BRL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". statscrew.com.
  17. "Blue Ridge League (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  18. "1950 North Wilkesboro Flashers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  19. "North Wilkesboro, North Carolina Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  20. "Memorial Park in North Wilkesboro, NC minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  21. "Historic Downtown North Wilkesboro - Outdoor Recreation".
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