The Cambridge Cantabs were a minor league baseball team based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1934, the Cantabs briefly played as members of the

Northeastern League The Northeastern League was a minor league baseball league that last played in the 1934 season as an eight–team Class B (baseball), Class B level league. The 1934 league franchises were based in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. An e ...

before relocating during the season. The Cantabs played home games at Russell Field.

History

The 1899 Cambridge Orphans played in the New England League before the franchise transferred to Lowell during the season. In 1934, the Cambridge "Cantabs" returned to minor league play as members of the eight–team Class B level

. Cambridge entered the league at the beginning of the second half of the season, along with the

Watertown Townies The Watertown Townies were a minor league baseball team based in Watertown, Massachusetts. In 1934, the Townies played a partial season as members of the Class B level Northeastern League. Watertown hosted home minor league games at Victory Fie ...

, expanding the league from six teams to eight. The

Hartford Senators The Hartford Senators were a minor league baseball team based in Hartford, Connecticut. They operated in the Connecticut League from 1902–1912, the Eastern Association from 1913–1914, the Eastern League (baseball, 1916-32), Eastern League from ...

, Lowell Hustlers, Manchester Indians, New Bedford Whalers,

Springfield Ponies 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), Tip ...

and Worcester Rosebuds resumed 1934 play with the two new members. The team use of the "Cantabs" moniker was noted to have derived from Cambridge, England being known as Cantabulum, in Roman times. On July 17, 1934, Cambridge began their schedule with a 1–12 record when the franchise moved to become the Wayland Birds. The Cambridge Cantabs/Wayland Birds of the Northeastern League ended the 1934 season with a record of 19–42, as

Bill Morrell Willard Blackmer Morrell (April 9, 1893 – August 5, 1975) was a professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of three seasons (1926, 1930–31) with the Washington Senators and New York Giants. For his career, he com ...

Mack Hillis Malcolm David "Mack" Hillis (July 23, 1901 – June 16, 1961) was a Major League Baseball second baseman. Hillis played for the New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City b ...

, Dick Phelan and Tom O'Brien served as managers. Wayland did not return to play in 1935. Cambridge, Massachusetts has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Cambridge Cantabs hosted 1934 minor league home games at Russell Field. Russell Field is still in use today with a multipurpose stadium and adjacent ballfields. The site is off of Rindge Avenue in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Kayak on the Charles River

Year–by–year record

Notable alumni

(1934, MGR) *

(1934, MGR) * Tom Smith (1899)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links