The Emporia Nationals were a minor league baseball team based in Emporia, Virginia. From 1948 to 1951, Emporia played as members of the Class D level Virginia League, winning the 1950 league Championship. The Emporia Nationals were a minor league affiliate of the Washington Senators (today's

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...

). The team played as the "Rebels" in 1951, with Emporia hosting minor league home games at Slagle Stadium.

History

In 1947, the Washington Senators had the fewest number of minor league affiliates (6) and scouts (3) of any major-league team. Owner Clark Griffith named former player Ossie Bluege as Farm Director and expanded the Washington system to 11 minor league affiliates and 7 scouts in 1948. One of Bluege’s goals was to establish a Class D level affiliate in the Middle Atlantic region, when several other teams were seeking to turn the semipro Virginia League into a minor league, which proved to be successful. Local businessman Eugene Bloom was instrumental in reaching an agreement with the Senators to place a team in Emporia. Griffith then named Bloom as business manager of the Emporia team. In 1948, the Emporia "Nationals" became members of the Virginia League, which reformed as a six–team, Class D level league. The Blackstone Barristers, Franklin Cubs, Lawrenceville Cardinals,

Petersburg Generals The Petersburg Generals were an amateur baseball team in the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The team played its home games at the Petersburg Sports Complex in Petersburg, Virginia. The Generals first started participa ...

and

Suffolk Goobers The Suffolk Goobers were a minor league baseball team based in Suffolk, Virginia. From 1948 to 1951, the Goobers played as members of the Class D level Virginia League, winning the 1948 league pennant. The Suffolk Goobers hosted minor league home ...

teams joined Emporia in beginning league play on April 23, 1948. The Emporia Nationals began play as a minor league affiliate of the Washington Senators. The franchise would continue the affiliation through the 1950 season. In their first season of play, the Emporia Nationals missed the 1948 Virginia League playoffs. The Nationals ended the regular season with a record of 63–74, placing 5th in the standings, finishing 21.0 games behind the first place Suffolk Goobers.

Morrie Aderholt Morris Woodrow Aderholt (September 13, 1915 – March 18, 1955) was a second baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1939 to 1945. Born in Mount Olive, North Carolina, Aderholt graduated from Wake Forest University and played profe ...

served as player/manager, his first of three seasons as player/manager. Aderholt won the league batting title with a .387 batting average and hit a league leading 31 home runs. In their second season, the Nationals qualified for the Virginia League playoffs in 1949. Playing under returning manager Morrie Aderholt, Emporia ended the 1949 season with a record of 67–55 and placed third the regular season standings, finishing 10.0 games behind the first place Franklin Kildees. Emporia was the only league team with a major league affiliation in 1949, after the league had three in 1948. In the 1st round of the playoffs, the Petersburg Generals defeated the Nationals in seven games. John Garrison of Emporia led the league with 25 home runs. Just before the start of the regular season, Emporia pitchers Bert Roseberry and Ralph Fraser were both killed in an automobile accident. Their deaths occurred during spring training on April 15, 1950, two weeks before opening day. The 1950 Emporia Nationals won the Virginia League championship and pennant in their last season at a Washington Senators affiliate, remaining the only team in the league with an affiliation. With a record of 71–57, Emporia ended the regular season in first place, finishing 3.0 games ahead of the second place Petersburg Generals. Playing under manager Morrie Aderholt, the Nationals won both playoff series to claim the championship. In the 1st round of the playoffs, Emporia defeated the Hopewell Blue Sox in five games to advance. In the Finals, the Nationals won the championship in defeating Petersburg 4 games to 2. Emporia's LeRoy Dietzel scored 121 runs to led the league and teammate John Garrison's 170 hits led the league. Following the 1950 championship, Washington saw an imbalance in affiliate teams within the Virginia League. Ossie Bluege and the Washington Senators ended the affiliation with Emporia. In 1951, Washington transferred their Class D level affiliation to the

Roanoke Rapids Jays The Roanoke Rapids Jays were a Coastal Plain League baseball team based in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, USA that existed from 1947 to 1952. They were affiliated with the Washington Senators from 1951 to 1952. Notable players include Ted Abernat ...

of the Coastal Plain League. In their final season, the renamed Emporia "Rebels" missed the playoffs with a last place finish in the Virginia League standings. Playing under managers Joe Mills and Harry Martin, the Rebels ended the Virginia League regular season in sixth place with a record of 39–78, finishing 40.0 games behind the first place

Colonial Heights-Petersburg Generals Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 au ...

. The Virginia League permanently folded as a minor league following the 1951 season. Emporia, Virginia has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Emporia Nationals and Emporia Rebels hosted home minor league home games at Slagle Stadium.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

(1948–1950, player/MGR) * Roy Dietzel (1950) * Vern Freiburger (1949–1951) *

Bob Oldis Robert Carl Oldis (born January 5, 1928) is a scout for the Miami Marlins of American Major League Baseball and a former professional baseball player and coach. Biography Oldis was a catcher whose playing career lasted for 15 seasons, 1949–63. ...

(1949–1950) *

Buck Varner Glen Gann "Buck" Varner (August 17, 1930 – April 29, 2000) was an American professional baseball player. The outfielder, a native of Hixson, Tennessee, appeared in two Major League games for the Washington Senators during the 1952 season. Va ...

(1948)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Emporia - Baseball Reference
Emporia, Virginia Defunct minor league baseball teams Professional baseball teams in Virginia Defunct baseball teams in Virginia Baseball teams disestablished in 1950 Baseball teams established in 1948 Virginia League teams Washington Senators minor league affiliates