The Evansville Braves was the primary nickname of a minor league baseball team based in

Evansville, Indiana Evansville is a city in, and the county seat of, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States. The population was 118,414 at the 2020 census, making it the state's third-most populous city after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, the largest city in ...

1938–1942 and 1946–1957, playing in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League. Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees Bob Uecker and

Warren Spahn Warren Edward Spahn (April 23, 1921 – November 24, 2003) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). A left-handed pitcher, Spahn played in 1942 and then from 1946 until 1965, most notabl ...

played for Evansville during this era.

History

The Evansville Bees and Braves played the Class B

Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League The Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League was a Minor League Baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 seasons, with teams based in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin. The league began pla ...

(the "Three-I" League) from 1938–1957, interrupted when the league ceased play during World War II. They played home games at

Bosse Field Bosse Field is a baseball stadium located in Evansville, Indiana. Opened in 1915, it was the first municipally owned sports stadium in the United States and is the third-oldest ballpark still in regular use for professional baseball, surpassed o ...

, which is currently the third oldest baseball stadium in regular use in the United States. Evansville of the Three-I League had a single affiliation with the Major League Braves franchise, playing as affiliates of the

Boston Bees The Atlanta Braves, a current Major League Baseball franchise, originated in Boston, Massachusetts. This article details the history of the Boston Braves, from 1871 to 1952, after which they moved to Milwaukee, and then to Atlanta. During ...

(1938–1940), Boston Braves (1941–1942 and 1946–1952) and the Milwaukee Braves (1953–1957). The Evansville Bees (1938–1940) took their name when the Boston Braves changed their nickname to the Bees for a few seasons. The team ceased after the 1957 season and Evansville was without baseball until the

Evansville White Sox The Evansville White Sox were a minor league baseball team based in Evansville, Indiana that played in the Southern League from 1966 to 1968. They were affiliated with the Chicago White Sox and played their home games at Bosse Field Bosse Fiel ...

began play in the Class AA Southern League in 1966. Today, Evansville and Bosse Field are home to the

Frontier League The Frontier League is a professional independent baseball league with teams in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Eastern Canada. Formed in 1993, it is the oldest currently running independent league in the United States. The le ...

Evansville Otters The Evansville Otters are a professional baseball team based in Evansville, Indiana. They compete in the West Division of the independent Frontier League. Since their establishment in 1995, the Otters have played at historic Bosse Field, which o ...

The ballpark

The franchise played at

. Bosse Field was built in 1915 and had a capacity of 7,200 during the Braves era. Historic Bosse Field is still in use today, serving as the home park for the

of the

. Next to

Fenway Park Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Bas ...

(1912) and Wrigley Field (1914), Memorial Stadium in the third oldest professional park in existence, opening on June 17, 1915. Bosse Field is located at 1701 Main Street & Morgan Street, Evansville, Indiana.

Championships

* The franchise won four

Championships: 1946, 1948, 1956 and 1957.

Major League Affiliations

* 1938–1942; 1946–1952, Boston Braves/Bees * 1953–1957, Milwaukee Braves

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

(1941) Inducted, 1973 * Bob Uecker (1957)

Ford C. Frick Award The Ford C. Frick Award is presented annually by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in the United States to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball". It is named for Ford C. Frick, former Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Before h ...

, 2003

Notable alumni

* Claud Raymond (1957) MLB All-Star *

Lee Maye Arthur Lee Maye (December 11, 1934 – July 17, 2002) was an American Major League Baseball player. He played eleven seasons in the majors as an outfielder for the Milwaukee Braves (1959–1965), Houston Astros (1965–1966), Cleveland Indians ...

(1955-1956) *

Jim Frey James Gottfried Frey (May 26, 1931 – April 12, 2020) was an American professional baseball manager, coach, general manager, and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) outfielder. In , Frey led the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB) to ...

(1951-1952) *

Del Crandall Delmar Wesley Crandall (March 5, 1930May 5, 2021) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He was born in Ontario, California. Crandall played as a catcher in Major League Baseball and spent most of his career with the Boston / ...

(1949) MLB All-Star *

Dick Donovan Richard Edward Donovan (December 7, 1927 – January 6, 1997) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Boston Braves (1950–1952), Detroit Tigers (1954), Chicago White Sox (1955–1960), Washington Senators (1961) and C ...

(1948) MLB All-Star *

Chuck Tanner Charles William Tanner (July 4, 1928February 11, 2011) was an American professional baseball player and manager. A left fielder and pinch hitter who appeared in 396 games in Major League Baseball between 1955 and 1962, he was known for his unwav ...

(1946) Manager: 1979 World Series Champion - Pittsburgh Pirates

Year-by-year record

References

{{Reflist Defunct minor league baseball teams Sports in Evansville, Indiana Defunct baseball teams in Indiana 1938 establishments in Indiana 1957 disestablishments in Indiana Boston Braves minor league affiliates Boston Bees minor league affiliates Milwaukee Braves minor league affiliates Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League teams Baseball teams established in 1938 Baseball teams disestablished in 1957