The Lexington Red Sox were a minor league baseball team, based in

Lexington, Nebraska Lexington is a city in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 10,348 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Dawson County. Lexington is located in southern Nebraska, on the Platte River, southeast of North Platte. It si ...

. From 1956 to 1958, the Red Sox played exclusively as members of the short–season Class D level

Nebraska State League The Nebraska State League (NSL) was an American professional minor league baseball league with five incarnations between 1892 and 1959. The Nebraska State League formed five times: in 1892, from 1910 to 1915, from 1922 to 1923, from 1928 to 1938 a ...

, winning the 1956 league championship. The Red Sox played as a minor league affiliate of the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...

, hosting home minor league games at the Dawson County Fairgrounds Park.

History

Based in

, and

Dawson County, Nebraska Dawson County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 24,326. Its county seat is Lexington. Dawson County is part of the Lexington, NE Micropolitan Statistical Area. In the Nebraska ...

, the Lexington Red Sox were a Class D level affiliate of the

that played in the Nebraska State League from 1956 to 1958. The Lexington Red Sox played their home games at the Dawson County Fairgrounds Park. Lexington won the Nebraska State League Championship in 1956. The team disbanded after the 1958 season when the league reduced from eight teams to six teams, with Lexington and the

Superior Senators The Superior Senators were a Minor League Baseball team, based in Superior, Nebraska. The Senators played from 1956 to 1958 in the short-season Class D level Nebraska State League as an affiliate of the Washington Senators. From 1910 to 1914, t ...

disbanding. The 1956 Lexington Red Sox captured the Nebraska State League Championship in their first season. Opening day drew 1,900 fans, as Lexington defeated the

Holdrege White Sox The Holdrege White Sox were a minor league baseball team based in Holdrege, Nebraska. The White Sox played as members of the short–season Class D level Nebraska State League from 1956 to 1959 as an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Holdrege ...

10–7. The Lexington Red Sox ended the 1956 season with a record of 41–22, placing first in the league standings, playing the season under manager Danny Doyle. The Red Sox finished 3.0 games ahead of the second place

Grand Island Athletics Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor * Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist * Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper Places * Grand, Oklahoma * Grand, Vosges, village and comm ...

in the final standings, as the league had no playoffs. The Red Sox drew 28,393 for the season, an average 901, to Dawson County Fairgrounds Park. The Lexington Red Sox narrowly missed defending their championship in 1957, as the team finished in a second place tie, just 0.5 behind. Lexington finished with a 33–23 record, the same record as the Holdrege White Sox, to finish in a tie for second place. The champion Grand Island Athletics place first with a record of 33–22.

Jack Kaiser John Warren Kaiser (October 6, 1926 – May 25, 2022) was Athletics Director Emeritus at St. John's University in Queens, NY. He was an American baseball player, college coach, and administrator. As a player, he helped St. John's to the 1949 Co ...

was the Lexington Manager in 1957. Season attendance was 24,218, an average of 865 per game. In their final season, the 1958 Lexington Red Sox placed fifth in the eight–team Nebraska State League. Lexington finished with a 30–33 record, playing again under manager Jack Kaiser. In their final season at Dawson County Fairgrounds Park, the Red Sox had season attendance of 2,838, an average of 408 per home game. Lexington folded after the 1958 season, as the Nebraska State League reduced to six teams. Lexington, Nebraska has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Lexington Red Sox played their minor league home games at the Dawson County Fairgrounds Park. The ball field had a dirt infield and utilized the existing raceway grandstands at the fairgrounds to accommodate fans. Today, the grandstands are still in use at the Dawson County Fairgrounds for the Dawson County Raceway. The location is 1000 Plum Creek Parkway in Lexington, Nebraska.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

* Danny Doyle (1956, MGR) *

(1957–1958, MGR) *

Bill Spanswick William Henry Spanswick (July 8, 1938 – December 2, 2020) was an American professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, Spanswick appeared in 29 games, seven as a starter, in the Major Leagues for the 1964 Boston Red Sox. Spanswick w ...

(1958)

References

{{Reflist

External links

Lexington - Baseball Reference
Baseball teams established in 1956 Defunct minor league baseball teams 1956 establishments in Nebraska 1958 disestablishments in Nebraska Defunct baseball teams in Nebraska Professional baseball teams in Nebraska Boston Red Sox minor league affiliates Dawson County, Nebraska Baseball teams disestablished in 1958 Nebraska State League teams