The Moultrie Packers were a class D, and class A minor league baseball team, based in

Moultrie, Georgia Moultrie is the county seat and largest city of Colquitt County, Georgia, United States. It is the third largest city in Southwest Georgia, behind Thomasville and Albany. As of the 2010 census, Moultrie's population was 14,268. It was originally ...

, founded by J.S. Dillard.

History

Moultrie teams played in the Dixie League from 1916 to 1917 and the

Georgia–Florida League The Georgia–Florida League was a minor baseball league that existed from 1935 through 1958 (suspending operations during World War II) and in 1962–1963. It was one of many Class D circuits that played in the Southeastern United States during ...

from 1935 to 1942, 1946–1952, 1955–1957, and 1962–1963. In 1935 they were named the Moultrie Steers before reestablishing the Packers moniker, which they used until 1947. Their name then changed frequently until the 1963 season when they disbanded. From 1948 to 1949, the team was named the Moultrie Athletics as an affiliate of the Philadelphia Athletics. In 1950, they were renamed the Moultrie Cubs and a year later, the Moultrie To-baks. The team would be renamed the Moultrie Reds and Moultrie Giants, before merging with a team from Brunswick, Georgia in 1957, and being named the Moultrie/Brunswick Phillies. In 1962, the team finally became the Moultrie Colt .22s, after an affiliation with the

Houston Colt .45s The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after s ...

. Overall, Moultrie had affiliations with the

Houston Colt .45's The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...

(1962–1963), Philadelphia Phillies (1957),

Cincinnati Redlegs Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...

(1955–1956), New York Giants (1952), Chicago Cubs (1950), Philadelphia Athletics (1948–1949), Pittsburgh Pirates (1941–1942), Philadelphia Phillies (1939–1940),

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 eigh ...

(1937) and

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...

(1935–1936)

The ballpark

Moultrie teams played at Holmes Memorial Park. Today,

Colquitt County High School Colquitt County High School (CCHS) is a public high school located in unincorporated Colquitt County, Georgia, United States, near Moultrie and with a Norman Park postal address; it has a student body averaging 1,700. The school is part of the ...

is at the site, located at 1800 Park Ave SE, Moultrie, GA 31768. Colquitt County High School's Sports teams are nicknamed the "Packers." Moultrie's minor league baseball team played in the old wooden stadium where Mack Thorpe stadium is now. In about 1946 I went to games there with my Dad, Charlie Powell Sr. My favorite player was 1st baseman, Ken Rhynn (sp).

Notable alumni

Joe Azcue José Joaquín Azcue López (born August 18, 1939) is a Cuban former professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, most prominently as a member of the Cleveland Indians where he played the bulk of hi ...

(1956) MLB All-Star * Gene Bearden (1939) 1948 AL ERA Title * Tex Hughson (1937) 3 x MLB All-Star * Bill Voiselle (1938) MLB All-Star

References

Defunct minor league baseball teams Baseball teams established in 1916 Baseball teams disestablished in 1963 Boston Red Sox minor league affiliates Chicago White Sox minor league affiliates Philadelphia Phillies minor league affiliates Philadelphia Athletics minor league affiliates Pittsburgh Pirates minor league affiliates Professional baseball teams in Georgia (U.S. state) 1916 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) 1963 disestablishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Colquitt County, Georgia Defunct baseball teams in Georgia {{GeorgiaUS-baseball-team-stub