The Newark Colts were a minor league baseball team based in

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Atlantic League, winning the 1896 league championship. The Colts hosted home games at the Hamburg Place Ballpark. The ballpark site evolved to become Wiedenmayer’s Park in 1902 and today's

Riverbank Park Riverbank Park is a park in the Ironbound section of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, United States. The park was opened in 1910 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 16, 1998. It is the smallest and one of the m ...

, which is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. The Newark Colts were preceded in Newark by the 1890

Newark Little Giants The Newark Little Giants were a professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey in the late 1880s. They played in the Eastern League for one year until moving to the International League in 1887. Newark featured the first all African-Americ ...

of the

Atlantic Association The Atlantic Association was a minor league baseball organization that operated between 1889 and 1890 and again in 1908 in the Northeastern United States. History First Demise In each of the two seasons 4 or more teams failed to finish the season a ...

and succeeded by the 1902

Newark Sailors The Newark Sailors, later known as the Newark Indians, were a minor league baseball team in the early twentieth century. The team played its games at Wiedenmayer's Park in Newark, New Jersey. Newark played in the Eastern League between 1908 and ...

of the Eastern League.

History

In 1896, the Newark Colts became charter members of the seven–team Class A level Atlantic League, the highest level of minor leagues in the era. The

Hartford Bluebirds Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

, Lancaster Maroons, New Haven Texas Steers,

Philadelphia Athletics The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, the team became the Oaklan ...

, Paterson Silk Weavers and Wilmington Peaches joined Newark in beginning league play on April 23. 1896. The Newark Colts were the 1896 Atlantic League champions in their first season of play. Playing under manager George Ellis, the Colts ended the 1896 season with a final record of 82–61, placing first and finishing 2.0 games ahead of the second place

(73–56) in the final standings of the seven–team league. They were followed by the Paterson Silk Weavers (74–60), Wilmington Peaches (58–79),

New York Metropolitans The Metropolitan Club (New York Metropolitans or the Mets) was a 19th-century professional baseball team that played in New York City from 1880 to 1887. (The ''New York Metropolitan Baseball Club'' was the name chosen in 1961 for the New York ...

/Philadelphia Athletics (57–69) and Lancaster Maroons (26–30) and New Haven Texas Steers (21–38) in the final standings. Lancaster and New Haven folded before the end of the season, leaving five teams to complete the 1896 season. Jack Rothfuss of Newark led the Atlantic League with both 13 home runs and 87 stolen bases. After the 1896 season, Hartford challenged Newark's final record, arguing that it was unfairly inflated due to a dozen extra games played. It was argued that Newark also used suspended pitcher Joseph Frye, who had left Hartford mid-year. As a result, the second place Hartford team challenged Newark to a 7–game series to decide the championship. Newark declined the invitation and remained champions as decided by the league. The third place Paterson club accepted the Hartford invitation to play a series and prevailed over Hartford 5 games to 2 in what was called the "Soby Cup." The 1897 Newark Colts were the runner–up as the Colts continued play as members of the eight–team Class B level Atlantic League, as the league expanded. Managed again by George Ellis, the Colts ended the 1897 season with a record of 89–52, placing second and finishing 4.0 games behind the first place Lancaster Maroons. Rasty Wright of Newark won the Atlantic League batting title, hitting .372. Newark pitcher

Bill Carrick William Martin Carrick (September 5, 1873 – March 7, 1932) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was nicknamed Doughnut Bill.Wilbert, Warren N. ''The arrival of the American League: Ban Johnson and the 1901 challenge to National L ...

won 31 games to lead the Atlantic League. The Newark Colts placed sixth in the 1898 Atlantic League. The Colts ended the 1898 season with a record of 58–71, as

Oyster Burns Thomas P. "Oyster" Burns (September 6, 1864November 11, 1928) was an American professional baseball player whose career spanned 15 seasons, 11 of which were spent with the Major League Baseball (MLB) Wilmington Quicksteps (1884), Baltimore Oriol ...

served as manager. Newark finished 26.0 games behind the first place Richmond Bluebirds in final standings of the eight–team league. Pat Meaney of Newark won the Atlantic League batting championship, hitting .330. The 1899 Newark Colts continued play as the Atlantic League was elevated to a Class A level league. Newark ended the 1899 season with a record of 42–54, placing sixth in the final standings, as

Jim Field James C. Field (April 24, 1863 in Philadelphia – May 13, 1953 in Atlantic City, New Jersey) was a Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league i ...

and

Abner Powell Abner Charles Powell (December 15, 1860 – August 7, 1953) was a Major League Baseball player who was a member of the Washington Nationals of the Union Association in 1884. He later played for the Baltimore Orioles and the Cincinnati Red Stockin ...

managed the Colts during the season. Newark finished 25.0 games behind the first place Richmond Blue Birds in the final Atlantic League standings. In their final season of play, the 1900 Newark Colts disbanded during the season. On June 2, 1900, the Newark Colts franchise folded with a record of 8–12. John Irwin served as manager in the partial season. The Jersey City team folded from the Atlantic League on the same day. On June 14, 1900, the Atlantic League folded. John Thornton of Newark led the Atlantic League in hitting during the brief season, batting .379. After the Newark Colts folded, Newark, New Jersey was without a minor league team in 1901. The 1902

began play as members of the Eastern League. When the Atlantic League resumed play in 1914, the Newark Cubans were a member. Soccer Ground

The ballpark

The name of the Newark Colts' home ballpark was Hamburg Place, owned by local politician and businessman George Wiedenmayer. The site also hosted football and soccer. The ballpark site was adjacent to the Wiedenmayer & Sons Brewery owned by Wiedenmayer, with railroad and trolly access and the

Passaic River Passaic River ( ) is a river, approximately long, in Northern New Jersey. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey, ...

nearby. A new ballpark on the site, dubbed Wiedenmayer’s Park, was built for the

team in 1902 with support from George Wiedenmayer. The brewing plant was located at 588 Market Street. In 1907, the site became a public park known as

and the park is still in use today as a public park with amenities. Riverbank Park is listed on the

Timeline

Year-by–year records

Notable alumni

Larry Battam Lawrence Battam (May 1, 1876 – January 27, 1938), was a professional baseball player who played third base in the Major Leagues for the 1895 New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New Y ...

(1898) * Harry Bemis (1900) * Tun Berger (1898) * Jake Boyd (1897) * George Bristow (1896) * Stub Brown (1899) *

(1896), (1898, MGR) *

Bill Byers James William Byers (October 3, 1877 – September 8, 1948) was a catcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals co ...

(1899) * Bobby Cargo (1896–1897) *

(1897–1898) * Pete Cassidy (1897–1898) * Dick Cogan (1897–1899) *

Tom Delahanty Thomas James Delahanty (March 9, 1872 – January 10, 1951) was an American professional baseball infielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Spiders, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Louisville Colonels ...

(1897–1898) * Tom Donovan (1899–1900) * Davey Dunkle (1896) *

Harry Felix Harry Felix (1875–1961) was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball during the and seasons. Felix made his debut for the New York Giants on October 5, 1901, pitching two innings at the end of a game against the Brooklyn Superbas. ...

(1898) *

(1899, MGR) *

Ned Garvin Virgil Lee GarvinGarvin is known as Ned in most modern references, but sources frequently used his given name during his playing career. (January 1, 1874 – June 16, 1908), nicknamed "The Navasota Tarantula", was a pitcher in Major League Basebal ...

(1896) * Bill George (1898) * Charlie Gettig (1896–1897) * Jim Gilman (1896) * Joe Gunson (1899) * Bill Hallman (1898) *

Scott Hardesty Scott Durbin Hardesty (January 26, 1870 - October 29, 1944) was an infielder in Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is ...

(1898-1899) *

Bill Hassamaer William Louis Hassamaer (July 26, 1864 – May 25, 1910), was a former professional baseball player who played outfielder in the Major Leagues from 1894 to 1896. He played for the Louisville Colonels and Washington Senators. See also * List of M ...

(1896) *

Gil Hatfield Gilbert Hatfield (January 27, 1855 – May 27, 1921), nicknamed "Colonel", was an American professional baseball player who played third base and shortstop in the Major Leagues from 1885 to 1895. He was interred at Fairview Cemetery (Fairview, N ...

(1897) * Larry Hesterfer (1899) *

Ducky Holmes James William "Ducky" Holmes (January 28, 1869 – August 6, 1932) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played ten seasons in the National League and American League with the Louisville Colonels (1895–97), New York Giants (1897), S ...

(1897) * John Irwin (1900, MGR) * Charlie Jordan (1898) *

Jack Katoll Johann "Jack" Katoll (June 24, 1875 – June 18, 1955) was a professional baseball pitcher who played in the Major Leagues from 1898 to 1902. He would play for the Chicago Orphans, Chicago White Sox, and Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Ori ...

(1898) * Dan Kerwin (1896) *

Hi Ladd Arthur Clifford "Hi" Ladd (February 9, 1870 – May 7, 1948) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Beaneaters in 1898. Arthur is the great great grandfather of current NHL player Andrew Ladd ...

(1900) * Tom Lipp (1896) *

Con Lucid Cornelius Cecil Lucid (February 24, 1874 – June 25, 1931) was a 19th-century Irish born Major League Baseball pitcher and coach. He played from 1893 to 1897 in the National League. Lucid's minor league baseball career spanned the period of 189 ...

(1896) * Sam McMackin (1800) * Frank McManus (1898) * Frank McPartlin (1898-1899) * George Merritt (1900) * Bob Miller (1896) * Willie Mills (1896) *

Parson Nicholson Thomas Clark "Parson" Nicholson (April 14, 1863 – February 28, 1917) was an American baseball player whose career spanned from 1887 to 1899. He played principally as a second baseman and in the minor leagues. He did play three seasons in Major ...

(1898) * Hal O'Hagan (1896–1897) * John Otten (1896) * Ed Pabst (1899) *

(1899, MGR) * Harry Raymond (1897) *

Mike Roach Michael Stephen Roach (December 23, 1869 – November 12, 1916) was a professional baseball player who caught for the Washington Senators in . Biography Born in Driftwood, Pennsylvania, Roach was the son of William and Bridget Roach. Roach's br ...

(1899) * Jack Rothfuss (1896–1897) *

Ted Scheffler Theodore J. Scheffler (April 5, 1864 – February 24, 1949) was an American professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1885 to 1902. He played two seasons in Major League Baseball as an outfielder for the Detroit Wolverines in 1888 ...

(1898–1899) * Biff Sheehan (1800) * Leo Smith (1896) *

Phenomenal Smith John Francis "Phenomenal" Smith (December 12, 1864 – April 3, 1952), born as John Francis Gammon, was an American professional baseball player and player-manager from 1884 to 1905. He played eight seasons in Major League Baseball, princip ...

(1898) *

Stub Smith James Abner Smith (November 24, 1873 – November 14, 1947), a.k.a. Stub Smith, was a shortstop in Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in t ...

(1896, 1898) *

Bill Stuart William Alexander "Chauncey" Stuart was a Major League Baseball middle infielder. He played in 1895 and 1899, with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1895 and the New York Giants in 1899. Biography Stuart was born on August 28, 1873, in Boalsburg, ...

(1896) * George Stultz (1899) * John Thornton (1899) * Lee Viau (1900) * Tom Vickery (1898) * Bill Whitrock (1897) *

Sam Wise Samuel Washington Wise (August 18, 1857 – January 22, 1910) was a professional baseball player. He played all or part of twelve seasons in Major League Baseball from 1881 to 1893, most often as either a shortstop or second baseman. He played fo ...

(1899) * Sam Woodruff (1899) * Rasty Wright (1896–1897) *

Dave Zearfoss David William Tilden Zearfoss (January 1, 1868 – September 12, 1945) was a professional baseball catcher. He played all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball between 1896 and 1905 for the New York Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals. H ...

(1897, 1900)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Newark - Baseball ReferenceLibrary of Congress film of Newark Colts game
Defunct baseball teams in New Jersey Baseball teams established in 1896 Baseball teams disestablished in 1900 Defunct Atlantic League teams Sports in Newark, New Jersey