The Newnan Cowetas were a minor league baseball team based in

Newnan, Georgia Newnan is a city in Metro Atlanta and the county seat of Coweta County, Georgia, about southwest of Atlanta. Its population was 42,549 at the 2020 census, up from 33,039 in 2010. History Newnan was established as county seat of Coweta Coun ...

. From 1913 to 1916, the Cowetas played as members of the Class D level

Georgia–Alabama League The Georgia–Alabama League was a minor league baseball league that operated in its two namesake states. The circuit first operated from 1913 to 1917, was revived from 1928 to 1930, then returned to operation for a final time from 1946 through 1 ...

, winning the 1915 league championship and finishing in second place in the other three seasons of their league play. Newnan hosted home minor league games at Lee Park.

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

member

Bill Terry William Harold Terry (October 30, 1898 – January 9, 1989) was an American professional baseball first baseman and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Giants from 1923 to 1936 and managed the Giants from 1932 to 19 ...

played for the 1915 and 1916 Newnan Cowetas, in his first professional seasons. The Cowetas were succeeded in Georgia–Alabama League play by the 1946 to 1950 Newnan Brownies.

History

In 1913, the Newnan "Cowetas" began play as charter members of the six–team, Class D level

. The Anniston Moulders, Gadsden Steel Makers, LaGrange Terrapins, Opelika Opelicans and

Talladega Indians The Talladega Indians (also known as the Tigers and Highlanders) were a Minor League Baseball team based in Talladega, Alabama, that played in the Georgia–Alabama League from 1913 to 1917 and 1928–1930. The team originated in Huntsville, Alaba ...

joined Newnan in beginning league play on May 5, 1913. The "Cowetas" team nickname corresponds to the city of Newnan being located within

Coweta County Coweta County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of Metro Atlanta. As of the 2020 census, the population was 146,158. The county seat is Newnan. Coweta County is included in the Atlanta- ...

, while serving as the county seat and housing the Coweta County Courthouse.

In their first season of play, the Cowetas placed second in the Georgia–Alabama League final standings. Newnan ended the 1913 season with a record of 46–44, as Emory Bagwell and Ed Shulze served as managers. The Cowetas finished 5.5 games behind the first place Gadsden Steel Makers in the final standings, as the league held no playoffs. Midge Craven of Newnan led the league with 121 total hits. Continuing play in the 1914 Georgia–Alabama League, the Cowetas again placed second in the final standings as the league expanded. The Cowetas ended the 1914 season with a record of 47–37, to be the runner–up in the standings of the eight–team league.

War Sanders Warren Williams Sanders (August 2, 1877 – August 3, 1962) was a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues in 1903 and 1904 for the St. Louis Cardinals. He went to college at the University of Tennessee. External link ...

served as manager, as Newnan finished 3.0 games behind the first place Selma River Rats in the final standings. Newnan's Lloyd Howell won the league batting championship, hitting .332. On May 10, 1915 at 3:30 P.M., Lee Park hosted the Newnan Cowetas' home opener against La Grange. Admission was 0.25 cents, with an extra 0.15 cents for a grandstand seat. Local businesses closed at 3:00 in order for owners and patrons to attend the ballgame. The 1915 Newnan Cowetas won the six–team Alabama–Georgia League championship in a shortened season. On July 14, 1915, Newnan was in first place when the league folded. The Cowetas ended their shortened 1915 season with a record of 39–20, finishing 1.0 game ahead of the second place Talladega Tigers. Harry Mathews served as manager. Manager Harry Mathews received $50.00 in gold from Newnan fans before the final game of the season. Newnan's Don Flinn hit .358 to win the league batting title, while hitting 15 home runs, also tops in the league. At age 16, future

member

played for Newnan in 1915, in his first professional season. Terry compiled a 7–1 record, with a 0.60 ERA, in 8 games as a pitcher, while hitting .143 in 28

at-bats In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...

for the Cowetas. Terry was first discovered and then scouted by

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...

scout Bobby Gilks, who was at Cowetas games to scout other players, mainly teammate

Jack Nabors Herman John Nabors (November 19, 1887 in Montevallo, Alabama – October 29, 1923 in Wilton, Alabama), was a professional baseball pitcher in the Major Leagues from -. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics. From April 28 to September 28, 1916, ...

, who had pitched a 13 inning no–hitter against Talladega on June 15, 1915. Gilks also scouted and signed

Shoeless Joe Jackson Joseph Jefferson Jackson (July 16, 1887 – December 5, 1951), nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American outfielder who played Major League Baseball (MLB) in the early 1900s. Although his .356 career batting average is the fourth highest ...

and Hall of Fame member

Dave Bancroft David James Bancroft (April 20, 1891 – October 9, 1972) was an American professional baseball shortstop and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Giants, Boston Braves and the Brooklyn Robi ...

. Terry was noticed when he threw a no–hitter of his own on June 30, 1915, defeating Anniston 2–0. Despite folding during the season before, the Georgia–Alabama League reformed in 1916, with Newnan continuing as a member. In their final season, the 1916 Cowetas finished in second place for the third time in four seasons. With Harry Mathews returning as manager, Newnan ended the season with a record of 41–26, finishing 3.0 games behind the first place

Rome Romans , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (Romulus and Remus, legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg ...

in the final standings, as the league ended play early as scheduled on July 22, 1916. Don Flinn of Newnan hit .365 to lead the league for the second strait season, while teammate R.Y Watkins won 15 games, leading the league. Bill Terry played a second season for Newnan in 1916, at age 17. Terry had a 11–8 record, with a 2.48 ERA as a pitcher, while hitting .238 with 5 home runs. After playing a successful 1917 season, Terry unexpectedly quit minor league baseball for two seasons, before returning to the game and evolving into a Hall of Fame hitter for the

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

. The Georgia–Alabama League continued play in 1917, but without a Newnan franchise. Newnan next hosted minor league baseball 30 years later, when the 1946 Newnan Brownies returned to play in the reformed Class D level

, hosting home games at Pickett Field.

The ballpark

The Newnan Cowetas hosted minor league home games exclusively at Lee Park. Today, the site is a public park, hosting the "House of Pickleball" facilities. It is located at 4 Joseph-Hannah Boulevard, Newnan, Georgia.

Timeline

{, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;" ! Year(s) !! # Yrs. !! Team !! Level !! League!!Ballpark , - , 1913–1916, , 4, , Newnan Cowetas , , Class D, ,

, , Lee Park

Year–by–year records

{, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" , - ! Year !! Record !! Finish !! Manager!! Playoffs/Notes , - align=center , 1913, , 46–44 , , 2nd , , Emory Bagwell / Ed Shulze , , No playoffs held , - align=center , 1914 , , 57–37 , , 2nd , ,

, , No playoffs held , - align=center , 1915 , , 39–20 , , 1st , , Harry Mathews, , League champions
League folded July 14 , - align=center , 1916 , , 41–26 , , 2nd , , Harry Mathews, , No playoffs held , - align=center

Notable alumni

(1915–1916) Inducted

, 1954 * Lloyd Christenbury (1916) * Bud Davis (1916) * Don Flinn (1915–1916) *

Jakie May Frank Spruiell "Jakie" May (November 25, 1895 – June 3, 1970) was a professional baseball player. He was a left-handed pitcher over parts of 14 seasons (1917–1921, 1924–1932) with the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs ...

(1914) *

(1915) * Jim Poole (1914) *

George Rohe George Anthony "Whitey" Rohe (September 15, 1874 – June 10, 1957) was an infielder in Major League Baseball from 1901 to 1907. He played for the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional b ...

(1913) *

(1914, MGR)

References

{{reflist

External links

Newnan - Baseball Reference
Defunct baseball teams in Georgia Defunct Georgia-Alabama League teams Baseball teams established in 1913 Baseball teams disestablished in 1916 Coweta County, Georgia