The North Platte Indians were a
minor league baseball team based in
North Platte, Nebraska
North Platte is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Nebraska, United States. It is located in the west-central part of the state, along Interstate 80, at the confluence of the North and South Platte Rivers forming the Platte River. T ...
. Preceded by the North Platte Buffalos, the North Platte teams played as members of the
Class D level
Nebraska State League from 1928 to 1932 as the Buffalos and from 1956 to 1959 as the Indians. The North Platte Indians were a minor league affiliate of the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive Fi ...
from 1956 to 1959, winning the 1958 league championship. The Buffalos played home games at the Union Pacific Park and the Indians hosted home games at Bill Wood Field.
History
Based in
North Platte, Nebraska
North Platte is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Nebraska, United States. It is located in the west-central part of the state, along Interstate 80, at the confluence of the North and South Platte Rivers forming the Platte River. T ...
, the North Platte Indians were an affiliate of the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive Fi ...
, playing as members of the Nebraska State League. Previously, the North Platte Buffalos played as members of the Nebraska State League from 1928 to 1932.
The North Platte Indians finished 41–22 in 1958 and captured the 1958 Nebraska State League Championship, playing under manager Mark Wylie.
On July 29, 1928, North Platte pitcher Joe Smith threw a no–hitter in a 7–inning game against the
Beatrice Blues. North Platte won the game 3–0.
The Nebraska State League folded permanently after the 1959 season. The 1959 league member franchises folded as well, the
Hastings Giants
The Hastings Giants was the final nickname of the minor league baseball teams, based in Hastings, Nebraska between 1887 and 1959. The Hastings Giants played in the short-season Class D level Nebraska State League from 1956 to 1959. Earlier Hasti ...
,
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 ...
,
Grand Island Athletics,
Kearney Yankees
The Kearney Yankees were a minor league baseball team that played in the Class D level Nebraska State League from 1956 to 1959. Hosting home games at Kearney Memorial Field, Kearney was a minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees.
History
Ba ...
,
McCook Braves
The McCook Braves were a minor league baseball team based in McCook, Nebraska. From 1956 to 1959, the McCook Braves played as members of the short-season Class D level Nebraska State League as an affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves for their durati ...
and North Platte Indians all folded.
North Platte has not hosted another minor league team.
The ballparks
The Union Pacific Park was noted to have hosted the North Platte Buffalos from 1928 to 1932 for minor league home games. The ballpark within the park was called Jeffers Field, located 7th and Jeffers, North Platte, Nebraska. The ballpark was destroyed by fire in 1955.
After the fire, Bill Wood Field was constructed in 1956, within Cody Park. Bill Wood Field was referenced to have hosted the North Platte Indians. The ballfield is still in use today, located within Cody Park, near the National Guard building. Today, Bill Wood Field is home to
American Legion baseball. It is located at 18th & Jeffers, North Platte, Nebraska.
Timeline
Year–by–year record
Notable alumni
![Rudy York 1945](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Rudy_York_1945.JPG)
*
Bob Allen (1956)
*
Doc Edwards
Howard Rodney "Doc" Edwards (December 10, 1938 – August 20, 2018), was an American professional baseball catcher, manager, and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees, ...
(1958)
*
Spence Harris (MGR, 1956) Minor league career records runs (2,287), doubles (743), hits (3,617)
*
Ramon Lopez (1958)
*
Jim Perry James Perry may refer to:
* James Perry (journalist) (1756–1821), journalist
* James Franklin Perry (1790–1853), early Texas settler (with wife Emily Austin Perry)
* Jimmy Perry (1923–2016), English actor and scriptwriter
* James E. C. Perr ...
(1956) 3x MLB All-Star; 1970 AL
Cy Young Award;
Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
*
Duke Sims (1959)
*
Dave Vineyard (1959)
*
Rudy York
Preston Rudolph York (August 17, 1913 – February 5, 1970) was an American professional baseball player, coach, scout, and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher and a first baseman between and , most notably as a member of the ...
(MGR, 1957) 7x MLB All-Star
See also
North Platte Indians players
References
{{Reflist
External links
Baseball ReferenceUnion Pacific Park photo
North Platte, Nebraska
Baseball teams established in 1956
Defunct minor league baseball teams
Baseball teams disestablished in 1959
1956 establishments in Nebraska
1959 disestablishments in Nebraska
Defunct baseball teams in Nebraska
Professional baseball teams in Nebraska
Cleveland Guardians minor league affiliates
Nebraska State League teams