The Pittsfield Colts were a minor league baseball team based in

Pittsfield, Massachusetts Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Pittsfield� ...

. In 1894, the Colts briefly played as members of the Class B level

New York State League The New York State League was an independent baseball league that played six seasons between 2007 and 2012 in New York State and the New York City metro area. Over 500 NYSL players have been signed by professional teams. Players from forty-eight ...

, hosting home games at

Wahconah Park Wahconah Park is a city-owned baseball park located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and nestled in a working-class neighborhood. One of the last remaining ballparks in the United States with a wooden grandstand, it was constructed in 1919 and seats ...

. The Colts folded during the 1894 season and were succeeded by the 1905

Pittsfield Hillies The Pittsfield Hillies were an Eastern League (Class A) baseball team from 1919 to 1930. They were League Champions in 1919 and 1921. Their home field was at Wahconah Park, Pittsfield, Massachusetts. 1905 The Pittsfield Hillies was a professiona ...

History

Pittsfield has a deep baseball history. In 2004, baseball historian

John Thorn John A. Thorn (born April 17, 1947) is a German-born sports historian, author, publisher, and cultural commentator. Since March 1, 2011, he has been the Official Baseball Historian for Major League Baseball. Personal profile Thorn was born in ...

discovered a reference to a 1791 by-law prohibiting anyone from playing "baseball" within of a newly built meeting house in Pittsfield. The 1791 document, would be, as of 2004, the earliest known reference to the game in America. (''See

Origins of baseball The question of the origins of baseball has been the subject of debate and controversy for more than a century. Baseball and the other modern bat, ball, and running games — stoolball, cricket and rounders — were developed from folk games i ...

.'') The document is available on the Pittsfield Library's web site. According to Thorn, the document makes it clear that not only was "baseball" played in 1791 Pittsfield, it was played enough to have a written ordinance against it to protect the new building. The Pittsfield Colts began minor league baseball play in 1894. The Colts joined the

Albany Senators The Albany Senators was a name used by multiple minor league baseball teams representing Albany, New York, that existed between 1885 and 1959. The mid-20th century club played at Hawkins Stadium (Albany), Hawkins Stadium. The various editions of t ...

, Amsterdam Carpet Tacks, Johnstown Buckskins, Kingston Patriarchs and Poughkeepsie Bridge Citys in beginning

play on May 12, 1894. In the era, the Class B level league was the second highest level of minor league play. The Pittsfield Colts of the New York State League ended their 1894 season on July 3, 1894. On that date, with a record of 13–17, Pittsfield folded, along with Albany, leaving the league with four remaining teams. George Roberts and Edward Cain served as the Pittsfield managers during the short season. Pittsfield players Ira Davis,

Mike Hickey Michael Francis Hickey (December 25, 1871 – June 11, 1918) was a second baseman in Major League Baseball. He played in one game for the Boston Beaneaters of the National League (baseball), National League on September 14, 1899. He played colle ...

, Frank McPartlin, John Pappalau and Pussy Tebeau all saw time playing in the major leagues. The Amsterdam Carpet Tacks eventually won the 1894 New York State League championship, finishing 2.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Poughkeepsie Bridge Citys and 3.5 games ahead of the 3rd place Johnstown Buckskins. Pittsfield was the only 1894 New York State League team located out of the state of New York, and the club faced financial issues due in part to bad weather causing the cancellation of home games at

. The Colts were succeeded by the 1905

, who began play as members of the

Hudson River League The Hudson River League was formed in 1903 as a class D minor baseball league after playing one season in 1886. Upgraded to Class C the next season, it continued through 1907 before collapsing. There were twelve cities that represented the league ...

and continued play at Wahconah Park.

The ballpark

The Pittsfield Colts played 1894 minor league home games at

. The ballpark was built in 1892 and the early park was later reconstructed. The historic ballpark is still in use today. Wahconah Park was 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 ...

in 2005 and is located at 143 Wahconah Street. Pitts09a

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

* Ira Davis (1894) *

(1894) * Frank McPartlin (1894) * John Pappalau (1894) * Pussy Tebeau (1894)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links