The Poughkeepsie Colts was a primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in

Poughkeepsie, New York Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsi ...

. Between 1886 and 1950, Poughkeepsie teams played 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 ...

(1886, 1888), New York State League (1894), Hudson River League (1903–1907), Eastern Association (1909), New York-New Jersey League (1913), Atlantic League (1914) and Colonial League (1948–1950). Poughkeepsie teams won five league championships.

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 Dan Brouthers played for the Poughkeepsie Colts in from 1903 to 1905.

History

Hudson River League 1886, 1888/New York State League 1894

Poughkeepsie won a championship in their first season of minor league play. Poughkeepsie fielded a team in the 1886

, playing under Manager Sandy McDermott. Poughkeepsie finished with a record of 47–18, 1st place in the Hudson River League standings, 7.0 games ahead of second place Newburgh. The Hudson River League had no 1886 playoffs. Poughkeepsie played again in the 1888 Hudson River League. Poughkeepsie was Managed by Joe Farrell. The Hudson River League stopped play on June 6, 1888. The Poughkeepsie Bridge Citys became members the Independent 1894 New York State League. The Bridge Citys finished in second place in the New York League standings, ending the 1894 season with a record of 25–21 under Manager John Darrow. The Poughkeepsie River Citys finished 2.0 games behind the champion Amsterdam Carpet Tacks. The Hudson River League did not return to play in 1895.

Hudson River League 1903–1907

In 1903, Poughkeepsie Colts became members of the reformed Class D level

. The Colts began play at the new Riverview Field. The Colts ended the 1903 season with a record of 39–51, placing fifth in the standings. Bill McCabe served as manager, beginning a lengthy tenure as the manager of Poughkeepsie teams. At age 45,

inductee Dan Brouthers began a three-year tenure with the Colts, hitting .286 in 16 games. The 1904 Poughkeepsie Colts won the championship of the Class C level Hudson River League. Poughkeepsie finished with a 70–47 record under Manager Bill McCabe. The Colts were 1.0 games ahead of the second place Paterson Intruders in the final league standings. There were no 1904 playoffs. At age 46, Baseball Hall of Famer Dan Brouthers played his second season with the Colts, hitting .373 with 11 home runs in 117 games. On September 3, 1904, Colts pitcher

Jimmy Dygert James Henry Dygert (July 5, 1884 – February 8, 1936) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1905–1910. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League. Career Dygert, a spitball specialist, started his professional base ...

threw a no–hitter against the Newburgh Taylor-mades, winning 2–0. In 1905, the Poughkeepsie Colts placed third in the Hudson River League. The Colts ended the 1905 regular season with a record of 59–52 under Bill McCabe. Poughkeepsie was 5.5 games behind the champion

Hudson Marines The Hudson Marines were a minor league baseball team based in Hudson, New York. From 1903 to 1907, the Marines played exclusively as members of the Hudson River League, managed by Augie Schnack each season. The Marines captured the 1905 Hudson Riv ...

. Baseball Hall of Famer Dan Brouthers hit .295 with 6 home runs in 81 games for the Colts at age 47. The Poughkeepsie Colts continued play in the 1906 Hudson River League. Poughkeepsie finished in second place with a 60–45 record, led again by Manager Bill McCabe. On September 9, 1906, Poughkeepsie was 1.0 games behind the first place

Paterson Invaders The Paterson Invaders were a minor league baseball team based in Paterson, New Jersey. From 1904 to 1907, Paterson teams played as members of the Class C level Hudson River League, winning the 1906 league championship. The team played as the "In ...

when the Hudson River League ceased play for the season. The Class C Hudson River League resumed play to begin the 1907 season. Poughkeepsie was in first place on June 18, 1907, when the six–team Hudson River League permanently folded. The Hudson River league was down to four remaining teams, after having the Kingston and Paterson franchises fold in early June. The Poughkeepsie Colts were again Managed by Bill McCabe and had a 17–10 record, 1.5 games ahead of the second place

Newburgh Hillies Newburgh (''"new"'' + the English/Scots word ''"burgh"'') may refer to: Places Scotland *Newburgh, Fife, a former royal burgh * Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, a village England *Newburgh, Lancashire, a village *Newburgh, North Yorkshire, a village ...

when the league folded.

Eastern Association 1909/New York-New Jersey League 1913/Atlantic League 1914

Poughkeepsie returned to minor league play in 1909. The Poughkeepsie Students played in the Independent Eastern Association. The team was short lived as the Eastern Association folded on June 6, 1909. Fred Page was the 1909 Poughkeepsie manager. Poughkeepsie returned to minor league play in 1913 under former manager Bill McCabe, whe the Poughkeepsie Honey Bugs became members of the Class D New York-New Jersey League, finishing second in the 1913 standings. The Poughkeepsie Honey Bugs finished 48–49, 18.5 games behind the first place

Long Branch Cubans The Long Branch Cubans (also known as the Newark Cubans and the Jersey City Cubans) were a professional baseball team that played from 1913 to 1916. It was the first U.S. minor league baseball team composed almost entirely of Cubans. Figueredo 20 ...

. The 1914 Poughkeepsie Honey Bugs won a championship as they resumed league play in the renamed Atlantic League. Playing under Manager Bill McCabe, Poughkeepsie finished 65–31, placing first in the Class D Atlantic League final standings, 3.5 games ahead of the second place Long Branch Cubans. Poughkeepsie was unable to defend their title as the Atlantic League folded after the 1914 season.

Colonial League 1948–1950

Thirty-three years after the Atlantic League folded, the 1947 Poughkeepsie Giants became members of the Class B Colonial League. The Poughkeepsie Giants finished second in the six–team Colonial League regular season with a record of 66–50 under manager

Eric McNair Donald Eric McNair (April 12, 1909 – March 11, 1949) was a Major League Baseball shortstop from 1929 to 1942. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago White Sox. McNair became an everyday player w ...

. In the Colonial League Playoffs, the New London Raiders defeated the Poughkeepsie Giants 4 games to 3. The Giants returned to play at Riverview Field, with 1947 season home attendance of 43,403, an average of 748 per game. The Poughkeepsie Chiefs advanced to the 1948 Colonial League Finals. Managed by Steve Mizerak, the Chiefs had a 76–61 regular season record, finishing in second place, 9.0 games behind the first place Port Chester Clippers. In the 1948 Playoffs, Poughkeepsie defeated the New Brunswick/ Kingston Hubs 4 games to 1. In the Colonial League Finals, the Port Chester Clippers defeated the Poughkeepsie Chiefs 4 games to 1. Poughkeepsie had season home attendance of 38,573 at Riverview Field. The 1949 Poughkeepsie Chiefs finished fifth in the Colonial League standings and missed the playoffs. The Chiefs finished with a 45–78 record under managers Woody Williams,

Elmer Weingartner Elmer William Weingartner (August 13, 1918 – March 15, 2009) was a shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians during the season. Listed at , , Weingartner batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Cleveland, Oh ...

and Gabe Mauro. Riverview Field home season attendance was 25,123, an average of 409 per game. In their final season of minor league play, Poughkeepsie won an abbreviated championship. The 1950 Poughkeepsie Chiefs were in first place in the league standings when the Colonial League folded on July 16, 1950. The Poughkeepsie Chiefs had a record of 43–26 losses, 3.0 games ahead of the second place

Kingston Colonials The Kingston Colonials were an American basketball team based in Kingston, New Jersey Kingston is an unincorporated community and census designated place (CDP) along the border of South Brunswick Township in Middlesex County and Franklin T ...

. Robert Doyle was the 1950 manager. After Colonial League folded on July 16, 1950, minor league baseball has not returned to Poughkeepsie.

The ballpark

From 1903 to 1950, Poughkeepsie minor league teams hosted minor league home games at Riverview Field. Opened in 1903, the ballpark had a capacity of 4,500 (1949) and 5,500 (1950). Riverview Field was located at 4 Lincoln Ave in Poughkeepsie, New York. Today, the location is still in use as a baseball field, known as Stitzel Field.

Notable alumni

* Dan Brouthers (1903–1905) Inducted

, 1945 *

Desmond Beatty "Desperate" Desmond Aloysius Beatty (April 7, 1893 – June 10, 1969) was an American professional baseball player who played two games for the New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the Ne ...

(1914) * Joe Berry (1894) *

Al Burch Albert William Burch (October 7, 1883 – October 5, 1926), was a professional baseball player who played outfield from 1906 to 1911 for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 611 games over six seasons, Burch posted a .254 batting ...

(1904–1905) * Bill Daley (1894) *

(1903–1904) * Jack Fox (1906) *

John Ganzel John Henry Ganzel (April 7, 1874 – January 14, 1959) was an American first baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. Ganzel batted and threw right-handed. He played with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1898), Chicago Cubs (1900), New York Giants (19 ...

(1914) *

Ed Irwin The Detroit Tigers replacement players represented the Detroit Tigers on May 18, 1912. On May 15, 1912, Detroit star Ty Cobb was taunted in New York by a fan named Claude Lueker. According to several accounts, Lueker triggered Cobb's anger by c ...

(1905) * Jim McCormick (1905) *

(1947, MGR) * Sandy McDermott (1886, MGR) *

Jay Kirke Judson Fabian Kirke (June 16, 1888 – August 31, 1968) was an American professional baseball first baseman. Kirke played baseball locally around Fleischmanns, New York before signing with the Kingston Colonials of the Hudson River League and th ...

(1907) *

Elmer Steele Elmer Rae Steele (May 17, 1886 in Poughkeepsie, New York – March 9, 1966 in Rhinebeck, New York) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched in the major leagues from 1907 to 1911. He also played for several years in the minor leagues. ...

(1906) *

Pete Taylor Pete Taylor (April 1, 1945 in Des Moines, Iowa – March 5, 2003 in Iowa City, Iowa) was a radio and television sportscaster who worked for radio station KRNT and television station KCCI in Des Moines, Iowa. Taylor also served as the play-by-play ...

(1947) *

(1949, MGR)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Poughkeepsie - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Professional baseball teams in New York (state) Defunct baseball teams in New York (state) Baseball teams established in 1903 Baseball teams disestablished in 1950 Poughkeepsie, New York Defunct Colonial League teams Dutchess County, New York Hudson River League teams