The Rocky Mount Pines was an American minor league baseball team located in Rocky Mount, North Carolina which competed in the Class A

Carolina League The Carolina League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since 1945. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 unti ...

for the 1980 season. They were the 42nd and final team to represent Rocky Mount in minor league baseball during the 20th century, beginning in 1909.

History

The 1980 Rocky Mount Pines were unaffiliated with any

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

franchise or farm system, and played their home games at Municipal Stadium. The Pines were formed by owner Lou Haneles and led by manager

Mal Fichman Mal Fichman is a minor league baseball manager notable for leading multiple championship teams in the Frontier League in the mid-to-late 1990s. He first became a minor league manager in 1979, heading the Newark Co-Pilots. In 1980, he led the Rock ...

, and represented the return of professional baseball to Rocky Mount since the departure of the

Rocky Mount Phillies The Rocky Mount Phillies were a baseball team, a Class-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies from 1973 through 1975. They played in the Carolina League and won the league championship in 1975. The Rocky Mount Phillies replaced the Rocky Moun ...

in 1975. The low light of the 1980 season came on August 29 when

Durham Bulls The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened ...

pitcher

Rick Behenna Richard Kipp Behenna (March 6, 1960 – January 31, 2012) was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves in 1983 and the Cleveland Indians from 1983 to 1985. He was part of what was perhaps one of the worst trades ever made by the Brav ...

no-hit the Pines in an 8-0 victory. The Pines finished their lone season with a record of only 24 wins and 114 losses, the worst mark in Carolina League history. The Pines had losing streaks of 18, 14, 13, and 11 games, and drew a total 26,702 fans for the season. The franchise relocated the next year to Hagerstown, Maryland as the

Hagerstown Suns The Hagerstown Suns were a Minor League Baseball team based in Hagerstown, Maryland. They were a member of the South Atlantic League and, from 2007 through 2020, were the Class A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They played their home ga ...

(now the

Frederick Keys The Frederick Keys are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. The Keys are based in Frederick, Maryland. The franchise is named for "Star-Spangled Banner" writer Francis Scott Key, a native of Frederick County. A new team masc ...

Rocky Mount minor league history prior to 1980

Rocky Mount minor league teams played as members of the

(1962–1975; 1980),

Coastal Plain League The Coastal Plain League (CPL) is a wood-bat collegiate summer baseball league, featuring college players recruited from throughout the nation. The league takes its name from the Class D level Coastal League which operated in the area from 19 ...

(1946–1952),

Bi-State League The Bi-State League was an American baseball minor league formed in 1934 with teams in Virginia and North Carolina. The league held together for nine seasons, being represented by ten cities from North Carolina and eight from Virginia. Only the ...

(1942), Coastal Plain League (1941),

Piedmont League The Piedmont League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1920 through 1955. The league operated principally in the Piedmont plateau region in the eastern United States. Teams The following teams were members of the Piedmont ...

(1936–1940),

Eastern Carolina League The Eastern Carolina League was a minor league baseball affiliation which operated in the Eastern part of North Carolina. The league had two distinct periods of operation: 1908 to 1910 and a revival of the league in 1928 and 1929. It was classifi ...

(1928–1929), Piedmont League (1927),

Virginia League The Virginia League was a minor league baseball affiliation which operated in Virginia and North Carolina from 1906 to 1928. It was classified as a "C" league from 1906 to 1919 and as a "B" league from 1920 to 1928. The most famous alumni to c ...

(1915–1917; 1920–1924), and Eastern Carolina League (1909–1910). In addition to the

of 1973–1975, previous clubs were known as the Rocky Mount Senators (1964), Rocky Mount Rocks (1942; 1946), Rocky Mount Red Sox (1936–1940), Rocky Mount Buccaneers (1927–1929), Rocky Mount Broncos (1924), Rocky Mount Tar Heels (1916–1917; 1920–1923), Rocky Mount Carolinians (1915) and the original Rocky Mount Railroaders (1909–1910). Rocky Mount teams were an affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies (1973–1975), Detroit Tigers (1965–1972), Washington Senators (1964), Cincinnati Reds (1962–1963),

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...

(1936–1940) and Brooklyn Dodgers (1929). Rocky Mount won six league championships: in 1915, 1929, 1942, 1946, 1966 and 1975.

The ballpark

Rocky Mount teams played at Municipal Stadium. Municipal Stadium was also Known "Briles Field" (1946), "Tar Heel Park" (1920-1929), and "Briles Park" (1915). The ballpark had a capacity of 4,500 (1920), 2,800 (1923), 3,200 (1936), 3,500 (1950) and 4,500 (1971). The field dimensions were (Left, Center, Right) 350-430-350 (1923), 300-430-350 (1936) and 350-350-346 (1971). The ballpark is still in use today, hosting youth baseball. The location is South Howell Street & O'Berry Street, Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

1980 season results

Notable alumni (all 20th Century minor league teams)

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Heinie Manush Henry Emmett Manush (July 20, 1901 – May 12, 1971), nicknamed "Heinie", was an American baseball outfielder. He played professional baseball for 20 years from 1920 to 1939, including 17 years in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers (1 ...

(1940, MGR) Inducted, 1964 *

Tony Pérez Atanasio "Tony" Pérez Rigal (born May 14, 1942) is a Cuban-American former professional baseball player, coach and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman and third baseman from through , most notably as a member of the ...

(1962) Inducted, 2000 *

Jim Thorpe James Francis Thorpe ( Sac and Fox (Sauk): ''Wa-Tho-Huk'', translated as "Bright Path"; May 22 or 28, 1887March 28, 1953) was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe was the first Nativ ...

(1909-1910) Inducted

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coa ...

, 1963

Notable alumni

* Jim Bagby, Jr. * Bill Butler * Casey Cox * Jack DiLauro *

Dick Drago Richard Anthony Drago (born June 25, 1945) is a former American League relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Kansas City Royals (-), Boston Red Sox (-, -), California Angels (-), Baltimore Orioles (1977) and Seattle Mariners ...

* Al Glossop * Earl Johnson *

Gene Lamont Gene William Lamont (born December 25, 1946) is an American special assistant to the general manager of the Kansas City Royals. He was a catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who managed the Chicago White Sox (1992–1995) and Pittsburgh P ...

Jim Leyland James Richard Leyland (born December 15, 1944) is an American former professional baseball player, coach and manager. He serves as a special assistant to the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Leyland led the Florida Marlins to the ...

Elliott Maddox Elliott Maddox (born December 21, 1947) is an American former Major League Baseball player. In , he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the first round (20th pick) of the draft (secondary phase). He made his MLB debut in 1970. Early years Maddox ...

Lee May Lee Andrew May (March 23, 1943 – July 29, 2017) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman and designated hitter from to for the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Baltimo ...

Eddie Pellagrini Edward Charles Pellagrini (March 13, 1918 – October 11, 2006) was an American infielder in Major League Baseball from – and from – for the Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Browns, Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He ...

Johnny Pesky John Michael Pesky (born John Michael Paveskovich; February 27, 1919 – August 13, 2012), nicknamed "The Needle" and "Mr. Red Sox", was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach. He was a shortstop and third baseman during a ...

* Greg Pryor *

Leon Roberts Leon Kauffman Roberts (born January 22, 1951) is a former corner outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1974 through 1984 for the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas Ci ...

Jim Rooker James Phillip Rooker (born September 23, 1942) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and broadcaster. A left-hander, Rooker pitched for the Detroit Tigers (1968), Kansas City Royals (1969–1973) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1974–1980). Early ...

Vern Ruhle Vernon Gerald Ruhle ( ; January 25, 1951 – January 20, 2007) was an American professional baseball right-handed pitcher and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros for 13 seasons, fr ...

* Stan Spence *

Bobby Thomson Robert Brown Thomson (October 25, 1923 – August 16, 2010) was a Scottish-born American professional baseball player, nicknamed the "Staten Island Scot". He was an outfielder and right-handed batter for the New York Giants (1946–53, 1957), M ...

César Tovar César Leonardo Tovar (July 3, 1940 – July 14, 1994), nicknamed "Pepito" and "Mr. Versatility", was a Venezuelan professional baseball player, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins (–), Philadelphia Phillies (), ...

* Bill Voiselle * Charlie Wagner

References

{{reflist, 2 Rocky Mount, North Carolina Defunct Carolina League teams Professional baseball teams in North Carolina Carolina League teams Brooklyn Dodgers minor league affiliates Boston Red Sox minor league affiliates Cincinnati Reds minor league affiliates Washington Senators (1961–1971) minor league affiliates Detroit Tigers minor league affiliates 1980 disestablishments in North Carolina Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 1980 1909 establishments in North Carolina Baseball teams established in 1909 Defunct baseball teams in North Carolina