The Torrington Braves were a short lived minor league baseball team based in

Torrington, Connecticut Torrington is the most populated municipality and only city in Litchfield County, Connecticut and the Northwest Hills region. It is also the core city of Greater Torrington, one of the largest micropolitan areas in the United States. The city p ...

. In 1950, the Braves played as members of the Class B level 1950

Colonial League The Colonial League is an athletic conference consisting of 14 high schools mostly from the Lehigh Valley portion of eastern Pennsylvania. It is part of PIAA District 11, District XI of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. The C ...

, which permanently folded during the 1950 season with the Braves in fourth place. Torrington hosted home minor league games at Fuessenich Park.

History

Minor league baseball began in Torrington, Connecticut in 1896, when the Torrington Tornadoes became members of the

Naugatuck Valley League The Naugatuck Valley League (abbreviated NVL) is a 15-team athletic conference of high schools, located in the Naugatuck River Valley of Connecticut. The NVL is a member of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC). It is the old ...

. The 1897 Torrington Demons played the season in the

Connecticut League The Connecticut League, also known as the Connecticut State League, was a professional baseball association of teams in the state of Connecticut. The league began as offshoot of the original Connecticut State League, which dates back as far as 1884 ...

. After a five decade absence, minor league baseball returned to Torrington in 1950 for a partial season, when the

Stamford Pioneers The Stamford Pioneers were a minor league baseball team based in Stamford, Connecticut. From 1947 to 1949, Stamford teams played as members of the Class B level Colonial League, winning the 1947 championship with an integrated roster in the er ...

, a

franchise was replaced by a new Torrington franchise. The Torrington "Braves" became members of the six–team Class B level Colonial League, before the league folded during the season. The Braves joined the Bridgeport Bees,

Bristol Owls Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city, Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Glouces ...

Kingston Colonials The Kingston Colonials were an American basketball team based in Kingston, New Jersey that was a member of the American Basketball League. During the 1939/40 season, the team was merged into the Troy Celtics The Troy Haymakers were an American ...

, Poughkeepsie Chiefs and Waterbury Timers in beginning Colonial League play on May 2, 1950. On July 16, 1950, the Braves were in fourth place when the Colonial League folded. Torrington had a record of 33–32 when the league folded, playing the season under manager Merle Strachan. The Braves scored 303 total runs, last in the league, and surrendered 304 runs. Torrington finished 8.0 games behind the first place Poughkeepsie Chiefs in the final standings. The Colonial League permanently folded after the 1950 season. Torrington, Connecticut has not hosted another minor league team. Main Street, Torrington, Conn (72334)

The ballpark

The 1950 Torrington Braves played home minor league games at Fuessenich Park. The ballpark was previously called "League Park" and was said to have been "the first place in Torrington where baseball was played," having been in use as a public park beginning in 1838. Frederick F. Fuessenich purchased League Park in 1912 and donated it to the city in 1918. The ballpark was named for his wife, Elizabeth Blake Fuessenich, who died in 1914. Still in use as a ballpark today, Fuessnich Park is located at 33 Coe Place in Torrington.

Year–by–year record

Notable alumni

No Torrington Braves alumni appeared in the major leagues. Ed Musial, younger brother of Baseball Hall of Fame member Stan Musial played for the Braves, hitting .288 in his final professional season.

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Torrington - Baseball Reference
Defunct baseball teams in Connecticut Colonial League teams Baseball teams established in 1950 Baseball teams disestablished in 1950 Torrington, Connecticut