The Williamston Martins were a minor league baseball team based in

Williamston, North Carolina Williamston is a town in Martin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,511 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Martin County and is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region. The closest major city is Greenvill ...

. From 1937 to 1941, the Martins played as exclusively as members of the Coastal Plain League, winning the 1939 league championship. Williamston hosted home minor league games at Taylor Field.

History

The Williamston "Martins" moniker was first used by a semi–pro team that played in an Independent league named the Coastal Plain League prior to minor league play. Minor league baseball began in Williamston, North Carolina in 1937. The 1937 Williamston Martins, became charter members of the eight–team Class D level Coastal Plain League. Williamston joined the Ayden Aces,

Goldsboro Goldbugs The Goldsboro Goldbugs were an Eastern Carolina League (1929) and Coastal Plain League (1937–1941, 1946–1949) baseball team based in Goldsboro, North Carolina, United States. Don Heffner played for the Goldsboro Goldbugs. The 1928 Goldsb ...

, Greenville Greenies, Kinston Eagles,

New Bern Bears The New Bern Bears were a minor league baseball team based in New Bern, North Carolina. Between 1937 and 1952, with a break during World War II, the Bears teams played exclusively as members of the Coastal Plain League (Class D), Coastal Plain Leag ...

Snow Hill Billies The Snow Hill Billies was a minor league baseball team based in Snow Hill, North Carolina. From 1937 to 1940, the Snow Hill Billies played exclusively as members of the Coastal Plain League, winning the 1937 league championship. The Billies played ...

and Tarboro Combs in playing the first season of Class D level baseball for the league. The Williamston use of the "Martins" moniker corresponds with the city of Williamston being the county seat of

Martin County, North Carolina Martin County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,031. Its county seat is Williamston. History The county was formed in 1774 from the southeastern part of Halifax County and t ...

. Beginning Coastal Plain League play on May 6, 1937, the Williamston Martins finished the regular season in second place. The Martins ended the season with a record of 55–41, playing under manager

Arthur Hauger John Arthur Hauger (November 18, 1893 – August 2, 1944) was a major league baseball player and scout and minor league manager. Hauger was an outfielder for the Cleveland Naps. He played in fifteen games and only managed one hit (a single) ...

in the eight–team Coastal Plain League. The Martins finished 6.0 games behind the first place Snow Hill Billies in the final standings to qualify for the four–team playoffs. Williamston lost in the first round of the playoffs, as the Tarboro Combs defeated Williamston 3 games to 0. Snow Hill won the championship. Continuing minor league play, the 1938 Williamston Martins placed fifth in the eight–team Coastal Plain League standings and did not qualify for the playoffs. Playing under returning manager Arthur Hauger, the Martins finished the 1938 season with a record of 56–56 in the Coastal Plain League. Williamston finished 7.0 games behind the first place New Bern Bears in the final standings, missing the playoffs, which were won by New Bern. Williamston pitcher James Rollins led the league with 202 strikeouts. The Williamston Martins won the 1939 Coastal Plain League Championship. In the regular season, the Martins placed third with a record of 65–57, playing under manager Paul O'Malley and finishing 9.0 games behind the first place Greenville Greenies. In the first round of the playoffs, Williamston defeated the Goldsboro Goldbugs 4 games to 1 to advance. in the Finals, the Williamston Martins won the championship, defeating the Kinston Eagles 4 games to 1. Pitcher Harry Swain of Williamston led the league with 186 strikeouts. In the season following their championship, the 1940 Williamston Martins finished last in the Coastal Carolina League. The Martins placed eighth in the eight–team league, with a record of 47–78, playing under managers

Dixie Parker Douglas Woolley Parker (April 24, 1895 – May 15, 1972) was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Philadelphia Phillies during the 1923 season. Listed at 5' 11", Weight: 160 lb., Parker batted and threw right handed. He was b ...

and Harry Swain. Williamston finished 29.5 games behind the first place Wilson Tobs in the final league standings. Player/manager Harry Swain of Williamston again led the Coastal Carolina league with 215 strikeouts as a pitcher. In their final season of play, the 1941 Williamston Martins did not qualify for the Coastal Carolina League playoffs. The Martins finished the 1941 season with a record of 56–61 to place sixth in the eight-team standings, playing the season under manager Frank Rodgers. Williamston finished 31.0 games behind the first place Wilson Tobs in the final regular season standings. After the 1941 season playoffs, won by Wilson, the Coastal Carolina League folded due to

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. When the league resumed play in 1946, Williamston did not field a team. Williamston, North Carolina has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Williamston Martins teams played home minor league games at Taylor Field. The ballpark reportedly had a capacity of 3,000 and dimensions (Left, Center, Right) of 290–320–340. The ballpark was noted to have been located behind the former Williamston High School at North Smithwick & Grace Street, Williamston, North Carolina.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

Danny Gardella Daniel Lewis Gardella (February 26, 1920 – March 6, 2005) was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the New York Giants (1944–45) and St. Louis Cardinals (1950). Born in New York City, he batted and threw left-hand ...

(1940) *

(1937–1938) *

(1940, MGR) *

Les Rock Lester Henry Rock (born ''Lester Henry Schwarzrock''; August 19, 1912 – September 9, 1991) was a first baseman in Major League Baseball. He played for the Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team ...

(1940) *

Chuck Stevens Charles Augustus Stevens, Jr. (July 10, 1918 – May 28, 2018) was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Browns in parts of three seasons (1941, 1946, 1948). Listed at 6' 1", 180 lb., Stevens was a ...

(1937) * Jim Stroner (1939)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Williamson - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Baseball teams disestablished in 1941 Baseball teams established in 1937 Defunct baseball teams in North Carolina Professional baseball teams in North Carolina Martin County, North Carolina Coastal Plain League (minor league) teams