Federalsburg A's
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The Federalsburg A's were a
minor league baseball Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...
team based in
Federalsburg, Maryland Federalsburg is a town in Caroline County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,739 at the 2010 United States Census. It has one high school, Colonel Richardson High School. History According to a contemporary source, the town was na ...
. Federalsburg teams played as exclusively as members of the Class D level
Eastern Shore League The Eastern Shore Baseball League was a class D minor league baseball league that operated on the Delmarva Peninsula for parts of three different decades. The league's first season was in 1922 and the last was in 1949, although the years were not ...
from 1937 to 1941 and 1946 to 1949, winning the 1939 league pennant. The "A's" moniker was interchanged with the similar "Athletics" and "Little A's" before the franchise became the "Feds" for their final season of 1949. Hosting all minor league home games at Federal Park, Federalsburg played as a minor league affiliate of the
Philadelphia Athletics The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, they became the Oakland ...
from 1937 to 1941 and 1946 to 1948.


History


Eastern Shore League 1937–1941

Minor league baseball began in Federalsburg, Maryland in 1937 when the Federalsburg "A's" (or interchangeable "Athletics") became members as the eight–team Class D level
Eastern Shore League The Eastern Shore Baseball League was a class D minor league baseball league that operated on the Delmarva Peninsula for parts of three different decades. The league's first season was in 1922 and the last was in 1949, although the years were not ...
. Adopting their nickname, Federalsburg was a minor league affiliate of the
Philadelphia Athletics The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, they became the Oakland ...
, a partnership that would continue until 1949. Playing under manager George Short, Federalsburg ended their first season of play with a 52–45 record, placing fifth in the regular season standings, finishing 7.5 games behind the first place Salisbury Indians. Salisbury had 21 wins taken away due to roster violations, but still won the pennant. Salisbury had 21 wins taken away due to roster violations, but still won the pennant. As there were no hotels in Federalsburg during the era in which the Federalsburg A's played, players had to stay in private residences. Typically, players paid $1 a day (from their $75 a month salary) to stay with families in their homes near their home ballpark of Federal Field. It was reported the local community "adopted" players and treated them like family members. Continuing play in the 1938 Eastern Shore League, the Federalsburg A's placed fifth in the eight–team league, with Charlie Moss serving as manager. Federalsburg ended the 1938 regular season with a 56–56 record, finishing 9.0 games behind the first place Salisbury Indians. Bill Phillips of Federalsburg led the North Shore League with 31 home runs. The 1939 Federalsburg A's won the Eastern Shore League pennant by a large margin. Federalsburg finished first in the eight–team league and ended the 1938 regular season with a 83–38 record, playing the season under manager
Sammy Holbrook James Marbury "Sammy" Holbrook (July 17, 1910 - April 10, 1991) was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played one season in the majors, in , for the Washington Senators. That year, he served as the primary backup to starting catcher ...
. The A's ended the regular season 14.0 games ahead of the second place
Cambridge Cardinals Cambridge ( ) is a city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of ...
. In the playoffs, the Dover Orioles defeated Federalsburg 3 games to 0 to end their season. Federalsburg pitcher Les Hinckle led the Eastern Shore League in three categories, with 27 wins, 309 strikeouts and a 2.49 ERA. The 1940 Federalsburg A's ended the Eastern Shore League season with a record of 57–67, playing the season under managers Samuel Nisinoff and Don Maynard. Federalsburg placed fifth in the final standings, finishing 17.0 games behind the first place Dover Orioles in the eight–team league. With their fifth place finish, Federalsburg did not qualify for the four-team playoffs won by the Cambridge Cardinals. Lloyd Rice of Federalsburg led the Eastern Shore League in batting average, hitting .363. The Federalsburg A's finished last in the 1941 Eastern Shore League. With a record of 35–73, Federalsburg placed sixth in the six–team league, finishing 31.0 games behind the first place
Milford Giants Milford may refer to: Place names Canada * Milford (Annapolis), Nova Scotia * Milford (Halifax), Nova Scotia * Milford, Ontario England * Milford, Derbyshire * Milford, Devon, a place in Devon * Milford on Sea, Hampshire * Milford, Shro ...
in the final regular season standings, as the league reduced to a six-team league. Joe O'Rourke managed the A's in 1941. The Eastern Shore League did not return to play for the 1942 season due to
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.


Eastern Shore League 1946–1949

The Federalsburg A's returned to Eastern Shore League play in 1946, as the league reformed following World War II as an eight-team Class D level league. The team remained as a minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Athletics. In their return to play, the Federalsburg A's finished in last place in the 1946 standings. The A's ended the 1946 season with a record of 37–87, placing eighth in the eight–team league, finishing 50.5 games behind the first place Centreville Orioles, as Lew Krausse Sr. managed the team. The A's didn't qualify for the four-team playoffs won by the Centreville Orioles. The Federalsburg A's placed fourth in the standings of the Eastern Shore League in the 1947 season and qualified for the playoffs. The A's ended the regular season with a record of 62–63, finishing 29.0 games behind the first place Cambridge Dodgers, as
Pep Rambert Elmer Donald "Pep" Rambert (August 1, 1916 – November 16, 1974) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rambert's only decision came on the final day of his MLB career when he surrendered 8 runs in ...
served as the Federalsburg player/manager. In the four-team playoffs, the eventual champion Seaford Eagles swept the A's in three games. In his dual role, Rambert won the North Shore League in batting title, hitting. 376. Teammate Ducky Detweiler of Federalsburg led the league with both 29 home runs and 133 RBI. The Federalsburg A's played their final season as a Philadelphia Athletics affiliate in 1948and ended the regular season in seventh place in the eight-team Eastern Shore League. With a regular season record of 49–76, Federalsburg placed seventh in the league standings, playing the season under player/manager Ducky Detweiler. The A's finished 42.0 games behind the first place
Salisbury Cardinals Salisbury ( , ) is a cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in ...
in the final regular season standings. Federalsburg did not qualify for the playoffs, won by the
Milford Red Sox The Milford Red Sox was the primary moniker a minor league baseball team that played in Milford, Delaware as members of the Eastern Shore League. After Milford first hosted a team in the 1889 Delaware State League, the Eastern Shore team origina ...
. In their final Season of play, the franchise was unaffiliated and the renamed Federalsburg "Feds" played the season under manager Carl McQuillen and advanced to the league finals. The Federalsburg Feds ended the 1949 Eastern Shore League season with a record of 63–56, placing second and finishing 4.5 games behind the first place
Easton Yankees Easton may refer to: Places Canada * Easton, Nova Scotia United Kingdom *Easton, Bristol * Easton, Cambridgeshire *Easton, Dorset * Great Easton, Essex and Little Easton, Essex *Easton, Hampshire **Crux Easton, Hampshire *Easton, Isle of Wight * ...
in the regular season standings. After a round robin series of the top four teams, the
Rehoboth Beach Sea Hawks Rehoboth may refer to: * Rehoboth (Bible), the name of three Biblical places Places Israel * Rehoboth, the conventional English name for Rehovot * Rehovot-in-the-Negev, archaeological site (Nabataean and Byzantine city) Namibia * Rehoboth, Namibia ...
defeated Federalsburg in the Finals, 4 games to 3. Bob Westfall of Federalsburg led the league with 19 home runs and 113 RBS, as well as 126 runs scored and 158 total hits. The Eastern Shore League permanently folded after the 1949 season, the league never reformed. Federalsburg, Maryland has not hosted another minor league team.


The ballpark

Federalsburg teams played home games exclusively at Federal Park. The ballpark had a capacity of 1,200 in 1937 and 1,800 in 1946. The park dimensions were (Left, Center, Right): 323–346–335 in 1937. Today, ballpark artifacts are on display at the Federalsburg Historical Society & Museum. The team clubhouse building still exists. Federal Park was located at University Avenue and Greenridge Road, Federalsburg, Maryland.


Timeline


Year–by–year records


Notable alumni

* Ducky Detweiler (1939–1940, 1947–1949), (1948, MGR) *
Buck Etchison Clarence Hampton "Buck" Etchison (January 27, 1915 – January 24, 1980) was an American professional first baseman who played for the Boston Braves in parts of two seasons spanning 1943–1944. At the end of the 1945 season, he was sent to th ...
(1949) *
Gene Hermanski Eugene Victor Hermanski (May 11, 1920 – August 9, 2010) was a Major League Baseball outfielder. A native of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, he attended Seton Hall University. Signed by the Philadelphia Athletics as an amateur free agent in 1939, ...
(1939–1940) *
George Hennessey George Hennessey (October 28, 1907 – January 15, 1988) was a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1937 to 1945. Born in Slatington, Pennsylvania, he played for the St. Louis Browns, Philadelphia Phillies, ...
(1938) * Jim Higgins (1938) *
Sammy Holbrook James Marbury "Sammy" Holbrook (July 17, 1910 - April 10, 1991) was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played one season in the majors, in , for the Washington Senators. That year, he served as the primary backup to starting catcher ...
(1938–1939) * Lew Krausse Sr. (1946, MGR) *
Walt Masters Walter Thomas Masters (March 28, 1907 – July 10, 1992) was an American MLB pitcher and an American football halfback and quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). Masters went directly from college to the majors in 1931 but barely p ...
(1939) * Charlie Moss (1938, MGR) *
Dick Mulligan Richard Charles Mulligan (March 18, 1918 – December 15, 1992) was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher, chiefly in relief. He played parts of four seasons with the Washington Senators (1941), Philadelphia Phillies (1946), ...
(1940) *
Barney Mussill Bernard James Mussill (October 1, 1919 – January 27, 2013) was an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1944. The rookie left-hander stood and weighed . Biography Born in Bower Hill, ...
(1938–1939) *
Ron Northey Ronald James Northey (April 26, 1920 – April 16, 1971) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He was an outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies (1942–44, 1946–47 and 1957), St. Louis Cardinals (1947–49), Cincinnati Reds ...
(1939) * Tony Parisse (1940) *
Pep Rambert Elmer Donald "Pep" Rambert (August 1, 1916 – November 16, 1974) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rambert's only decision came on the final day of his MLB career when he surrendered 8 runs in ...
(1947, MGR) *
Joe Rullo Joseph Vincent Rullo (June 16, 1916 – October 28, 1969) was a professional baseball player. Rullo attended South Philadelphia High School where he was not selected for the school's baseball team because he was too small. He nonetheless earn ...
(1939–1940) *
Jim Schelle Gerard Anthony "Jim" Schelle (April 13, 1917 – May 4, 1990) was an American professional baseball player who played in one game for the Philadelphia Athletics during the season. Schelle was born in Baltimore, Maryland and attended Villan ...
(1939) *
Elmer Valo Elmer William Valo (March 5, 1921 – July 19, 1998), born Imrich Valo, was a Slovak American professional baseball right fielder, coach, and scout in Major League Baseball (MLB). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Playing in the maj ...
(1939)
Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame The Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame, officially known as the Toyota Phillies Wall of Fame for sponsorship reasons, is an exhibit located at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The exhibit is a collection of plaques that hono ...
*
Jack Wallaesa John Wallaesa (August 31, 1919 – December 27, 1986) was an American professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for five seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1940, 1942, and 1946, and the Chicago White Sox fr ...
(1939) * Spider Wilhelm (1947–1948) *
Federalsburg A's players Federalsburg is a town in Caroline County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,739 at the 2010 United States Census. It has one high school, Colonel Richardson High School. History According to a contemporary source, the town was na ...
* Federalsburg Feds players


References

{{Reflist, 2


External links


Federal Park photo and 1948 team photoFederalsburg - Baseball Reference
Professional baseball teams in Maryland Defunct baseball teams in Maryland Baseball teams established in 1937 Baseball teams disestablished in 1948 Philadelphia Athletics minor league affiliates Defunct Eastern Shore League teams Federalsburg, Maryland Baseball teams disestablished in 1941 Baseball teams established in 1946