Kinston Eagles
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Former minor league baseball team located in Kinston, NC. The Kinston Eagles was a name used by the teams of Kinston on and off from 1925 to 1986. Before the start of the 1925 season, the team owners invited female fans to submit their suggestions for a team name. When none of the names submitted were deemed worthy, the owners came up with "Eagles" on their own.
The 1925 team was a member of the Virginia League. In 1928, Kinston moved over to the Eastern Carolina League. A semi-pro team in the old Coastal Plain League soon followed (1934). The Eagles stayed with the CPL throughout the league's history (1934-1952) including its entry into the pro ranks in 1937. For some of the Coastal Plain years, they were affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Kinston Eagles could be found in the High Class A Carolina League in the 1956-57, 1962-73, 1978-81 and 1986 seasons. During the Carolina League years, they were affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1956, 1962-65), the Washington Senators (1957), the Atlanta Braves (1966-67, 1973), the New York Yankees (1968-72), the Boston Red Sox (1973), and the Toronto Blue Jays (1979-85). The most recent incarnation of the Eagles was in 1986, when they were an unaffiliated team playing in the Carolina League.
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[edit] Integration
When the Kinston Eagles joined the Carolina League for the first time in 1956, the league had already been integrated for five seasons (the first black player in the Carolina League was Percy Miller Jr. - Danville, 1951). They entered the season with the city's first two black ballplayers - Carl Long and Frank Washington - on April 17, 1956. Washington had played for the Carolina League's Burlington team in 1955. Long was coming from the Pioneer League. He was also an alumni of the Negro League's Birmingham Black Barons. Carl established an RBI record for Kinston that still stands and settled in Lenoir County after his playing days were over due to injury. He has become a local celebrity and is honored every year by the Kinston Indians with a "Carl Long Day".
[edit] Alumni
Well known alumni of the various Eagles teams include WWII hero General Frank A. Armstrong (the highest ranking military officer to have played professional baseball), Baseball Hall of Famer Rick Ferrell, College Football Hall of Famer Jim Tatum, Ron Guidry, Charlie Keller, Steve Blass, Ron Blomberg, Gene Michael, Tony Fernandez, Jesse Barfield, Wayne Garrett, Terry Leach, Tom House, Rocket Wheeler, Tippy Martinez, Doc Medich, Fred Manrique, Carl Morton, Wayne Nordhagen, Vern Law, and Dock Ellis. The Eagles of the mid-1920's were managed by Johnny Nee who went on to have a long career as a scout for the New York Yankees. Two of his most celebrated finds were Bill Dickey(HOF), and Tommy Henrich. The manager of the 1978 Eagles was current major league pitching coach Leo Mazzone.
[edit] Home Parks
The Kinston Eagles had three home stadiums through the years: West End Park (1925-1929), Grainger Park (1934-1948), and Grainger Stadium (1949-1986). Grainger Stadium is still in use as the home park of the Carolina League Kinston Indians.
[edit] Eagles managers
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