Tampa Tarpons

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The Tampa Tarpons were a Minor League baseball team that started in 1919 and were related to various ball clubs, mainly part of the Cincinnati Reds for over 50 years, from 1931 to 1942, and from 1946 to 1987, with a 4 year break of no baseball during WWII. A member of the Florida State League (FSL), which was a Class D league until switched to Class A status in 1963. Tampa was a charter member of the FSL and finished dead last in 1919. But in 1920 they went 84-28, a .745 winning percentage, still a league record. Tampa won the FSL championship 6 times over the years.

Starting in 1957 games were played at Al Lopez Field until that stadium was closed in the late 1980s. Malcolm F. “Bunny” Mick and his brother Mitchell owned the Tarpons for 23 years before selling them in 1988. The team is now named the Jupiter Hammerheads, started in 2002, and play their games at Roger Dean Stadium.

The Tarpons had many famous players that went on to play in the major leagues, including Pete Rose who in 1961 was a member of the 1st place Tampa team where he batted .331, set a record of 30 triples (still a league record), and led the league in fielding errors.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays have played games wearing old Tampa Tarpons uniforms for retro uniforms nights. On June 24, 2006, the Devil Rays wore 1975 Tarpon uniforms against the Atlanta Braves, who wore 1975 Braves road uniforms. In 2006 the Devil Rays announced they were considering the possibility of a name change at some point in their future. The Tampa Tarpons has been mentioned as a possible choice. Other possibilities include the Rays and the Manta Rays.

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