The Williamsport Tigers were a Class AA Eastern League affiliate of the Detroit Tigers in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. They played their home games in Bowman Field which is currently the home of the Williamsport Crosscutters of the New York-Penn League. Detroit had a working relationship with Williamsport from 1946 until 1952. The team was known as the Williamsport Grays for the '46 and '50 seasons and as the Tigers from '47 through '49 and '51 and '52.[1]
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The Tigers were owned by Earle Halstead a former American Association umpire and businessman from Dearborn, Michigan. Halstead gave up his business ventures in favor of owning a minor league baseball team. Halstead arranged for the Williamsport franchise to have a working agreement with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. But later went on the scout for the Milwaukee Braves, signing Bob Buhl and Red Murff (who later himself became a scout and signed Nolan Ryan). In 1960, he bought the Baseball Blue Book, Inc., which published the "Baseball Blue Book", frequently referred to as the bible of baseball. He later patented a curveball pitching machine and formed the company named Tru-Pitch, Inc., which revolutionized batting practice on all levels of baseball.
The Tigers were the 1945 World Series champions. Local fans were hopeful that the Tigers would fill the roster of the Williamsport team with better players that had previously been sent to Williamsport by the Washington Senators and Philadelphia A's. The Tigers were two step below the Tigers. Detroit's top farm club was in Buffalo, New York and the two teams below the Williamsport club were in Rome, and Jamestown, New York. Players moved from franchise to franchise as their stock in the Detroit Tigers system rose and fell.[1] The Tigers took control of the franchise in 1947 and improved Bowman Field by spending $40,000 to repair flood damage and installing grandstand seats from Briggs Stadium in Detroit.[1] The franchise was sold at the end of the 1952 season to five anonymous businessmen for $7,500. The Tigers era ended at the same time when the team was once again aligned with the Philadelphia A's and the Williamsport Grays name was restored.[1]
The Williamsport Grays changed their name to the Tigers for the 1947 season. The was their second year of affiliation with Detroit Tigers. The was the first time that the Eastern League team in Williamsport was known as something other than the Grays. The 1947 club was managed by George DeTore. The Tigers finished in 5th place of an eight team league with a record of 67 wins and 74 losses.[1]
The 1948 season saw the Tigers have a change in manager with Gene Desautels taking over. The Tigers finished in fourth place in the Eastern League and reached a one game playoff for the final spot in the league playoffs. The Tigers lost that game to the Hartford Chiefs. Lou Kretlow who would go on to play in the majors for the Tigers, Browns, Orioles, White Sox and A's was named the league's Most Valuable Player.[1]
The Tigers slipped back into mediocrity during the 1949, 1951 and 1952 seasons. The 1950 Grays fared no better. Notable players and managers to pass through Williamsport during these years included, Jack Tighe, Schoolboy Rowe and Hall of Famer Jim Bunning.[1]
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 66-74 | 5th | George DeTore | |
| 1948 | 73-68 | 5th | Gene Desautels | Lost one game playoff for 4th place |
| 1949 | 66-74 | 5th (t) | Gene Desautels | |
| 1951 | 55-84 | 7th | Schoolboy Rowe | |
| 1952 | 48-90 | 8th | Paul Campbell |
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