Auburn Doubledays

Auburn Doubledays Founded in 1958 Auburn, New York
Team logo Cap insignia
Class-level
Current	Short-Season A (1967–present)
Previous	Class A (1963-1966) Class D (1958-1962)
Minor league affiliations
League	New York–Penn League (1958–present)
Division	Pinckney Division
Major league affiliations
Current	Washington Nationals (2011–present)
Previous	Toronto Blue Jays (2001–2010) Houston Astros (1982–2000) Co-op: Various teams (1979–1980) Co-op: Phillies and Astros (1978) Philadelphia Phillies (1972–1977) Minnesota Twins (1967–1971) New York Mets (1962–1966) New York Yankees (1958–1961)
Minor league titles
League titles (8)	1962 1964 1966 1967 1970 1973 1998 2007
Division titles (15)	1964 1966 1967 1968 1970 1973 1985 1994 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2011
Team data
Nickname	Auburn Doubledays (1996–present)
Previous names	Auburn Astros (1982–1995) Auburn Americans (1980) Auburn Red Stars (1979) Auburn Sunsets (1978) Auburn Phillies (1972–1977) Auburn Twins (1967–1971) Auburn Mets (1962–1966) Auburn Yankees (1958–1961)
Ballpark	Falcon Park II (1995–present)
Previous parks	Falcon Park I (1958–1994)
Owner(s)/ Operator(s)	Auburn Community Baseball, LLC
Manager	Jerad Head[1]
General Manager	Adam Winslow [2]

The Auburn Doubledays are a minor league baseball team in Auburn, New York, USA, that is owned and operated by Auburn Community Baseball. They are a member of the Short-Season Class A New York–Penn League and have been a farm team of the Houston Astros (1982–2000), the Toronto Blue Jays (2001–2010), and Washington Nationals (from 2011).^[3]

The Doubledays are the most recent name of the Auburn entry in the New York-Penn League that dates back to 1958. From 1982–1995, the team operated as the Auburn Astros.

The Doubledays play home games at Leo Pinckney Field at Falcon Park. The "new" Falcon Park opened in June 1995, replacing the original Falcon Park which was built in 1927 on the same site. Falcon Park seats 2,800 fans. In 2008, new blue box seats were installed.

The team and its mascot are named after Abner Doubleday, the Civil War general and Auburn native apocryphally credited with inventing the game of baseball. Abner wears number 96 in honor of the birth of the team in 1996.

History

Baseball in Auburn dates back to at least 1958. The current franchise began operations in 1982.

Early championship era

In 1958, the team was founded as the Auburn Yankees, as an affiliate of the New York Yankees. The Yankees affiliation lasted until 1961 and the club included future major league All-Stars; Jim Bouton, Joe Pepitone and Mel Stottlemyre. The team then became affiliated with the New York Mets, as the Auburn Mets. With a roster that included Billy Wynne, Don Shaw, Tug McGraw, and Jerry Koosman; the club won the league championship three times, in 1962, 1964 and 1966.^[4]

In 1967 the club changed affiliation again to the Auburn Twins, and were affiliated with the Minnesota Twins. The Twins won league title in 1967 and 1970.

In 1972, the team was renamed the Auburn Phillies and were associated with the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1973, under manager Harry Lloyd, the team won its only League Championship. Future major leaguers Luis Aguayo, Randy Lerch, Dickie Noles, Lonnie Smith and Ozzie Virgil, among numerous others, played for the team. Managers of note included Mike Compton and Ruben Amaro.

Co-op seasons

In 1978 the team became the Auburn Sunsets and were co-operated by the Phillies and Houston Astros. Managed by Dick Rockwell, the team went 32-40, finishing third in the league's Yawkey Division.^[5] The team featured future Major League Baseball players Carmelo Castillo and Alejandro Sanchez and future Major League general manager Dave Littlefield.^[6] In 1979 the club became known as the Auburn Red Stars. The team featured future Major League Baseball player Doug Frobel.^[6] The Red Stars operated under a co-operative agreement. The Red Stars received players from about seven different major league organizations, led by the Detroit Tigers, with seven players, and Cleveland Indians, with five.

In 1980 the Red Stars changed their name to the Auburn Americans. The team once again operated as a co-op and received 17 players from the Cleveland Indians and several from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The squad featured future Major League Baseball player Jack Fimple and finished fourth in the NY-Penn League's West Division with a 29-45 record.^[7][8]

Astros era

Auburn returned to play in the New York-Penn League in 1982 with the Auburn Astros.

In 1991, with John H. Graham as general manager,^[9] the team set the all-time attendance record at Falcon Park.

1988 Auburn Astros team photo

At the end of the 1995 season, the team was renamed the Auburn Doubledays, the name under which it has operated from 1996 to the present.

Doubledays

In 1998 the Doubledays and the Oneonta Yankees were named Co-Champions of the NY Penn League after Central New York was hit with a torrential rain storm and the fields at both parks were deemed unplayable.

Under the management of Dennis Holmberg, the Doubledays won the Pinckney Division title for six straight years in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, but failed to win the league championship for the first five of those years. After losing in the first round of the playoffs for the first three years of their streak, they advanced to the New York–Penn League Championship series before being swept by the Staten Island Yankees. In 2003, the Doubledays led all of baseball in winning percentage (.757).

The Doubledays finally won the NY Penn League title in 2007, sweeping the Brooklyn Cyclones in the League Championship series. The final game featured a stellar pitching performance by Brett Cecil and a home run by J. P. Arencibia.^[10] This was the first league championship for the city of Auburn since 1973.

Alumni

Notable Auburn Astros players

Other notable Auburn players

Future Major League Baseball staff

• Jeff Datz, an Indians, Orioles, and Mariners coach, played for the Auburn Astros in 1982 and 1984. As of 2011, Datz is the only former member of the Auburn Astros to reach MLB as both a player and a coach.
• Glenn Sherlock, a Yankees and Diamondbacks coach, played for the Auburn Astros in 1983 and 1984.
• Ken Bolek, an Indians coach in 1992 and 1993, was a coach for the 1985 Auburn Astros.
• Gary Tuck, a Yankees and Red Sox bullpen coach, was the Auburn Astros manager in 1987.
• Rick Aponte, former Nationals bullpen coach, was the Auburn Astros pitching coach in 1987.
• Ron Porterfield, head athletic trainer of the Rays, began his professional baseball career as the trainer for the 1988 Auburn Astros.
• Manny Acta, an Expos and Mets coach and then Nationals and Indians manager, managed the Auburn Astros from 1993 to 1995. He also managed the Auburn Doubledays, in 1996.

Front office and staff

• Steve DeSalvo was the team's general manager from 1982 to 1983.^[11] He went on to a long career as a Minor League Baseball executive.^[11]
• Auburn native Leslie Leary was general manager from 1984 to 1987.^[12] She was one of the first female general managers in Minor League Baseball.^[12]
• Baseball agent Joe Kehoskie, an Auburn native, worked for the team from 1984 to 1991.^[9][13]
• Bob Neal, previously the general manager of the Watertown Pirates and Peninsula Pilots, was general manager from early 1988 to late 1989.^[14][15]
• John H. Graham, previously the general manager of the Peninsula Pilots, was assistant general manager from early 1988 to early 1989;^[14] business manager from early 1989 to late 1989;^[15] and general manager from late 1989 to late 1991.^[9][16]
• Marc Techman, an Auburn native, was assistant general manager in 1991.^[9]
• Shawn Smith, currently a vice president with the NBA, was general manager from 1994 to 1995.^[17][18]
• Charlie Wride was the team's public address announcer for most of the team's 14-season existence, as well as the team historian. Wride continues to work for the team's successor, the Auburn Doubledays, in a community relations capacity.^[19][20]

Wall of Fame

Current roster

Auburn Baseball Prior Affiliates

Year-by-year record

Playoffs

• 1968 season: Defeated Williamsport 1-0 in semifinals; lost to Oneonta 1-0 in championship.
• 1978 season: Lost to Geneva 2-0 in championship.
• 1985 season: Defeated Jamestown 1-0 in semifinals; lost to Oneonta 2-0 in championship.
• 1986 season: Lost to St. Catharines 1-0 in semifinals.
• 1994 season: Defeated Watertown 2-0 in semifinals; lost to New Jersey 2-0 in championship.
• 1998 season: Defeated Batavia 2-0 in semifinals; declared co-champions with Oneonta (series rained out).
• 2002 season: Lost to Oneonta 2-0 in semifinals.
• 2003 season: Lost to Williamsport 2-0 in semifinals.
• 2004 season: Lost to Mahoning Valley 2-0 in semifinals.
• 2005 season: Defeated Oneonta 2-0 in semifinals; lost to Staten Island 2-0 in championship.
• 2006 season: Lost to Tri-City 2-1 in semifinals.
• 2007 season: Defeated Oneonta 2-1 in semifinals; defeated Brooklyn 2-0 to win championship.
• 2011 season: Defeated Vermont 2-1 in semifinals; lost to Staten Island 2-0 in championship.
• 2012 season: Lost to Tri-City 2-1 in semifinals.

References

External links

• Auburn Doubledays' Official Site
• Auburn Doubledays on MiLB.com
• Photographs of Falcon Park, home of the Auburn Doubledays – Rochester Area Ballparks

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