Nazareth Barons

The Nazareth Barons were a minor league baseball team based in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. From 1946 to 1950, Nazareth teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level North Atlantic League, qualifying for the 1946 playoffs and finishing in last place in both of their final two seasons. Nazareth was a minor league affiliate of the Detroit Tigers in 1947. Nazateth hosted home minor league home games at Nazareth Borough Park.

Nazareth Barons
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D (1946–1950)
LeagueNorth Atlantic League (1946–1950)
Major league affiliations
TeamDetroit Tigers (1947)
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Wild card berths (1)
  • 1946
Team data
NameNazareth Cement Dusters (1946)
Nazareth Tigers (1947)
Nazareth Barons (1948–1950)
BallparkNazareth Borough Park (1946–1950)

History

Minor league baseball began in Nazareth in 1907, when the Nazareth team played the season as members of the independent Blue Mountain League.[1] A printed postcard of the 1907 Nazareth team identified them as the "pennant winners" of the Blue Mountain League.[2][3]

Minor league baseball returned in 1947, when the Nazareth "Cement Dusters" became charter members of the eight-team Class D level North Atlantic League. The Bloomingdale Troopers, Carbondale Pioneers, Mahanoy City Bluebirds, Newburgh Hummingbirds, Nyack Rockies, Peekskill Highlanders and Stroudsburg Poconos joined Nazareth in beginning league play on May 8, 1946.[4][5][6][7]

The Nazareth Cement Dusters qualified for the 1946 playoffs in their first season of play in the North Atlantic League. The Cement Dusters ended the 1946 season with a 78–40 record, placing second in the standings, playing under manager Stan Benjamin. Nazareth finished 6.0 games behind the first place Peekskill Highlanders. In the first round of the playoffs, the Carbondale Pioneers defeated the Nazareth four games to one. It would be the only playoff appearance for Nazareth.[8][9][5][10][7]

In 1947, Nazareth played as a minor league affiliate of the Detroit Tigers and adopted the "Tigers" nickname for the season.[11] John Mueller served as manager as the Tigers placed fifth in the regular season with a record of 64–66, finishing 17.5 games behind the first place Kingston Dodgers in the regular season standings and missing the league playoffs.[12][13][5][14][7]

Nazareth continued North Atlantic League play in 1948, becoming known as the "Nazareth Barons."[15] Ending the 1948 season with a record of 52–72, the Barons placed sixth in the regular season standings, finishing 27.5 games behind the 1st place Peekskill Highlanders. Playing under player/Manager Bill Burich, Nazareth did qualify for the four-team playoffs.[16][17][5][18][7]

Local newspapers nicknamed the 1948 team "Burich's Barons."[19]

The 1949 Nazareth finished last in the eight-team North Atlantic League, their first of two consecutive last place finishes in the league standings.[20] Placing eighth with a record of 52–86, the Barons were managed by Dick Errickson and Charles Heath. Nazareth finished 49.5 games behind the first place 101-35 Stroudsburg Poconos and did not qualify for the four–team playoffs.[21][22][5][23][7]

In their final season of play, the Nazareth Barons again finished last in the North Atlantic League Standings. The Barons placed eighth and did not qualify for the playoffs.[24] Nazareth ended the 1950 season with a record of 35–90, finishing 48.0 games behind the first place Lebanon Chix, playing under manager Irvin Fortune in their final season.[25][26][5][27][28][7]

The North Atlantic League permanently folded after the conclusion of the 1950 season.[7] Nazareth has not hosted another minor league team.[29][7]

The ballpark

The Nazareth teams played home North Atlantic League minor league games at Nazareth Borough Park.[30] The park was constructed beginning in 1935 as a Works Progress Administration project.[31] Still in use today as a public park with a ballfield, "Nazareth Borough Park" is located on North Broad Street.[32]

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeagueAffiliateBallpark
19461Nazareth Cement DustersClass DNorth Atlantic LeagueNoneNazareth Borough Park
19471Nazareth TigersDetroit Tigers
1948–19503Nazareth BaronsNone

Year–by–year records
YearRecordFinishManagerAttendPlayoffs/notes
194678–402ndStan Benjamin31,465Lost in 1st round
194764–665thJohn Mueller31,000Did not qualify
194852–726thBill Burich22,985Did not qualify
194952–868thDick Errickson / Charles Heath17,176Did not qualify
195035–908thIrvin Fortune8,567Did not qualify

Notable alumni

See also

Nazareth Barons players
Nazareth Cememt Dusters players

References
  1. "1907 Nazareth Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. "Bidspirit - Online auctions in the USA". Bidspirit.
  3. "Robert Edward Auctions - The Premiere Sports Auction House". robertedwardauctions.com.
  4. "1946 North Atlantic League (NAL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. "North Atlantic League (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. "1946 North Atlantic League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  7. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  8. "1946 North Atlantic League (NAL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  9. "1946 Nazareth Cement Dusters minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. "1946 Nazareth Cement Dusters Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  11. "1947 Nazareth Barons Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  12. "1947 North Atlantic League (NAL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. "1947 Nazareth Tigers minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. "1947 North Atlantic League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. "1948 Nazareth Barons Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  16. "1948 North Atlantic League (NAL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  17. "1948 Nazareth Barons minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  18. "1948 North Atlantic League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  19. Worth, Richard (February 26, 2013). Baseball Team Names: A Worldwide Dictionary, 1869-2011. McFarland. ISBN 9780786468447 – via Google Books.
  20. "1949 Nazareth Barons Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  21. "1949 Nazareth Barons minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  22. "1949 North Atlantic League (NAL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  23. "1949 North Atlantic League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  24. "1950 Nazareth Barons Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  25. "1950 North Atlantic League (NAL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  26. "1950 Nazareth Barons minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  27. "1950 Carbondale Pioneers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  28. "1950 North Atlantic League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  29. "Nazareth, Pennsylvania Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  30. "Nazareth Borough Park in Nazareth, PA minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  31. "Nazareth Boro Park - Nazareth PA".
  32. "Borough of Nazareth - Parks & Recreation - Parks in the Borough". www.nazarethboroughpa.com.
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