Waterbury Indians

The Waterbury Indians were a minor league team based in Waterbury, Connecticut. Waterbury hosted minor league baseball beginning in 1884, with teams playing under numerous nicknames. The Waterbury team was first called the "Indians" in the 1897 season. The nickname returned in 1968, as the "Waterbury Indians" of the Class AA level Eastern League played on two occasions, with the franchise twice serving as a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

Prior to the Eastern League era, the "Waterbury Timers" played as members of the Class B level Colonial League from 1947 to 1950.

From 1966 to 1986, Waterbury had tenure of hosting teams as members of the Class AA level Eastern League. Waterbury Eastern League teams adopted the nicknames of their various major league affiliates. The Waterbury teams played as a minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants (1966–1967), Cleveland Indians (1968–1969), Pittsburgh Pirates (1970–1971), Los Angeles Dodgers (1973–1976), San Francisco Giants (1977–1978), Oakland Athletics (1979), Cincinnati Reds (1980–1983), California Angels (1984) and Cleveland Indians (1985–1986) during their tenure in the league. The 1970 Waterbury Pirates team won the Eastern League championship.

Beginning with the 1947 season, all subsequent Waterbury minor league teams hosted home games at Municipal Stadium. The ballpark is still in use today.

Baseball Hall of Fame member Roger Connor was the player/manager of the 1897 Waterbury Indians.

History

Early minor league teams Waterbury first hosted minor league baseball in 1884, when the "Waterbury" team began a tenure of Waterbury teams that played primarily in the Connecticut State League between 1884 and 1912.

The Waterbury team was first known as the "Indians" in 1897, playing the season as members of the Connecticut State League. After serving as player/manager of the St Louis Browns (today's St. Louis Cardinals) in 1896, in his final major league season, Baseball Hall of Fame member Roger Connor managed the 1897 Waterbury Indians for the final portion of their 1897 season, beginning a tenure with the franchise. Connor was a Waterbury native. Connor remained with Waterbury as their manager for the 1898 season, when the team became known as the Waterbury Pirates and won the Connecticut State League championship, with his brother Joe Connor in the roster. Connor would manage Waterbury through the 1901 Connecticut State League season.

The Waterbury Nattatucks and Waterbury Brasscos teams played as members of the Eastern League from 1918 to 1928. The 1928 Brasscos were the last minor league team before the 1947 Waterbury "Timers" team resumed minor league play.

1947 to 1950: Waterbury Timers - Colonial League After an eighteen-season hiatus, Waterbury resumed minor league play in 1947, when the Waterbury "Timers" began play in the reformed six-team, Class B level Colonial League. The Timers began playing minor league home games at Municipal Stadium, which would host all Waterbury minor league teams through 1986. In the era, the Class B minor league level was the equivalent of today's Class AA level minor leagues.

(2018) Former Waterbury Clock Company complex. Waterbury, Connecticut. National Register of Historic Places. The Waterbury "Timers" nickname corresponds to local history and local industry in the era. The Waterbury Clock Company was based in Waterbury from 1894 through 1944. The company was later purchased and moved to Middlebury, Connecticut and evolved to become known as the Timex Corporation.

In their first season of Colonial League play, the 1947 Waterbury Timers won the league pennant. Waterbury ended the season with a 65–68 record, playing the season under player/manager Mike Kash. The Timers finished 18.0 games behind the first place Port Chester Clippers in the final regular season standings. In the four-team playoffs, Waterbury lost in first round of the playoffs 4 games to 1 to eventual champion Port Chester.

A rising minor league player, Shepard had returned to baseball after suffering major injuries while serving in World War II. Shepard was as a pilot for the U.S. Army 55th Fighter Group. On May 21, 1944, Shephard was piloting a Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter plane while returning from a mission over Hamburg, Germany, when his plane was shot down by enemy gunfire. The gunfire hit and pierced Shephard's right leg and foot and also his chin, rendering him unconscious as his plane crashed. After his plane crashed, the injured Shephard was captured by German troops who held off German citizens intent on killing Shepard. Doctors at the Meiningen Prisoner-of-war camp amputated his injured right leg and he remained a POW after the surgery to remove his leg.

Waterbury continued Colonial League play in 1949 and ended their regular season with a final record of 62–63. The Timers finished in fourth place, playing under managers Bert Shepard and Leo Eastham amidst controversy. With their fourth-place finish, Waterbury qualified for the four-team playoffs. The Timers lost in first round 4 games to 1 to eventual champion Bristol. Waterbury was managed by John Morris (13–16), John McKenna and Charlie Bowles in the shortened season. The Waterbury Giants resumed play at Municipal Stadium, which would host Eastern League teams for the duration of the franchise. Waterbury became a member of the East Division record of 71–69 fifth place under overall returning manager Andy Gilbert. The Giants placed third in the East Division, finishing 11.0 games behind the division champion Binghamton Triplets. Waterbury did not qualify for the two-team playoff won by Binghamton over the Elmira Pioneers. Bonds played in 137 games for Waterbury, hitting .261 with 15 home runs and 24 stolen bases. He would make his major league debut with the San Francisco Giants in 1968.

The 1968 Waterbury "Indians" continued Eastern League play as the franchise became a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

The 1969 Waterbury Indians finished in last place in the six-team Class AA Eastern League regular season standings. Waterbury ended the regular season with a 48–93 record, finishing in sixth place while playing under manager Clay Bryant. The Indians finished 42.0 gamed behind the first place York Pirates and did not qualify for the four-team playoffs, which were cancelled after one game and the York Pirates being declared champions. Waterbury drew 37.371 fans for the season, lowest in the league. Waterbury ended the season a mere 1.0 game ahead of the second place Reading Phillies (78–63) in the final standings of the six-team league. Clines had a long major league career and was a long-time hitting coach for the Seattle Mariners.

In defending their championship, the Waterbury Pirates ended the 1971 Eastern League season out of the playoffs. The Pirates ended the regular season with a record of 68–70, finishing in fifth place overall and in third place in the four-team National Division. The Pirates played the season under returning manager Red Davis. In 1972, Parker was promoted to the Salem Pirates and won the Carolina League Most Valuable Player Award. Parker became the National league MVP in 1979 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and won two batting titles in his major league career. He retired with a .290 batting average with HR and RBI.

1972 Eastern League season: Elmira flooding The Waterbury franchise folded following the 1971 season. Waterbury did not host an Eastern League team at the start of the 1972 season, replaced in the league by the Sherbrooke Pirates, as the Pittsburgh Pirates relocated their affiliate team to a new locale.

On June 22 and June 23, 1972, heavy rains caused major flooding in Elmira, New York and left Dunn Field, the home ballpark of the Elmira Pioneers franchise, under water and unusable. The floods forced Elmira to relocate some "home games" and without a minor league tenant for the Eastern League season, Municipal Stadium in Waterbury was utilized. Elmira was eventually able to resume play at Dunn Field in Elmira on July 18, 1972, after the waters receded and their home ballpark was repaired. The team ended the season with a record of 46–91, finishing in fourth place in the American Division and ending the season 36½ games behind the first place West Haven Yankees. Overall, their record was the worst in the eight-team league, while playing the unique season under the direction of manager Len Johnson. The Elmira Pioneers played as a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians in 1972. Waterbury resumed league play as a minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers ended the 1973 Eastern League season in last place in the final regular season standings. After a last place finish the season before, Waterbury ended the regular season with a final record of 64–72, placing third in the four-team American Division, finishing 10.5 games behind the division champion Bristol Red Sox. Waterbury played the season under returning manager Don LeJohn and did not qualify for the four-team playoffs won by the Thetford Mines Pirates.

For the 1975 season the Eastern League remained an eight-team league but had eliminated the division structure and went to a split season format. The Dodgers continued play and ended the season in third place. Waterbury ended the regular season with an overall record of 77–59, finishing 6.0 games behind first place Reading Phillies in the final overall standings. Waterbury played their final season as a Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate. Playing again under manager Don LeJohn, the Waterbury Dodgers ended the season in fourth place in the four-team north Division. The Dodgers needed the season with a record of 62–73 record in finishing 19½ games behind division winner Trois Rivieres Aigles. After pitching the season for Waterbury, Sutcliffe was called up to the Los Angeles Dodgers, making his major league debut on September 29, 1976. The Waterbury Giants did not qualify The Giants ended the season in fourth place overall, ending the regular season with a record of 65–74 playing the season under returning manager Andy Gilbert. Waterbury finished 17.0 games behind the first place West Haven Yankees. The Eastern League continued play as a six-team class D level league. Waterbury finished in last place. The A's ended the 1979 regular season with a 79–91 record and in sixth place under manager Ed Nottle. Waterbury finished 34.5 games behind he first place West Haven Yankees.

The newly named Waterbury "Reds" played the 1980 Eastern League season as members of the South Division, adopting the Cincinnati Reds parent team nickname while qualifying for the playoffs in the newly structured league. The Waterbury Reds ended the regular season with a 75–64 record, fourth best overall in the league, playing the season under manager Mike Compton. The Reds ended the season in third place in the South Division and finished 5.0 games behind the division champion Bristol Red Sox.

After advancing to the Eastern League playoff finals in the previous season, the Waterbury Reds had a last place finish in the 1981 Eastern League season. The Reds ended the regular season with a final record of 55–83 and finished in fourth place in the four-team Southern Division. Playing the season under manager George Scherger, Waterbury finished 24½ games behind the division winner Bristol Red Sox. Overall, Waterbury had the worst regular season in the eight-team league. The Reds ended the 1982 season in seventh place overall in the eight-team league. With record of 56–82, Waterbury was managed by Jim Lett. The Waterbury Reds placed fourth in the four-team South Division, finishing 29.0 games behind the division winner West Haven A's. Waterbury did not qualify for the playoffs won by West Haven over the Lynn Sailors in the finals. The Waterbury Reds remained as an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and ended the season in seventh place with a record of 59–80, playing the season under returning manager Jim Lett. The Reds finished 36½ games behind the first place Reading Phillies in the final regular season standings. Davis played alongside Paul O'Neill with Waterbury. Promoted to Waterbury for 14 games in 1983, O'Neill became a five-time MLB All-Star player who won the 1990 NL batting championship and was on the multiple World Series championship teams with the New York Yankees after playing for 1990 World Series champion Cincinnati Reds. O'Neill's uniform number 21 is retired by the Yankees.

1984 to 1986: Waterbury Angels & Waterbury Indians

In 1984, the Waterbury "Angels" continued Eastern League play, as the franchise became a California Angels minor league affiliate, an agreement that lasted for one season. This shift in affiliation occurred when the Cincinnati Reds' affiliation was transferred from Waterbury to the newly formed Vermont Reds. The Eastern League member Lynn Pirates franchise had relocated from Lynn, Massachusetts to Burlington, Vermont. The newly established Vermont franchise then reached a four-year affiliate agreement with the Cincinnati Reds.

In the 1984 Eastern League season, the newly named Waterbury Angels ended the season with a final record 76–64 and qualified for the playoffs, advancing to the league finals. Qualifying for the four-team playoffs, the Waterbury Angels defeated Glens Falls White Sox 3 games to 1 in the first round to advance. Waterbury lost in the league Finals, where the Vermont Reds defeated the Angels 3 games to 2. The Indians finished the 1985 Eastern League season with a record of 75–64 and ended the regular season in second place tie, playing the season under manager Jack Aker, qualifying for the four-team playoffs. Waterbury lost in first round 3 games to 1 to the New Britain Red Sox.

In their final season, the 1986 Waterbury Indians played the final season for the franchise as members of the Eastern League. As a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, Waterbury ended the season in fifth place in the eight-team Class AA level league. Ending the regular season with a record of 66–73, Waterbury did not qualify for the four-team playoffs, finishing the regular season fifth place, playing the season under manager Orlando Gomez. Waterbury ended the season 12½ games behind the first place Reading Phillies in the eight-team league. Waterbury did not qualify for the playoffs won by the Vermont Reds. The team played in Waterbury from the 1997 season through the 2000 season and hosted home games at Municipal Stadium, continuing the ballpark's history of hosting minor league teams in Waterbury. After folding in 2000, the franchise was reformed in 2003, but was relocated to Lynn, Massachusetts, where the team resumed play as the North Shore Spirit.

The ballpark

Beginning with the 1947 season, Waterbury teams hosted home minor league games in Municipal Stadium, which was originally constructed in 1938 as a football facility. The site became a public park and received a $400,000 upgrade in 1939, reamed to become Waterbury Municipal Stadium.

On August 7, 1947, the New York Yankees with Baseball Hall of Fame members Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Phil Rizzuto played an exhibition game against the Waterbury Timers at the ballpark. The ballpark is still in use today. Municipal Stadium is located at 1200 Watertown Avenue in Waterbury, Connecticut.

Timeline

Year-by-year records Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs/NotesWaterbury Timers (Colonial League) 1947 83–38 1st James Acton Won League pennant Lost in 1st round 1948 65–68 3rd Mike Kash Lost in 1st round 1949 62–63 4th Bert Shepard (42–46) / Leo Eastham (5–4) Bert Shepard (15–13) Lost in 1st round 1950 23–39 5th John Morris (13–16) / John McKenna Charlie Bowles League disbanded July 16 Waterbury Giants (Eastern League) 1966 64–76 5th Andy Gilbert No playoffs held 1967 71–69 5th Andy Gilbert Did not qualifyWaterbury Indians (Eastern League) 1968 52–88 6th Phil Cavarretta (19–38) / Ray Mueller (33–50) Did not qualify 1969 48–93 6th Clay Bryant Did not qualifyWaterbury Pirates (Eastern League) 1970 79–62 1st Red Davis No playoffs held Won league championship 1971 68–70 5th Red Davis Did not qualify 1972 46–91 8th Len Johnson *Elmira Pioneers franchise relocated to Waterbury due to flooding Did not qualifyWaterbury Dodgers (Eastern League) 1973 59–79 8th Don LeJohn Did not qualify 1974 64–72 6th (t) Don LeJohn Did not qualify 1975 77–59 3rd Don LeJohn Did not qualify 1976 62–73 6th Don LeJohn Did not qualifyWaterbury Giants (Eastern League) 1977 77–63 3rd Andy Gilbert Did not qualify 1978 65–74 4th Andy Gilbert Did not qualifyWaterbury A's (Eastern League) 1979 79–91 6th Ed Nottle Did not qualifyWaterbury Reds (Eastern League) 1980 75–64 4th Mike Compton Lost league finals 1981 55–83 8th George Scherger Did not qualify 1982 56–82 7th Jim Lett Did not qualify 1983 59–80 7th Jim Lett Did not qualifyWaterbury Angles (Eastern League) 1984 76–64 2nd (t) Winston Llenas Lost League Finals Waterbury Indians (Eastern League) 1985 75–64 2nd (t) Jack Aker Lost in 1st round 1986 66–73 5th Orlando Gomez Did not qualify

Notable alumni Roger Connor (1897–1898) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1976 Dave Parker (1971) Elected Baseball Hall of Fame, 2025

Ed Acosta (1970–1971) Jack Aker (1985, MGR) Andy Allanson (1985) Rod Allen (1986) Keith Atherton (1979) Orlando Álvarez (1973–1976) Rudy Arroyo (1973) Keith Atherton (1979) Rick Austin (1968) Shooty Babitt (1979) Jose Báez (1975) Scott Bailes (1985) Doug Bair (1971) Frank Baker (1969) Skeeter Barnes (1980–1982) Germán Barranca (1985) Jose Barrios (1978) Dave Beard (1979) Chris Beasley (1986) Jay Bell (1985–1986) 2x MLB All-Star Rob Belloir (1969) Dave Bennett (1970–1971) Dámaso Blanco (1966–1967) Bobby Bonds (1967) MLB All–Star Charlie Bowles (1950, MGR) Bert Bradley (1979) Bernardo Brito (1986) Clay Bryant (1969, MGR) T. R. Bryden (1984) Chris Bourjos (1978) Tom Browning (1983) MLB All-Star Bob Buchanan (1982) Glenn Burke (1974–1975) Lou Camilli (1968–1969) Jim Campanis (1971) Keefe Cato (1980–1983) Phil Cavarretta (1978, MGR) Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame Néstor Chávez (1966–1967) Steve Christmas (1980–1981) Dave Clark (1985) Pat Clements (1984) Gene Clines (1970) Vince Colbert (1968) Terry Collins (1974–1975) Mike Compton (1980, MGR) Joe Connor (1897) Tim Conroy (1979) Mike Corkins (1966) Vic Correll (1969) Henry Cruz (1973) Eric Davis (1983) Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame Mike Davis (1979) Red Davis (1970–1971, MGR) Bill Dawley (1980) MLB All-Star Dennis DeBarr (1979) Bob Detherage (1975–1976) Tom Dettore (1970–1971) Mike Dimmel (1974–1976) Bill Donovan (1897) Luis Encarnación (1986) Bobby Etheridge (1966) Nick Esasky (1980) Dick Estelle (1967) Ed Farmer (1968–1969) MLB All-Star John Farrell (1985–1986) Bill Faul (1968) Sergio Ferrer (1973) Tom Foley (1980) Bill Fox (1897) Leo Garcia (1983) Andy Gilbert (1966–1967, 1977–1978 MGR) Mark Gilbert (1980–1982) Chuck Goggin (1971) Orlando Gomez (1986, MGR) Brian Graham (1986) Pedro Guerrero (1976) 5x MLB All-Star; 1981 World Series MVP John Hale (1974) Ben Hayes (1981) Fran Healy (1968) Gorman Heimueller (1978) Phil Hennigan (1969) Mike Hedlund (1968) Greg Heydeman (1973) Trey Hillman (1986) Gomer Hodge (1968–1969) Rex Hudson (1973) Harold George Jeffcoat (1967) Greg Johnson (1977) Larry Johnson (1969) Doug Jones (1985) 5x MLB All-Star Jeff Jones (1981, 1984) Scott Jordan (1985) Wally Joyner (1984) MLB All-Star Jeff Lahti (1980) Brad Lesley (1983) Julio Linares (1966–1967) Bob Kearney (1978) Tom Kelley (1968–1969) Kurt Kepshire (1982) Bruce Kison (1970) Gary Kroll (1968) Terry McDermott (1976) Hank LaManna (1947) John Lamb (1970) Bill Landrum (1982–1983) Rafael Landestoy (1975) Ron Law (1969) Tom Lawless (1980–1981) Don LeJohn (1973–1976, MGR) Jim Lett (1982–1983, MGR) Dennis Lewallyn (1974) Jeff Little (1977) Dennis Littlejohn (1977) Winston Llenas (1894, MGR) Dennis Lewallyn (1974) John Lowenstein (1968) Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame Urbano Lugo (1984) Tony Mack (1984) Pepe Mangual (1984) Dave Marshall (1966) Lou Marone (1971) Don Mason (1967) Jim McKee (1971) Lloyd McClendon (1983) Scott Meyer (1979) Dave Miley (1983) Bobby Moore (1979) Kelvin Moore (1979) Jose Morales (1966–1967) Ray Mueller (1968, MGR) Phil Nastu (1977) Ed Nottle (1979, MGR) Paul O'Neill (baseball) (1983) 5x MLB All-Star; New York Yankees No. 21 retired John Paciorek (1969) Sam Parrilla (1968) Casey Parsons (1977) Kevin Pasley (1973) Cliff Pastornicky (1986) Mike Patterson (1979) Bob Pettit (1897) Gus Polidor (1984) Milt Ramírez (1974) Bob Randall (1973) Lance Rautzhan (1973–1975) Gary Redus (1981) Bo Rein (1968) Jim Riggleman (1974–1976) Reggie Ritter (1985) Jim Rittwage (1968–1969) Ron Robinson (1980, 1983) Jimmy Rosario (1966) Wade Rowdon (1983) Mike Rowland (1977) Jeff Russell (1982) 2x MLB All-Star; Texas Rangers Hall of Fame Jim Sadowski (1971) George Scherger (1981, MGR) Bill Scherrer (1980–1982) Dick Sharon (1971) Bert Shepard (1949, MGR) Steve Shirley (1976) Charlie Shoemaker (1970–1971) Joe Simpson (1974) Craig Smajstrla (1985–1986) Daryl Smith (1985–1986) Mike Smith (1983) Cory Snyder (1985) Al Stanek (1966–1967) Paul Stevens (1979) Les Straker (1981, 1983) Jerry Stitt (1969) Guy Sularz (1977) Rick Sutcliffe (1976) 1979 NL Rookie of the year; 1984 NL Cy Young Award; Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame Darrell Sutherland (1968) Danny Tartabull (1982) MLB All-Star Frank Taveras (1971) Bobby Taylor (1966–1967, 1977–1978) Kent Tekulve (1971) MLB All-Star; Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame Bob Tufts (1978) Tony Walker (1981) Stan Wall (1973) Ron Washington (1976) MLB manager of the year Eddie Williams (1986) Alan Wirth (1977) Oscar Zamora (1968) Richie Zisk (1970–1971) 2x MLB All-Star