North Platte Indians
| North Platte Indians | |
|---|---|
| |
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Class D (1928–1932), (1956–1959) |
| League | Nebraska State League (1928–1932), (1956–1959) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Team | Cleveland Indians (1956–1959) |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (1) | 1958 |
| Conference titles (1) | 1931 |
| Wild card berths (0) | None |
| Team data | |
| Name | North Platte Buffalos (1928–1932) North Platte Indians (1956–1958) |
| Ballpark | Jeffers Field (1928–1932) Bill Wood Field (1956–1959) |
The North Platte Indians were a minor league baseball team based in North Platte, Nebraska. The Indians played as members of the Class D level Nebraska State League from 1956 to 1959, winning the 1958 league championship. The North Platte Indians were a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.
The Indians were preceded in minor league play by the North Platte Buffalos who played from 1928 to 1932, also playing as members of the Class D level Nebraska State League.
The North Platte Buffalos hosted minor league home games at Jeffers Field within Union Pacific Park. The ballpark was later destroyed by fire. When minor league play resumed, the North Platte Indians played home games at Bill Wood Field within Cody Park.
History
Based in North Platte, Nebraska, the North Platte Indians were an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, playing as members of the Nebraska State League.[1] Previously, the North Platte Buffalos played as members of the Nebraska State League from 1928 to 1932.[2] The North Platte Indians finished 41–22 in 1958 and captured the 1958 Nebraska State League Championship, playing under manager Mark Wylie.[2][3]
On July 29, 1928, North Platte pitcher Joe Smith threw a no–hitter in a 7–inning game against the Beatrice Blues. North Platte won the game 3–0.[4][5]
The Nebraska State League folded permanently after the 1959 season. The 1959 league member franchises folded as well, the Hastings Giants, Holdrege White Sox, Grand Island Athletics, Kearney Yankees, McCook Braves and North Platte Indians all folded.[6][3]
The ballparks
The Union Pacific Park hosted the North Platte Buffalos from 1928 to 1932 for minor league home games. The ballpark within the park was called Jeffers Field. The ballpark was destroyed by fire in 1955. Jeffers Field was located 7th and Jeffers in North Platte, Nebraska.[7][8][9]
After the fire destroyed Jeffers Field, Bill Wood Field was constructed in 1956, within Cody Park. Bill Wood Field hosted the North Platte Indians for minor league home games beginning in 1956. The ballfield is still in use today, located within Cody Park near the park's National Guard building. Today, Bill Wood Field is home to North Platte American Legion baseball and the North Platte 80s, a 2024 Pecos League expansion team. The park is located at 18th & Jeffers in North Platte, Nebraska.[10][11][12]
Timeline
| Year(s) | # Yrs. | Team | Level | League | Ballpark | Affiliate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928–1932 | 5 | North Platte Buffalos | Class D | Nebraska State League | Jeffers Field | None |
| 1956–1958 | 4 | North Platte Indians | Bill Wood Field | Cleveland Indians |
Year–by–year records
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 24–39 | 7th | Spence Harris | No playoffs held |
| 1957 | 11–45 | 8th | Rudy York | No playoffs held |
| 1958 | 41–22 | 1st | Mark Wylie | League Champions |
| 1959 | 22–40 | 6th | Mark Wylie | No playoffs held |
Notable alumni
- Bob Allen (1956)
- Doc Edwards (1958)
- Spence Harris (MGR, 1956) Minor league career records runs (2,287), doubles (743), hits (3,617)
- Ramon Lopez (1958)
- Jim Perry (1956) 3x MLB All-Star; 1970 AL Cy Young Award; Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame
- Duke Sims (1959)
- Dave Vineyard (1959)
- Rudy York (MGR, 1957) 7x MLB All-Star
See also
North Platte Indians players
References
- ^ "1956 North Platte Indians Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ a b "North Platte, Nebraska Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ a b Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
- ^ "Minor League No Hitters". Google Docs.
- ^ "Searching for missing Minors no-hitters". MiLB.com.
- ^ "1959 Nebraska State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Union-Pacific RR Park in North Platte, NE minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ Burke, Marresa (July 7, 2022). "Jeffers Park and Pavilion increased the entertainment scene". knopnews2.com.
- ^ Bottrell, Andrew (April 1, 2013). "Playing ball in Flat Rock". The North Platte Telegraph.
- ^ "North Platte First Nationals baseball - New". www.ballcharts.com.
- ^ "North Platte Indians". nebaseballhistory.com.
- ^ "Cody Park in North Platte, NE minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.