Columbus Confederate Yankees
Minor league affiliations
ClassDouble-A (1964–1966)
LeagueSouthern League (1964–1966)
Major league affiliations
TeamNew York Yankees (1964–1966)
Minor league titles
League titles (1)1965
Team data
NameColumbus Confederate Yankees (1964–1966)
BallparkGolden Park (1964–1966)
Stan Bahnsen (1965) won the 1968 American League Rookie of the Year Award.[1]
Roy White (1964–1965) was a two-time MLB All-Star and member of the 1977 and 1978 World Series champion New York Yankees.[2]

The Columbus Confederate Yankees were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Double-A Southern League from 1964 to 1966. They were located in Columbus, Georgia, and played their home games at Golden Park. Their seemingly contradictory nickname came from Georgia's former membership in the Confederacy and for their Major League Baseball affiliate, the New York Yankees, as it was common for Yankees affiliates to share the big league club's moniker.[3]

Over three seasons of competition, Columbus played in 415 regular season games and compiled a win–loss record of 206–209. They won the Southern League championship in 1965.

History

The Columbus Confederate Yankees were charter members of the Southern League, which began play in 1964.[4][5] As the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, they were managed by former major league catcher Rube Walker.[6] The team finished its first year of play with a 64–74 record in seventh place.[7]

The 1965 club was managed by Loren Babe, an ex-Yankee third baseman.[8] On July 19, the Confederate Yankees hosted the 1965 Southern League All-Star Game. With 4,091 people in attendance at Golden Park, they defeated a team of the league's All-Stars, 4–3.[9] Two members of the Columbus pitching staff threw no-hitters that season. The first occurred on June 30 when Mike Jurewicz no-hit the Charlotte Hornets in the second game of a seven-inning doubleheader.[10] The second happened on August 13 when Rich Beck pitched seven no-hit innings against the Lynchburg White Sox.[10] The 1965 SL pennant race was a close one: going into the final weekend, the Asheville Tourists led Columbus by a single game, with a three-game series set for Golden Park to determine the title. After splitting the first two games, Columbus won the finale, 7–0, with Rich Beck tossing a two-hit shutout, handing Columbus the Southern League pennant with a 79–59 first-place finish; technically, the Yankees were in a virtual first-place tie with Asheville, but the Tourists (80–60) played two more games, and thus had a lower winning percentage.[11][12] The pennant-winning season meant that the Confederate Yankees were the league champions, as there was no postseason in the Southern League at that time.[12]

In 1966, their final season of play, the Confederate Yankees were managed by Jack Reed, an outfielder with the 1961 World Series champion Yankees.[13] They ended the season in seventh place at 63–76.[14] During the off-season, the Southern League contracted from eight teams to six and Columbus left the circuit; they would return in 1969 as a White Sox affiliate.

Season-by-season results

Season Record Win % Finish GB Result Ref.
1964 64–74 .468 7th 15+1⁄2 — [7]
1965 79–59 .572 1st — Won SL championship[12] [11]
1966 63–76 .453 7th 24+1⁄2 — [14]
Totals 206–209 .496 — — — —

Players

Twenty-three Confederate Yankees also played in at least one game for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team during their careers. These players and their years with Columbus were:[6][8][13]

References

  1. ↑ "Stan Bahnsen Stats". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Roy White Stats". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  3. ↑ "New York Yankees Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Southern League (AA) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Columbus, Georgia Register History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  6. 1 2 "1964 Columbus Confederate Yankees Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  7. 1 2 "1964 Southern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  8. 1 2 "1965 Columbus Confederate Yankees Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  9. ↑ Holliman, Ray (July 20, 1964). "Yanks Clip Stars in Squeaker, 4–3". The Montgomery Advertiser. Montgomery. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 "Southern League No-Hit Games". Southern League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  11. 1 2 "1965 Southern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 Webb, Lori M.; Musterer, Donna J. (2020). 2020 Southern League Media Guide and Record Book (PDF). p. 130. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2022 – via Minor League Baseball.
  13. 1 2 "1966 Columbus Confederate Yankees Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  14. 1 2 "1966 Southern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
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