Eastern Carolina League

The Eastern Carolina League was a minor league baseball affiliation which operated in the Eastern part of North Carolina. The league had two distinct periods of operation: 1908 to 1910 and a revival of the league in 1928 and 1929. It was classified as a Class D level league.

Eastern Carolina League
ClassificationClass D (1908–1910, 1928–1929)
SportMinor League Baseball
First season1908
Ceased1929
PresidentJ. W. Washington (1908)
Dr. Joel D. Whitaker (1909–1910)
William G. Bramham (1928–1929)
No. of teams19
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles2
Wilson Tobacconists
Related
competitions
Blue Ridge League
Carolina Association

The most famous person to play in the league was Jim Thorpe, considered by some the greatest athlete of the twentieth century. It was his involvement with the Eastern Carolina League that cost him his amateur status and his 1912 Summer Olympics metals.

Eastern Carolina League champions

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In late August 1908, Eastern North Carolina was hit by what is now known as Tropical Storm #5.[1] The playoffs were abandoned with Wilmington leading Wilson 2 games to 1.

Cities represented

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Standings & statistics

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1908 to 1910

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1908 schedule

1908 Eastern Carolina League
Team name W L PCT GB Managers
Wilson Tobacconists 36 18 .667 Earl Holt
Wilmington Sailors 35 21 .625 2.0 Dick Smith
Goldsboro Giants 29 28 .509 8.5 H.E. Kling
Raleigh Red Birds 23 36 .390 15.5 George "King" Kelly /
Frank Thompson / Wallace Warren
New Bern 5 16 .238 NA NA
Kinston 6 12 .333 NA Lloyd Wooten

New Bern and Kinston withdrew July 15
Playoffs: Abandoned August 27 due to bad weather. Wilmington was leading Wilson 2 games to 1.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Earl Holt Wilson BA .286 Harvey Bussey Wilmington W 14
Walker Moore Wilson Runs 28 Fred Anderson Wilson SO 120
Walker Moore Wilson Hits 57 Hatton Ogle Wilson Pct .846; 11–2
L. Fox Kinston/Raleigh HR 3

1909 schedule

1909 Eastern Carolina League
Team name W L PCT GB Managers
Wilson Tobacconists 50 39 .562 Earl Holt
Wilmington Sailors 50 40 .556 0.5 Dick Smith
Fayetteville Highlanders 49 41 .544 1.5 Charles Moss / Charles Clancy
Raleigh Red Birds 49 41 .544 1.5 Richard Crozier
Goldsboro Giants 43 46 .486 7.0 H. E. Kling
Rocky Mount Railroaders 27 61 .307 22.5 W. B. Fenner / Joe Walsh

Playoffs: Wilson awarded Championship after ineligible player violations were enacted.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Bill Schumaker Fayetteville BA .340 Harry Otis Goldsboro W 19
Pete Clemens Fayetteville Runs 46 Bill Luyster Fayetteville Pct .786; 11–3
Charlie Armstrong Wilson Hits 76

1910 schedule

1910 Eastern Carolina League
Team name W L PCT GB Managers
Fayetteville Highlanders 47 37 .560 Charles Clancy
Wilson Tobacconists 44 39 .530 2.5 Charles McGeehan
Wilmington Sailors 42 43 .494 5.5 Bert Kite / L.T. Mills
Rocky Mount Railroaders 43 45 .489 6.0 M.J. Phelan / James Connors
Goldsboro Giants 39 44 .470 7.5 William "King" Kelley
Raleigh Red Birds 38 45 .458 8.5 Richard Crozier

Playoffs: Fayetteville 4 games, Rocky Mount 1.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Curly Brown Goldsboro BA .294 Bunny Hearn Wilson W 16
J. T. Mullins Fayetteville Runs 40 Erskine Mayer Fayetteville Pct .882; 15–2
Pete Clemens Raleigh Hits 74

[2]

1928 to 1929

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1928 Eastern Carolina League
Team name W L PCT GB Managers
Wilmington Pirates 68 46 .596 Hal Weafer
Goldsboro Manufacturers 66 48 .579 2.0 Jim Teague
Rocky Mount Buccaneers 55 56 .495 11.5 Charles McMillan
Kinston Eagles 55 59 .482 13.0 Paul Bennett / Marty Walters
Fayetteville Highlanders 53 60 .469 14.5 Lee Gooch / Pooly Hubert
Greenville Tobacconists 43 71 .377 25 Taylor Jolliff / Tom Abbott

Playoffs: Goldsboro 4 games, Wilmington 2.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Frank Roscoe Wilmington BA .387 Ralph Carver Goldsboro W 17
Charles Hamel Goldsboro Runs 101 Bobo Newsom Greenville/Wilmington SO 114
Frank Roscoe Wilmington Hits 154 Eddie Alsobrook Fayetteville/Rocky Mt. ERA 2.70
Frank Roscoe Wilmington RBI 101 Ralph Carver Goldsboro PCT .944; 17–1
Frank Roscoe Wilmington HR 36
1929 Eastern Carolina League
Team name W L PCT GB Managers
Rocky Mount Buccaneers 69 47 .595 Zip King / Charles Moore
Goldsboro Goldbugs 68 50 .576 2.0 Jim Teague / Spoke Emery
Wilmington Pirates 67 52 .563 3.5 Hal Weafer
Fayetteville Highlanders 55 62 .470 14.5 Cy Chisholm / Marty Walters
Greenville Tobacconists 45 68 .398 22.5 Lester Bangs /
Guy Smith / Dan Pasquella
Kinston Eagles 46 71 .393 23.5 Clarence Roper

Playoffs: Rocky Mount 4 games, Wilmington 2.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Clarence Roper Kinston BA .368 Edward Heller Goldsboro W 17
Sam Fayonsky Rocky Mount Runs 94 Eddie Alsobrook Rocky Mount W 17
Roland Robins Wilmington Hits 154 Edward Heller Goldsboro ERA 2.37
Tom Young Fayette/Wilmington RBI 89 Henry Thormahlen Wilmington SO 135
Tom Young Fayette/Wilmington HR 21 Henry Thormahlen Wilmington PCT .875; 14–2

[2]

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References

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  1. ^ "SAIC | Digital Transformation".
  2. ^ a b Lloyd Johnson; Miles Wolff, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.