The Tallahassee Capitals were a Minor League Baseball team, based in Tallahassee, Florida, United States, that operated between 1935 and 1942. Playing as members of the Georgia–Florida League (1935–1942, 1946–1950) and Alabama–Florida League (1951), Tallahassee teams won league championships in 1935, 1936 and 1950.

Tallahassee Capitals
Minor league affiliations
Previous classesClass D
LeagueAlabama–Florida League (1951)
Previous leagues
Georgia–Florida League (1935–1942, 1946–1950)
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles 3 (1935, 1936, 1950)
Team data
Previous names
  • Tallahassee Citizens (1951)
  • Tallahassee Pirates (1946–1950)
  • Tallahassee Capitals (1935–1942)

History

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The team originated in the Georgia–Florida League as the Capitals. They had affiliation deals with the New York Giants (1935–1936), Brooklyn Dodgers (1938) and Cleveland Indians (1939). The onset of World War II led to the team temporarily shutting down in 1942.

When the war ended, they reformed as an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1946, now known as the Tallahassee Pirates.

When that agreement ended, they joined the Alabama–Florida League for one last season, in 1951, as the Tallahassee Citizens.

The ballpark

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The Capitals played at Centennial Field. Centennial Field was built in 1925 and demolished in 1975. It was located on South Monroe Street just South of the State Capitol Building. Today, the site has been repurposed and hosts a new Centennial Field at Cascades Park, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. [1][2]

Notable alumni

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Year-by-year records

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Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs
1935 67–52 2nd Ed "Dutch" Hoffman League Champions
defeated Albany Travelers 4 games to 3
1936 69–50 1st Ed "Dutch" Hoffman League Champions
defeated Cordele Reds 4 games to 0
1937 51–70 5th Ed "Dutch" Hoffman Did not qualify
1938 56–69 4th Tim Murchison Lost 1st round
to Thomasville Orioles 4 games to 3
1939 69–66 3rd Ralph McAdams Lost 1st round
to Albany Cardinals 3 games to 1
1940 64–75 6th Harold Schultz Did not qualify
1941 47–86 8th Lance Richbourg Did not qualify
1942 62–64 5th Will Good Did not qualify
1946 63–62 5th Art Doll Did not qualify
1947 80–60 3rd Phil Seghi Won 1st round
vs. Waycross Bears 3 games to 2
Lost League Finals
to Moultrie Packers 4 games to 2
1948 70–69 4th Jack Rothrock Lost 1st round
to Waycross Bears 3 games to 1
1949 49–89 8th Norman Veazey / Bob Shawkey / Johnnie Heving / Gene Cabaniss Did not qualify
1950 77–58 3rd Walt Tauscher Won 1st round
vs. Valdosta Dodgers 4 games to 3
League Champs
vs. Americus Phillies 4 games to 1
1951 65–52 3rd Charles Quimby Won in 1st round
vs. Headland Dixie Runners 4 games to 3
Lost League finals
to Dothan Browns 4 games to 3

[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Centennial Field - Tallahassee Florida - Former Home of the Tallahassee Citizens / Tallahassee Pirates / Tallahassee Rebels / Tallahassee Capitals". digitalballparks.com.
  2. ^ Jon. "From Centennial Field to Doak Campbell Stadium".
  3. ^ Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
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