West Haven A's

The West Haven A's were an American Minor League Baseball team that played in the Double-A Eastern League from 1972 to 1982. They were located in located in West Haven, Connecticut, and played their home games at Quigley Stadium.[1] From 1972 to 1979, the team was known as the West Haven Yankees after their Major League Baseball affiliate, the New York Yankees. They became an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics in 1980 and changed their name to the West Haven Whitecaps for that season before becoming the West Haven A's through their final two years of play.[2]

West Haven A's
1972–1982
West Haven, Connecticut
Minor league affiliations
ClassDouble-A
LeagueEastern League
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles (5)
  • 1972
  • 1976
  • 1977
  • 1979
  • 1982
Division titles (4)
  • 1972
  • 1976
  • 1977
  • 1982
First half titles (2)
  • 1979
  • 1982
Second half titles (2)
  • 1979
  • 1982
Team data
Nickname
  • West Haven A's (1981–1982)
  • West Haven Whitecaps (1980)
  • West Haven Yankees (1972–1979)
BallparkQuigley Stadium

History

New York Yankees (1972–1979)

From 1972 to 1979, the team was affiliated with and named for the New York Yankees. During that eight-year period, West Haven — managed by future Major League skippers Bobby Cox, Doc Edwards, Mike Ferraro, and Stump Merrill — won four Eastern League championships and compiled a regular-season win–loss record of 611–496 (.552). In 1975, first baseman Dave Bergman was selected for the Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award.[3] Edwards (1973), Ferraro (1977), and Merrill (1979) each won the Eastern League Manager of the Year Award.[3]

Notable Yankees alumni

Oakland Athletics (1980–1982)

The Yankees entered into a deal with a new Double-A team, the Nashville Sounds of the Southern League, after the 1979 season.[4] The West Haven franchise relocated to Lynn, Massachusetts, and became the Lynn Sailors. Concurrently, the Waterbury, Connecticut, franchise moved to West Haven in time for the 1980 season, bringing their affiliation with the Oakland Athletics, and renaming the team the West Haven Whitecaps.

The franchise changed its name again in 1981, this time to the West Haven A's.[5] The last West Haven team, managed by Bob Didier, won the team's fifth and final Eastern League title, defeating the Lynn Sailors in the finals.[6] In 1983, the franchise moved to Albany, New York, becoming the Albany A's.[2][7]

Notable alumni

Season-by-season results
Season Division Record Win % Finish GB Attendance[8] Manager Postseason MLB affiliate Ref.
1972 American84–56.6001st—102,537Bobby CoxWon American Division title
Won EL championship vs. Trois-Rivières Aigles, 3–0[9]		New York Yankees[10]
1973 American72–66.5222nd475,128Doc Edwards—New York Yankees[11]
1974 American58–79.4234th1742,878Doc Edwards—New York Yankees[12]
1975[lower-alpha 1] —66–71.4824th1826,549Pete Ward—New York Yankees[13]
1976 South80–59.5761st—28,331Pete WardWon South Division title
Won EL championship vs. Trois-Rivières Aigles, 3–0[9]		New York Yankees[14]
1977 New England86–52.6231st—41,072Mike FerraroWon New England Division title
Won EL championship vs. Trois-Rivières Aigles, 3–0[9]		New York Yankees[15]
1978[lower-alpha 2] —82–57.5901st—46,048Stump Merrill—New York Yankees[16]
1979[lower-alpha 3] —83–56.5971st—71,302Stump MerrillWon First and Second Half titles
Won EL championship		New York Yankees[17]
1980[lower-alpha 4] Southern47–92.3384th3230,112Ed Nottle—Oakland Athletics[18]
1981[lower-alpha 5] Southern71–67.5143rd​8 1⁄255,552Bob Didier—Oakland Athletics[19]
1982[lower-alpha 6] Southern86–54.6141st—51,791Bob DidierWon First and Second Half Southern Division titles
Won Southern Division title
Won EL championship vs. Lynn Sailors, 3–0		Oakland Athletics[20]
  1. West Haven was 27–37 (.422; 7th place; ​15 1⁄2 GB) in the first half and 39–34 (.534; 3rd place; 7 GB) in the second half.[9]
  2. West Haven was 39–31 (.557; 2nd place; ​1 1⁄2 GB) in the first half and 43–26 (.623; 2nd place; 1 GB) in the second half.[9]
  3. West Haven won both halves: 42–28 (.600; 1st place) in the first half and 41–28 (.594; 1st place) in the second half.[9]
  4. West Haven was 25–44 (.362; 4th place; 16 GB) in the first half and 22–48 (.314; 4th place; 26 GB) in the second half.[9]
  5. West Haven was 32–37 (.571; 2nd place; 2 GB) in the first half and 31–37 (.456; 3rd place; ​10 1⁄2 GB) in the second half.[9]
  6. West Haven won both halves: 42–21 (.667; 1st place) in the first half and 44–33 (.571; 1st place) in the second half.[9]

References
Specific
  1. "Quigley Memorial Stadium". Digital Ballparks. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  2. "Eastern League (AA) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  3. "Season-Ending Awards". Eastern League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  4. "New York Yankees Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  5. "Oakland Athletics Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  6. Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, eds., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd ed. Durham, NC: Baseball America, 2007, p. 600
  7. A's, Angels Play to Curfew Before 9,211 in Heritage Park Debut by Bill Palmer at news.google.com, URL accessed July 2, 2010. Archived 07-02-10
  8. 2019 Eastern League Media Guide, p. 93.
  9. 2019 Eastern League Media Guide, p. 105–107.
  10. "1972 Eastern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  11. "1973 Eastern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  12. "1974 Eastern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  13. "1975 Eastern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  14. "1976 Eastern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  15. "1977 Eastern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  16. "1978 Eastern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  17. "1979 Eastern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  18. "1980 Eastern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  19. "1981 Eastern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  20. "1982 Eastern League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
General
Preceded by
Manchester Yankees		 New York Yankees
Double-A affiliate
1972–1979		 Succeeded by
Nashville Sounds
Preceded by
Waterbury A's		 Oakland Athletics
Double-A affiliate
1980–1982		 Succeeded by
Albany A's
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