Defunct Baseball Teams Tank Tops

Defunct Houston Buffaloes Baseball 1888-1961

The Middletown Mansfields were an early baseball team in Middletown, Connecticut that existed from 1866 to 1872. In the summer of 1866, a ballclub was established at Middletown's Douglas Pump Company by the factory owner's son, sixteen-year-old Ben Douglas Jr. Douglas named the team after his great-uncle General Joseph Mansfield, a Middletown native and Civil War hero. That year, they lost their first match to the Lincoln club of New Britain by a score of 50-1, but steadily improved thereafter; in 1869, Mansfield put up a 8-2 record, all against other Connecticut clubs.

The Wichita Aviators were a professional indoor football team that played in the American Professional Football League (APFL). The Aviators played their home games in Britt Brown Arena at the Kansas Coliseum during the team's first season (2005). In 2006, the Aviators played their home games at the Wichita Ice Center in Wichita, Kansas. The Wichita Aviators and Kansas Koyotes were both owned by APFL founder Ralph Adams. Carl Caldwell was the head coach of the Aviators, and Mike McCoy was the General Manager.

The Le Mars Blackbirds were a minor league baseball team based in Le Mars, Iowa. In 1902 and 1903, the Blackbirds played as members of the Class D level Iowa-South Dakota League, capturing the 1903 league championship. Baseball Hall of Fame member Branch Rickey played for the 1903 Le Mars Blackbirds.

The Olympic Club of Washington, D.C., or Washington Olympics in modern nomenclature, was an early professional baseball team. When the National Association of Base Ball Players permitted openly professional clubs for the 1869 season, the Olympics were one of twelve to go pro. Two years later they were a founding member of the first professional sports league, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NAPBBP or NA, for short). The Olympics played home games at Olympics Grounds in Washington. They were founded by Nicholas Young, an outfielder who continued as non-playing business and field manager after 1870.

The Lancaster Red Roses baseball team, originally known as the Maroons, changed its name at the start of the 1906 season during a bitter match with the York, Pennsylvania-based White Roses. Some sources indicate that the rival teams were named for the opposing factions in England's historic Wars of the Roses. The Lancaster Red Roses played at Stumpf Field in Manheim Township, Pennsylvania, which is still used today by local baseball and softball leagues.

Defunct Tacoma Tugs Baseball 1979

Established in 1860 as the Union Base Ball Club Lansingburgh, located in neighboring Lansingburgh, New York, the Haymakers participated in the first professional pennant race of 1869 and joined the first professional league, the 1871 National Association of Professional Base Ball Players. By 1868 the "Troy Haymakers" nickname for Union of Lansingburgh was common, although the team was sometimes called the Trojans.

The Bassett Furnituremakers were a minor league baseball team based in Bassett, Virginia, USA that played from 1935 to 1940. They were one of only two baseball teams to ever play professionally in Bassett. They were followed in 1950 by the Bassett Statesman, who played a partial 1950 season in the Class D Blue Ridge League. The Wytheville Statesman moved to Bassett on July 27, 1950 due to the polio epidemic.

The Augusta Georgians were a minor league baseball team that played from 1920 to 1921 in the South Atlantic League. Based in Augusta, Georgia, USA, they were managed by Dolly Stark in 1920 and by Emil Huhn in 1921. Under Stark, they went 55–68, and under Huhn they went 78–68. Notable players include Troy Agnew, Bud Davis, Doc Knowlson, Curt Walker, Doc Bass, Don Songer, and Stark himself

The Americus Muckalees were members of the Empire State League in 1913 and continued playing from 1914 to 1915 when the six-team circuit was renamed the Georgia State League. In 1913, the Muckalees ended in fourth place with a 45–54 record, 13+1⁄2 games behind first place Valdosta Millionaires. Then, in 1914 the Americus team became the first champion team in Georgia State League history.

The Muskogee Navigators were a Western Association baseball team based in Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States that played from 1909 to 1910. Multiple major league baseball players played for them, including Pug Cavet, Dick Crutcher, Bert Graham and Paddy Mayes. They were managed by George Dalrymple in 1909 and Peck Harrington and Ed Nichols in 1910.

The city of Mansfield, Ohio, was home to minor league baseball teams, known by various nicknames, which played periodically between 1887 and 1912, and between 1935 and 1941. The team first began play in the Ohio State League in 1887 as simply Mansfield. In 1906, the city was represented in then Ohio–Pennsylvania League with the Mansfield Giants. The club changed its name to the Mansfield Pioneers in 1907 until 1909. The team was once again renamed the Mansfield Reformers in 1910 and the Mansfield Brownies in 1911. In 1912 the club moved back to the Ohio State League for their final season of this era.

Defunct San Francisco Seals Baseball 1903-1957

Defunct Memphis Chicks Baseball 1978-1997

On August 24, 1910, the Shelbyville Grays franchise of the Class D level Blue Grass League relocated to Maysville, Kentucky, finishing the 1910 season playing as the Maysville Rivermen. Reports state that Maysville owners purchased the Shelbyville franchise for $500.00. The owners of the Maysville team were local citizens, headed up by businessmen, J.W. Fitzgerald and Preston Wells. The Rivermen had a record of 3–24 after the move to Maysville. In 1910, Maysville businesses offered gifts to players who hit home runs. The Shelbyville/Maysville team finished last, in sixth place, with a 37–89 overall record and were 42.5 games behind the first place Paris Bourbonites in the final standings.

The Shawnee Hawks were a minor league baseball team that played in the Sooner State League. The team began as an unaffiliated team based in Duncan, Oklahoma in 1947. The original team was named the Duncan Cementers. After two seasons, the team name was changed to the Duncan Uttmen in 1949 and then in 1950 the team moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma and became the Hawks. They continued to operate until the Sooner State League folded after the 1957 season. The Hawks were affiliated with the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1953–1957.

The Ballard Pippins were a minor league baseball team briefly based in Ballard, Washington. In 1914, the Pippins played a partial season as members of the Class B level Northwestern League in their only season of play. Ballard hosted minor league home games at Dugdale Field.

The Shawnee Hawks were a minor league baseball team that played in the Sooner State League. The team began as an unaffiliated team based in Duncan, Oklahoma in 1947. The original team was named the Duncan Cementers. After two seasons, the team name was changed to the Duncan Uttmen in 1949 and then in 1950 the team moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma and became the Hawks. They continued to operate until the Sooner State League folded after the 1957 season. The Hawks were affiliated with the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1953–1957.

The Charleston Pirates were a minor league baseball club based in Charleston, South Carolina. The played at College Park as an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, in the class-A Western Carolinas League. In 1976 and 1977, the team played under the name, the Charleston Patriots.

Minor league professional baseball began in Ardmore during the 1904 season. On August 5, 1904, the Texas League member franchise Paris Red Ravens relocated from Paris, Texas to Ardmore and became the Ardmore Territorians to finish the 1904 season. The team finished with a 26–75 overall record. Ardmore teams played as a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians from 1947 to 1948, St. Louis Cardinals from 1953 to 1957 and Baltimore Orioles in 1961. Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Carl Hubbell played for the 1924 Ardmore Bearcats at age 21.

The Anaconda Serpents were a minor league baseball team based in Anaconda, Montana. In 1900, the Anaconda Serpents played the season as members of the Independent level Montana State League. The Anaconda Serpents were the only minor league team hosted in Anaconda and played minor league home games at Mountain View Park.

The team began as the Taiyo Fishing Company, an amateur team currently affiliated with the Maruha Corporation. The team name was changed to the Taiyō Whales (大洋ホエールズ, Taiyō Hoeeruzu) shortly after the start of the 1950 season. The Whales received several veteran players from the Yomiuri Giants to compensate for their lack of players, but ended up in the bottom half of the standings each year. In 1951, there was talk of merging with the Hiroshima Carp, which had experienced serious financial problems but the merging never occurred due to massive protests from Hiroshima citizens.

The Centralia Zeroes were a Mississippi–Ohio Valley League baseball team based in Centralia, Illinois, USA that played from 1951 to 1952. They played their home games at Fan's Field.

The Indianapolis Blues were a baseball team in the National League for one season (1878), in which they finished fifth in the six-team league with a 24–36 record. They were managed by outfielder/first baseman/catcher John Clapp, and played their home games at South Street Park. They had been brought into the League from the League Alliance following their 1877 season. Their top-hitting regular was right fielder Orator Shafer, who batted .338 with a slugging percentage of .455. Their most successful pitcher was The Only Nolan (13–22, 2.57), but had two other starters with better ERAs: Jim McCormick (5–8, 1.69) and Tom Healey (6–4, 2.22).

The Erie Sailors was the primary name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Erie, Pennsylvania between 1906 and 1994. Several unrelated teams used the Erie Sailors name in the Interstate League (1906–1907, 1913, 1916), the Ohio–Pennsylvania League (1908–1911), and the Central League (1912, 1915, 1928–30, 1932).

The Salina Coyotes was the final moniker of minor league baseball teams based in Salina, Kansas between 1898 and 1914. In that span, Salina teams played as members of the Class D level Kansas State League (1898), Central Kansas League (1908–1910, 1912), and Kansas State League (1913–1914), winning the 1898 league championship. The early Salina teams hosted minor league games at Athletic Park. The Coyotes were succeeded by the 1922 Salina Millers of the Southwestern League.

The Punxsutawney Policemen were a minor league baseball team based in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. In 1906 and 1907, the "Policemen" played as members of the Class D level Interstate League, before folding during the 1907 season. Punxsutawney hosted minor league home games at the Punxsutawney Diamond.

The Murray Infants were a minor league baseball team based in Murray, Utah. In 1914, the Murray Infants played briefly as members of the Union Association before folding during the season. The Infants hosted home minor league games at Murray Park. Before beginning minor league play, Murray first hosted semi–pro baseball teams, who played as members of the integrated Utah State Baseball League. On March 30, 1910, the Murray team played an exhibition game at home against the Chicago White Sox.

The Columbus River Snipes/Brunswick, a minor league baseball team, played in the Georgia State League between 1906 and 1906.

Defunct San Jose Missions Baseball 1977-1981

The Salt Lake City Bees was a primary moniker of the minor league baseball teams, based in Salt Lake City, Utah between 1911 and 1970 under various names. The direct predecessor to the Bees were the Salt Lake City Skyscrapers that played in the class-D Union Association from 1911–1914. The Association folded after the 1914 season. However, in 1915, the San Francisco Missions were sold to Utah businessman Bill "Hardpan" Lane who moved the team to Salt Lake City. The club was named the Bees from 1915–1925.

The Catskill Cougars were a minor-league baseball team based in Mountaindale, New York in the state's Catskill Mountains region. The Cougars played in the North Atlantic League in 1996 and the Northeast League (later known as the Can-Am League), from 1997-1998 and 2000. The North Atlantic and Northeast leagues were independent leagues that were not affiliated with Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. The Cougars played their home games at Baxter Stadium, and were part-owned by comedian Bill Murray.

The Sanford Spinners are a minor league baseball team based in Sanford, North Carolina. The Spinners played as members of the Class D level Bi-State League in 1941 and 1942, Tobacco State League from 1946 to 1950, winning league championships in 1942 and 1946, and Old North State League from 2021 to Present. The Spinners hosted minor league home games at Temple Park.

The Austin Ice Bats were a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Austin, Texas, from 1996 to 2008. The were originally members of the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL) and later the Central Hockey League (CHL). The team was named for the Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) that nest under the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in the city.

The Vincennes Velvets was the final moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Vincennes, Indiana between 1903 and 1952. From 1950 to 1952, the Velvets were members of the Class D level Mississippi–Ohio Valley League, which evolved to become today's Midwest League. Previous teams in Vincennes played as members of the Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League (1903–1906, 1910–1911, 1913) and Eastern Illinois League (1908). The 1950 Vincennes Velvets were a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Browns.