Minor league baseball team
DeLand Red Hats
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Previous classes
| Class D
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League
| Florida State League
(1946?1954)
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Previous leagues
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Previous teams
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League titles
| 2
(1950, 1951)
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Previous names
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- DeLand Red Hats (1939?1954)
- DeLand Reds (1936?1938)
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Previous parks
| Conrad Park
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The
DeLand Red Hats
were a minor-league baseball team in
DeLand
, Florida that played in the
Florida State League
(FSL) from 1936?1954. They played in Conrad Park, near
Stetson University
.
Early years
[
edit
]
After the FSL was re-organized in 1936 the Red Hats were called simply the
DeLand Reds
and were affiliated with the
Cincinnati Reds
as a Class D team.
[1]
In 1938 they moved into the
Chicago White Sox
organization. In 1939 they were renamed the Red Hats, and featured many players who were to be
Washington Senators
, such as starting pitcher
Mickey Haefner
. As a result, the Senators made DeLand part of its minor-league organization in 1940. The club was unaffiliated the next season and, during
World War II
, was part of the
Florida East Coast League
, as the FSL ceased operations temporarily. The major-league
St. Louis Browns
used Conrad Park in 1942 for spring training, for only that year, but were not affiliated with the club otherwise. In fact, the Red Hats would not be affiliated with any major-league organization again, even after returning to the FSL in 1946.
1950s Champions
[
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]
The biggest Red Hats star may have been Al Pirtle,
[2]
a career minor-leaguer and FSL star, whom they acquired in 1950. Pirtle never made the majors,
[3]
[4]
but his presence heralded a four-year run of success for the club. The team in 1950 posted a record of 82-57 while Pirtle batted .345 and had 38 doubles.
[5]
After several playoff disappointments, they finally won their first FSL championship that year. They came back in 1951 even stronger, winning 90 games and a second FSL title.
[5]
Now clearly the best team in the league, 1952 was their best year statistically, with a terrific 95-40 (.703) record.
[6]
However, they lost the first playoff round and would not
three-peat
. In 1953 they won a more modest 78 games, but made it back to the FSL championship series again. As it happened, they would not win their third title, losing to the
Daytona Beach Islanders
.
1954 would prove to be the final season for the Red Hats. Attendance was down all across the FSL, a trend attributed to television,
[7]
and the DeLand club was relocated to
Gainesville
.
The ballpark
[
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]
DeLand teams played at Conrad Park. The ballpark was also home of several other clubs, notably the Sun Caps and the Suns, the
Stetson University
Hatters, and the
Daytona Cubs
. The original Conrad Park was razed in 1998 and the site today is home to
Melching Field at Conrad Park
.
Notable alumni
[
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]
Year by year results
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Season
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Name
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Record
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Notes
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1936
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Reds
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60-80
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First season of "new" FSL; became Reds minor-league affiliate
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1937
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Reds
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79-61
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Made playoffs, lost first round
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1938
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Reds
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54-86
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White Sox minor-league affiliate for one season
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1939
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Red Hats
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69-69
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Independent team ("co-op"); made playoffs, lost first round
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1940
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Red Hats
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???
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Washington Senators minor-league affiliate for one season
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1941
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Red Hats
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78-47
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Made playoffs, lost in second round (championship) to Leesburg Anglers
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1942
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Red Hats
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13-13
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FSL suspended operations in May, due to World War II
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1943
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Red Hats
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???
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Joined Florida East Coast League for duration of war
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1944
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Red Hats
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???
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1945
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Red Hats
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???
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1946
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Red Hats
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68-68
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Resumption of FSL; made playoffs, lost first round
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1947
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Red Hats
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80-58
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Made playoffs, lost first round
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1948
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Red Hats
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50-90
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1949
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Red Hats
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64-70
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1950
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Red Hats
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82-57
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FSL champions
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1951
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Red Hats
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90-50
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FSL champions
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1952
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Red Hats
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95-40
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Made playoffs, lost first round
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1953
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Red Hats
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78-56
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Made playoffs, lost in championship to Daytona Beach Islanders
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1954
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Red Hats
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77-62
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Team moves to Gainesville, Florida after season
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[8]
References
[
edit
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East Division
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West Division
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Defunct teams
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Teams: 1940-1942
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Teams: 1972
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