Alabama Barons: Difference between revisions
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[[]Image:Jamie Boyle Ala Barons.jpg|right|thumb|375px|Catcher Jamie Boyle models his Alabama Barons uniform for general manager Kenny Gonzalez (left) and field manager Roy Mewbourne (right) at Rickwood Field. Photo by Charles Nesbitt]] | |||
The '''Alabama Barons''' were a short-lived professional baseball team which played in Art Peterson's "Freedom Baseball League" for five games in [[1978]]. The league was wholly owned by Peterson, a resident of Falls Church, Virginia. The other three teams were all located in the vicinity Washington D.C. | The '''Alabama Barons''' were a short-lived professional baseball team which played in Art Peterson's "Freedom Baseball League" for five games in [[1978]]. The league was wholly owned by Peterson, a resident of Falls Church, Virginia. The other three teams were all located in the vicinity Washington D.C. | ||
Revision as of 21:49, 20 June 2014
[[]Image:Jamie Boyle Ala Barons.jpg|right|thumb|375px|Catcher Jamie Boyle models his Alabama Barons uniform for general manager Kenny Gonzalez (left) and field manager Roy Mewbourne (right) at Rickwood Field. Photo by Charles Nesbitt]] The Alabama Barons were a short-lived professional baseball team which played in Art Peterson's "Freedom Baseball League" for five games in 1978. The league was wholly owned by Peterson, a resident of Falls Church, Virginia. The other three teams were all located in the vicinity Washington D.C.
Birmingham-Southern Panthers coach Roy Mewbourne was hired to manage the club. Kenny Gonzales was general manager and the 18-man roster, culled from a total of 65 players who tried out, featured a number of undrafted college graduates, mostly from Alabama. The other teams' rosters also mixed in several former professionals looking for another chance.
The league opened play for a planned 35-game season on July 2 with the Barons defeating the Washington Senators 10-9. The Barons also swept double headers on the following two days at Rickwood Field. With Peterson unable to close a deal with the owners of RFK Stadium, he was forced to suspend play with only those five games in the book and the visiting Barons cooling their heels in a Washington hotel.
The two other teams never played. The Barons, at 5-0, became the de facto champions of the aborted league. The Barons' star player was Alan Robinson, a 6-foot-4 infielder who went undrafted out of Memphis State. In five games he got seven hits in 13 at-bats for a .538 average with 2 home runs, nine runs, and 5 runs batted in.
The players were promised a $700 a month salary and were due half of that when the league folded.
Roster
- Pitchers: Tim Brennan, Bill Burnside, Marcus Byrd, Chris DiLorenzo, Mike Griesbach, Mike Karby, Gary Randall
- Catchers: Jamie Boyle, Greg Meier
- Infielders: Jim Kapehart, Mike Fox, Steve Hill, Larry Keenum, Paul Mehringer, Alan Robinson
- Outfielders: Chip Burton, Mike Jacobs, Richard Purter
- Coaches: Dale Hardiman, Richard Whitehead
References
- Martin, Wayne (June 14, 1978) "Groundwork laid for 'Bama Barons" The Birmingham News, pp. 57-8 - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Lumpkin, Bill (June 28, 1978) "Rickwood's curtains go up again" Birmingham Post-Herald - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Martin, Wayne (July 1, 1978) "Baseball back as new Barons host Senators" The Birmingham News - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Martin, Wayne (July 16, 1978) "Freedom Baseball League: No games scheduled" The Birmingham News - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Adamson, Scott (May 24, 2007) "SCL already better off than Freedom League" Anderson (South Carolina) Independent