Winter Haven Red Sox
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes
  • Class A-Advanced (1990-1992)
  • Class A (1966-1989)
LeagueFlorida State League
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles 1 (1979)
Team data
Previous names
  • Winter Haven Red Sox (1969-1992)
  • Winter Haven Mets (1967)
  • Winter Haven Sun Sox (1966)
  • Deerfield Beach Sun Sox (1966)
Previous parks
Chain of Lakes Park

The Winter Haven Red Sox were a minor league baseball team in the Florida State League (FSL), based in Winter Haven, Florida, from 1969–1992.

Team history

The franchise began in 1966 in Deerfield Beach, Florida, as the Deerfield Beach Sun Sox, a Class-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. However, on June 27, 1966, the team moved to Winter Haven becoming the Winter Haven Sun Sox. It was the city's first entry in Organized Baseball since the 1919 Bartow Polkers played part of their home schedule in Winter Haven. The Sun Sox were managed by Don Bacon and Bruce Andrew and had a 55–83 record overall.

In 1967, the Sun Sox were renamed the Winter Haven Mets after their new parent club, the New York Mets. The Mets posted a stellar 94–46 record, but were defeated by the St. Petersburg Cardinals for the western division title by two and a half games. Nolan Ryan, then 20, pitched for the 1967 team, appearing in one game as a starting pitcher and allowing one hit and one earned run in four innings pitched, with five strikeouts. It was Ryan's last year in the minors before he began his Baseball Hall of Fame big-league career.

The Mets left Winter Haven after only a single season, then the franchise lay dormant during 1968. In 1969, the Boston Red Sox, who had established their spring training home in Winter Haven in 1966, took over the Florida State League franchise. The Winter Haven Red Sox then played for the next 24 consecutive seasons. In 1983, 16 years after Ryan's one-game stint, Roger Clemens began his pro career with Winter Haven, winning three of four decisions in four starts, and striking out 36 in 29 innings pitched.

The Winter Haven Red Sox effectively folded after the 1992 season, when, after 27 years, the parent Red Sox moved their spring headquarters to Fort Myers and their FSL affiliate to Fort Lauderdale. Although the Cleveland Indians replaced the Red Sox as Winter Haven's spring training tenants from 1993 through 2008, they never revived an FSL franchise for the city.

The ballpark

The team played home games at Chain of Lakes Park, located at 500 Cletus Allen Drive.[1] The park still exists as part of the Chain of Lakes Sports Complex.

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable alumni

Year-by-year record

YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
196655-838thDon Bacon & Bruce Andrew
196794-462ndPete Pavlick
196976-533rdRac Slider
197061-717thJohn K. Butler
197158-7910th
197261-7010th
197350-9410thAl Lehrer
197459-716th (t)Rac Slider
197557-705th (t)
197665-766th
197770-665th
197882-562nd
197979-582ndLeague Champs
198060-8010th
198162-779th
198259-748thTom Kotchman
198349-839th
198470-748thDave Holt
198571-687th
198680-472ndLost in 1st round
198767-718thDoug Camilli
198845-9414th
198952-8713thDave Holt
199040-9414th
199143-8514thMike Verdi
199251-8613thFelix Maldonado

References

  1. "Chain of Lakes Park - Winter Haven, Florida | Little Ballparks". 31 July 2021.
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