The Kannapolis Towelers were a minor league baseball team based in Kannapolis, North Carolina . From 1936 to 1941, the Towelers played as a member of the independent Carolina League from 1936 to 1938 and the Class D level North Carolina State League from 1939 to 1941, winning league pennants in 1937, 1939 and 1940. Kannapolis hosted minor league home games at the Kannapolis Ballpark.
16-695: In 1935, the Kannapolis "Towlers" played as members of the semi–professional Carolina Textile League . In 1936, the Kannapolis Towelers began minor league play. Kannapolis became members of the eight–team Independent level Carolina League , formally called the Carolina Baseball League. The Independent league was nicknamed as an "outlaw" league because of the Independent status. Most of the other league members had previously hosted numerous teams in
32-414: A 1.85 ERA and Kannapolis teammate Lew Davis scored 100 runs to lead the league. In their final season of play, the 1941 Kannapolis Towelers won their second consecutive North Carolina State League pennant. Kannapolis ended the regular season 40 games over .500, finishing with a record of 70–30 under returning manager Joe Palmisano. The Towelers finished 8.0 games ahead of the second place Salisbury Giants in
48-458: A record of 57–42 to place first, playing the season under returning manager Herbert Watts, finishing 2.5 games ahead of the second place Concord Weavers. In the first round of the playoffs, Kannapolis defeated the Hickory Rebels 3 games to 2. Kannapolis lost to Concord in the playoffs, being swept in 4 games. The Kannapolis Towelers placed third in their final season of Carolina League play. In
64-547: The Carolina League . Beginning in 1939, the Kannapolis Towelers teams were noted to have played home minor league games at the Kannapolis Ball Park . The ballpark was reportedly located at Bell Street & Leonard Avenue, Kannapolis, North Carolina. Carolina Textile League The Carolina Textile League was a semi–professional baseball league that played in the 1935 season. The league members were located in
80-627: The Hickory Rebels in the 1942 North Carolina State League. Because of World War II , the North Carolina State League stopped play after the 1942 season before resuming in 1945. Kannapolis North Carolina was without minor league baseball until the city hosted the 1995 Piedmont Phillies , who played as members of the South Atlantic League . Today, Kannapois hosts the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers , who play as members of
96-687: The Piedmont region of North Carolina . The league evolved into the Carolina League in 1936. The Carolina Textile League was one of several "textile leagues" formed in the region in the era. The Carolina Textile League centered on textile mills the employees who worked in them. The league was formed as an independent league, meaning that it was not a part of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues structure. The Carolina Textile League rules permitted up to four players per team who had prior professional baseball experience. After
112-451: The 1935 season, the Textile league evolved into the Carolina League . The Carolina League, which played from between 1936 and 1938, was made after the successful 1935 season, with team owners making the decision to rename the league and create a full professional league for the 1936 season. The rule limiting professional players' involvement was dropped during the years of Carolina League play as
128-475: The Carolina Textile League, made up of locals and mill workers, with four professional players allowed per team. The Kannapolis use of the "Towelers" moniker corresponds to local industry in the era. The Cannon Mills Corporation was headquartered in Kannapolis, North Carolina and was reportedly once the world's largest manufacturer of towels and sheets. In their first season of Carolina League play,
144-520: The Kannapolis Towelers ended the 1936 season in third place. With a record of 59–40 under manager Herbert Watts, the Towelers finished 7.0 games behind the first place Concord Weavers in the final regular season standings. In the first round of the playoffs, Concord defeated Kannapolis 3 games to 2. The 1937 Kannapolis Towelers won the Carolina League pennant. Kannapolis finished the regular season with
160-469: The North Carolina League pennant. The Towelers ended the 1940 regular season with a record of 67–45, playing under managers Stumpy Culbreth and Joe Palmisano . The Towelers were 2.0 games ahead of the second place Salisbury Giants in the final regular season standings. In the first round of the playoffs, Lexington defeated Kannapolis 3 games to 0. Pitcher James White of Kannapolis led the league with
176-560: The eight–team Class D level North Carolina State League in 1939, joining the league along with the Concord Weavers franchise. The Kannapolis and Concord teams joined the North Carolina State League to replace the Gastonia Cardinals and Newton-Conover Twins , who had moved to the new Tar Heel League . The Cooleemee Cools , Landis Sens , Lexington Indians , Mooresville Moors , Salisbury Giants and Thomasville Tommies joined
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#1732876790982192-461: The eight–team league. Kannapolis lost in first round the playoffs, as the Mooresville Moors defeated Kannapolis 3 games to 1. The Towlers' James White led the league with 20 wins and 192 strikeouts, while Bill Carrier had 88 RBI to lead the league and Lewis Davis scored a league leading 102 runs. Despite their on–field success, the Kannapolis franchise folded following the 1941 season, replaced by
208-656: The league was entirely professional. All teams participated only in the 1935 season: The following team was the sole champion of the Carolina Textile League: This article related to sports in North Carolina is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Hickory Rebels The Hickory Rebels were a Class D minor league baseball team based in Hickory, North Carolina , that played from 1939–1940, 1940, 1945–1954, 1960. The Rebels were
224-619: The predecessor of the current Hickory Crawdads in the South Atlantic League . The Rebels played in the Tar Heel League (1939–1940, 1953–1954), North Carolina State League (1942, 1945–1951) and Western Carolinas League (1952, 1960). They were affiliates of the New York Giants (1945–1949) and Chicago Cubs (1952–1954). A former team of the same name had participated in the independent Carolina League between 1936 and 1938. The Rebels played at Fairgrounds Park. Fairgrounds Park
240-432: The six–team league, Kannapolis ended the 1938 season with a 49–47 record, playing under manager Buck Redfern. Kannapolis finished 4.0 games behind the first place Lenoir Indians in the final standings. No playoffs were held. The Carolina League folded following the 1938 season, later resuming play in 1945. Kannapolis switched minor league baseball leagues in 1939. The Kannapolis Towelers continued play and became members of
256-447: The two new members in 1939 North Carolina State League play. In their first season of North Carolina State League play, the 1939 Towelers placed seventh and missed the playoffs. Kannapolis ended the season with a record of 46–65, playing under managers Phil Lundeen, L.B. Jones, Herbert Watts and Stumpy Culbreth. Kannapolis finished 26.0 games behind the first place Mooresville Moors in the final standings. The 1940 Kannapolis Towelers won
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