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20-582: Stamford first hosted the 1888 Stamford team, who played the season as members of the Connecticut State League . The 1947 Stamford Bombers became members of the six–team, Class B level Colonial League , which reformed after last playing in 1915. The Bombers were joined by the Bridgeport Bees , New London Raiders , Port Chester Clippers , Poughkeepsie Giants and Waterbury Timers in beginning league play on May 7, 1947. The Stamford franchise

40-593: A 2.09 ERA, to lead the league. In their final season, the Stamford Pioneers ended the 1949 Colonial League regular season in 2nd place. With a record of 74–52, playing the season under managers Joe Glenn and Herb Stein to finish 6.5 games behind the 1st place Bristol Owls . In the playoffs, the Pioneers played their final games as the Bridgeport Bees defeated Stamford Pioneers in a seven–game series. Jim Callahan led

60-813: Is widely considered to have been the greatest African-American player of the 19th century. In 2006 , Grant was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame . Grant was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts . He played semipro baseball in Pittsfield and in Plattsburgh, New York . In 1886, Grant played for the Meriden Silvermen team of the Eastern League , based in Meriden, Connecticut . After Meriden folded during

80-523: The 1887 season, Grant hit for the cycle in one game and stole home twice in another. Despite significant racial turmoil that year, Buffalo forced the IL to rescind a proposed color line to keep Grant in town. By 1888, anti-black sentiment was all around the league, and it seemed only Buffalo argued against segregation (possibly because of Grant). While with the Bisons, Grant led the team in batting average every year but

100-411: The 19th century." In the late 19th century, few black hitters matched up with Grant. He had substantial power at the plate, often hitting home runs and very often getting extra-base hits. Grant hit for extra bases every four times he got a hit . He achieved this even though he was quite small (5'7", 155 pounds ). A middle infielder, mostly a second baseman , Grant had fielding skills widely praised as

120-741: The 1st place Waterbury Timers. Playing under player/manager Zeke Bonura , the Bombers swept the Colonial League Playoffs. In the 1st round of playoffs, the Bombers defeated the pennant winning Waterbury Timers 4 games to 3. In the finals, the Stamford Bombers defeated the New London Raiders 4 games to 1 to win the championship. Vito DeVito led the Colonial League with 128 runs scored, while teammate Sid Schacht had 180 strikeouts, to lead

140-597: The Colonial League with 107 RBI, while teammates Ed Hrabczak and Emil Moscowitz each had 19 wins to lead the league. Moscowitz had a 2.01 ERA and Hrabczak 234 strikeouts, leading the league in those categories as well. Stamford folded following the 1949 season and did not field a team in the 1950 Colonial League. Stamford was replaced by the Torrington Braves in the league. Stamford has not hosted another minor league team. The Stamford Bombers and Stamford Pioneers hosted minor league games at Mitchell Stadium. The ballpark

160-601: The Connecticut State League included the Ansonia Cuban Giants , a team made up of entirely African-American ballplayers, including future Hall of Famers Frank Grant and Sol White . In 1902, it was a Class D league with teams in eight cities. In 1905, the league became Class B , which lasted until 1913, when the league became the Eastern Association due to several teams outside of the state entering

180-401: The best in the league. He was known as "The Black Dunlap", a comparison drawn to the defensive skills of 19th-century white second baseman Fred Dunlap . Grant is also notable for becoming the first black player to play on the same team in organized baseball for three consecutive seasons. After his baseball career, Grant's name rarely appeared in the press. He lived a quiet life as a waiter for

200-528: The first ball tossed by Stamford Mayor Charles E. Moore. Stamford defeated Waterbury, 16–5 in the game, as Stamford's Scotty Koproski hit the first recorded Colonial League home run. In the era of segregated baseball, Stamford fielded six black players in 1947. Pitcher Al Preston joined the Stamford club from the New York Black Yankees on August 6, 1947 Preston played for Stamford in 1947 and 1948, and

220-427: The league pitchers. In 1948, the Pioneers finished last in the Colonial League standings. Stamford ended the 1948 season with a record of 54–78, placing 6th in the Colonial League and did not qualify for the playoffs. Zeke Bonura returned as manager. The Pioneers finished 28.5 games behind the 1st place Port Chester Clippers, as player/manager Zeke Bonura led the Colonial League with 23 home runs and Sid Schacht posted

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240-1679: The league. Also a Class B league, it survived two more seasons, then folded after the 1914 season. 1884 Connecticut State League Willimantic expelled September 3. The league played two games each week: Wednesdays and Saturdays 1885 Connecticut State League (Continuation of the Southern New England League ) New Britain disbanded September 8 1888 Connecticut State League President: J. Howard Taylor Bridgeport transferred to Stamford in May, then disbanded June 27. Danbury disbanded June 5. The league disbanded July 25. 1891 Connecticut State League President: A.W. Lang Hartford disbanded June 10; Portland disbanded June 10. 1894 Connecticut State League Standings unknown 1895 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke 1896 Connecticut State League President: D.W. Porter (aka Naugatuck Valley State League) 1897 Connecticut State League President: Sturgis Whitlock 1898 Connecticut State League President: Sturgis Whitlock New Britain disbanded June 23. Derby disbanded June 25. 1899 Connecticut State League - schedule President: Tim Murnane No Playoffs. 1900 Connecticut State League President: Sturgis Whitlock No Playoffs. 1901 Connecticut State League President: Tim Murnane No Playoffs. 1902 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke / Sturgis Whitlock No Playoffs. 1903 Connecticut State League President: Sturgis Whitlock No Playoffs: 12 Holyoke games (8-4) were deducted after

260-1050: The season due to ineligible player violations. 1904 Connecticut League President: Jim O'Rourke Worcester (26-11) moved to Norwich June 21. No Playoffs. 1905 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke No Playoffs. 1906 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke No Playoffs. 1907 Connecticut State League President: W. J. Tracey No Playoffs. 1908 Connecticut State League President: W. J. Tracey No Playoffs. 1909 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke No Playoffs. 1910 Connecticut State League - schedule President: W.J. Tracy] No Playoffs. 1911 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke Northampton and Holyoke disbanded June 26. No Playoffs. 1912 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke New Britain (12-22) moved to Waterbury June 15. No Playoffs. Frank Grant (baseball) Ulysses Franklin Grant (August 1, 1865 – May 27, 1937)

280-573: The season. Grant signed with the Buffalo Bisons in the International League, one level below the major leagues. Though most sources indicate the official integration of organized baseball would not come for several more decades, Grant was one of five black players who played in baseball's otherwise white minor leagues at the time. When he debuted with the team, a Buffalo newspaper reporter referred to Grant as "a Spaniard". His batting average

300-664: Was .344 with Buffalo that season. In an April 1887 preseason game against the Philadelphia Phillies at the Jefferson Street Grounds , Grant homered and was cited for his "remarkable fielding." During the 1887 season, the 22-year-old batted .353, paced the IL with 11 home runs and 49 extra-base hits , and led Buffalo with 40 stolen bases . In 1887, Jack Chapman , the Bisons' veteran manager, valued Grant's services at $ 5,000—a compliment when Chicago had recently sold superstar King Kelly to Boston for $ 10,000. During

320-425: Was also called "Mitchell Field" and had a reputation for having long grass. The ballpark was located on Magee Avenue. Connecticut State League The Connecticut League , also known as the Connecticut State League , was a professional baseball association of teams in the state of Connecticut . The league began as offshoot of the original Connecticut State League, which dates back as far as 1884. In 1891,

340-464: Was an American baseball player in the 19th century. Early in his career, he was a star player in the International League , shortly before race-based restrictions were imposed that banned African-American players from organized baseball. Grant then became a pioneer in the early Negro leagues , starring for several of the top African-American teams of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He

360-521: Was disliked by his teammates. He frequently faced hostile opponents who tried to injure him on the field. When blacks were banned from organized, white-controlled baseball in 1889, Grant went on to become a successful Negro leaguer for the Cuban Giants , Cuban X-Giants , Big Gorhams, Brooklyn Royal Giants, and Philadelphia Giants into the 20th century. His career ended in 1903. Author Jerry Malloy described Grant as "the greatest Negro baseball player of

380-401: Was joined by Carlos Santiago , on August 10, 1947. Santiago then played for Stanford in 1948 and 1949. Johnny Haith, Roy Lee, Jr., Andre Pulliza and Fred Shepherd also played with Stamford in 1947. In their first season of play, the Stamford Bombers won the 1947 Colonial League championship. The Bombers ended the regular season in 3rd place with a record of 67–51, finishing 19.5 games behind

400-455: Was owned by New York City entrepreneurs, Lou Haneles and Stan Moor. Haneles would serve as the teams' general manager and would integrate the team roster. In 1946 and 1947, 16 black players crossed the color line in minor league baseball. Six of them were signed by Haneles to Stamford in 1947. On their home opening night, on May 8, 1947, 600 fans were in attendance in arctic weather at Mitchell Stadium. Colonial League president Ken Strong caught

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