Bangor Millionaires

The Bangor Millionaires was the first moniker of the minor league baseball team based in Bangor, Maine between 1894 and 1913. Bangor teams played as members of the New England League (1894–1896), Maine State League (1897), New England League (1901), Maine State League (1907–1908) and New Brunswick-Maine League (1913). Decades later, Bangor hosted the Bangor Blue Ox (1994–1997) and Bangor Lumberjacks (2003–2004) of the Independent Northeast League.

Bangor Millionaires
1894–1913
(1894–1897, 1907–1908, 1913)
Bangor, Maine
Minor league affiliations
Previous classesClass B (1894–1896)
Class D (1907–1908, 1913)
Independent (1897, 1901)
Previous leagues
New England League (1894–1896)
Maine State League (1897)
New England League (1901)
Maine State League (1907–1908)
New Brunswick-Maine League (1913)
Major league affiliations
Previous teamsNone
Minor league titles
League titles 2 1907, 1908
Team data
Previous names
Bangor Millionaires (1894–1897)
Bangor (1901)
Bangor Cubs (1907)
Bangor White Sox (1908)
Bangor Maroons (1913)
Previous parks
Maplewood Park

History

Minor league baseball began in Bangor, Maine with the Bangor Millionaires, who became members of the 1894 New England League. In the 1894 season, the Millionaires finished with a 48–48 record and were 4th in the eight–team league final standings. Bangor was managed by Louis Bacon and Jack Sharrott, finishing 13.5 games behind the 1st place Fall River Indians.[1][2][3]

Bangor continued play in the 1895 Class B New England League, finishing with a 55–49 record. The Millionaires were 3rd in the league standings under managers Jack Sharrott and William Long, finishing 11.0 games behind the 1st place Falls River Indians.[1][4]

The 1896 Bangor Millionaires finished 2nd in the New England League. Bangor was 2.5 games behind the Fall River Indians with a 63–39 record in the eight–team league. William Long and Mike McDermott were the managers.[1][5][6][7]

In 1897, the Bangor Millionaires switched leagues and joined the Independent Maine State League, with Jack Sharott returning as manager. Bangor had 12–19 record and were in 3rd place when the league folded. The six–team 1897 league standings featured the Augusta Kennebecs (14–8), Bangor Millionaires (12–19), Belfast Pastimes (10–16), Lewiston (15–14), Portland (21–6) and Rockland (10–19).[8][9][10][11][12][13]

In 1901, Bangor began the season playing in the independent New England League. On June 30, 1901, the team was 22–14 under manager Walter Burnham when the franchise relocated to Brockton, Massachusetts. The Bangor/Brockton franchise disbanded on July 6, 1901, finishing with a 24–16 overall record.[14][15][16]

Bangor was without a minor league team until the 1907 Maine State League reformed as an eight–team Class D league. Bangor began play in the 1907 season alongside fellow members from Augusta, Maine (Augusta Senators), Biddeford, Maine (Biddeford Orphans), Lewiston, Maine (Lewiston), Manchester, New Hampshire (Manchester), Portland, Maine (Pine Tree Capers), a second team in Portland (Portland Blue Sox) and Waterville, Maine (Waterville).[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][12]

Bangor and the 1907 Maine State League began play on May 24, 1907. The league lost several franchises before the season concluded. Both Manchester and Waterville folded in June, Manchester with a 1–7 record and Waterville with an 8–14 record. The Augusta franchise disbanded on July 29, 1907, with a 27–28 record. Lewiston was 24–24 when that franchise folded on August 3, 1907.[27][28][29][30]

With four teams remaining, the Bangor Cubs won the 1907 Maine State League Championship. Bangor had a 47–31 final record, as the league held no playoffs. The Bangor Cubs were followed by the Biddeford Orphans (30–27), Portland Blue Sox (39–41) and Pine Tree Capers (27–32) in the 1907 final standings. The Augusta Senators (27–28), Lewiston (24–23), Manchester (1–7) and Waterville (8–14) all folded before the completion of the season.[27][30][12]

Bangor returned to play as the Bangor White Sox in the six–team 1908 Maine State League, winning a second consecutive championship in an unconventional manner. Bangor joined Augusta, Biddeford, and the Portland Blue Sox as the 1908 league members who finished the season, as Pine Tree and York Beach disbanded during the season.[31][32][33]

Bangor and the Maine State League began play on June 10, 1908. The Lewiston franchise moved to Augusta after twelve games. Pine Tree (15–13) and York Beach (10–15) both disbanded on July 19, 1908. When the Portland Blue Sox disbanded on August 28, 1908, the Maine State League permanently folded. The Portland Blue Sox were in 1st place with a 32–20 record when disbanding. Portland finished ahead of the Bangor White Sox (31–22), Lewiston/Augusta (20–26) and Biddeford (18–30) in the standings. However, since Portland folded, the Bangor White Sox were awarded the 1908 Maine State League Championship.[34][32][35][36][12][37]

Baseball returned to Bangor when the Bangor Maroons were charter members of the four-team 1913 Class D New Brunswick-Maine League. Bangor finished with a 18–48, record and in 4th place under managers George Magoon, Frank Connaughton and Lamorey. Bangor finished 23.5 games behind the 1st place Fredericton Pets. The league folded after their only season.[38][39][40]

Bangor was without a minor league team for over 80 years, until the Bangor Blue Ox became members of the 1994 independent Northeast League.[41][42]

The ballparks

Bangor teams played at Maplewood Park. The site was called Maplewood Park as the site was home to the Maplewood Hotel. The site was later called Eastern Maine Fairgrounds and then Bass Park. Harness racing has been hosted at the site throughout its duration. Today, Bass Park continues as the long time home of the Bangor State Fair.[43][44][45][46][47]

Bangor timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeague
1894–18963Bangor MillionairesClass BNew England League
18971IndependentMaine State League
19011BangorNew England League
19071Bangor CubsClass DMaine State League
19081Bangor White Sox
19131Bangor MaroonsNew Brunswick-Maine League
1994–19974Bangor Blue OxIndependentNortheast League
2003–20042Bangor Lumberjacks

Notable alumni

References
  1. "New England League – BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  2. "1894 Bangor Millionaires Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  3. "1894 Bangor Millionaires Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. "1895 Bangor Millionaires Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. "1896 Bangor Millionaires Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  6. "1895 Bangor Millionaires Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  7. "1896 Bangor Millionaires Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. "Bangor Millionaires – BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  9. "Maine State League – BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  10. "1897 Maine State League (MSL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. "1897 Maine State League (MSL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. "Maine State League – BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  13. "1897 Bangor Millionaires Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  14. "1901 Bangor/Brockton B's Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  15. "1901 New England League (NEL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  16. "1901 Bangor Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  17. "Maine State League (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  18. "1907 Maine State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  19. "1907 Augusta Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  20. "1907 Biddeford Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  21. "1907 Bangor White Sox Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  22. "1907 Lewiston Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  23. "1907 Manchester Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  24. "1907 Pine Tree Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  25. "1907 Portland Blue Sox Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  26. "1907 Waterville Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  27. "1907 Maine State League (MSL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  28. "1907 Manchester Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  29. "1907 Waterville Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  30. "1907 Maine State League (MSL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  31. "1908 Maine State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  32. "1908 Maine State League (MSL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  33. "1908 Bangor White Sox Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  34. "1908 York Beach Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  35. "1908 Atlantic Association (AA) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  36. "1908 Lewiston Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  37. "Bangor White Sox – BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  38. "Bangor Maroons – BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  39. "New Brunswick-Maine League – BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  40. "1913 Bangor Maroons Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  41. "Bangor Blue Ox – BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  42. "Northeast League – BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  43. "Maplewood Park in Bangor, ME history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  44. McLean, Danielle (July 13, 2017). "Future of harness racing in Bangor questioned". Bangor Daily News.
  45. "ABOUT US | Bangor State Fair | Maine". bangor-state-fair.
  46. "Life on a Tidal River – Bass Park: A History of Fillies, Fame, and Fun". bangor.mainememory.net.
  47. "Viewing stand at Maplewood Park, Bangor, ca. 1895". Maine Memory Network.
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