Boise Pilots

The Boise Pilots were a minor league baseball team in the western United States, based in Boise, Idaho. They played in the Pioneer League for a total of 11 seasons between 1939 and 1954. They were unaffiliated with any major league team, and played at the Class C level. Their home venue was originally named Airway Park in 1939, and in 1952 was renamed Joe Devine Airway Park.

Boise Pilots
(1939–42, 1946–51, 1954)
Boise, Idaho
Minor league affiliations
Previous classesClass C
Previous leagues
Pioneer League
Team data
Previous parks
Airway Park (1939–42, 1946–51)
Joe Devine Airway Park (1954)

History

Minor league baseball began in Boise in 1904 when the Boise Fruit Pickers played as members of the Pacific National League.[1] In 1905, the Boise Infants continued play in the Pacific National League.[2] Boise fielded two teams in 1909, as Boise played as members of the Montana State League,[3] and the Boise Irrigators were members of the Inter-Mountain League.[4] The Boise Irrigators later played in the Union Association (1911, 1914)[5][6] and Western Tri-State League (1912–1913).[7][8]

The Boise Pilots immediately followed the Boise Senators of the 1928 Utah-Idaho League and were one of the six original teams of the Pioneer League when it was formed in 1939. The team competed through the 1951 season, except for three years during World War II when the league did not operate. Boise's team then became the Yankees, who were affiliated with New York during 1952 and 1953. That affiliation did not continue, and the team operated independently again as the Pilots in 1954. Boise's team then became a Milwaukee affiliate from 1955 through 1963, operating as the Braves. After the Braves' final season of 1963, the ballpark was demolished, and Boise was without a minor league team until the Boise A's of the Northwest League debuted in 1975.[9]

Season records
Season[10]Manager(s)W–LWin %FinishPlayoffsRef
1939 Andy Harrington62–62.5003rdno playoffs held[11]
1940 66–63.5123rdlost in finals[12]
1941 Jim Keesey81–49.6231stlost in finals[13]
1942 68–51.5712ndlost in finals[14]
1943–45league paused due to World War II
1946 Walter Lowe52–77.4036thnone[15]
1947 67–70.4894thnone[16]
1948 58–68.4606thnone[17]
1949 William Stenger
Gordon Williamson		47–77.3797thnone[18]
1950 Ford "Moon" Mullen50–74.4037thnone[19]
1951 Thomas Lloyd
Frank Gregory		51–88.3678thnone[20]
1952–53team operated as the Boise Yankees
1954 Ed Fernandes47–84.3598thnone[21]

All-stars
Season[22]Name & Position
1940Walter Lowe, 1B
Joe Egnatz, OF
Elden Lorenzen, Util.
1941Jack Radtke, 2B
Joe Egnatz, OF
Clifford Barker, C
Gerry Staley, P
1947Walter Lowe, 1B
Lou Tamone, 3B
1948William Franks, P
1954William Francis, P

Notable players

See also
  • Boise Pilots players

References
  1. "1904 Pacific National League". statscrew.com. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  2. "1905 Pacific National League". statscrew.com. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  3. "1909 Montana State League Standings". statscrew.com. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  4. "1909 Inter-Mountain League". statscrew.com. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  5. "1911 Union Association". statscrew.com. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  6. "1914 Union Association". statscrew.com. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  7. "1912 Western Tri-State League". statscrew.com. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  8. "1913 Western Tri-State League". statscrew.com. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  9. "Boise, ID - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  10. "Boise Pilots". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  11. "1939 Boise Pilots". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  12. "1940 Boise Pilots". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  13. "1941 Boise Pilots". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  14. "1942 Boise Pilots". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  15. "1946 Boise Pilots". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  16. "1947 Boise Pilots". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  17. "1948 Boise Pilots". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  18. "1949 Boise Pilots". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  19. "1950 Boise Pilots". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  20. "1951 Boise Pilots". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  21. "1954 Boise Pilots". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  22. "All-Star Teams 1939-1963". milb.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

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