Flint Arrows

The Flint Arrows was the primary name of the minor league baseball team in Flint, Michigan from 1940–1941 and 1948–1951. Flint was a member of the Michigan State League (1940–1941) and Central League (1948–1950), playing their home games at Atwood Stadium. Flint was an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers (1948–1950) and Cleveland Indians (1940–1941).[1]

Flint Arrows
1940–1951
(1940–1941, 1948–1951)
Flint, Michigan
Minor league affiliations
Previous classesClass A (1948–1951)
Class C (1940–1941)
Previous leagues
Michigan State League (1940–1941)
Central League (1948–1950)
Major league affiliations
Previous teamsCleveland Indians (1940–1941)
Detroit Tigers(1948–1950) Detroit Tigers (1948–1950)
Minor league titles
League titles 1941, 1950
Conference titles 1940, 1948
Team data
NameFlint Gems (1940)
Flint Indians (1941)
Flint Arrows (1948–1951)
BallparkAtwood Stadium (1940–1941, 1948–1951)

History

The Flint 1940-1951 teams were immediately preceded by the Flint Vehicles, who played in the Michigan State League and other minor leagues from 1906 to 1926.[2][3]

The Flint Gems began play as members of the 1940 Class C Michigan State League as an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. Flint won the 1940 Michigan State League Pennant and the 1941 Michigan State League Championship.[4]

The Flint Gems won the 1940 Michigan State League Pennant. With a regular season of 67–41, the Gems finished 1st in the Michigan State League regular season. The Gems were managed by Jack Knight. In the 1940 Playoffs, the St. Joseph Autos defeated the Flint Gems 3 games to 2.[5][6][3]

In 1941, the Flint Indians won the Michigan State League championship in the final year of the Class C league. Flint finished 70-38, to finish 1st in the Michigan State League regular season, 9.0 games ahead of the 2nd place St. Joseph Autos. The Flint Indians manager was Jack Knight. There were no playoffs in 1941.[3][7]

The 1948–1951 Flint Arrows were a member of the Central League.[8] Their overall record was 169–102. The Arrows won the Central League Championship in 1950 and the league Pennant in 1948.[8][1] With the 1951 riots in Baltimore creating tension, Flint was noted by the Sporting News as being one of five ball teams that had games with single digit attendance.[9][1]

When the Arrows started playing in Flint in April 1948 (1948-04) as a Detroit Tigers minor league affiliate in the Central League, their manager was Jack Tighe. The league scheduled a 140–game season in 1948.[8] The August 26, 1949 home game with Grand Rapids had a fight break out with catcher Frank House being suspended indefinitely.[10]

The Flint Arrows captured the Central League pennant in 1948. With a record of 89–49, Flint finished 1st in the Central League Standings under manager Jack Tighe. In the Playoffs, the Fort Wayne Generals defeated the Flint Arrows 3 games to 2. Flint had 1948 season attendance of 120,573, an average of 1,747 per game.[11][1]

In 1950, Flint won the Central League Championship. The Arrows finished 80–53, 1st in the Central League regular season standings under Manager Gene Desautels. In the 1950 Playoffs, the Flint Arrows defeated the Grand Rapids Jets 3 games to 1 to advance. In the Central League Finals, Flint defeated the Muskegon Clippers 4 games to 1 to claim the championship. The Arrows' 1950 season attendance was 67,954, an average of 1,022 per game.[12][1]

The Arrows lost their Tiger affiliation in 1950 after the end of the season despite winning the league championship.[8] The team's home run leader for 1950 was Edwin Little with 17.[4]

On September 6, 1951, the Arrows had a single digit attendance with two fans watching their game according to the 1952 Sporting News Baseball Guide.[9]

In the Final season of the Central League, the 1951 Flint Arrows finished 6th in the six–team league. The Arrows were 38–98 under Manager Stephen Bysco. Their season attendance was 25,900, an average of 381 per game.[13][1][14]

The Flint Journal reported that the team suffered from lower attendance in 1951 and struggled financially. The Arrows ended operations, along with the entire Central League, after the 1951 season. The Arrows were the last minor league baseball team based in Flint.[14][8]

The ballpark

The Flint teams from 1940–1951 played at Atwood Stadium. Atwood Stadium is still in use today. It is owned by Kettering University, was renovated in 2015, and serves as home of Kittering athletic teams and the Flint City Bucks minor league soccer franchise. The address is 701 west 3rd Avenue, Flint, Michigan.[15][16][17]

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Flint Arrows - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  2. "Flint, MI - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  3. "Michigan State League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  4. "Did you know Flint was once a hub of minor league baseball?". Flint Journal. Mlive Media Group. June 14, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  5. "1940 Flint Gems Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  6. "Flint Gems - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  7. "1941 Flint Indians Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  8. Adams, Dominic (May 1, 2015). "1 comment Flint joins Baltimore on list of pro baseball games with single-digit attendance". The Flint Journal. Mlive Media Group. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  9. Hagerty, Tim (April 29, 2015). "Six professional baseball games that drew fewer than five fans". The Sporting News. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  10. "Frank House Suspended". The Deseret News. AP. August 27, 1949. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  11. "1948 Flint Arrows Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. "1950 Flint Arrows Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. "1951 Central League (CL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. "Central League (US) - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  15. "Atwood Stadium 701 W 3rd Ave Flint, MI - MapQuest". www.mapquest.com.
  16. "Soccer franchise to make Atwood Stadium in Flint new home turf". mlive. October 31, 2018.
  17. "Kettering University Atwood Stadium". Kettering University.
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