South Georgia Peanuts
The South Georgia Peanuts were a short-lived minor league baseball team, based in Albany, Georgia in 2007. The team's home games were held at Paul Eames Sports Complex.
| South Georgia Peanuts (2007) Albany, Georgia | |
| Minor league affiliations | |
|---|---|
| Previous classes |
|
Previous leagues | South Coast League |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (1) |
|
| First half titles (1) |
|
| Second half titles (0) | None |
| Team data | |
| Colors | Gold, navy |
Previous parks | |
| General Manager | Keith Michlig[1] |
| Manager | Wally Backman |
History
The Peanuts played in the South Coast League and won the league title with a 59–28 record. However, the notoriety of the Peanuts was largely built upon the managerial comeback of Wally Backman, who had been hired as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks and fired four days later due to reported legal troubles.[2] His return to managing and the Peanuts' 2007 season were documented by the independent TV series Playing for Peanuts.
On March 4, 2008, the Peanuts announced that pitching coach Buddy York had been promoted to manager after Wally Backman departed for the Joilet Jackhammers of the Northern League.[3]
On March 31, 2008, the South Coast League office issued an announcement that it was suspending operations as of April 1, citing an inability to close on a large amount of debt. The league reportedly lost over a million dollars in each of its markets during its first year.[4] While the statement claimed that it planned to resume operations in 2009, the league never returned. As a result, the Peanuts dissolved along with the league.
2007 season
(from Baseball Reference Bullpen)
| Half | Record | Finish | GB | League Standing | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 33-11 | .750 | -- | 1st | Won 1st Half Title |
| 2nd | 26-17 | .605 | 1.5 | 2nd | |
| Total | 59-28 | .678 | -- | 1st | League Champs def. Macon Music, 2 games to 1 |
References
- "South Georgia "Nuts" for Backman". Our Sports Central. December 20, 2006. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
- "Another Chance Ends Before a Season Does for Backman". New York Times. August 8, 2007. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
- "South Georgia picks Buddy York to lead title defense". OurSports Central. 2008-03-04. Retrieved 2018-05-07.
- "A Look Back on the South Coast League, Where Baseball Went to Die". Vice. 2012-05-09. Retrieved 2018-05-07.