LANCASTER RED ROSES

'Lancaster Red Roses'
'Founded'	1909 1908
'Cities'	Lancaster, Pennsylvania Lancaster, Ohio
'League'	Eastern Professional Baseball League
'Folded:'	1961, 1908
'Stadiums'	Stumpf Field at McMinn Park
'Team History'	'Lancaster Maroons' 1896-1899 'Lancaster Red Roses' 1906-1909' Lancaster Red Sox' 1932 'Lancaster Red Roses' 1940-1961
'Championships'	none
'Uniform Colors:'	navy blue, red, khaki
'Geographical Rival:'	York White Roses

'The Lancaster Red Roses', was the name of two different baseball teams in the cities of Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Lancaster, Ohio.
The Lancaster Red Roses baseball team of Pennsylvania, originally known as the Maroons, changed its name at the start of the 1906 season during a bitter match with the York, Pennsylvania-based White Roses. Some sources indicate that the rival teams were named for the opposing factions in England's historic Wars of the Roses. The Lancaster Red Roses played at Stumpf Field at McMinn Park, of which still is in use today by local baseball and softball leagues.
There was also another Lancaster Red Roses team, from Lancaster, Ohio, that were members of the Ohio State League in the 1908 season.^[1]

Contents

The Red Roses of Pennsylvania

Lancaster Red Roses: The First Era

Lancaster Red Roses: The Second Era

Notable Red Roses

References

The Red Roses of Pennsylvania

Lancaster Red Roses: The First Era

The year 1906 brought the Lancaster Red Roses, who changed their name from the Maroons. The new name was unveiled to the public a few days before the season and drew heavy criticism from the rival York White Roses from nearby York. The White Roses manager predicted, in spite, that the Red Roses would be at the bottom of the standings column. The Red Roses went on to win the first game, 9-4, and an even heavier rivalry began. ^[2]Some sources indicate that the rival teams were named for the opposing factions in England's historic Wars of the Roses. In 1909, the team secured its first championship in the Tri-State League, under the leadership of ex-outfielder Marty Hogan. That same year, the Red Roses signed on future Hall of Fame pitcher Stan Coveleski. The Red Roses eventually folded because of financial pressures brought on by the Great Depression.

Lancaster Red Roses: The Second Era

In 1932, a new team by the name of the 'Lancaster Red Sox', an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, played in the city. The team returned to its original name of Red Roses in 1940.^[3]The Lancaster Red Roses played in the 'Interstate League' from 1940 to 1952, and were affiliated with the Philadelphia Athletics from 1944 to 1947 and the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1948 to 1952. The Red Roses joined the 'Piedmont League' in 1954, and were affiliated with the Philadelphia/ Kansas City Athletics from 1954-1955 season. They became members of the 'Eastern Professional Baseball League' in 1958, and were affiliated with the Detroit Tigers for the 1958-1959 season, the Chicago Cubs from 1959 to 1961, and spent their last season ever in 1961 as an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Notable Red Roses

Stan Coveleski, Baseball Hall of Famer

George Kell, Baseball Hall of Famer

References

1. Lancaster Red Roses: from Pennsylvania and Ohio
2. Lancaster's Roses Bloom and Wither
3. Rose Seeds Resown