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and providing another $ 2,500 for incidental expenses, and the ability to provide transportation to away games. Eleven
Nebraska cities agreed to these provisions. The eleven names were put into a hat to draw for one of eight franchises. McCook was one of the cities selected for the new league, along with Superior, Grand Island, Hastings, Lexington, Holdrege, North Platte and Kearney. For the required $ 5,000 in season tickets, McCook hoped to sell 500 at $ 10 each, McCook instead exceeded that goal in selling 700.
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had plans to sponsor a new Class D League in
Nebraska with affiliate teams. After the announcement, local McCook Baseball Boosters met with the major league owners. Requirements for a franchise in the Nebraska State League included: cities having a lighted ballpark; selling $ 5,000 in season tickets
281:
In their final season, The McCook Braves won the 1959 Nebraska State League
Championship. The Braves ended the 1959 season with a record of 43–19 losses, placing first in the Nebraska State League, finishing 4.0 games ahead of the second place
266:
The McCook Braves finished sixth in the 1957 Nebraska State League. McCook ended the regular season with a record of 27–29, playing the season under returning manager Bill
Steinecke and finishing 6.5 games behind the champion
262:
served as manager and would manage the team for all four seasons. Playing at Cibola Field, McCook had home attendance of 32,224, an average of 1,023 per game. McCook pitcher
Richard Allen led the league with 11 wins.
239:, who played from 1928 to 1932, winning Nebraska State League Championships in 1928, 1929 and 1930. The eight–team Nebraska State League reformed as a Class D level league in 1956 after a 15 season hiatus.
347:
today). When the McCook Braves franchise was established, a new field was immediately constructed at the Red Willow County
Fairgrounds with help from local clubs and organizations. The field was dubbed
356:. The ballpark had a capacity of 2,500 (1956) and 1,000 (1959). Still in use today as host to the Red Willow County fair, the Willow County Fairgrounds are located on West 5th Street in McCook.
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in the six–team league. Bill
Steinecke was manager for the fourth consecutive season. McCook led the league in home attendance with 19,788. Frank Saia scored 68 runs to lead the league.
343:
The McCook
Generals were noted to have played at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. After their demise, the semi-pro McCook Cats of the early 1950s had played in Eastside Park (called
327:, all permanently folded as well. For the duration of the league, McCook was second only to Grand Island in attendance. McCook, Nebraska has not hosted another minor league franchise.
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of the previous edition of the
Nebraska State League from 1928 to 1932. The Braves hosted home games at the Ciabola Field, which was within the Red Willow County Fairgrounds.
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In their third season, the 1958 McCook Braves placed second in the
Nebraska State League standings. McCook ended the season just 1.0 game behind the champion
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in the final standings with a record of 40–23, as Bill Steinecke continued as manager. Cerefino Foy of the Braves led league pitchers with 10 wins.
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level five–team league that folded after one season. The last known standings were published on July 24, 1903, shortly before the Minden and
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The Nebraska State League folded permanently after the completion of the 1959 season. McCook and the other 1959 league franchises, the
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254:. McCook finished 1956 season with a record of 35–28, placing fourth in the Nebraska State League, 6.0 games behind the first place
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for their duration. The Braves won the 1959 league championship and were preceded in minor league play by the
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pitched for the 1959 McCook Braves, finishing with a 7–1 record and a 3.12 ERA in 23 games.
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The 1956 McCook Braves began play in the Nebraska State League as an affiliate of the
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from 1956 to 1959, having been preceded in an earlier Nebraska State League by the
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and McCook would disband shortly thereafter. The last known standings had the
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372:. Jordan eventually retired from baseball to become a writer and an author.
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790:"On The Diamond; Silver Ashes have been doing a few stunts this week"
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1345:"Cibola Stadium in McCook, NE history and teams on StatsCrew.com"
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and McCook tied for in first place with identical 19–7 records.
271:. Home attendance at Cibola Field was 25,844 an average of 923.
1127:"1958 Nebraska State League (NSL) Standings on StatsCrew.com"
1073:"1957 Nebraska State League (NSL) Standings on StatsCrew.com"
758:"24 Jul 1903, Page 1 - The McCook Tribune at Newspapers.com"
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McCook first fielded a minor league team in the 1903. The
929:"McCook: The land of the free and the home of the Braves"
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The 1959 McCook Braves season is chronicled in the book
1295:"Phil Niekro – Society for American Baseball Research"
137:
Cibola Field/Red Willow County Fairgrounds (1956–1959)
258:. The team scored 454 runs, while allowing 427 runs.
1238:"1959 Nebraska State League (NSL) on StatsCrew.com"
1109:"1958 Nebraska State League (NSL) on StatsCrew.com"
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1256:"1959 McCook Braves Statistics on StatsCrew.com"
184:The 1959 McCook Braves are featured in the book
840:"Nebraska State League (NSL) on StatsCrew.com"
8:
1220:"1959 McCook Braves Roster on StatsCrew.com"
1091:"1958 McCook Braves Roster on StatsCrew.com"
1037:"1957 McCook Braves Roster on StatsCrew.com"
947:"1956 McCook Braves Roster on StatsCrew.com"
892:Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007).
1363:"Red Willow County Fairgrounds - Nebraska"
792:. Holdrege Weekly Progress. July 31, 1903.
894:The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball
1458:Milwaukee Braves minor league affiliates
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231:, the McCook Braves were members of the
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1386:Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com
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1433:Baseball teams disestablished in 1959
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181:pitched for the 1959 McCook Braves.
1428:Defunct minor league baseball teams
1448:Defunct baseball teams in Nebraska
1443:1959 disestablishments in Nebraska
1423:Baseball teams established in 1956
188:, written by McCook Braves player
14:
778:. Minden Gazette. July 29, 1903.
1438:1956 establishments in Nebraska
1309:"McCook, Nebraska Encyclopedia"
1184:"1959 McCook Braves Statistics"
1145:"1958 McCook Braves Statistics"
1001:"1957 McCook Braves Statistics"
983:"1956 McCook Braves Statistics"
242:In 1956, it was announced that
804:"1903 Central Nebraska League"
649:Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame
204:team was a member of the 1903
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1202:"1959 Nebraska State League"
1163:"1958 Nebraska State League"
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1463:Nebraska State League teams
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1403:McCook - Baseball Reference
822:"1903 Holdredge Statistics"
368:, written by McCook player
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16:Minor league baseball team
1331:www.nebaseballhistory.com
1281:www.nebaseballhistory.com
862:www.nebaseballhistory.com
858:"McCook Braves 1956-1959"
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84:Major league affiliations
57:Minor league affiliations
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425:Central Nebraska League
334:(2010) McCook, Nebraska
206:Central Nebraska League
163:as an affiliate of the
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656:(1959) 2x MLB All-Star
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354:seven cities of Cibola
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317:Grand Island Athletics
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269:Grand Island Athletics
776:"No More League Ball"
738:McCook Braves players
593:Baseball Hall of Fame
582:Elrod Hendricks, 1968
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451:Nebraska State League
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298:Baseball Hall of Fame
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233:Nebraska State League
216:teams disbanded. The
175:Baseball Hall of Fame
161:Nebraska State League
149:minor league baseball
77:Nebraska State League
1382:"Big Sky, Big Dream"
1327:"McCook Braves 1956"
1277:"McCook Braves 1959"
604:(1959) Inducted 1997
475:Year–by–year records
325:North Platte Indians
276:North Platte Indians
222:Holdrege Silver Aces
100:Minor league titles
896:(Third ed.).
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313:Holdrege White Sox
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284:Holdrege White Sox
1367:Nebraska Traveler
1349:www.statscrew.com
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724:George Washington
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551:No playoffs held
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513:No playoffs held
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571:League Champions
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662:(1959) Author,
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420:Independent
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129:(1956–1959)
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68:(1956–1959)
1412:Categories
744:References
660:Pat Jordan
405:Affiliate
370:Pat Jordan
352:after the
190:Pat Jordan
694:Spud Owen
494:Playoffs
457:1956–1959
434:1928–1932
227:Based in
118:Team data
732:See also
654:Ron Hunt
383:Timeline
134:Ballpark
647:(1959)
491:Manager
446:Class D
390:Year(s)
300:member
214:Giltner
196:History
177:member
157:Class D
147:were a
66:Class D
36:–
904:
726:(1931)
720:(1928)
708:(1957)
702:(1928)
696:(1930)
690:(1959)
684:(1931)
678:(1957)
672:(1930)
641:(1959)
629:(1929)
623:(1928)
617:(1959)
595:alumni
488:Finish
485:Record
416:McCook
402:League
393:# Yrs.
376:
202:McCook
159:level
73:League
559:43–19
540:40–23
521:27–29
502:35–28
429:None
399:Level
360:Media
208:, an
62:Class
902:ISBN
556:1959
537:1958
518:1957
499:1956
482:Year
410:1903
396:Team
374:ISBN
323:and
143:The
123:Name
113:1959
89:Team
40:1959
32:1956
562:1st
543:2nd
524:6th
505:4th
108:(1)
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