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In their first season of league play, the
Gastonia Rockets won the 1952 Tri-State League pennant. The Rockets ended the Tri-State League regular season with a record of 89-50, finishing first in the standings, 1.5 games ahead of the second place Charlotte Hornets. Hal Van Pelt served as the Gastonia
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The
Rockets continued play as the 1953 Tri-State League reduced to six teams, in what proved to be the final season of the team. Gastonia did not qualify for the 1953 playoffs, as the Rockets placed fifth in the Tri-State League regular season standings with a 66–81 record. With Hal Van Pelt
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285:. The original ballpark was built in 1950, with a major renovation in 1977 and again in 2021. Still in use today, the ballpark is located at 1001 North Marietta Street.
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in 1952 and 1953, winning the 1952 league pennant before the team folded following the 1953 season. The
Rockets were a minor league affiliate of the
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189:
192:. The Gastonia Rockets were immediately preceded in minor league play by the 1950 Gastonia "Browns," who played the season as members of the
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Gastonia first hosted minor league baseball in 1923, when the
Gastonia "Comers" played a partial season as members of the Class B level
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returning as manager, the
Rockets ended the season 28.5 behind the first place Spartanburg Peaches. Gastonia was replaced by the
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manager. In the first round of the four-team playoffs, the
Spartanburg Peaches defeated the Rockets three games to two.
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The "Rockets" moniker corresponds to aviation history in
Gastonia. In 1946, the Gastonia Airport was opened.
207:, when the "Rockets" became members of the eight-team Class B level Tri-State League. Gastonia replaced the
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793:"Sims Legion Park in Gastonia, NC minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com"
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In their two seasons of play, the
Gastonia Rockets hosted minor league home games at
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812:"Diggin' in: Gastonia's new professional baseball team, stadium set for grand debut"
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In 1952, Gastonia resumed minor league play as a minor league affiliate of the
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Gastonia, North
Carolina next hosted minor league baseball in 1959, when the
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of
Gastonia scored 122 runs to lead the Tri-state league in that category.
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685:"1952 Gastonia Rockets minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com"
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in the 1954 Tri-State League, after Knoxville had disbanded in 1953.
703:"1953 Tri-State League (TSL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com"
613:"1952 Tri-State League (TSL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com"
595:"1951 Tri-State League (TSL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com"
200:, finishing last in the league standings with a record of 40-70.
838:"Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Grand Opening for Sims Legion Park"
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joined Gastonia in beginning league play on April 16, 1952.
631:"Lengthening the Runway at Gastonia Municipal Airport"
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775:"1959 Columbus/Gastonia Pirates Statistics"
529:Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007).
160:were a minor league baseball team based in
479:"1923 Columbia/Gastonia Comers Statistics"
265:played a partial season as members of the
943:Chicago White Sox minor league affiliates
531:The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball
933:Defunct baseball teams in North Carolina
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882:"Sims Legion Park in Gaston County, NC"
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923:Baseball teams disestablished in 1953
211:franchise in joining the league. The
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928:Defunct minor league baseball teams
918:Baseball teams established in 1952
810:Hughes II, Joe L. (May 25, 2021).
721:"1953 Gastonia Rockets Statistics"
577:"1951 Greenwood Tigers Statistics"
559:"1952 Gastonia Rockets Statistics"
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844:(Press release). City of Gastonia
497:"1950 Gastonia Browns Statistics"
836:Foote, Sharon (March 22, 2022).
180:, which is still in use today.
938:Defunct Tri-State League teams
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903:Gastonia - Baseball Reference
139:Gastonia Rockets (1952–1953)
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16:Minor league baseball team
635:www.academyofaviation.com
176:and hosted home games at
84:Major league affiliations
57:Minor league affiliations
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948:Gastonia, North Carolina
459:Gastonia Rockets players
162:Gastonia, North Carolina
47:Gastonia, North Carolina
757:"1954 Tri-State League"
739:"1953 Tri-State League"
667:"1952 Tri-State League"
198:Western Carolina League
779:Baseball-Reference.com
761:Baseball-Reference.com
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725:Baseball-Reference.com
671:Baseball-Reference.com
581:Baseball-Reference.com
563:Baseball-Reference.com
501:Baseball-Reference.com
483:Baseball-Reference.com
271:South Atlantic League
190:South Atlantic League
352:Year–by–year records
649:"Municipal Airport"
237:Spartanburg Peaches
225:Greenville Spinners
100:Minor league titles
864:"Sims Legion Park"
816:The Gaston Gazette
533:(Third ed.).
394:Lost in 1st round
217:Asheville Tourists
119:Conference titles
797:www.statscrew.com
707:www.statscrew.com
689:www.statscrew.com
617:www.statscrew.com
599:www.statscrew.com
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374:Playoffs / Notes
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339:Chicago White Sox
256:Knoxville Smokies
229:Knoxville Smokies
221:Charlotte Hornets
205:Chicago White Sox
174:Chicago White Sox
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414:Did not qualify
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344:Sims Legion Park
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325:Gastonia Rockets
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233:Rock Hill Chiefs
209:Greenwood Tigers
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170:Tri-State League
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886:Go Gaston NC
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441:Mike Garbark
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408:Hal Van Pelt
388:Hal Van Pelt
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277:The ballpark
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45:
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150:(1952–1953)
95:(1952–1953)
79:(1952–1953)
68:(1952–1953)
912:Categories
465:References
453:Howie Moss
435:Zeb Eaton
319:1952-1953
314:Ballpark
311:Affiliate
131:Team data
821:July 10,
289:Timeline
144:Ballpark
368:Manager
329:Class B
296:Year(s)
267:Class A
194:Class D
184:History
166:Class B
66:Class B
36:–
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455:(1952)
449:(1953)
443:(1953)
437:(1952)
431:(1952)
411:69,052
391:94,788
371:Attend
365:Finish
362:Record
308:League
299:# Yrs.
269:level
196:level
168:level
73:League
402:66–81
382:89–50
305:Level
62:Class
850:2022
823:2022
539:ISBN
399:1953
379:1952
359:Year
302:Team
235:and
156:The
136:Name
126:1952
113:None
89:Team
40:1953
32:1952
405:5th
385:1st
121:(1)
108:(0)
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