Western Carolinas League (1973-1974)
Tombstone
Born: Affiliation change from Gastonia Pirates
Moved: 1975 (Anderson Rangers)
First Game: April 13, 1973 (W 7-2 @ Spartanburg Phillies)
Last Game: August 25, 1974 (L 8-6 vs. Spartanburg Phillies)
Western Carolinas League Champions: 1974
Stadium
Ownership & Affiliation
Attendance
Gastonia Rangers attendance records are now complete. The Rangers ranked last in the six-team Western Carolinas League for attendance in both 1973 and 1974.
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Source: The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (3rd ed.), Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, 2007
Background
The Gastonia Rangers were a Class A farm club of the Texas Rangers during the summers of 1973 and 1974. The team replaced the previous Gastonia Pirates entry (1963-1972) in the Western Carolinas League.
Gastonia won the 1974 Western Carolinas League championship by virtue of finishing in first place in both halves of the season, thus eliminating the need for postseason playoffs under the rules of the league. Key future Major Leaguers to play in Gastonia during the Rangers early 70’s tenure included Mike Hargrove (1973) and Len Barker (1974).
Following the 1974 season, owner Fred Nichols moved the team to Anderson, South Carolina where it became the Anderson Rangers. One factor in the move was the dim lighting at Gastonia’s Sims Legion Park, which failed to meet the minimum “foot candles” requirements (i.e. brightness) for Class A ballparks.
Following the Rangers’ departure in 1974, there was no pro baseball in Gastonia until the arrival of the Gastonia Cardinals in 1977. In 1980, the Western Carolinas League changed its name to the South Atlantic League. Gastonia hosted a series of South Atlantic League clubs throughout the 80’s and early 1990’s, including a later version of the Gastonia Rangers from 1987 until 1992.
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Links
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