New York-Penn League (1977-1993)
Tombstone
Born: 1977
Moved: November 18, 1993 (Williamsport Cubs)1ASSOCIATED PRESS. “Williamsport gets minor league team”. The Republican (Pottsville, PA), November 20, 1993
First Game: June 21, 1977 (W 8-3 vs. Auburn Phillies)
Last Game: September 5, 1993 (W 7-3 @ Elmira Pioneers)
New York-Penn League Champions: 1978, 1987 & 1992
Stadium
McDonough Park (3,000)21980 Geneva Cubs Program
Dimensions (1980): Left: 325′, Center: 370′, Right: 300′
Ownership & Affiliation
Owners:
- 1977-1987: Geneva Community Sports, Inc. (Community ownership)
- 1988-1993: Paul Velte, Ed Smaldone & Mike Roulan
Major League Affiliation: Chicago Cubs
Attendance
Tap (mobile) or mouse over chart for figures. Tilting your mobile device may offer better viewing.
Sources:
- The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (1st ed.), Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, 1993 (1977-1992 figures)
- Baseball America’s 1994 Almanac (1993 figures)
Background
The Geneva Cubs were the short-season Class A farm club of the Chicago Cubs for nearly two decades. The small city of approximately 13,000 is part of the Finger Lakes region of New York.
Despite Geneva’s long run with the Cubs, remarkably few impact Major League players ever came through McDonough Park. The Cubs’ top prospects of the era, Mark Grace and Rafael Palmeiro, both bypassed Geneva. The best known Major Leaguers to come out of Geneva during the Cubs years were:
- Billy Hatcher (Geneva ’81),
- Jamie Moyer (Geneva ’84)
- Brendan Donnelly (Geneva ’93).
Local owner Paul Velte moved the team to Williamsport, Pennsylvania after the 1993 season.
Geneva Cubs Shop
Links
“Our Towns; A 4-30 Manager Learns to Play Utility Infielder“, Michael Winerip, The New York Times, July 22, 1988
New York-Penn League Media Guides
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2 Responses
Doug Dacenzo and Dwight Smith both played with the Geneva Cubs in the mid 80’s
Went by the place about 30 years ago with 2 feet of snow on the ground there.