Tombstone
Born: January 10, 1963 – Re-branded from Raleigh Capitals1Tiede, Joe. “McCullough To Pilot Mets Here”. The News and Observer (Raleigh, NC). January 11, 1963
Affiliation Change: October 16, 1963 (Raleigh Cardinals)2Tiede, Joe. “Raleigh Under Card Wing Next Carolina Loop Year”. The News and Observer (Raleigh, NC). October 17, 1963
First Game: April 19, 1963 (L 9-4 vs. Kinston Eagles)
Last Game: September 7, 1963 (L 7-6 @ Kinston Eagles)
Carolina League Championships: None
Stadium
Devereux Meadow
Opened: 1938
Demolished: 1979
Ownership & Affiliation
Owners:
- 1963: Tom Gaddy, et al.
- 1963: Earl Jones & Garland Jones
Major League Affiliation: New York Mets
Attendance
Background
In the five Carolina League seasons between 1960 and 1964, the Class B circuit’s Raleigh franchise churned through five different Major League parent clubs. The Red Sox sent players in 1960. The New York Mets took over in 1961 one year before that organization’s Major League debut. The Washington Senators popped in for the summer of 1962. The Mets returned in 1963 and just as quickly departed for a second time. And finally the St. Louis Cardinals took over from the Mets in 1964.
Today’s entry concerns the New York Mets second tour as Raleigh’s parent during the summer of 1963. When the Mets first came to town in 1961, they allowed the local club to keep the name ‘Capitals’, the traditional identity of Raleigh’s various minor league teams dating back to 1913. But when New York returned under a new Player Development Contract for the 1963 season, Raleigh officials agreed to drop the Capitals name in favor of ‘Mets’.
Troubled Times
The early 60’s were bad news for baseball in Raleigh. The Carolina League franchise was at a low ebb both on and off the field. The Capitals saw back-to-back last place finishes under the Mets in 1961 and the Senators in 1962. Attendance at Devereux Meadow was the worst in the league and the team’s stockholders were exhausted by the club’s annual deficits.
The arrival of the New York Mets would not help in either regard.
New York controlled only one minor league affiliate above Class B Raleigh, the Class AAA Buffalo Bisons. As a result, New York actually sent some veterans of its 1962 Major League squad down to Raleigh. Pitcher Sherman “Roadblock” Jones won 12 games and had the lowest earned run average (2.10) for 1963. Another 1962 Mets survivor, pitcher Bob Moorhead, was equally strong (13-5, 2.19 ERA).
Nevertheless, the Raleigh Mets retreated immediately to the bottom of the league standings once the 1963 Carolina League season opened in April. Crowds continued to shrink from the previous summer’s record low.
In June 1963, Tom Gaddy, the President of Raleigh’s stockholders, informed the New York Mets that the local investors were done with the team at the end of the month. They offered to turn over the team’s lease, bus and other assets to the New York Mets to run the team directly, but the Mets demurred. It appeared the ball club might leave Raleigh without completing the season.
In the end, Earl and Garland Jones, brothers who owned a slaughterhouse and sausage company and who previously held leadership roles with earlier Capitals clubs, stepped up to steward the Raleigh Mets through the end of the 1963 season.
Raleigh (62-82) narrowly avoid a last place finish for the first time since 1960, thanks to the ineptitude of the 10th-place Peninsula Senators (58-86).
The St. Louis Cardinals took over the affiliation in 1964 and the team was re-named the Raleigh Cardinals. Raleigh’s Carolina League franchise left town for good following the 1967 season.
Devereux Meadow ballpark was demolished in 1979.
Trivia
20-year old outfielder Cleon Jones was the most consequential future Major Leaguer to spring forth from the 1963 Raleigh Mets. He would go on to record the final out for the 1969 Miracle Mets in their World Series victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
Raleigh Mets Shop
Links
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