Florida State League (1968-1973)
Tombstone
Born: 1968
Folded: December 12, 19731NO BYLINE. “Dodgers Ball Club Says Goodbye To Daytona Beach”. The Sentinel (Orlando, FL). December 13, 1973
First Game: April 12, 1968 (L 6-4 vs. St. Petersburg Cardinals)
Last Game: August 29, 1973 (W 12-4 vs. Pompano Beach Mets)
Florida State League Championships: None
Stadium
City Island Park
Opened: 1914
Ownership & Affiliation
Owners: Los Angeles Dodgers (Walter O’Malley)
Major League Affiliation: Los Angeles Dodgers
Background
The Daytona Beach Dodgers were a Class A farm club of the Los Angeles Dodgers for six seasons in the late ’60’s and early 70’s.
Key future Major Leaguers who came up through Daytona Beach during the Dodgers era included:
- Davey Lopes (Daytona Beach ’68-’69)
- Steve Yeager (Daytona Beach ’68)
- Geoff Zahn (Daytona Beach ’68)
- Doyle Alexander (Daytona Beach ’69)
- Rick Rhoden (Daytona Beach ’71)
- Ivan DeJesus (Daytona Beach ’70 & ’72)
- Glenn Burke (Daytona Beach ’73)
Daytona Beach had the best record in the Florida State League in 1972 (80-52). They lost in the best-of-three league championship series that summer to the Miami Orioles.
The Los Angeles Dodgers owned the Daytona Beach club outright. In December 1973, the Dodger organization announced the team would leave Daytona Beach as the FSL shrunk from 10 teams down to 8 for the 1974 season.
The FSL returned to City Island Park four years later with the arrival of the Daytona Beach Islanders in 1977.
Trivia
Daytona Beach field manager Stan Wasiak amassed 2,530 victories during a 37-year career in the minors from 1950 to 1986. Wasiak, who passed in 1992, remains the all-time record holder for minor league wins by a manager as of this writing in 2018.
In Memoriam
Field Manager Stan Wasiak (Daytona Beach ’70-’72) died at age 72 on November 20, 1992. New York Times obituary.
Outfielder Glenn Burke (Daytona Beach ’73) died of complications from AIDS on March 30, 1995 at age 42. New York Times obituary.
Links
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3 Responses
really hated to see things fold …our little league team cunningham played and practiced there for years great venue …..sure missed our time there……
I recall attending many games in 1968-69; the Daytona Dodgers were a treat during my Summer days of this era. I would walk to City Island ballpark and slap down my 50 cent admission fee…I vividly recall the base stealing prowess of D. Lopes and the mitt popping fastball thrown by D. Alexander…all general admission seats, I would park myself behind home plate every time he was on the hill. We had quite a rowdy group of regulars attending these games, and, there was always a laugh to be had by the ole City Island ballpark faithful. Great memories!
I was batboy for the Daytona Beach Dodgers that final season in 1973. I turned 13 that summer. Everyone treated me great. Glenn Burke, Rafael Landestoy, Marvin Webb, Rich Magner, Bob Lesslie, Tom Kostolsky and Barney Mestek are some of the players that I remember fondly. The team even took me on a road trip to West Palm Beach, Miami and Key West. Max Patkin the clown prince of baseball even came to City Island Park that summer. General manager Willie Sanchez and the Dodgers organization gave me a summer that I will always treasure.