Tombstone
Born: December 8, 1986 – Re-branded from Daytona Beach Islanders1Topkin, Marc. “Minor-league ball returns to Dunedin”. The Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, FL). December 9, 1986
Moved: September 10, 1987 (St. Lucie Mets)2Rhodes, Beth. “Mets announce purchase of Admirals”. The Sentinel (Orlando, FL). September 11, 1987
First Game: April 10, 1987 (W 11-7 vs. Osceola Astros)
Final Game: August 27, 1987 (W 5-2 vs. Osceola Astros)
FSL Championships: None
Stadium
City Island Park
Opened: 1914
Ownership & Affiliation
Owner: Blake Cullen & Jerry Vale
Major League Affiliation: Chicago White Sox
Attendance
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Source: The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (1st ed.), Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, 1993
Background
The Daytona Beach Admirals were a short-lived entry in the Class A Florida State League, operated by long-time Chicago Cubs and National League executive Blake Cullen. The team would last only one season as a Chicago White Sox farm club during the summer of 1987. But Cullen continued on as a minor league sports investor and one year later he recycled the ‘Admirals’ name for a wildly successful minor league hockey team in Norfolk, Virginia.
Daytona Beach’s City Island Park was a fairly consistent outpost in the Florida State League dating back to 1959. A succession of teams came and went, several of whom were named the ‘Islanders’. The last edition of the Islanders left town at the end of the 1986 season, but the FSL was in expansion mode and soon awarded a new franchise to Cullen and his silent partner, the pop singer Jerry Vale.
“It’s the top of the line and that’s what we’re going to try and make the club,” Cullen told The Orlando Sentinel in December 1986, regarding his choice of ‘Admirals” as the team’s new name.3Rhodes, Beth. “Admirals name for new team”. The Sentinel (Orlando, FL). December 16, 1986
In Competition
The Admirals signed on as a farm club of the Chicago White Sox. Chicago dispatched 35-year old Marc Hill, the recently retired long-time back-up to the Sox’ Hall-of-Fame catcher Carlton Fisk, to manage the Admirals.
Four Admirals players ultimately made their way to the Major Leagues:
- Catcher Matt Merullo
- Pitcher Tom Drees
- Pitcher Wayne Edwards
- Pitcher Buddy Groom
Of the quartet, Buddy Groom had by far the longest career. He was the last active member of the Admirals in professional baseball when he made his final appearance at age 40 for the Arizona Diamondbacks in September 2005.
The Admirals finished their only season with a 69-70 record.
Sailin’ On
Late in the summer of 1987 the White Sox announced their intention to leave Daytona Beach and desire to consolidate their spring training and Florida State League operations in Sarasota. Cullen, worried he could not afford to operate an independent or co-op club if he could not secure a new Major League tie-up, felt compelled to sell.4Rhodes, Beth. “Mets announce purchase of Admirals”. The Sentinel (Orlando, FL). September 11, 1987 He accepted an offer to sell the team to the New York Mets, who moved the franchise to St. Lucie for the 1989 season.
One year later Cullen paid $25,000 to acquire a new franchise for Norfolk, Virginia in the new East Coast Hockey League. Still enamored of the ‘Admirals’ name, he recycled it for his Hampton Roads Admirals hockey team. The team proved tremendously popular during the early and mid-1990’s. In 1996, Cullen sold the hockey Admirals for an estimated $2.5 million.5Minium, Harry. “Whatever happened to … Blake Cullen?” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA). July 2, 2014
To this day (2020), Norfolk, Virginia’s pro hockey team is still known as the Admirals.
Links
“Whatever happened to … Blake Cullen?” Harry Minium, The Virginian-Pilot, July 2, 2014.
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