Tombstone
Born: December 7, 1962 – The York White Roses relocate to Reading, PA1ASSOCIATED PRESS. “White Roses Club Moves To Reading”. The Evening Sun (Hanover, PA). December 8, 1962
Move Announced: December 30, 1964 (Pittsfield-Berkshire Red Sox)2ASSOCIATED PRESS. “Buzas Will Shift Reading Franchise To Pittsfield, Mass.”
First Game: April 20, 1963 (L 2-0 @ Springfield Giants)
Last Game: September 7, 1964 (W 2-1 @ Springfield Giants)
Eastern League Championships: None
Stadium
Municipal Stadium
Opened: 1951
Ownership & Affiliation
Owner: Joe Buzas
Major League Affiliation: Boston Red Sox
Attendance
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Source: The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (3rd ed.), Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, 2007. Pages 521 – 525.
Background
The Reading Red Sox were a fleeting entry in the Class AA Eastern League in 1963 and 1964. As the name implies, the team served as farm club for the Boston Red Sox of the American League. Reading previously had an Eastern League club – the Indians – from 1952 until 1961. After a summer without baseball in 1962, the Red Sox arrived in town in April 1963.
During the Red Sox brief two-year run, several key members of Boston’s 1967 Impossible Dream team spent time in Reading on their way up the ladder to the Majors.
- Shortstop Rico Petrocelli (Reading ’63)
- Second baseman Mike Andrews (Reading ’64)
- Third baseman Joe Foy (Reading ’64)
- Outfielder Reggie Smith (Reading ’64)
Petrocelli and Smith developed into Major League All-Stars and both are members of the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame today. Reggie Smith was the last active professional baseball player to have played for the Reading Red Sox, wrapping up his distinguished career with Japan’s Yomiuri Giants in 1983 and 1984.
Departure
The owner of the Reading Red Sox was a former WWII-era New York Yankees shortstop named Joe Buzas. Buzas held the Red Sox’ Eastern League franchise for decades, from the late 1950’s until 1994. During the 1960’s in particular, he aggressively shopped his club for the best possible stadium lease. This resulted in frequent moves, as Buzas hauled his franchise around the Northeast from Allentown (1958-1960) to Johnstown (1961) to York (1962) to Reading (1963-1964) and then on to Pittsfield, Massachusetts (1965-1969).
The team’s departure from Reading in December 1964 came about after yet another disagreement about stadium rental fees. The Reading City Council demanded $5,000 per year in rent. In 1964, Buzas paid just $1.00, with a local civic group contributing the balance of rent. When the group, un-named in press accounts, declined to provide the funds again for 1965, Buzas sought a reduction from Reading officials.3ASSOCIATED PRESS. “Owner Debating Franchise Move”. The Gazette and Daily (York, PA). December 24, 1964 When they declined, he pulled up stakes for Wahconah Park in Pittsfield after city officials in that Western Massachusetts city offer Buzas a lease for $2,500.
Buzas Takes An Encore
After Buzas and the Red Sox left town in December 1964, the Cleveland Indians returned for a one-year tour in 1965. Reading went without baseball again in 1966 and then the Philadelphia Phillies came to town in 1967. Reading remains a Phillies farm club to this day.
Owner Joe Buzas took an encore in Reading in 1977, buying the Reading Phillies for one dollar plus assumption of the club’s debts. In 1986, Buzas sold the Reading Phillies for one million dollars.4ASSOCIATED PRESS. “Buzas Sells Reading Phillies For $1 Million”. The Daily News (Lebanon, PA). December 17, 1986
Trivia
The Reading Red Sox made their Eastern League debut on April 20th, 1963 on the road against the Springfield Giants in Massachusetts. The Sox lost 2-0 that night, suffering a no-hitter at the hands of 19-year Giants pitcher Bob Bishop. It was the first opening day no-hitter in the Eastern League’s 41-year history.5ASSOCIATED PRESS. “No-Hitter in Eastern Loop”. The Argus-Leader (Sioux Falls, SD). April 21, 1963
Reading Red Sox Shop
In Memoriam
Owner Joe Buzas passed away on March 19, 2003 at age 84. Hartford Courant obituary.
Links
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