Tombstone
Born: 1959 – Affiliation change from Clinton Pirates
Affiliation Change/Re-Branded: 1966 (Clinton Pilots)
First Game:
Last Game: August 28, 1965 (L 6-1 @ Cedar Rapids Cardinals)
Midwest League Champions: 1963
Stadium
Riverview Stadium
Opened: 1937
Ownership & Affiliation
Owner: Clinton Baseball Club (Robert Snell, Walter Wagner, et al.)
Major League Affiliation: Chicago White Sox
Attendance
Background
The Clinton C-Sox were an Iowa-based farm club of the American League’s Chicago White Sox from 1959 through 1965. Prior to hooking up with the White Sox in 1959, Clinton served as a minor league affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1954 to 1958 and the club was known as the Clinton Pirates.
In their finest season, the C-Sox won Class A Midwest League pennant in 1963, posting a 83-41 record and besting the 2nd place Burlington Bees by 11 games. No playoffs were held.
Alumni
As far as prospects developed, the C-Sox’ most notable alumnus was pitcher Denny McLain, who went 4-7 for the Clinton as an 18-year old rookie in the summer of 1962. McLain would go on win back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards with the Detroit Tigers in 1968 and 1969, along with the A.L. Most Valuable Player Award in 1968. He remains the last Major League pitcher to win 30 games in a season with his 31-6 mark in 1968.
Catcher Ed Herrmann and pitcher Al Fitzmorris were the last active C-Sox alumni in the Major Leagues. Both played their final games during the 1978 season.
C-Sox To Pilots
Following the 1965 season, Clinton and the Chicago White Sox ended their affiliation after seven seasons. Clinton hooked up once again with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the same club that held Clinton’s affiliation from 1954 to 1958 before the White Sox arrived. Rather than return to the Clinton Pirates name in 1966, however, the team changed its name to the similar sounding “Pilots” and played under that identity through 1976.
Clinton C-Sox Shop
Links
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