Ghosts of the Minors smell like roses with this club
Welcome to the silent edition of Ghosts of the Minors, adapted from the segment from The Show Before the Show Podcast that asks you to identify a historical Minor League team hidden among two phonies. Here, we skip the quiz element and speed headlong into the past for a quick
Welcome to the silent edition of Ghosts of the Minors, adapted from the segment from The Show Before the Show Podcast that asks you to identify a historical Minor League team hidden among two phonies. Here, we skip the quiz element and speed headlong into the past for a quick romp through the true story of the real Minors team.
Your high school history teacher probably mentioned the Wars of the Roses, but that musty old fussbudget may have failed to inform you that the conflict bled onto no fewer than four Minor League circuits. Fortunately, Ghosts of the Minors is here to educate you on baseball's Lancaster Red Roses.
Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, from the early years of the 20th century into the Kennedy administration, the Red Roses took their name from the House of Lancaster and its floral symbol during the 30-plus year series of civil wars for the English throne.
If you think it's impossible for a Minor League team to have taken its identity from a 15th-century civil war in another country, may the crown grant you clemency for your error! There were, in fact, two such teams.
As it was in the bloody fallout of the rule of a feeble monarch at the close of the Middle Ages, so it was in the Minors over several decades in the States: the Lancaster Red Roses had an archrival in the York White Roses. The two clubs duked it out in the Tri-State League, the Interstate League, the Piedmont League and the Eastern League.
Over their long history -- long for a baseball team, that is, if not a British dynasty -- the Lancaster Red Roses were never known to wilt, reigning as league champs six times. They were subject to affiliations with six Major League teams (although, notably, not with the Royals) and counted among their numbers such princes of baseball as Stan Coveleski, Nellie Fox, George Kell, and as a manager, Johnny Pesky.
But perhaps the crowning moment came during an Interstate League Finals game against the White Roses in 1943, when another historic war affected the rivalry. The two clubs waited through a blackout delay after air sirens sounded, then waited another 20 minutes to find another second base bag -- the original was stolen in the dark.
Lancaster went on to win the series, and the war; then three-peated in the Interstate League from that season through 1945. But just as the House of Lancaster and the House of York were united under Tudor rule, the Red Roses and White Roses were eventually united in one-door rule as both franchises exited the Minors.
And that is the dirt on the Red Roses.
Josh Jackson is an editor for MiLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Twitter @JoshJacksonMiLB.
Clippers Host the Mud Hens June 3-8
Don't miss the upcoming series between the Toledo Mud Hens and your Columbus Clippers at Huntington Park! June baseball is here and so is a can't-miss week in the Arena District. TICKETS Tuesday Game Highlight: Tansky Tuesday Dime-A-Dog Night A Columbus staple, join us for Tansky Tuesday Dime-A-Dog Night with
Another Tough Loss for the Clippers Saturday
ROCHESTER, NY – The Columbus Clippers dropped their sixth game in a row Saturday evening at Rochester, falling to the Red Wings, 7-6. It was the fifth consecutive defeat at the hands of the Red Wings, and eighth overall in the last nine games for the ClipShow. The Clippers jumped
Clippers See Come-From-Behind Effort Fall Short
ROCHESTER, NY – The Columbus Clippers dropped their fifth game in a row Friday evening at Rochester, falling to the Red Wings, 10-9. It was the fourth consecutive defeat at the hands of the Red Wings, and seventh overall in the last eight games for the ClipShow. The Clippers scored
Extra Innings Unkind to Clippers Thursday
ROCHESTER, NY – The Columbus Clippers dropped their fourth game in a row on Thursday evening at Rochester, falling to the Red Wings in ten innings, 8-7. It was the third consecutive defeat at the hands of the Red Wings, and sixth overall in the last seven games for the
Clippers Blanked by Red Wings Wednesday
ROCHESTER, NY – The Columbus Clippers dropped their third game in a row on Wednesday afternoon at Rochester, falling to the Red Wings, 5-0. It was the second consecutive defeat at the hands of the Red Wings, and fifth overall in the last six games for the ClipShow. Starting pitcher
DeLauter Goes Deep on Memorial Day
ROCHESTER, NY – Chase DeLauter went deep for the first time this season on Monday afternoon in Rochester, but the Columbus Clippers fell to the Red Wings, 4-1. In just his third game since being activated from the Injured List, DeLauter led off the top of the 2nd inning with
Clippers Can't Keep Up with Cubs in Finale
COLUMBUS – Nearly 9,500 fans packed Huntington Park on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in the Arena District, but sadly the Columbus Clippers were defeated by Iowa, 9-3. The loss means the Clippers and Cubs finished the six-game series tied at three wins apiece. Johnathan Rodriguez provided the first run for
Capacity Crowd Cheers Clippers Over Cubs Saturday
COLUMBUS – A full house of 10,100 fans turned out on a beautiful Saturday night in the Arena District as the Columbus Clippers knocked off the Iowa Cubs, 5-1. The Clippers exploded for four runs in the bottom of the 1st inning, highlighted by RBI doubles off the bats of
Wild Friday Evening Ends in Defeat
COLUMBUS – The Columbus Clippers led 5-3 after a wild 1st inning on Friday night, but after things settled down the Iowa Cubs came back to secure a 7-5 victory over the ClipShow. The newest Clippers, Aaron Davenport, surrendered three runs in the top of the 1st including a leadoff
Clippers Fall to Cubs Thursday Afternoon
COLUMBUS – A season-high four-game winning streak came to an end Thursday afternoon at Huntington Park as the Columbus Clippers fell to the Iowa Cubs, 10-2. Milan Tolentino provided the first tally for the Clippers when he clubbed a solo home run in the bottom of the 2nd inning, giving
Offense Does Just Enough in Series Opening Victory
COLUMBUS – After a long two week road trip, the Columbus Clippers finally returned to the friendly confines of Huntington Park on Tuesday to open a six-game series with the Iowa Cubs. Carlos Pérez got the scoring started in the top of the first. With two away, Pérez connected on
Back and Forth Series Finale Goes to the ClipShow
PAPILLION – The Columbus Clippers closed out their longest road trip of the season on Sunday afternoon at Werner Park against the Omaha Storm Chasers. Hoping for a series split, the ClipShow looked to win back-to-back games for the first time since April 14th and 15th. Continuing his MLB rehab
Big Sixth Inning Breezes Clippers to Victory
PAPILLION – The penultimate matchup of the Clippers series with the Storm Chasers on Saturday night at Werner Park was a must win for Columbus in hopes of earning a series split, as Omaha had taken three of the first four games. After a scoreless first on both sides, the
Clippers Battled Back, But Omaha Walks It Off on Friday
PAPILLION – Wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour at Werner Park on Friday night gave defenders the fits in game-four of the Columbus Clippers and Omaha Storm Chasers series. Kody Huff used that wind to his advantage. The former Stanford Cardinal smashed the first pitch he saw
Wild Night in Nebraska Ends in a Clippers Victory
PAPILLION – It was a wild night in Tornado Alley on Thursday as the Columbus Clippers looked to snap a three-game losing streak in game-three of the series with the Omaha Storm Chasers at Werner Park. 24 runs, 25 hits, 11 different pitchers, over 400 pitches thrown, nine unanswered runs
The Summer 6-Pack is Here!
The Columbus Clippers have a great offer for you! Don’t miss any of the action this summer at Huntington Park with a Clippers Summer Six-Pack! Get six games for the price of five and pick from one of the options below or pick your own games! Seats will vary based
Omaha Out-Slugs Clippers on Windy Wednesday
PAPILLION – Blustery conditions gave defenders all kinds of trouble at Werner Park on Wednesday night, but it was homers that left the yard without the aide of the wind that doomed the Clippers in game-two of the series against the Omaha Storm Chasers. The home team struck early in
Clippers Sunk by Omaha on Tuesday Night
PAPILLION - A fresh series seemed to be just what the doctor ordered for the Columbus Clippers after escaping Indianapolis last week with only a pair of wins, however, the Omaha Storm Chasers looked to stop any plan of starting their new six-game series with a victory at Werner Park
Clippers Blanked by Indy in Series Finale
INDIANAPOLIS – It was not a Sunday Funday in Indianapolis if you were a Clippers fan or a fan of baseball games loaded with offense. The penultimate game of the series on Saturday night saw a pitchers duel end in favor of Columbus, the finale on Sunday afternoon saw another
Pitching Staff Dominant in Shutout Victory
INDIANAPOLIS – After dropping three of the first four games of the series, the Clippers sent Parker Messick to the mound on Saturday, looking to avoid a third straight series loss of the year. Indianapolis countered with fellow 2022 draft pick Thomas Harrington, and a shocker to no one, we
Huff Homers, But Clippers Fall Short on Friday Night
INDIANAPOLIS – After back-to-back day games, the Columbus Clippers and Indianapolis Indians six-game series was once again under the lights at Victory Field on Friday night. The offense was stagnant on both sides until the top of the fifth. Kyle Datres led off with a single, Milan Tolentino was then
Clippers Rally Falls Short in Indy
INDIANAPOLIS – It was sunshine and baseball in the Circle City as the Columbus Clippers and Indianapolis Indians faced off in their second consecutive day game at Victory Field. Indy threatened early. After a one out triple by Nick Solak, Nick Yorke lined a shot to Clippers third baseman Kyle
Pries Leaves the Yard Twice in Wednesday Win
The Columbus Clippers and Indianapolis Indians continued their six-game series on Wednesday with day baseball at Victory Field. Clippers struck first. Will Brennan singled and Johnathan Rodríguez walked with one away in the top of the third. Micah Pries, who hadn't left the yard since April 19th, battled Indy starter
Indy Takes Series Opener from Clippers
COLUMBUS - After a soggy week in Central Ohio last week, partly cloudy with a game time temperature of 71 degrees was a welcome sight for the Clippers as they opened a six-game series, the first of back-to-back road series over the next two weeks, against the Indianapolis Indians at