Florida International League
The Florida International League operated from 1946 through 1954 with teams in the big cities in Florida (Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg) plus a team in Havana, Cuba. The league was rated as class C for its first three years then upgraded to class B. Due to the low altitudes, the league was usually dominated by pitchers. In 1952 Gil Torres and Billy Harris each had ERAs under 1. In 1946 when the Cuban Team became a member of the Florida League it made them the first Cuban team to play in the United States Minor Leagues. The Cuban team showed their talent by winning the League Championship five straight years from 1946 through 1950. The team also won the play-off title four out of those five years. The Cuban teams entry in the league made it a true international league. The league was not international in 1954 when Havana left to join the International League. The Florida International League was a stable league as only ten different cities were members during the eight-year run.
Cities Represented[edit]
- Fort Lauderdale, FL: Fort Lauderdale Braves 1947-1952; Fort Lauderdale Lions 1953
- Havana, Cuba: Havana Cubans 1946-1953
- Key West, FL: Key West Conchs 1952
- Lakeland, FL: Lakeland Pilots 1946-1950; Lakeland Patriots 1951; Lakeland Pilots 1952
- Miami, FL: Miami Sun Sox 1946; Miami Tourists 1947-1948; Miami Sun Sox 1949-1954; Greater Miami Flamingos 1954
- Miami Beach, FL: Miami Beach Flamingos 1946-1952; Miami Beach Flamingos 1954
- St. Petersburg, FL: St. Petersburg Saints 1947-1954
- Tallahassee, FL: Tallahassee Rebels 1954
- Tampa, FL: Tampa Smokers 1946-1954
- West Palm Beach, FL: West Palm Beach Indians 1946-1954
Team Statistics & Class[edit]
Class C 1946-47-48[edit]
1946 Class C - schedule
President: Wayne Allen
Team Name | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Havana Cubans # | 76 | 41 | .650 | 0 | Oscar Rodriguez |
Tampa Smokers | 76 | 55 | .580 | 7 | Vin Grannell / Frank Pare |
Miami Beach Flamingos | 64 | 64 | .500 | 17.5 | Max Rosenfeld |
West Palm Beach Indians | 58 | 64 | .475 | 20.5 | Herb Thomas |
Lakeland Pilots | 53 | 74 | .417 | 28 | Ray Hunt / Bill Purrin |
Miami Sun Sox | 53 | 82 | .393 | 32 | Paul Waner |
#Havana lost 17 wins due to using an excessive number of class men.
Playoffs: Tampa 3 games, Miami Beach 0; West Palm 3 games, Havana 2.
Finals: Tampa 4 games, West Palm 2.
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ralph Brown | Tampa | BA | .381 | Chet Covington | Tampa | W | 28 | |
Ralph Brown | Tampa | Runs | 110 | Chet Covington | Tampa | SO | 260 | |
Ralph Brown | Tampa | Hits | 195 | Chet Covington | Tampa | ERA | 1.66 | |
Benny Fernandez | Tampa | RBI | 79 | Roy Valdes | Havana/West Palm | HR | 7 |
1947 Class C - schedule
President: Wayne Allen
Team Name | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Havana Cubans | 105 | 45 | .700 | 0 | 264,813 | Oscar Rodriguez |
Tampa Smokers | 104 | 48 | .684 | 2 | 130,242 | Tony Cuccinello |
Miami Beach Flamingos | 88 | 65 | .575 | 18.5 | 89,000 | Al Leitz |
Miami Tourists | 74 | 77 | .490 | 31.5 | 132,429 | Dave Coble /Charles Baron(ovic) |
St. Petersburg Saints | 71 | 80 | .470 | 34.5 | 114,197 | Jimmie Foxx / Lou Finney |
West Palm Beach Indians | 68 | 86 | .442 | 39 | 60,473 | Harry Hughes |
Lakeland Pilots | 50 | 101 | .331 | 55.5 | 41,926 | Bill Perrin |
Fort Lauderdale Braves | 48 | 106 | .312 | 59 | 54,403 | Jimmy Zinn / Walter Kopp |
Playoffs: Havana 3 games, Miami 2; Tampa 3 games, Miami Beach 0;
Finals: Havana 4 games, Tampa 0;
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lamar Murphy | Tampa | BA | .354 | Connie Marrero | Havana | W | 25 | |
Bitsy Mott | Tampa | Runs | 124 | Connie Marrero | Havana | SO | 251 | |
Manuel Hidalgo | Havana | Hits | 200 | Connie Marrero | Havana | ERA | 1.66 | |
Ned Harris | West Palm | RBI | 120 | Ned Harris | West Palm | HR | 34 |
1948 Class C - schedule
President: Wayne Allen
Team Name | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Havana Cubans | 97 | 57 | .630 | 0 | 205,967 | Oscar Rodriguez |
Tampa Smokers | 84 | 67 | .556 | 11.5 | 101,257 | Joe Abreu / Benny Fernandez / Jack Russell |
Lakeland Pilots | 82 | 72 | .532 | 15 | 57,752 | Bill Perrin / Chuck Aleno |
St. Petersburg Saints | 78 | 73 | .517 | 17.5 | 137,947 | Lou Finney |
Miami Tourists | 75 | 78 | .490 | 21.5 | 107,268 | Howard Ermisch / Bill Perrin |
West Palm Beach Indians | 70 | 83 | .458 | 26.5 | 73,443 | Rudy Laskowski / Mike Schemer |
Miami Beach Flamingos | 69 | 82 | .457 | 26.5 | 78,742 | Harry Chozen / Sindo Valle |
Fort Lauderdale Braves | 55 | 98 | .359 | 41.5 | 58,588 | Kopp / Madjeski / Miller |
Playoffs: Havana 3 games, Lakeland 0; Tampa 3 games, St Petersburg 2;
Finals: Havana 4 games, Tampa 3;
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lou Vezilich | Tampa | BA | .356 | Antonio Lorenzo | Havana | W | 23 | |
Tommy Bridges | Miami | Runs | 119 | Antonio Lorenzo | Havana | SO | 275 | |
Bryan Howell | Lakeland | Hits | 190 | Connie Marrero | Havana | ERA | 1.67 | |
Fred Bell | St. Petersburg | RBI | 111 | Bernardo Fernandez | West Palm | HR | 28 |
Class B 1949-50-51-52-53-54[edit]
1949 Class B - schedule
President: Phil O'Connell
Team Name | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Havana Cubans | 95 | 57 | .625 | 0 | 226,293 | Oscar Rodriguez |
Miami Sun Sox | 87 | 62 | .584 | 6.5 | 170,466 | Pepper Martin / Bill Cates |
Miami Beach Flamingos | 81 | 70 | .536 | 13.5 | 90,682 | Joe Medwick |
Tampa Smokers | 81 | 72 | .529 | 14.5 | 105,549 | Travis Jackson / Wes Ferrell |
West Palm Beach Indians | 74 | 78 | .487 | 21 | 81,132 | Lou Finney |
Fort Lauderdale Braves | 65 | 88 | .425 | 30.5 | 66,544 | Chuck Aleno |
St. Petersburg Saints | 62 | 86 | .419 | 31 | 108,397 | Hoag / Sullivan / Beazley / Sullivan / Porter |
Lakeland Pilots | 60 | 92 | .395 | 35 | 50,108 | Johnny Rizzo |
Playoffs: Havana 3 games, Miami Beach 2; Tampa 3 games, Miami 1;
Finals: Tampa 4 games, Havana 0;
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bill Conroy | Miami Beach | BA | .359 | Connie Marrero | Havana | W | 25 | |
Carlos DeSouza | Tampa | Runs | 116 | Connie Marrero | Havana | SO | 167 | |
Ted Cieslak | Ft. Lauderdale | Hits | 196 | Chet Covington | Tampa | ERA | 1.46 | |
Art Rebel | Tampa | RBI | 115 | Chuck Aleno | Ft. Lauderdale | HR | 31 |
1950 Class B - schedule
President: Phil O'Connell
Team Name | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Havana Cubans | 101 | 49 | .673 | 0 | 168,419 | Oscar Rodriguez |
Miami Sun Sox | 98 | 55 | .641 | 4.5 | 160,450 | Pepper Martin |
Tampa Smokers | 85 | 60 | .586 | 13.5 | 80,626 | Art Rebel |
Miami Beach Flamingos | 77 | 72 | .517 | 23.5 | 47,278 | Jerry Crosby / Jimmy Outlaw |
Fort Lauderdale Braves | 70 | 80 | .467 | 31 | 60,919 | Chuck Aleno |
West Palm Beach Indians | 67 | 85 | .441 | 35 | 57,078 | Charlie Small / Rudy Laskowski |
Lakeland Pilots | 57 | 93 | .380 | 44 | 42,588 | Charlie Cuellar / William Ankoviak |
St. Petersburg Saints | 43 | 104 | .293 | 56.5 | 77,115 | Porter / Cadore / Pruett |
Playoffs: Havana 3 games, Tampa 0; Miami 3 games, Miami Beach 0;
Finals: Miami 4 games, Havana 1;
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chuck Aleno | Ft. Lauderdale | BA | .314 | Labe Dean | Miami | W | 24 | |
Manuel Hidalgo | Havana | Runs | 106 | Antonio Lorenzo | Havana | SO | 177 | |
Manuel Hidalgo | Havana | Hits | 188 | Julio Moreno | Havana | ERA | 1.47 | |
Jack Tanner | Lake/Ft.La | RBI | 101 | Jack Tanner | Lake/Ft. La | HR | 27 |
1951 Class B - schedule
President: Phil O'Connell
Team Name | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tampa Smokers | 90 | 50 | .643 | 0 | 92,449 | Ben Chapman |
St. Petersburg Saints | 83 | 56 | .597 | 6.5 | 139,464 | Art Rebel |
Miami Sun Sox | 77 | 61 | .568 | 12 | 128,107 | Pepper Martin |
Lakeland Patriots | 71 | 68 | .511 | 18.5 | 81,878 | Roy Hughes |
Havana Cubans | 68 | 71 | .489 | 21.5 | 83,051 | Dolf Luque |
Miami Beach Flamingos | 66 | 74 | .471 | 24 | 42,194 | Specs Dozier |
West Palm Beach Indians | 64 | 75 | .460 | 25.5 | 64,425 | Rudy Laskowski / Mel Held |
Fort Lauderdale Braves | 38 | 102 | .271 | 52 | 32,739 | Brown / Ed Goostree / Aleno |
Playoffs: St. Petersburg 3 games, Lakeland 2; Miami 3 games, Tampa 1;
Finals: St. Petersburg 4 games, Miami 0;
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ted Cieslak | Lakeland | BA | .332 | Woody Rich | St. Petersburg | W | 25 | |
Carlos Bernier | Tampa | Runs | 124 | Hooks Iott | ST. Petersburg | SO | 273 | |
Forest Smith | West Palm | Hits | 162 | Hooks Iott | St. Petersburg | ERA | 2.00 | |
Earle Brucker | Miami | RBI | 90 | Jack Tanner | Ft. Lauderdale | HR | 19 |
1952 Class B - schedule
President: Henry S. Baynard
Team Name | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Miami Sun Sox | 104 | 48 | .684 | 0 | 121,203 | Max Macon |
Miami Beach Flamingos | 103 | 49 | .678 | 1 | 57,533 | Pepper Martin |
Tampa Smokers | 85 | 68 | .556 | 19.5 | 75,608 | Joe Medwick /Oscar Rodriquez |
St. Petersburg Saints | 84 | 70 | .545 | 21 | 91,390 | Dozier / Held / Herring |
Havana Cubans | 76 | 77 | .497 | 28.5 | 81,463 | Fermin Guerra |
West Palm Beach Indians | 68 | 85 | .444 | 36.5 | 60,725 | Billy Holm / Bill Harris |
Lakeland Pilots | 51 | 103 | .331 | 54 | 43,909 | Rip Sewell / Bud Bates |
Fort Lauderdale # / Key West | 40 | 111 | .265 | 63.5 | 44,482 | Joe Lutz |
#Ft Lauderdale was taken over by the league June 1, then moved to Key West June 20.
Playoffs: Miami 3 games, Tampa 2; Miami Beach 3 games, St. Petersburg 2;
Finals: Miami 4 games, Miami Beach 3;
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jesse Levan | Miami Beach | BA | .334 | Billy Harris | Miami | W | 25 | |
Vince Gonzales | Tampa | Runs | 93 | Hooks Iott | ST. Petersburg | SO | 210 | |
Jesse Levan | Miami Beach | Hits | 192 | Billy Harris | Miami | ERA | 0.83 | |
Jesse Levan | Miami Beach | RBI | 87 | Bill Wilson | ST. Petersburg | HR | 15 |
1953 Class B - schedule
President: Phil O'Connell
Team Name | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fort Lauderdale Lions | 92 | 46 | .667 | 0 | 61,330 | Pepper Martin |
Miami Sun Sox | 76 | 58 | .567 | 14 | 67,572 | Doc Alexson |
St. Petersburg Saints | 72 | 62 | .537 | 18 | 33,385 | Bill Herring /William Seal |
Havana Cubans | 63 | 69 | .477 | 26 | 23,460 | Armando Marsans |
West Palm Beach Indians | 57 | 80 | .416 | 34.5 | 52,077 | Whitey Platt / Bill Harris |
Tampa Smokers | 46 | 91 | .336 | 45.5 | 39,234 | Ben Chapman /Art Rebel |
Playoffs: Ft. Laudedale 3 games, Havana 1; St. Petersburg 3 games, Miami 0;
Finals: Ft. Lauderdale 4 games, St. Petersburg 2.
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jim Williams | Ft. Lauderdale | BA | .336 | Billy Harris | West Palm | W | 18 | |
Johnny Davis | Ft. Lauderdale | Runs | 117 | Hal Brown | Ft. Lauderdale | SO | 151 | |
Jesse Levan | Ft. Lauderdale | Hits | 175 | Hooks Iott | St. Petersburg | ERA | 1.99 | |
Johnny Davis | Ft. Lauderdale | RBI | 136 | Johnny Davis | Ft. Lauderdale | HR | 35 |
1954 Class B - schedule
President: Dale Miller
Team Name | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
St. Petersburg Saints | 64 | 37 | .634 | 0 | 30,759 | Rudy Laskowski |
Miami Beach/Miami# | 63 | 39 | .618 | 1.5 | 14,407 | Pepper Martin |
West Palm Beach | 47 | 51 | .480 | 15.5 | 23,247 | Gil Torres |
Tallahassee Rebels | 22 | 76 | .224 | 40.5 | 12,151 | George/Meriwether/Doolittle/Harvey/Cuellar |
Miami Sun Sox ## | 13 | 12 | .520 | NA | 1,773 | Doc Alexson |
Tampa Smokers ## | 17 | 11 | .607 | NA | 6,134 | Art Rebel |
##Tampa & Miami disbanded May 5.
#Miami Beach moved to Miami May 22.
The League disbanded July 27.
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jesse Levan | Miami/Miami | BA | .348 | Stan Milankovich | St. Petersburg | W | 18 | |
Bill Wilson | St. Petersburg | Runs | 96 | Bobby Hines | Miami/Miami | SO | 95 | |
Jesse Levan | Miami/Miami | Hits | 130 | Bill Tosheff | St. Pete/Tampa | ERA | 2.61 | |
Bill Wilson | St. Petersburg | RBI | 109 | Jesse Levan | Miami/Miami | HR | 23 |
League Records 1946-1954[edit]
Batting | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | |
Bitsy Mott | Tampa | Runs | 124 | 47 | Norm Brown | Tampa | BA | .381 | 46 | |
Byron Bridges | Miami | AB | 643 | 48 | Manuel Hidalgo | Havana | Hits | 200 | 47 | |
Johnny Davis | Ft. Lauderdale | RBI | 136 | 53 | Gil Torres | Havana | 2B | 44 | 48 | |
Carlos Bernier | Tampa | 3B | 21 | 51 | Johnny Davis (minors01 | Ft. Lauderdale | HR | 35 | 53 | |
Peter Kantor | Lakeland | STR | 26 | 48 | George Spears | Tampa | SAC | 27 | 49 | |
Carlos DeSouza | Tampa | SB | 58 | 49 | Gene Hassell | St. Petersburg | BB | 143 | 53 | |
Willard Davis | Miami | SO | 120 | 53 |
Pitching | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | |
Antonio Garcia | Lakeland | GA | 57 | 47 | Chet Covington | Tampa | W | 28 | 46 | |
Charley Miller | Ft. Laud | L | 23 | 48 | Charles Morant | Miami Bea | PCT | .938 15-1 | 52 | |
Bill Harris | Miami | ERA | 0.83 | 52 | Gil Torres | Miami | ERA | 0.86 | 52 | |
William Stanton | Miami | IP | 339 | 48 | Vincent Lopez | Miami | WS | 17 | 50 | |
Bill Harris | Miami | ShO | 12 | 52 | Gil Torres | Miami | Sho | 12 | 52 | |
Antonio Lorenzo | Havana | SO | 275 | 48 | Leonard Goicoechea | St. Pete | BB | 178 | 48 |
Hall of Fame Alumni[edit]
- Jimmie Foxx, 1947 St. Petersburg Saints
- Joe Medwick, 1949 Miami Beach Flamingos; 1952 Tampa Smokers
- Paul Waner, 1946 Miami Sun Sox
- All three after their major league experience.
Source[edit]
The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Second Edition
We're Social...for Statheads
Every Sports Reference Social Media Account
Site Last Updated:
Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction?
Subscribe to our Free Email Newsletter
Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREE
Your All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database
Do you have a sports website? Or write about sports? We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Find out more.