Shelby Senators

From BR Bullpen


Expansion brought professional baseball back to Shelby, NC in 1969 with the addition of the Shelby Senators to the Western Carolinas League. The Senators went 26-36 to finish fifth of six teams in their first half, but then improved to 35-27 and took the second-half title. In the finals they fell to the first-half champion Greenwood Braves 2 games to one. Attendance was 31,563, 5th in the loop. Manager Joe Klein's team had three All-Stars - 2B Dick Bechtel, OF Dalton Renfroe and C Rick Stelmaszek. Shelby was second in the league with 620 runs but allowed a league-high 660 scores. Bechtel hit .269/~.325/.434, Renfroe .283/~.342/.501 with 27 homers and a league-high 113 RBI and Stelmaszek .284/~.436/.402 with 91 walks, 2 behind the league leader. Also playing well was OF John Wockenfuss, who hit .325/~.384/.535 in 39 games. The team only played that one year.


Year-by-Year Record[edit]

Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs
1969 61-63 3rd (t) Joe Klein Lost League Finals