Waycross, GA

Waycross is located in southeastern Georgia, at the northern edge of the Okefenokee swamp, 75 miles northwest of Jacksonville, FL and 65 miles northeast of Valdosta, GA. In the 1950s, the Milwaukee Braves established their minor league training complex, "Bravesville", on a disaffected air force base outside the city and operated the facility until the mid-1960s. It was later used by the Kansas City Athletics for a couple of years.

Teams that have played here

• Waycross Machinists, Georgia State League (1906)
• Waycross Blowhards, Empire State League (1913)
• Waycross Grasshoppers, Georgia State League (1914)
• Waycross Moguls, FLAG League (1915)
• Waycross Saints, Southeastern League (1927)
• Waycross Bears, Georgia-Florida League (1939-1942, 1946-1955)
• Waycross Braves, Georgia-Florida League (1956-1958, 1963)

Persons who were born here

• Greek George, catcher
• Jon Shave, infielder

Persons who died here

• Stan Katkaveck, minor league catcher
• Mickey McGowan, pitcher
• Jim Mertz, pitcher
• Bob Smith, pitcher/infielder

Further Reading

• Daniel Papillon and Bill Young: "The Red Clay of Waycross: Minor-League Spring Training in Georgia with the Milwaukee Braves", in Baseball in the Peach State, The National Pastime, SABR, Volume 40 (2010), pp. 123-134.