The Charleston Charlies was the name of the third and most recent Class AAA minor league baseball franchise that was located in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. The Charlies played in the International League from 1971-76 as the relocated Columbus Jets franchise, and from 1977-83 as the former Memphis Blues. The Charlies were affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1971-76), Houston Astros (1977-79), Texas Rangers (1980) and Cleveland Indians (1981-83). The 1977 edition won the Governor's Cup, emblematic of the IL's playoff championship, and the 1978 team copped the league's regular-season title. The franchise decamped in 1984 to Old Orchard Beach, Maine, playing as the Maine Guides, and now plays as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons. A Class A California League game in San Jose, California (1994) Minor baseball leagues are North American professional baseball leagues that compete at a level below that of Major League Baseball. ... Official website: www. ... The International League (IL) is a minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States and Canada. ... The Columbus Clippers are a Triple-A baseball team in the International League. ... The Memphis Blues was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise that played in Memphis, Tennessee, from 1968 through 1976. ... Major league affiliations National League (1887–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1,4,8,9,20,21,33,40 Name Pittsburgh Pirates (1891–present) Pittsburgh Innocents (1890) (Also referred to as Infants in 1890) Pittsburg Alleghenies (1882-1889) Ballpark PNC Park (2001–present) Three Rivers Stadium... Astros redirects here, for other uses see Astros (disambiguation) Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 24,25,32,33,34,40,49 Name Houston Astros (1965–present) Houston Colt . ... Major league affiliations American League (1961–present) West Division (1972–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 26,34,42 Name Texas Rangers (1972–present) Washington Senators (1961-1971) Ballpark Ameriquest Field in Arlington (1994–present) a. ... This article is becoming very long. ... This article is currently under construction // This year in baseball Events January-March January 4 - Mary Shane is hired by the Chicago White Sox as the first woman TV play-by-play announcer. ... This article is currently under construction // This year in baseball Events January 19 - Eddie Mathews is elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America on 301 of 379 ballots. ... This article is currently under construction // This year in baseball Events January 10 - Luis Aparicio, Don Drysdale and Harmon Killebrew are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America. ... Pier at Old Orchard Beach Old Orchard Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in York County, Maine, United States. ... The Maine Guides was the original and predominant name of an American minor league baseball franchise that played in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, between 1984 and 1988. ... The Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre Red Barons are an International League team based in the metropolitan area of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. ...

Many former major leaguers spent time with the Charlies including Pirates All-Stars Dave Parker, Richie Zisk, John Candelaria and Kent Tekulve. Others include reliever Gene Garber, the Astros' Terry Puhl, Yankee fan favorite Rick Cerone, Phillies star Von Hayes, slugger Tony Armas, current St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa and current New York Mets manager Willie Randolph. The name Dave Parker may refer to several notable individuals: Dave Parker, American baseball player Dave Parker, Canadian jazz musician with The Shuffle Demons Dave Parker, Samoan singer. ... Richard Walter Zisk (born February 6, 1949 in Brooklyn, New York) was a Major League Baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, and Seattle Mariners from 1971 to 1983. ... John Candelaria was a left handed pitcher who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Angels, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays, and Los Angeles Dodgers between 1975-1993. ... Kenton Charles Tekulve (born March 5, 1947 in Cincinnati, Ohio) was an American baseball player from 1974 to 1989 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cincinnati Reds. ... Henry Eugene Garber was a MLB player. ... Terry Puhl, professional baseball player, was born on July 8, 1956 in Melville, Saskatchewan, Canada. ... Richard Aldo Cerone (born May 19, 1954 in Newark, New Jersey) was a Major League Baseball player from 1975 to 1992 for the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and Montreal Expos. ... Von Francis Hayes (born August 31, 1958 in Stockton, California) was a Major League Baseball player from 1981 to 1992 for the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, and California Angels. ... Tony Armas with the Athletics Tony Armas, born Antonio Rafael Armas Machado (July 2, 1953 in Puerto Píritu, Anzoátegui State, Venezuela), was a popular hitter and one of Major League Baseballs top sluggers of the 1980s. ... It has been suggested that 2007 St. ... In baseball, the head coach of a team is called the manager (or more formally, the field manager); this individual controls matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. ... Anthony LaRussa, Jr. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 14, 37, 41, 42 Name New York Mets (1962–present) Ballpark Shea Stadium (1964–present) The Polo Grounds (1962–1963) Major league titles World Series titles (2) 1969 â€¢ 1986 NL Pennants (4) 1969 â€¢ 1973 â€¢ 1986... Willie Larry Randolph (born July 6, 1954 in Holly Hill, South Carolina, but grew up in New York City), is the current manager of the New York Mets and was a second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland...

Many Charleston residents will fondly remember the logo of the Charlies, which was a baseball with a derby hat on and smiling while a cigar hung from the corner of his mouth. In the morning paper of the Charleston Gazette on the front page the day after a Charlies game, the logo would be displayed with either a smile if the Charlies won or a frown if the Charlies lost.

The Charlies team was owned and founded by Bob Levine, who the bought the International League baseball franchise in 1971 and named it the Charleston Charlies in honor of his father, Charlie Levine, who was an avid baseball fan who watched the Charlies seated in a wheelchair, wearing a derby hat, and smoking a cigar. Levine referred to himself as "Poor Charlie" during his earlier years as a scrap-metal dealer in Beckley. He died in 1981 at age 89.

Charleston's first AAA club, the Senators, moved to town on June 23, 1952, when the original Toledo Mud Hens franchise shifted there. The Senators played in the American Association through the 1960 season. They were farm clubs of the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators at various times during this period. June 23 is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 191 days remaining. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... League International League Division West Division Year founded 1896 Major League affiliation Detroit Tigers Home ballpark Fifth Third Field Previous home ballparks Ned Skeldon Stadium City Toledo, Ohio Current uniform colors navy blue, red, gold Previous uniform colors navy blue, red Logo design A white egg-shaped oval outlined in... The American Association was a minor baseball league at the Class AAA (Triple-A) level of baseball in the United States from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1960 throughout the world. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 2,3,4,9,11,16,19,72 Name Chicago White Sox (1904–present) White Stockings <no city in official name, but based in Chicago> (1901-1903) Ballpark U.S. Cellular Field (1991–present) Comiskey... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1998–present) Current uniform Name Detroit Tigers (1901–present) Ballpark Comerica Park (2000–present) Tiger Stadium(1961-1999) a. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3,6,14,29,34 Name Minnesota Twins (1961–present) Washington Senators or Nationals (1901-1960) *Nickname originally Nationals; alternate nickname Senators gained favor over the years but was not acknowledged on uniforms until 1959...

On May 19, 1961, after only five weeks of play, the St. Louis Cardinals abandoned their plans to place their AAA International League affiliate in San Juan, Puerto Rico and moved the team, nicknamed the Marlins, to Charleston to finish out the season. This club - Charleston's second AAA franchise - stayed only those few months and relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, for the 1962 season to become the Atlanta Crackers. May 19 is the 139th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (140th in leap years). ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... It has been suggested that 2007 St. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Nickname: Hotlanta, The Big Peach, The ATL, A-Town Location in Fulton County in the state of Georgia Coordinates: Country United States State Georgia Counties Fulton, Dekalb Mayor Shirley Franklin (D) Area    - City 343. ... The following are the events of the year 1962 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... The Atlanta Crackers were a minor league baseball team that played in the Southern League for several decades until the Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee in 1966 and became the first major league baseball team based in the Southeastern United States. ...

Charleston currently has a team, the West Virginia Power, in the Low A South Atlantic League. Historically, it has also been represented in the Eastern League and the mid-20th century Middle Atlantic League, among others. The West Virginia Power are a minor league baseball team from Charleston, West Virginia, that plays in the Class A South Atlantic League as an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers (as of the 2006 season). ... The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league which operates mostly in the southeastern United States, although it now has teams in New Jersey and Ohio. ... The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it now has a team in Ohio. ... The Middle Atlantic League was a lower-level circuit in American minor league baseball that played during the second quarter of the 20th century. ...

See also:

• 1961 in baseball
• 1952 in baseball

The following are the baseball events of the year 1961 throughout the world. ... The following are the events of the year 1952 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ...

References

• Lloyd Johnson and Miles Wolff, editors. The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 1997 edition. Durham, N.C.: Baseball America.