“In early August of 1941, six players were sold to the Boston Braves in a single deal,” writes historian Stewart Hill. “One player, Salemite Preston Reynolds, quit the team outright when he learned that employers in Radford would pay the princely wage of 60 cents an hour!”
Salem’s first pro club made its debut back in 1939, at the old Municipal Stadium. The 2012 edition will play at Lewis-Gale Field. During the years between, the sports-savvy city has held a firm grip on its baseball. Just the opposite of its major league sponsors, who have handled the club like wet soap since FDR’s day.
Minor league ball in Salem, Virginia winds back nearly three-quarters of a century, and spans several franchises. A brief timeline of Roanoke Valley baseball:
Boston Red Sox, 1943-53.
The Roanoke Red Sox (Rosox) pulled off a 3-2 upset over their parent club, then still led by Hall of Famer Ted Williams, in an exhibition game.
When the team moved back to Salem from Roanoke, Jack Crosswhite (star of Salem High’s 1930 state champs, a former Rosox player and longtime minor league manager) was chosen to manage. Crosswhite bucked convention by giving black players a chance to fill out the roster, though they could not lodge with the other players on road trips.
Pittsburgh Pirates/San Francisco Giants, 1972-79.
The Salem Pirates of 1974 are remembered as one of Salem’s best pro teams. These Pirates dominated the Carolina League from end to end, and spawned lots of future professionals, including Dave Parker, Tony Pena, John Candelaria, and Mario “The Mendoza Line” Mendoza.
Texas Rangers/San Diego Padres, 1980-86.
Affiliated initially with the San Diego Padres, the Salem Redbirds in 1983 began a shared arrangement with the Padres and Texas Rangers. The Rangers would later become the sole parent club.
Pittsburgh Pirates, 1987-94.
In 1989, a twenty-two-year-old named Moises Alou sprayed baseballs all over the lot. He hit .302, including 14 homers and 53 RBI. A few years later, Alou was a star with the Montreal Expos.
Related: Salem Sox, 2016
Colorado Rockies, 1995-2002.
Matt Holliday, of the 2011 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals, might be the best-known player from this period. Holliday saw a lot of action with the Salem Avalanche during the 2000-01 seasons, with over 120 runs batted in.
Houston Astros, 2003-08.
The franchise was owned from 1986 until 2006 by Kelvin Bowles, a local resident and major league baseball scout. Bowles (who, coincidentally, scouted for the Boston Red Sox from 2002–05) bought the team when it was in danger of moving from Salem.
Boston Red Sox, 2009-present.
Salem minor league baseball has come full circle. The club is owned by Fenway Sports Group, which also owns the major league Red Sox and Liverpool F.C., as well as the home stadiums for both pro teams.
The team had ragged origins, marked by local rivalries and an uncertain future. Steady management was missing back then. Today, the Salem Red Sox are a professional franchise, and a fine watch for the baseball fan.
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