The Neosho Yankees were a minor league baseball team based in Neosho, Missouri. From 1937 to 1940, Neosho teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level Arkansas–Missouri League, winning the 1938 league pennant. Adopting their nickname, Neosho served as a minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees from 1938 to 1940, after playing in 1937 as the unaffiliated Neosho "Night Hawks." Neosho teams hosted minor league home games at the Neosho High School Stadium.

History

Neosho, Missouri first hosted minor league baseball in 1937, when the Neosho Night Hawks became a member of the five–team Arkansas–Missouri League, playing at Neosho High School Stadium.^[1] The Night Hawks finished the 1937 Arkansas–Missouri League regular season in fourth place with a 52–71 record, finishing 25.0 games behind the first place Rogers Lions. Playing under Manager Dennis Burns, Neosho lost to Rogers 3 games to 1 in the first round of the playoffs.^[2][3][4][5]

In 1938, Neosho became an affiliate of the New York Yankees and captured Arkansas–Missouri League pennant.^[6] The newly named Neosho Yankees finished the regular season with a record of 73–42 under returning manager Dennis Burns. Neosho finished 5.5 games ahead of the second place Carthage Pirates, who had just joined the six–team league. In the 1938 Playoffs, Neosho swept the Rogers Reds in three games to advance to the Finals. In the Arkansas–Missouri League Finals, the Carthage Pirates defeated Neosho 4 games to 1.^{[7][8][9][10][4][5]}

The Arkansas–Missouri League played with four teams in 1939. In the regular season, the Neosho Yankees ended with a record of 65–61, finishing in third place. Playing again under manager Dennis Burns, Neosho finished 16.5 games behind the first place Fayetteville Angels. Nesho did not qualify for the 1939 playoffs.^{[5][11][12][4][13]} Ralph Houk played for Neosho in 1939, his first professional season. With a salary of $70.00 a month, Houk played well enough (.286) that Neosho hosted a "Ralph Houk Day" at the ballpark.^[14]

In 1940, the four–team Arkansas–Missouri League permanently folded during the season, as Neosho played its final minor league season.^[15] The league folding became unavoidable after the Fayetteville Angels franchise folded due to poor attendance. On July 1, 1940, the league folded after hosting an All-Star game. At the time the league folded, the Neosho Yankees were in second place with a 27–29 record under manager Ed Grayston and were 10.5 games behind the first place Carthage Pirates.^{[5][16][17][9][4][18]}

The Arkansas–Missouri League did not return to play in 1941.^[5] Neosho, Missouri has not hosted another minor league team.^[19]

The ballpark

Neosho teams were noted to have played minor league home games at High School Stadium. High School Stadium had a capacity of 1,000 in 1939, with dimensions of (Left, Center, Right) 310–340–310. The ballpark location was noted as near South Neosho Boulevard & Stadium Drive. Today, the Neosho High School stadium is named Bob Anderson Stadium. The location is 511 South Neosho Boulevard, Neosho, Missouri.^[20][21][22]

Timeline

Year–by–year records

^{[23][24][25][26][27][5]}

Notable alumni

• Dennis Burns (1937–1939, MGR)
• Ralph Houk (1939) Manager: 2x World Series Champion - New York Yankees (1960–1961)
• Chuck Orsborn (1939)

See also

Neosho Yankees players