Kinston Indians facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kinston Indians 1978–2011 Kinston, North Carolina
Team logo
Class-level
Current	Class A-Advanced (1978–2011)
Minor league affiliations
League	Carolina League (1978–2011)
Major league affiliations
Current	Cleveland Indians (1987–2011) Co-op (1986) Toronto Blue Jays (1979–1985) Independent (1978)
Minor league titles
League titles (5)	1988 1991 1995 2004 2006
Division titles (10)	1988 1990 1991 1995 1996 1997 2002 2005 2006 2011
Team data
Nickname	Kinston Indians (1987–2011) Kinston Eagles (1986) Kinston Blue Jays (1982–1985) Kinston Eagles (1978–1981)
Colors	Navy blue, red, white
Ballpark	Grainger Stadium (1978–2011)

The Kinston Indians were a Minor League Baseball team. They played in the Carolina League (CL) from 1978 to 2011. Their home city was Kinston, North Carolina. The team played its games at Grainger Stadium, which opened in 1949.

The team started in 1978 as the Kinston Eagles. They used the name of an older team from 1925. In 1979, they joined with the Toronto Blue Jays as a partner team. They changed their name to the Kinston Blue Jays in 1982.

After the Blue Jays partnership ended, they became the Eagles again in 1986. In 1987, they partnered with the Cleveland Indians and became the Kinston Indians. After the 2011 season, the team moved. It became the Carolina Mudcats in Zebulon, North Carolina.

The Kinston Indians, also called the K-Tribe, won the Carolina League championship five times. They won in 1988, 1991, 1995, 2004, and 2006.

History of Kinston Baseball

Early Baseball Teams

Kinston had many amateur baseball clubs in the late 1800s. But it was hard to keep a professional team going until the mid-1920s. Earlier attempts included a team in 1908. There was also an "outlaw league" team in 1921 and 1922. This team was managed by former major league pitcher George Suggs.

Thanks to local business leaders, Kinston got a professional team in 1925. This team was called the "Eagles" and played in the Virginia League.

West End Park tickets from 1929.

The Eagles were a Class B team. They played at West End Park, which Suggs helped renovate. The team didn't win many games. But they sold enough tickets to show Kinston could support a professional team. Kinston's team stayed in the Virginia League for three years. Then they moved to a new Eastern Carolina League. This league ended when the stock market crashed in 1929.

A young catcher named Rick Ferrell played for the 1920s Eagles. He later had a long career in major league baseball. In 1984, Ferrell became the only former Kinston player in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Another player, Frank Armstrong, became a decorated general in the Air Force.

Coastal Plain League Era

The Great Depression made it tough for minor league baseball. Many teams closed down. Kinston didn't have a team for a few years. But they returned in 1934 in the semi-professional Coastal Plain League. By 1937, this league became a fully professional Class D league.

Kinston stayed in the Coastal Plain League until it ended in 1952. During this time, Kinston's teams often made the playoffs. They won league championships in 1935 and 1947. A great player from this time was Charlie "King Kong" Keller. He is known for having one of the best on-base percentages in major league history.

Joining the Carolina League

Kinston didn't have a team for three years after the Coastal Plain League ended. In 1956, a team from the Carolina League moved to Kinston. The Carolina League was a Class B league then. The team was called the Kinston Eagles. They were connected to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

This team also had Kinston's first African American baseball players. This was during the early days of the Civil Rights Movement. Black players faced a lot of harsh words from fans. The first black players were Frank Washington and Carl Long. Carl Long played very well in 1956. He set a record for RBIs (111) that no Kinston hitter has beaten since. The team did well with diverse players, but it had money problems. The owner moved the team to Wilson in 1957.

Carl Long in 2006.

Kinston got back into the Carolina League in 1962. This time, the team did well on the field and with fans. The Eagles won their first Carolina League championship. Kinston's population was only 25,000, but over 140,000 fans came to games. The Pittsburgh Pirates sent talented players like Steve Blass and Frank Bork.

For the first time, the Eagles were owned by the community. A non-profit group called the Kinston Eagles Baseball Company ran the team. They used profits to improve the stadium and promote the team. This continued for 13 years, from 1962 to 1974.

In 1963, minor league baseball changed. The Carolina League became a High-A league. The Eagles didn't win any championships during this time. But they made the playoffs in six of thirteen seasons. The Pirates stayed with Kinston until 1965. During these years, Harding "Pete" Peterson managed the Eagles. He later became the Pirates' general manager and helped them win the World Series.

The Eagles then partnered with the new Atlanta Braves in 1966 and 1967. From 1968 to 1973, the Eagles were connected to the New York Yankees. Fans saw many future all-stars, like a young Ron Guidry. He became one of the best pitchers in the American League.

In the 1970s, minor league baseball became less popular. Attendance in Kinston dropped to only 30,000 in 1973. The city needed help. The Montreal Expos partnered with Kinston. The Expos had many talented players. But they sent their top players to another team. The Kinston Expos got the players who weren't as strong.

The Kinston team ended up in last place. Attendance fell to 27,000. The Expos left Kinston after the 1974 season. Without a major league partner and with low fan support, Kinston also left the league.

The Kinston Indians Era

Ray Kuhlman, a former airline pilot, brought minor league baseball back to Kinston. He invested in a Carolina League team in the late 1970s. The team was again called the Kinston Eagles in 1978. They didn't have a major league partner that first year.

By 1979, they partnered with the Toronto Blue Jays. This partnership lasted seven years. The team eventually took on the Blue Jays name in 1979. Kinston didn't win any championships during the Blue Jays years. Ray Kuhlman and his wife, Ruth, ran the team. They saw more fans come each year.

The Kuhlmans brought in many successful marketing ideas. These included more special event days and fireworks shows. They also started yearly Kinston baseball cards and sold more team merchandise. They created the Kinston Professional Baseball Hall of Fame. They also hired a team mascot. Many future major league stars played for Kinston during this time. These included Pat Borders, Tony Fernández, Cecil Fielder, Fred McGriff, and David Wells.

After the 1985 season, the Blue Jays ended their partnership with Kinston. It looked like professional baseball might leave the city again. There was talk of moving the team. But Kinston stayed in the Carolina League. They became an independent team and used the Eagles name again in 1986. This year was not great for wins or attendance.

But the team found a new partner: the Cleveland Indians. This started a successful partnership that lasted 25 years. Cleveland and the K-Tribe, as they were known, made the playoffs 17 times. They won five Carolina League championships: in 1988, 1991, 1995, 2004, and 2006.

The team's value grew with its success. In 1983, the team sold for $100,000. By 1992, its value was estimated at $1.5 million.

Over 100,000 fans came to games each year in the 1990s and early 2000s. General Manager North Johnson worked closely with the mayor's office. They created the Mayor's Committee for Professional Baseball in 1987. This committee helped increase season ticket sales and business ties. Attendance grew a lot in 1987 and 1988. By 1991, over 100,000 fans came to games again.

A new ownership group bought the team in 1994. But North Johnson stayed as general manager. Shari Massengill took over as general manager in 2006. The local government also helped keep baseball in Kinston. They made many improvements to the ballpark.

The last manager for the Kinston Indians was Aaron Holbert. He was a former major league infielder. Shari Massengill was the General Manager until 2010. She and Jessie Hays were the only all-female General Manager/Assistant General Manager team in Minor League Baseball. When Jessie Hays left, Janell Bullock, also female, replaced her. The final GM was Benjamin Jones.

In 2007, the Indians won their division for both halves of the season. But they lost in the first round of the playoffs. This was the seventh year in a row the Indians made the playoffs. This set a new Carolina League record. Kinston's contract with Cleveland ended after the 2011 season. In 2012, the team moved to Zebulon, North Carolina. It was renamed the Carolina Mudcats.

On August 22, 2016, the Texas Rangers announced plans. They would bring a minor league team back to Kinston. This new team joined the Carolina League in 2017. On November 2, the team announced its new name: the Down East Wood Ducks.

Grainger Stadium

Grainger Grandstand in 2006.

The Kinston Indians played their home games at Grainger Stadium. All Kinston teams since 1949 played there. The stadium is at 400 East Grainger Avenue in Kinston. It was built in 1949 for $170,000. The city owns the stadium and leases it to the team.

A plaque calls it "Municipal Stadium." But it has been called Grainger Stadium since it was built. Recent owners called it "Historic Grainger Stadium." This is because it was the second oldest stadium in the Carolina League. The name Grainger comes from its location on Grainger Avenue. It was also used by Grainger High School early on. Grainger is an old family name in Lenoir County.

Annual Awards

Each year, the Kinston Indians gave out awards. This usually happened on the weekend of the last home games.

• The team MVP Award was named after "Cap'n Pat" Crawford. Crawford lived in Kinston for a long time. He played in the major leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals.
• Steve Olin was a pitcher for Kinston who moved up to the Cleveland Indians. He died in a boating accident in 1993. Kinston's Pitcher of the Year award was named in his honor.
• The award for the player who overcame the most challenges was named after Tex Drake. Drake was a batboy for the Kinston Blue Jays. He was diagnosed with a serious illness. The team helped him, and he overcame his cancer. He returned to his batboy duties.
• The award for good sportsmanship was named for Steve Gaydek. Gaydek was a former board member. He loved Kinston's baseball teams. He went to every home game for over 20 years.
• Lewis B. "Mac" McAvery was the head groundskeeper from 1949 until his death in 1979. An award was created in his name. It is given to someone who has done the most to "preserve and enhance" professional baseball in Kinston.

Mascots

The Indians' last mascot was a dog named Scout. Scout usually wore an Indians jersey and baseball cap. He sometimes wore a Superman t-shirt or an aloha shirt. Scout replaced an earlier Native American mascot named Tom E. Hawk.

After Scout arrived, Tom E. Hawk no longer greeted fans in person. But he was still seen on some team logos and merchandise until 2010. His smiling face looked like Cleveland's Chief Wahoo. In late 2010, the team released new logos without Tom E. Hawk.

When Kinston was partnered with the Toronto Blue Jays, the team had a bird mascot named B.J. In 1980, manager Dennis Holmberg once dressed as the mascot. He did this to sneak back to the dugout after being kicked out of a game. In 1983, the Blue Jays had a group of teenage girls called the Golden Corral Lady Jays. This idea only lasted one season.

Local Baseball Personalities

• Chris Hemeyer: Hemeyer was the radio voice of the Indians. He also hosted Tribe Talk, a TV show on local public access stations. The show interviewed team members and staff. It also showed highlights from Kinston games.
• Team Mamas: Anne "Mama" Robinson and Evelyn "Mama" Kornegay were Kinston residents. They hosted players in their homes. Mama Robinson hosted players from 1987 to 1997. Mama Kornegay took over until her death in 2010. Their homes became popular places for players to relax. Before this, players had trouble finding stable places to live.
• Delmont Miller: (March 30, 1966 – October 25, 2008): Miller was the longtime scoreboard operator for the Indians. Fans loved his funny comments before each game. The team even held special "Delmont Miller Nights." He worked at the stadium for over 20 years. He was the clubhouse assistant before becoming the scoreboard operator. Miller died of a heart attack in 2008.
• The Smeraldos: Robert Smeraldo and Robert Smeraldo Jr. were the father and son clubhouse managers. The elder Robert Smeraldo has passed away. His son no longer works for the team.

Season-by-season results

Playoff Results

• 1981 season: Lost to Peninsula 1–0 in semifinals.
• 1985 season: Lost to Winston-Salem 2–0 in semifinals.
• 1987 season: Beat Winston-Salem 2–0 in semifinals; lost to Salem 3–1 in championship.
• 1988 season: Beat Lynchburg 3–2 to win championship.
• 1990 season: Lost to Frederick 3–2 in championship.
• 1991 season: Beat Lynchburg 3–0 to win championship.
• 1993 season: Lost to Winston-Salem 2–1 in semifinals.
• 1995 season: Beat Wilmington 3–0 to win championship.
• 1996 season: Beat Durham 2–1 in semifinals; lost to Wilmington 3–1 in championship.
• 1997 season: Lost to Lynchburg 3–1 in championship.
• 1999 season: Lost to Myrtle Beach 2–1 in semifinals.
• 2001 season: Lost to Salem 2–1 in semifinals.
• 2002 season: Beat Myrtle Beach 2–0 in semifinals; lost to Lynchburg 3–1 in championship.
• 2003 season: Lost to Winston-Salem 2–0 in semifinals.
• 2004 season: Beat Winston-Salem 2–1 in semifinals; beat Wilmington 3–2 to win championship.
• 2005 season: Beat Winston-Salem 2–0 in semifinals; lost to Frederick 3–2 in championship.
• 2006 season: Beat Salem 2–0 in semifinals; beat Frederick 3–0 to win league championship.
• 2007 season: Lost to Salem 2–1 in semifinals.
• 2010 season: Lost to Winston-Salem 3–0 in semifinals.
• 2011 season: Beat Myrtle Beach 3–1 in semifinals; lost to Frederick 3–1 in championship.

No Hitters

• Oscar Muñoz (May 26, 1991) vs. the Prince William Cannons
• Paul Byrd, Scott Morgan, and Mike Soper (August 23, 1991) vs. the Prince William Cannons
• Jason Rakers (June 4, 1997) vs. the Durham Bulls (7 inning game)
• Keith Ramsey (September 6, 2004) vs. the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (perfect game)
• Marty Popham, Chris Jones and Cory Burns (September 5, 2010) vs. the Potomac Nationals (10 innings)

See also

In Spanish: Kinston Indians para niños

• Kinston Eagles – Other baseball teams in Kinston known as the Eagles