The Cocoa Colts were a

minor league baseball Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...

team based in

Cocoa, Florida Cocoa is a city in Brevard County, Florida. Its population was 19,041 at the 2020 United States census, up from 17,140 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Palm Bay, Florida, Palm Bay–Melbourne, Florida, Melbourne–Titusville, Flori ...

in 1964. The Cocoa Colts played exclusively as members of the four–team

Rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience, a rookie is typically considered needing more tra ...

level Cocoa Rookie League, placing third in the standings, with all league games played at the

Cocoa Expo Sports Center Coastal Florida Sports Park (formerly known as Cocoa Expo Sports Center) is a multi-sport complex located in Cocoa, Florida. Coastal Florida facilities include outdoor baseball, football, soccer and lacrosse fields, an indoor multipurpose fiel ...

. The Cocoa Colts were so named as the team was a minor league affiliate of the Houston Colt .45's in 1964.

History

The Cocoa Rookie League began play in the 1964 season, with all games based in Cocoa, Florida. The Cocoa "Colts" became members of the four–team

level Cocoa Rookie League. The Cocoa Mets, Cocoa Tigers and Melbourne Twins joined the Colts in the four–team league, beginning league play on July 1, 1964. The Colts were on the losing end of two no–hitters in 1964. On July 3, 1964, Cocoa Met pitcher

Tug McGraw Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr. (August 30, 1944 – January 5, 2004) was an American professional baseball relief pitcher. McGraw played in 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1965 to 1984, for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Philli ...

threw a 7–inning

no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter or no-hit game is a game in which a team does not record a hit (baseball), hit through conventional methods. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in ...

in his professional debut against the Cocoa Colts. McGraw defeated the Colts 4–0 in the victory. On August 30, 1964, Gene Melton and Jerry Lyscio of the Melbourne Twins threw a combined 5–inning no–hitter in defeating the Colts by the score of 2–1. In their only season of play, the Cocoa Colts placed third in the Cocoa Rookie League final standings. With a record of 23–29, playing under manager Dave Philley, the Colts finished 11.0 games the first place Melbourne Twins (34–18) in the final regular season standings. The Colts finished behind the second place Cocoa Mets (28–22) and ahead of the fourth place Cocoa Tigers (17–33) in the final standings, as the league had no playoffs. The Cocoa Rookie League permanently folded after one season of play. The complex–based Colts and other Cocoa Rookie League teams charged fans no admission to games and individual attendance records were not kept. The Cocoa Rookie League games drew 1,683 total fans for the 1964 season schedule.Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, eds., ''The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd ed.''

Durham, North Carolina Durham ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, Durham County. Small portions of the city limits extend into Orange County, North Carolina, Orange County and Wake County, North Carol ...

Baseball America ''Baseball America'' (BA) is a sports publication company that covers baseball at every level, including Major League Baseball (MLB), with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) college, high school, and inte ...

, 2007, page 527 In the next season, Cocoa, Florida hosted the 1965

Cocoa Astros The Cocoa Astros were a professional minor league baseball team in the Florida State League (FSL), as a Class A level affiliate with the Houston Astros from 1965–72 and 1977. The team played at the Astros' spring training facility. The first ...

, who began play as members of the Class A level

Florida State League The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...

The ballpark

The Cocoa Rookie League teams played games at the

Year–by–year record

Notable alumni

Larry Dierker Lawrence Edward Dierker (born September 22, 1946) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, manager, and broadcaster. During a 14-year baseball career as a pitcher, he pitched from 1964 to 1977 for the Houston Colt .45s/Astro ...

(1964) Houston Astros Hall of Fame * Gene Ratliff (1964) * Don Wilson (1964) Houston Astros Hall of Fame * Cocoa Colts players

References

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External references

Cocoa - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Baseball teams established in 1964 Baseball teams disestablished in 1964 Defunct baseball teams in Florida Houston Astros minor league affiliates Cocoa, Florida