The Rochester A's (or interchangeable "Athletics") were a

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...

baseball team based in

Rochester, Minnesota Rochester is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. It is located along rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a popul ...

. In 1958, the A's played a partial season as an affiliate of the

Kansas City Athletics The Kansas City Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1955 to 1967, having previously played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the Philadelphia Athletics. After moving in 1967, the team became the ...

in the Class B level

Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League The Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League was a Class B level Minor League Baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 seasons, with teams based in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymo ...

("Three-I League"). Rochester relocated to

Winona, Minnesota Winona ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Winona County, Minnesota, United States. Located in bluff country on the Mississippi River, its most noticeable physical landmark is Sugar Loaf (Winona, Minnesota), Sugar Loaf. The population was 2 ...

on June 29, 1958, and the combined team finished in fifth place. Rochester hosted home minor league games at Mayo Field .

History

Rochester, Minnesota previously hosted minor league baseball from 1910 to 1912. The

Rochester Roosters The Rochester Roosters were a Minnesota–Wisconsin League 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 fou ...

in 1910, Rochester Bears in 1911 and Rochester Bugs in 1912 played as members of the

Minnesota–Wisconsin League The Minnesota–Wisconsin League, known as the "Minny" League, was a professional minor baseball league that existed from 1909 to 1912. It was a Class D league in 1909, 1910 and 1912 and a Class C league in 1911. As its name suggests, it featured ...

. Before moving to Winona, the Rochester A's began play in the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League, which played as a six–team league that season. The A's were a minor league affiliate of the

. The

Burlington Bees The Burlington Bees are a collegiate summer baseball team of the Prospect League. They are located in Burlington, Iowa, and have played their home games at Community Field since 1947. Founded in 1889, the Bees played in Minor League Baseball' ...

, Cedar Rapids Braves, Davenport DavSox,

Fox Cities Foxes Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...

and Green Bay Bluejays joined Rochester in beginning 1958 league play on April 27, 1958. On June 29, 1958, the Rochester A's had compiled a record of 20–37 when the franchise relocated to Winona. The team ended the season as the "Winona A's," compiling a 37–36 record while based in Winona. With an overall record of 57–73, the A's placed fifth in the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. Playing the season under managers Burl Storie, Leverette Spencer and Lew Krausse, The A's finished 20.0 games behind the first place Cedar Rapids Braves (77–53) in the final regular season standings. Cedar Rapids then defeated the second place Davenport DavSox in the Finals. A's pitcher Stan Horvatin led the league with 210 strikeouts. Overall, the A's led the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League with 761 runs scored and 147 home runs. The A's surrendered 764 runs, most in the league. Richard Rogers led the team with 27 home runs. While based in Rochester, the A's drew 27,364 fans, playing home games at Mayo Field and 39,589 total for the season. The Winona A's played home games at Gabyrch Field. Rochester, Minnesota was without minor league baseball until 1993, when the Rochester Aces played the season as members of the

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

level Northern League. Today, the

Rochester Honkers The Rochester Honkers are an amateur baseball team in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. Their home games are played at Mayo Field in Rochester, Minnesota. They have won the Northwoods League championship five times, mo ...

continue

collegiate summer baseball Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...

play as members of the

Northwoods League The Northwoods League is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league. All players in the league must have National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate. The league is amateur, and players are not ...

, after forming in 2013.

The ballpark

The Rochester A's played minor league home games at Mayo Field. The park is still in use, located at 403 East Center Street in Rochester. Today, the Rochester Honkers continue baseball play at Mayo Field.

Year–by–year record

Notable alumni

* Dave Hill (1958) *

Dick Howser Richard Dalton Howser (May 14, 1936 – June 17, 1987) was an American Major League Baseball shortstop, coach, and manager who was best known as the manager of the Kansas City Royals during the 1980s and for guiding them to the franchise's first ...

(1958)

Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team was founded as an expan ...

* Lew Krausse (1958, MGR) * Gordon Mackenzie (1958) * Dan Pfister (1958) * Leo Posada (1958) * Hal Raether (1958)

References

{{reflist

External links