Kevin Geisert, SMC Reference Librarian, October 2022

The Norfolk Tars were a minor league professional baseball franchise based in Norfolk, Virginia off and on between 1906 and 1955.  Upon the team’s founding, William M. Hannan, Jr. took the helm as its first general manager and vice president.  In 1906, they began play in the nascent Virginia League (Class C from 1906-1919 and Class B from 1921-1928) with teams from Richmond, Portsmouth, Lynchburg, Danville, and Roanoke.  With the exception of 1920, they competed in the Virginia League until it ceased operations by June 1928.  Norfolk was crowned Virginia League Champions twice (once in 1907 and again in 1914).  The Tars also reached the league finals in 1921 and overall they won more than they lost.  During these first few decades, the Tars played their home games at Norfolk Baseball Park, aka League Park.  Win Clark, an infielder, served as player-manager for the team’s debut season.  He guided Norfolk to a 62-44 record and the team claimed second place in the Virginia League standings. [1]

As the country was still reeling from news of a devastating earthquake in San Francisco, the Tars welcomed the Portsmouth Truckers to Norfolk for their 1906 season opener, which took place on Thursday, April 26.  In this battle for South Hampton Roads, the Tars did not enjoy home field advantage because half of the stadium was filled with Portsmouth fans.  After the festive pre-game ceremonies, five thousand spectators watched as the home team narrowly won by a score of 2-1.  In the bottom of the ninth with a runner at third base, Portsmouth catcher Joe O’Halloran allowed a passed ball, which brought home the winning score for Norfolk.  Billy Wynne, playing shortstop for the Tars on this day, scored the decisive run. [2]  

Throughout the years, Norfolk became a frequent stop for prominent ballplayers on their way to the major leagues.  The list of Tars players who had successful major league baseball careers is quite long, particularly after Norfolk began its affiliation with the New York Yankees in 1934.  Headlining this list are several All-Stars and Hall of Famers, including Phil Rizzuto, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, and Tommy Holmes.  Even Chuck Connors, best known for his role as The Rifleman, suited up for Norfolk during the 1942 season before joining the army to serve in World War II.  He showed off his power with five homers, which was tied for second on the team.  He later had a brief major league career with the Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn Dodgers. [3]  

Led by skipper Bill Skiff, the Tars began their newfound affiliation with a brief road trip to Richmond for a series against the Colts.  Norfolk swept the three-game set from Richmond and then prepared to welcome the Wilmington Pirates to Bain Field for their home opener on Thursday, April 26, 1934.  After much hype about a game between two unbeaten teams, it turned out to be a bust when Wilmington doubled up Norfolk by a score of 16-8 (See Local wiki: Bain Field).  However, this early season contest was not indicative of where the Tars would finish in the standings.  By season’s end, they had a record of 89-49, which placed them first in the Piedmont League.  In the championship series, the Tars then defeated the Charlotte Hornets in six games (4-2).  After two years at the helm, Skiff was replaced by Johnny Neun who delivered a couple more championships.  Beginning with the 1934 season, Norfolk quickly established a dynasty that became a source of pride for baseball fans in the area.  For a decade, the Tars were in a class of their own as they routinely battled for Piedmont League supremacy.  Norfolk finished atop the league standings in 1934, 1936, and 1938.  Former Tars pitcher Ray White took over as manager prior to the 1938 season.  Although they fell short in the 1938 championship as heavy favorites, the Tars had turned a second-place regular season finish into a championship just a year earlier.  They also won the title in 1936 following their league-best 93-50 record. [6]  By the 1940s, Norfolk regressed and began to fall back in the standings.  For most of this decade, the Tars fielded an average to mediocre team, however they still added another championship in 1943 and a regular season title in 1945. [7]

By the end of the 1930s, Bain Field (see local wiki: Bain Field) was in such a state of disrepair that the parent ball club pressured Norfolk to obtain funding for a new stadium.  When the city seemed reluctant to give in to this demand, the Yankees threatened to move Norfolk Tars home games to Portsmouth.  The city then quickly commenced with the High Rock Park Project.  Construction crews worked feverishly to build a new ballpark on Rugby Street a short distance away.  In one of the first instances of a sports team partnering with corporate sponsors, it was named after the Norfolk-based High Rock Ginger Ale Bottling Company for an annual price tag of $1,000. [8]  The Tars played at Bain Field for the final time on Sunday, June 30, 1940.  On this day, they met the first-place Asheville Tourists for a double header, which Norfolk swept by scores of 10-9 and 5-4. [9]  During the first game, a fire swept through the “colored grandstand,” which caused a twenty-five minute delay in the action so firefighters could tend to the blaze.  It proved to be a memorable final day at Bain Field. [10]

Following a road trip, the Tars returned home a few weeks later to break in their new ballpark.  The first game at High Rock Park took place on Monday, July 15, 1940.  It was also the debut of night baseball in Norfolk.  A capacity crowd of more than ten thousand turned out for the game between the Norfolk Tars and Richmond Colts.  There had never before been a crowd of this size to see a Piedmont League game.  In High Rock Park’s grand opening, Richmond crashed the party with an 8-5 victory over their Norfolk rivals.  The Colts began the scoring with a run in the third inning when they put together three consecutive singles off Tars hurler Tom Ananicz.  Richmond first baseman William Prout got credit for the RBI.  For most of the game, knuckleballer Jim Bivin stymied Norfolk hitters.  He limited the Tars to just one run through the first six innings.  The Tars totaled seven hits for the game, as Bivin pitched into the ninth.  The Tars added a couple runs in the final frame, but the rally was not enough to overcome a five-run deficit.  Outfielder Carl Cooper and third baseman James Nicholson accounted for five of the seven hits for Norfolk. [11]       

The Tars played at High Rock Park until the conclusion of their 1944 season.  Then just a few days after Christmas, an explosion rocked the stadium, which resulted in a massive fire that could not be contained.  Extensive damage to this relatively new venue meant that its readiness for the start of next season would be in jeopardy.  The press box, locker rooms, and concession area were all severely damaged by the fire.  However, soon after the flames had been extinguished, a local dentist Eddie Myers got to work and quickly had the stadium rebuilt.  Crews worked feverishly through the next three months to complete his project and the ballpark was declared ready for the beginning of Piedmont League play by April.  From this point forward, the stadium would be known as Myers Field in his honor. [12]

Just over two thousand fans attended the first game at the newly rechristened Myers Field on Monday, April 30, 1945.  Although Norfolk would finish 1945 with the Piedmont League’s best record, on this day it was the Richmond Colts who prevailed by a score of 7-6 in ten innings.  Norfolk City Manager Colonel Charles Borland kicked things off with his ceremonial first pitch.  When the game got underway, the Colts struck first with an unearned run in the top half of the first when Norfolk shortstop Gordon Johnston mishandled a grounder.  James Milner, an outfielder for Richmond, scored on the miscue and gave the Colts an early 1-0 lead.  On the mound for Norfolk, was the young southpaw Andy Perry who got out of trouble in the second by inducing an inning ending double play.  During their half of the second inning, the Tars scored three times to go ahead by a couple runs.  Following a run by Richmond in the fourth, Norfolk extended its lead to 6-2 the next inning.  Outfielder Carl McQuillen began the rally with a leadoff double.  He later scored on a single from third baseman Al Baker.  The Tars added two more runs that inning for a four-run lead.  However, the Colts knocked Perry out of the game during the seventh when they rallied for four runs to tie the game at 6-6.  The score remained a tie until the extra frame.  Then in the tenth, Richmond catcher Emilio Cabrera delivered a clutch single, which scored outfielder Calvin Greene who had just reached base on a triple.  Norfolk had to wait a little longer to taste victory at Myers Field. [13] 

While playing in the Piedmont League, the Norfolk Tars frequently clashed with their local rivals: the Portsmouth Cubs and Newport News Dodgers.  However, the rivalry between the Tars and Cubs was especially fierce.  Portsmouth Stadium (later known as Frank D. Lawrence Stadium) served as home for the Cubs and was the site of several competitive games.  From the Cubs side of the rivalry, hometown boy Clarence “Ace” Parker proved to be a tough out for Norfolk pitchers.  During the summer months, it was not uncommon for these teams to play a day-night doubleheader with each city hosting one game.  A typical doubleheader might begin with an afternoon matinee in Portsmouth and then be followed by a nightcap in Norfolk, although the order of the games could vary.  Both teams as well as fans used the ferry to travel from one city to the other.  There were many heated moments between the clubs as they vied for regional supremacy and battled each other to climb the Piedmont League standings.  They even faced each other in high-stakes postseason contests.  It seemed that every time these teams met, fans arrived at the ballpark with an innate sense that they might see some fireworks on the field.  Both sides were involved in shouting altercations, fisticuffs, beanballs, and other belligerent actions.  Occasionally, a confrontation even spiraled out of control and the police had to come defuse the whole situation.  In this rivalry, there were some players who loved to be hated and frequently escalated tensions between the two squads.  Portsmouth’s second baseman, Eddie Stanky, was one such individual.  He enjoyed fights and found it easy to generate animosity when facing the Tars, especially when his second base counterpart, Jerry Priddy, was in the other dugout.  The bad blood between Stanky and Priddy was one reason for fans to anticipate the next Portsmouth Cubs-Norfolk Tars game. [14] 

One memorable fracas from this rivalry occurred in 1937 during the Shaughnessy Playoff Championship Series.  Norfolk hosted the first game at Bain Field on Tuesday, September 14, 1937.  The Cubs scored the game’s first run after outfielder Bill Nicholson hit a solo homer for a 1-0 lead, but the Tars immediately answered with a six-run barrage in their half of the first inning.  Norfolk opened the inning with three straight singles to load the bases.  Then Portsmouth starter Warren Bridgens, already under pressure from the opposing lineup, beaned Tars outfielder Tommy Holmes, which scored Mike Dejan to even the score at 1-1.  The very next batter, third baseman Pete Suder, blasted a grand slam to right and gave Norfolk control of the game.  The Tars added one more run before they were finished for a 6-1 lead after one inning of play.  Through the first four innings, a total of sixteen runs had been scored, but the Tars still held a lead of 11-5.  Things got testy in the seventh inning when Stanky protested a called third strike.  During the ruckus that followed, both he and his manager, Elmer Yoter, were ejected from the game.  As tempers became heated, Portsmouth players collectively poured out of their dugout toward the plate umpire spewing invectives.  This ugly situation on the field could not be resolved until five Norfolk policemen made their presence known.  Once play resumed, Norfolk went on to win the game 11-5 behind the relief pitching of Thurston Crutchfield.  Norfolk swept Portsmouth 3-0 in the best-of-five championship series. [15]       

Even though Norfolk had competed for championships, the city was not known as a welcoming place for black fans and players alike.  The segregated grandstands were evidence of an ugly history for all to see.  However, discrimination also extended to the baseball diamond.  With Norfolk being a quintessential Southern town, the Tars organization followed in the path of Major League Baseball by only signing white players.  This practice lasted for several decades.  It was not until 1954, seven years after Jackie Robinson first took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers, that an African American player suited up for the Norfolk Tars at Myers Field.  Facing Norfolk’s parent club, the defending World Series Champion New York Yankees, Ed Andrews took the mound for an exhibition on Wednesday, April 7, 1954.  Known by his nickname of “Big Ed,” Andrews was effective in three innings of work.  He held the Yankees scoreless and allowed just two singles.  New York went on to win the game 4-1 after Andrews had been replaced in the lineup. [16]

Following a less-than-impressive decade in the 1940s, the Norfolk Tars regrouped and began another push to the top.  Between 1946 and 1950, the Tars finished with a losing record every season.  In 1950, they finally bottomed out when they could only manage a record of 58-82.  Although fans still supported the Tars at Myers Field, attendance had begun to drop amid the losing seasons.  The Yankees, wanting desperately to alter the fortunes of their farm club, cast a wide net for a new manager who would bring competitive baseball back to Norfolk.  After a thorough search, the young Mayo Smith was named Tars manager for the 1951 season.  Under Mayo, the Tars showed immediate improvement by scoring the most runs in the Piedmont League.  It was not a coincidence that they won the regular season with an 81-58 record.  Their season was capped off by defeating the Portsmouth Cubs and Richmond Colts in the playoffs to bring home another championship.  The Tars were even better in 1952 when they compiled a 96-36 record, although a first-round playoff loss to Richmond was not the finish they envisioned.  Despite the loss, that team is ranked among the best minor league teams in history ever assembled.  In 1953, new manager Mickey Owen delivered another Piedmont League Championship to Norfolk.  They led the league in fewest runs allowed while scoring nearly seven hundred runs.  They had an 81-51 regular season record as the playoffs began.  Norfolk defeated the Portsmouth Merrimacks in their first round series 4-1 before winning the championship in five games over the Newport News Dodgers. [17] 

Throughout the early 1950s, it was clear that the Tars had gotten their swagger back.  Baseball talent, such as Whitey Herzog, Jerry Lynch, and Johnny Kucks played for the Tars during this resurgence.  However, the team began to be plagued by low attendance and off-the-field turmoil.  Attendance briefly increased during the 1951 season, but Myers Field experienced a steep decline in the next couple seasons.  In the 1953-54 off-season, the Yankees sold its Norfolk farm club to local investors.  Under new ownership, the Tars retained their New York affiliation and there were high hopes for the organization.  Norfolk had an attendance spike during the 1954 season, as nearly 130,000 fans came out to see the Tars play at Myers Field.  The Tars, under manager Skeeter Skalzi, won the Piedmont League regular season with an 87-53 record before falling to Portsmouth 4-2 in their first-round playoff series.  During this season, first baseman slugger Danny Keith starred for Norfolk at the plate with twelve homeruns while a solid pitching staff led by Jim Coates, Paul Doughty, Ken Beardslee, and Guy Grasso allowed fewer runs than any other team in the league. [18] 

Despite this newfound success on the field, by 1955 the organization began to face dysfunction that led to its demise.  With new manager Al Evans at the helm, the 1955 version of the Norfolk Tars got out to a slower start than fans came to expect.  A showdown then commenced when ownership tried to force Evans out of his managerial position.  The players publicly backed Evans in this dispute, which became an embarrassing fiasco for everyone involved.  Following his dismissal as manager, the owners called on pitcher Alton Brown to serve in the role of interim manager before they eventually turned things over to general manager Bill Herring.  The constant discord between ownership, players, managers, and the media contributed to a significant decrease in the number of fans who attended games at Myers Field.  They were only averaging 845 fans per game.  Tars ownership tried to win fans back by coming up with creative promotions and cutting ticket prices, but nothing worked and the organization seemed to be at an end.  On Wednesday, July 13, 1955, the Tars played at Myers Field for the final time against the Sunbury (PA) Redlegs (affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds).  Prior to the game, it was announced that the Norfolk Tars were folding after the game. [19]

In their last contest, the Tars pounded the Redlegs by a score of 11-3 in front of just 851 fans at Myers Field.  The Tars opened the scoring with a four-run first inning and never looked back.  They led 6-0 before Sunbury finally got on the board.  Norfolk collected fifteen hits, including the homerun by third baseman George Handy in the bottom half of the seventh.  On the mound, Jerry Buchanan allowed ten hits while pitching a complete game for Norfolk.  Although the wins were not as frequent as in recent seasons, the Tars finished their abbreviated 1955 season with a record of 37-34.  The Piedmont League itself disbanded following the season.  Over the course of several decades, the Norfolk Tars thrilled fans with some exciting baseball, which included championships, and developed some extraordinary talent for the New York Yankees.  It would be another fifteen years, when the Tidewater Tides moved to town in 1970, before Norfolk experienced a brand of professional baseball again. [20]

Sources:

1.      Peter C. Stewart, Early Professional Baseball in Hampton Roads: A History, 1884-1928 (Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company Inc., 2010), 72; “1906 Norfolk Tars Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed November 18, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1906; “Norfolk Tars Franchise History (1906-1955),” Stats Crew, accessed November 22, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/t-nt13395; “Virginia League,” Baseball Reference, accessed November 22, 2022, https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Virginia_League.

2.      “Truckers Drop First Game to Norfolk,” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), April 27, 1906, 1-2; “1906 Norfolk Tars Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed November 18, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1906; “1906 Portsmouth Truckers Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed November, 21, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-pt13898/y-1906.

3.      Clay Shampoe and Thomas R. Garrett, Baseball in Norfolk, Virginia (Arcadia Publishing, 2003), 40, 46, 72; “1942 Norfolk Tars Statistics,” Stats Crew, accessed November 23, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-nt13395/y-1942; “Chuck Connors,” Wikipedia, accessed December 16, 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Connors.

4.      “1932 Eastern League,” Stats Crew, accessed November 23, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-EL1/y-1932.

5.      Shampoe and Garrett, 33.

6.      Ibid, 33-34; “1934 Norfolk Tars Statistics,” Stats Crew, accessed December 12, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-nt13395/y-1934; “Tars Drop to Second Position Before Crowd of 4,500,” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), April 27, 1934, Page 8 Part 1; “1936 Norfolk Tars Statistics,” Stats Crew, accessed December 14, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-nt13395/y-1936.

7.      Shampoe and Garrett, 71.

8.      Ibid, 71-73.

9.      Marlowe, “Tars Drop to Second Position Before Crowd of 4,500,” The Virginian-Pilot, April 27, 1934, Page 8 Part 1.

10.      “Fire in Stand Thrills Fans at Bain Field,” The Virginian-Pilot, July 1, 1940, 14.

11.      Marlowe, “Colts Collect 14 Hits to Spoil Tars’ Opening in New Home, 8-5,” The Virginian-Pilot, July 16, 1940, 12-13;

“1940 Norfolk Tars Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed December 16, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1940;

“1940 Richmond Colts Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed December 16, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-rc14076/y-1940.

12.      Shampoe and Garrett, 80.

13.      Fergusson, Tom, “Colts Spoil Tars’ Home Debut, Winning in 10th”, The Virginian-Pilot, May 1, 1945, 9; “1945 Norfolk Tars Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed December 20, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1945; “1945 Richmond Colts Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed December 20, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-rc14076/y-1945.

14.  Shampoe and Garrett, 63, 65, 68.

15.  Ibid, 62. “1937 Norfolk Tars Statistics,” Stats Crew, accessed December 22, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-nt13395/y-1937; “1937 Portsmouth Cubs Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed December 22, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-pc13890/y-1937;

Marlowe, “Tars Whip Cubs in Fiery Battle, Suder Hits Homer With Bases Filled,” The Virginian-Pilot, September 15, 1937, 10.

16.  “Edward Andrews,” Stats Crew, accessed December 30, 2022, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/p-d92e8235; Fergusson, Tom, “Yankees Fail to Display Any Power in Edging Tars, 4-1, Before 7,906,” The Virginian-Pilot, April 8, 1954, 28. 

17.  “1951 Norfolk Tars Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed January 4, 2023, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1951; “1952 Norfolk Tars Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed January 4, 2023, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1952; “1953 Norfolk Tars Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed January 4, 2023, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1953; Shampoe and Garrett, 94.

18.  Ibid, 94; “1951 Norfolk Tars Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed January 4, 2023, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1951;

“1954 Norfolk Tars Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed January 4, 2023, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1954; “Daniel Keith,” Stats Crew, accessed January 4, 2023, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/p-3782d36e.

19.  Shampoe and Garrett, 95; “1955 Norfolk Tars Roster,” Stats Crew, accessed January 5, 2023, https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1955.

20.  McClelland, George, “Tars Bow Out of Baseball on 11-3 Win,” The Virginian-Pilot, July 14, 1955, 28; “Piedmont League (1920-1955),” Fun While It Lasted, accessed January 6, 2023, https://funwhileitlasted.net/piedmont-league-baseball/; Shampoe and Garrett, 95.

Home Location of the Norfolk Tars:

• Norfolk Baseball Park aka League Park (18th Street near Elmwood Ave., East 20th Street corner of Elmwood Avenue, Church Street and Norfolk & Western Railway (1906-1919 and 1921-1928)

• Bain Field (400 E. 20th Street) (1931-1932 and 1934-1940)

• High Rock Park (801 Rugby Street) (1940-1944)

• Myers Field (801 Rugby Street) (1945-1955)

Major Keywords/Search Terms:

Norfolk Tars | Bain Field | High Rock Park | Myers Field | League Park | Norfolk Baseball Park | East 20th Street | Elmwood Avenue | Norfolk & Western Railway | Church Street | Hannan, William M., Jr. | Minor League Professional Baseball Franchise | 18th Street | Rugby Street | Clark, Win | Virginia League | Class C | Portsmouth Truckers | O’Halloran, Joe | Wynne, Billy | Class B | Connors, Chuck | Rizzuto, Phil | Berra, Yogi | Ford, Whitey | Holmes, Tommy | New York Yankees | The Rifleman | Eastern League| Farm System| Class B| Durham Bulls | Piedmont League| Great Depression |Skiff, Bill | White, Ray | High Rock Park | High Rock Ginger Ale Bottling Company | High Rock Park Project | Prout, William | Ananicz, Tom | Bivin, Jim| Cooper, Carl| Nicholson, James| Myers, Eddie| Myers Field| Greene, Calvin| Cabrera, Emilio | Borland, Colonel Charles | Johnston, Gordon | McQuillen, Carl | Baker, Al | Perry, Andy | Milner, James | Portsmouth Stadium | Frank D. Lawrence Stadium | Shaughnessy Playoff Championship | Day-night Doubleheader | Portsmouth Cubs | Crutchfield, Thurston | Yoter, Elmer | Stanky, Eddie| Bridgens, Warren | Dejan, Mike | Suder, Pete | Nicholson, Bill | Holmes, Tommy | Newport News Dodgers | Priddy, Jerry | Parker, Clarence “Ace” | Major League Baseball | Robinson, Jackie | Andrews, “Big Ed” | Herzog, Whitey | Lynch, Jerry | Kucks, Johnny | Portsmouth Merrimacks | Owen, Mickey | Smith, Mayo | Coates, Jim | Doughty, Paul | Beardslee, Ken | Grasso, Guy | Keith, Danny | Skalzi, Skeeter | Cincinnati Reds | Sunbury Redlegs | Herring, Bill | Evans, Al | Brown, Alton | Handy, George | Buchanan, Jerry | Tidewater Tides |

Sources:

1.    Primary Sources:

A.    Books and Pamphlets:

City Directories:

• • • • • • • 1910 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, VA), Page 404.  

            • 1915 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, VA), Page 464.

            • 1925 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, VA), Page 570.

B.    Documents/Collections:

Folders: “Norfolk-Sports-Baseball-(A-Z),” “Norfolk-Sports-Baseball-Miscellaneous,” and “Norfolk-Sports-Baseball-Norfolk Tars.”  Sargeant Memorial Collection Norfolk Clippings Files, MSS 0000-NCF, Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

C.    Maps/Plats/Surveys:

• • • • • • Sanborn Map Company.  “Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: Norfolk, Independent City, Virginia.”  New York: Sanborn Map Publishing Co., 1928, Vol. 3, Sheet 312.

          • Sanborn Map Company.  “Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: Norfolk, Independent City, Virginia.”  New York: Sanborn Map Publishing Co., 1928-1950, Vol. 3, Sheet 314.

D.    Newspapers/Magazines/Journals (Selected Articles):

1906

• "Players Signed for “Mary Jane.””  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), February 1, 1906, Page 12.

• “Truckers Drop First Game to Norfolk.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), April 27, 1906, Pages 1-2.

•  "Kenny to Pitch for Portsmouth.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), November 29, 1906, Page 12.

1910

• “Crew Took First Game of Season from Truckers.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), April 23, 1910, Page 10.

1934

• “Tars Drop to Second Position Before Crowd of 4,500.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), April 27, 1934, Page 8 Part 1.

1937

• Marlowe.  “Tars Whip Cubs in Fiery Battle; Suder Hits Homer With Bases Filled.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), September 15, 1937, Page 10.

1940

• • • • • • “Fire in Stand Thrills Fans at Bain Field.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), July 1, 1940, Page 14. 

          • Marlowe.  “Colts Collect 14 Hits to Spoil Tars’ Opening in New Home, 8-5.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), July 16, 1940, Pages 12-13.

1945

• • • • • • Fergusson, Tom.  “Colts Spoil Tars’ Home Debut, Winning in 10th.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), May 1, 1945, Page 9.

1949

• Cox, W. N.  “Breaks of the Game.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), April 24, 1949, Page 6 Part 2. 

• Pierce, Joe.  “Christoff and Zam Hit Homers in Ninth to Spoil Tars’ Opener, 8-5: Portsmouth Evens Series Before 4,500.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), April 24, 1949, Page 6 Part 2.

1952

• • • • • • Fergusson, Tom.  “Tars Fans Will NEVER Give Up.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), August 24, 1952, Part 5 Page 1.

          • "Tars Top Cubs to Win Second Pennant in a Row.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), September 1, 1952, Pages 1 and 10.

1953

• “As the Norfolk Tars Change to New Hands.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), December 17, 1953, Page 6.

• “Tars Minus Yankees—Plus Promotion.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), December 18, 1953, Page 6.

1954

• ”Tars Sign Career Girl to Handle Front Office.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), January 24, 1954, Page 2 Part 4.

• Cox, W. N.  “Breaks of the Game.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), April 8, 1954, Page 28. 

• Fergusson, Tom.  “Yankees Fail to Display Any Power in Edging Tars, 4-1, Before 7,906: Ford Holds Norfolk to Five Hits.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), April 8, 1954, Page 28.

• “Tomorrow’s Baseball Debut.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), April 21, 1954, Page 6.

• Twyford, Warner.  “Tar Fans Find Little to Cheer Save Pre-Game Ceremonies.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), April 23, 1954, Page 7.

• “A Winning Year All Around for Norfolk’s New Tars.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), August 31, 1954, Page 6.

• “The Tars of 1954.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), September 2, 1954, Page 6. 

• Diehl, Bill.  “Dr. S. E. Hughes Elected to Executive Body.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), October 21, 1954, Page 40.

1955

• “Norfolk Stores Will Charge Baseball Ducats.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), April 25, 1955, Page 1.

• "Alton Brown to Succeed Evans as Interim Manager.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), May 25, 1955, Page 35.

• Diehl, Bill.  “Dealing It Out.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), May 26, 1955, Page 43.

• “Tar General Manager Herring Reported Ready to Resign.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), May 27, 1955, Page 27.

• “Three Named to Study Baseball.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), June 1, 1955, Page 1.

• Diehl, Bill.  “Dealing It Out: How Much Longer Will Norfolk Tars Continue to Operate.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), June 2, 1955, Page 37.

• Diehl, Bill.  “Dealing It Out.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), June 15, 1955, Page 34.

• Grimstead, Lloyd.  “Tars Awaiting Outcome of Thursday Meeting.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), June 15, 1955, Page 34.

• "Duckworth Bids Fan Support New Promotion Plan for Tars.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), June 16, 1955, Page 1.

• Diehl, Bill.  “Dealing It Out.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), June 16, 1955, Page 42.

• Grimstead, Lloyd.  “‘It’s Time for Me to Step Aside,’ Says Ex-Prexy.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), June 16, 1955, Page 42.

• McClelland, George.  “’Keep Baseball in Norfolk Week’ to Begin on Friday; Moved Launched After Resignation of Tar Executives.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), June 16, 1955, Page 32.

• “The Fate of Norfolk’s Tars in the Balance.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), June 17, 1955, Page 6.

• “Tars Blank Lynchburg, 4-0; Jones Gives Up Six Hits: Norfolk Cops Sweep with 4th Straight.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), June 17, 1955, Page 50.

• "Tars May End Operation Soon.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), July 1, 1955, Page 1.

• “Tars Set July 8 as Deadline in Drive to Raise $20,000.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), July 2, 1955, Page 17.

• “Lynchburg Rallies to Edge Tars, 6 to 5, Before 2,643: Moreci Poles 3-Run Homer in 7th Inning.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), July 2, 1955, Page 10.

• Cox, W. N.  “Breaks of the Game.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), July 2, 1955, Page 10.

• “Norfolk Tars to Cease Operations After Tonight’s Game.”  Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch (Norfolk, VA), July 13, 1955, Page 28. 

• Cox, W. N.  “Breaks of the Game.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), July 14, 1955, Page 28.

• McClelland, George.  “Tars Bow Out of Baseball on 11-3 Win.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), July 14, 1955, Page 28.

• McClelland, George.  “Tars Call It Quits: Norfolk Club Belts Sunbury Redlegs, 11 to 3, in Baseball Finale at Myers Field.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), July 14, 1955, Pages 1 and 28.

• “The Baseball Collapse—Its Ironies and Mysteries.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), July 15, 1955, Page 6.

• Cox, W. N.  “The Breaks of the Game.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), July 15, 1955, Page 39.

E. Photographs/Images:

• Folders: “Sports I”-“Sports IV.”  Norfolk Tars.  Sargeant Memorial Collection Main Photograph Collection, MSS 0000-MPC, Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

• The Virginian Pilot Photograph Collection, MSS 0000-187, Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia. https://cdm15987.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/search/searchterm/norfolk%20tars.

2.    Secondary Sources:

A.    Books and Pamphlets:

• Shampoe, Clay and Thomas R. Garrett.  Baseball in Norfolk, Virginia.  Arcadia Publishing, 2003.  Pages 11-12, 17-30, 32-50, 55, 62-107.

• Stewart, Peter C.  Early Professional Baseball in Hampton Roads: A History, 1884-1928.  McFarland and Company, Inc., 2010.  Pages 72-223.

B.    Documents/Collections:

• Folders: “Norfolk-Sports-Baseball-(A-Z),” “Norfolk-Sports-Baseball-Miscellaneous,” and “Norfolk-Sports-Baseball-Norfolk Tars.”  Sargeant Memorial Collection Norfolk Clippings Files, MSS 0000-NCF, Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

• The Virginian-Pilot Index cards, MSS 2020-005.  Subject:  1947-1980: “Norfolk Tars.”

C.    Newspapers/Magazines/Journals (Selected Articles):

• “1945: Cheap Meat & a Pennant Season.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), August 12, 1973, Page E10.

•  "Flashback: ’36 Tars: Norfolk’s Best Team Ever?”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), December 1, 1974, Page E14.

• Goldblatt, Abe.  “Tidewater’s Baseball Past Story of Peaks and Valleys.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), April 10, 1977, Page H5. 

• Hays, Jakon and Maureen Watts.  “Baseball in Norfolk.”  The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), May 16, 2010, Page B3.

D.    Websites:

• • • • • • Baseball Reference Bullpen.  “Norfolk Tars.”  Accessed November 18, 2022. https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Norfolk_Tars.

          • Baseball Reference Bullpen.  “Virginia League.”  Accessed November 22, 2022. https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Virginia_League.

          • Fun While It Lasted.  “Piedmont League (1920-1955).”  Accessed January 6, 2023. https://funwhileitlasted.net/piedmont-league-baseball/.

          • Knepler, Michael.  Zinn Education Project: April 7, 1954: Norfolk’s African American Baseball Fans Win Desegregation Victories.  “Norfolk Tars.”  Accessed November 18, 2022. https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/norfolk-desegregates-baseball/.

          • Stats Crew.  “1906 Norfolk Tars Roster.”  Accessed November 18, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1906.

          • Stats Crew.  “1906 Portsmouth Truckers Roster.”  Accessed November 21, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-pt13898/y-1906.

          • Stats Crew.  “1934 Norfolk Tars Statistics.”  Accessed December 12, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-nt13395/y-1934.

          • Stats Crew.  “1936 Norfolk Tars Statistics.”  Accessed December 14, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-nt13395/y-1936.

          • Stats Crew.  “1937 Norfolk Tars Statistics.”  Accessed December 22, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-nt13395/y-1937.

          • Stats Crew.  “1937 Portsmouth Cubs Roster.”  Accessed December 22, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-pc13890/y-1937.

          • Stats Crew.  “1940 Norfolk Tars Roster.”  Accessed December 16, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1940.

          • Stats Crew.  “1940 Richmond Colts Roster.”  Accessed December 16, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-rc14076/y-1940.

          • Stats Crew.  “1942 Norfolk Tars Statistics.”  Accessed November 23, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-nt13395/y-1942.

          • Stats Crew.  “1945 Norfolk Tars Roster.”  Accessed December 20, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1945.

          • Stats Crew.  “1945 Richmond Colts Roster.”  Accessed December 20, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-rc14076/y-1945.

          • Stats Crew.  “1951 Norfolk Tars Roster.”  Accessed January 4, 2023. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1951.

          • Stats Crew.  “1952 Norfolk Tars Roster.”  Accessed January 4, 2023. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1952.

          • Stats Crew.  “1953 Norfolk Tars Roster.”  Accessed January 4, 2023. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1953.

          • Stats Crew.  “1954 Norfolk Tars Roster.”  Accessed January 4, 2023. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1954.

          • Stats Crew.  “1955 Norfolk Tars Roster.”  Accessed January 5, 2023. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13395/y-1955.

          • Stats Crew.  “Daniel Keith.”  Accessed January 4, 2023. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/p-3782d36e.

          • Stats Crew.  “Edward Andrews.”  Accessed December 30, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/p-d92e8235.

          • Stats Crew.  “Norfolk Tars Franchise History (1906-1955).”  Accessed November 22, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/t-nt13395.

          • Wikipedia.  “Chuck Connors.”  Accessed December 16, 2022. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/t-nt13395