St. Cloud Rox (minor league baseball)
The St. Cloud Rox were a professional minor league baseball team that existed from 1946 to 1971 in the Northern League and returned in new form in 2012 replacing the St. Cloud Riverbats in the Northwoods summer wooden bat college league . Located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the team played in the Northern League and was affiliated with the New York Giants from 1946 to 1957, the San Francisco Giants from 1958 to 1959, the Chicago Cubs from 1960 to 1964 and the Minnesota Twins from 1965 to 1971.[1] They play their current home games at Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud, Minnesota.[2] The original Rox played at Rox Park until 1970 and spent their final season at the newly constructed Municipal Stadium (now Dick Putz Field). The original Rox ceased playing after the 1971 season when the old Northern League folded. Hall of Fame players to play for the Rox include Lou Brock, Orlando Cepeda and Gaylord Perry.
Year-by-year record
(from Baseball Reference Bullpen)
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 73-31 | 1st | Walter Kopp | League Champs |
| 1947 | 48-71 | 7th | Dave Bancroft | |
| 1948 | 78-40 | 2nd | Charlie Fox | Lost in 1st round |
| 1949 | 65-59 | 3rd | Charlie Fox | Lost in 1st round |
| 1950 | 72-51 | 1st | Charlie Fox | Lost in 1st round |
| 1951 | 64-55 | 2nd | Harold Kollar | Lost in 1st round |
| 1952 | 60-64 | 6th | Charlie Fox | |
| 1953 | 66-59 | 3rd | Charlie Fox | Lost in 1st round |
| 1954 | 76-54 | 2nd | Charlie Fox | Lost in 1st round |
| 1955 | 78-47 | 2nd | Charlie Fox | League Champs |
| 1956 | 61-64 | 6th | Charlie Fox | |
| 1957 | 59-63 | 5th | Pete Pavlick | |
| 1958 | 72-50 | 1st | Richard Klaus | Lost League Finals |
| 1959 | 43-80 | 8th | Richard Klaus | |
| 1960 | 49-74 | 8th | Fred Martin | |
| 1961 | 73-54 | 3rd | Joe Macko | Lost League Finals |
| 1962 | 61-63 | 5th | George Freese | |
| 1963 | 51-69 | 6th | Walt Dixon | 4th 16-14* |
| 1964 | 54-68 | 5th | Walt Dixon | 4th 15-18* |
| 1965 | 73-23 | 1st | Jim Rantz | League Champs |
| 1966 | 49-18 | 1st | Ken Staples | League Champs |
| 1967 | 44-26 | 1st | Ken Staples | League Champs |
| 1968 | 43-27 | 1st | Carroll Hardy | League Champs |
| 1969 | 33-37 | 3rd | Jim Merrick | none |
| 1970 | 31-39 | 5th | Jim Merrick | none |
| 1971 | 42-28 | 1st | Ken Staples | League Champs |