Crookston Pirates

The Crookston Pirates were a minor league baseball team based in Crookston, Minnesota. Crookston teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level Northern League, in two different spans, fielding league teams from 1902 to 1905 and again from 1933 to 1941. The Crookston Pirates were a minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox in 1936, St. Louis Cardinals in 1937, and Boston Red Sox in 1938. Crookston teams hosted home Northern League games at Crookston Field (1902–1905) and Highland Park (1933–1941).

Crookston Pirates
1902–1941 (1902–1905, 1933–1941) Crookston, Minnesota
Minor league affiliations
Class	Class D (1902–1905, 1933–1940) Class C (1941)
League	Northern League (1902–1905, 1933–1941)
Major league affiliations
Team	Chicago White Sox (1936) St. Louis Cardinals (1937) Boston Red Sox (1938)
Minor league titles
League titles (0)	None
Wild card berths (2)	1937 1938
Team data
Name	Crookston Crooks (1902–1905) Crookston Pirates (1933–1941)
Ballpark	Crookston Field (1902–1905) Highland Park (1933–1941)

Today, the Crookston "Pirates" moniker is used by Crookston High School, established in 1914.

History

Crookston was a charter member of the Class D level Northern League in 1902, playing as the Crookston Crooks before disbanding after the 1905 season.^{[1][2] [3]}

Beginning in 1933, the Crookston Pirates played in the Northern League from 1933 to 1941 and were affiliates of the Chicago White Sox in 1936, the St. Louis Cardinals in 1937 and the Boston Red Sox in 1938.^{[1][2] [4]}

The Crookston teams did not win a championship in their duration of play but did qualify for the 1937 and 1938 Northern League playoffs.^[2]

Crookston High School was founded in 1914 and still uses the "Pirates" moniker.^[5][6]

The ballparks

The Crookston Crooks teams hosted minor league home games at Crookston Field from 1902 to 1905.^[7]

From 1933 to 1941, the Crookston Pirates hosted home minor league games at Highland Park in Crookston. With dimensions of 340–420–329, Highland Park had a capacity of 2,000 (1938). Today, the park is still in use a public park. The Highland Park Complex sits on 40 acres (16 ha), located at North Central Avenue and Barrette Street in Crookston.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Timeline

Year(s)	# Yrs.	Team	Level	League	Affiliate	Ballpark
1902–1905	4	Crookston Crooks	Class D	Northern League	None	Crookston Field
1933–1935	3	Crookston Pirates				Highland Park
1936	1				Chicago White Sox
1937	1				St. Louis Cardinals
1938	1				Boston Red Sox
1939-1940	2				None
1941	1		Class C

Year-by-year records

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs/Notes
1902	31–25	2nd	William Lycan	No playoffs held
1903	55–41	3rd	William Lycan / William Bray	No playoffs held
1904	33–36	4th	Bill McNeil / William Lycan	No playoffs held
1905	38–63	6th	Bill McNeil / N. Davies	No playoffs held
1933	48–48	5th	Lute Boone	No playoffs held
1934	62–58	3rd	Lute Boone	No playoffs held
1935	45–65	7th	Lute Boone	Did not qualify
1936	54–68	7th	Ken Penner	Did not qualify
1937	61–57	4th	Erwin Schueren	Lost in 1st round
1938	69–47	3rd	Bill Burwell	Lost in finals
1939	43–76	8th	Phil Todt	Did not qualify
1940	49–74	7th	Fred Neisler	Did not qualify
1941	46–68	7th	Abe Stemig	Did not qualify

^[2]

Notable alumni

• Sheldon "Chief" Bender (1939–1940)
• Lute Boone (1933-1935, MGR)
• Bill Burwell (1938, MGR)
• Bill Butland (1938)
• Walter Carlisle (1902–1904)
• Oscar Georgy (1937)
• Jack Hallett (1935)
• Joe Hatten (1939)
• Jesse Hoffmeister (1903–1904)
• Elmer Johnson (1934–1936, 1939–1940)
• Dan Lally 1904)
• Ham Patterson (1904)
• Ken Penner (1936, MGR)
• Les Rock (1934-1935)
• Ernie Rudolph (1937)
• Phil Todt (1939, MGR)
• Julie Wera (1937)
• Wes Westrum (1940) 2x MLB All–Star
• Rollie Zeider (1905)

• Crookston Crooks players
• Crookston Pirates players