From one team in 1934, the year the Phillies first had a Minor League affiliate, the club reached its high with 15 teams just 14 years later. When the Carpenter Family bought the Phillies after the '43 season, the ballclub had two scouts and two Minor League teams. With emphasis on player development, the Phillies expanded both scouting and the Minor League system under new general manager Herb Pennock.
In 1948, the Phillies had 354 players in their Minor League system, their most ever. The Phillies also had 15 farm teams in '49 when Major League Baseball had a record 59 leagues and 448 teams.
Nuggets
Those in the Minors in 1948 included pitchers Robin Roberts, Jim Konstanty, Bob Miller, Bubba Church, Steve Ridzik and Paul Stuffel; catcher Stan Lopata; second baseman Mike Goliat, third baseman Willie Jones, outfielder Jack Mayo and manager Eddie Sawyer. Two years later, the Whiz Kids won the National League pennant with many of these players playing a prominent role.
Roberts began the season in Wilmington when he was 21 years old and was promoted on June 18 after a 9-1 start in 11 games with the Blue Rocks. As a 40-year-old, Roberts’ career ended in the Minors with the Reading Phillies. After 11 games and a 5-3 record, he retired.
Tommy Lasorda was a 20-year-old left-handed pitcher the Phillies signed in 1945 out of Norristown, PA. His professional debut was with the Concord (NC) Weavers of the Class D North Carolina State League that summer. After two years in the military service, his career resumed in Schenectady ('48). He had a game to remember on May 31 when he struck out 25 Amsterdam Rugmakers in a 15-inning game. It was a professional record at the time. Oh, he drove in the winning run with a single. Lasorda was selected by the Dodgers in the Rule 5 Draft after the '48 season and the rest is history.
Schenectady’s manager was Lee Riley, a left fielder who had played in 12 games with the Phillies in 1944. He is the father of Pat Riley, the NBA Hall of Fame coach and executive.
Also in Class D with the Dover Phillies was 19-year-old right-hander Jack Sanford, who won the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 1957.
Farm System
Class AAA
Toronto Maple Leafs, International League
Class A
Utica (N.Y.) Blue Sox, Eastern League
Class B
Terre Haute (Ind.) Phillies, Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League
Portland (Maine) Pilots, New England League
Wilmington (Del.) Blue Rocks, Interstate League
Class C
Schenectady (N.Y.) Blue Jays, Canadian-American League
Vandegrift (Pa.) Pioneers, Middle Atlantic League
Salina (Kan.) Blue Jays, Western Association
Class D
Carbondale (Pa.) Pioneers, North Atlantic League
Appleton (Wis.) Papermakers, Wisconsin State League
Baton Rouge (La.) Red Sticks, Evangeline League
Dover (Del.) Phillies, Eastern Shore League
Americus (Ga.) Phillies, Georgia-Florida League
Klamath (Ore.) Falls Gems, Far West League
Bradford (Pa.) Blue Wings, Pony League
(A book, “Life in the Minors, 5th annual Phillies Minor League Digest," is coming in Spring Training of 2021. A joint effort by Steve Potter and myself, the book contains exclusive stories on history of all 115 Phillies Minor League teams. It will also include rare photos and exclusive features.)