Sanford Celeryfeds (baseball)

In the era, Sanford teams hosted home Florida State League games at the site of Memorial Stadium.

At the age of 17, Baseball Hall of Fame member Early Wynn played for the 1937 Sanford Lookouts in his first professional season.

[2][3] Sanford joined the Bartow Polkers, Bradenton Growers, Lakeland Highlanders, Orlando Caps and Tampa Smokers teams as charter members.

[12] The Bartow Polkers, Bradenton Growers, Daytona Beach Islanders and Orlando Caps joined the four returning teams in beginning the league schedule on May 1, 1920.

[2] The Sanford franchise returned to play in 1925, joining the reformed four-team Class D level Florida State League.

[15] The Lakeland Highlanders, St. Petersburg Saints and Tampa Smokers teams joined with Sanford in beginning league play on April 13, 1925.

Playing the season under managers Nick Carter and Jim Moore, Sanford finished 35.0 games behind first place Tampa in the overall standings.

On July 10, 1925, businessman John Wall Hendry publicly announced that he had purchased the Sanford Celeryfeds and intended to move the team to Fort Myers, Florida.

Pitcher Ben Cantwell of Sanford won 24 games (with just 4 losses) to lead the Florida State League.

[26] Following the 1926 season, Sanford hosted the Florida State League winter meetings and franchise movements took place.

[29] In defending their championship the previous season, the 1927 Sanford Celeryfeds finished in second place in the overall standings but did not qualify for the playoffs.

[30] The Celeryfeds ended the season with an overall record of 68–53, finishing 2.5 games behind first place Orlando as Lee Crowe returned as manager.

[32] The 1928 six-team Class D level Florida State League had a shortened season with Sanford continuing play.

[38] Sanford ended the Florida State League regular season 8.0 games behind the first place Gainesville G-Men in the final standings.

[39][40] During the 1846 season, Rodgers also managed the Peoria Redwings of the newly formed All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

[46] In the spring of 1937, Wynn traveled from his home in Hartford, Alabama to Sanford, Florida, to attend a baseball camp operated by the Washington Senators.

[48] The 1938 Sanford Lookouts finished in last place in the final standings of the eight-team Class D level Florida State League.

[50] The Lookouts ended the regular season with a record of 53-87 and finished in eighth place under manager Guy Lacy and the returning Bill Rodgers.

In 1932, while playing for the Boston Red Sox, Alexander won the American League batting championship, hitting .367 and winning the title over Baseball Hall of Fame member Jimmie Foxx (.364) of the Philadelphia Athletics.

The injuries from the burns and infection permanently limited his mobility as a 6'3" 210 pound first baseman, effectively ending his major league career.

In the finals, Sanford then defeated the Daytona Beach Islanders 4 games to 3 to win the 1939 Florida State League championship.

[58] Following the 1939 season, Washington did not carry over their affiliation and Sanford continued play unaffiliated with a major league franchise.

[64][2] Sanford's Ralph Hyder led the Florida State League with both 126 runs scored and 196 total hits.

[67][2] After the 1941 season, the Florida State League stopped play due to the onset of World War II.

[69][2] The Daytona Beach Islanders, DeLand Red Hats, Gainesville G-Men, Leesburg Anglers, Orlando Senators, Palatka Azaleas and St. Augustine Saints teams joined Sanford in beginning league play on April 16, 1946.

[69][2] In 1947, the team became known again as the Sanford "Seminoles," continuing play as members of the Class D level Florida State League and ending the season in second place.

With their fifth-place finish, Sanford did not qualify for the four-team playoffs, won by the Gainesville G-Men over St. Augustine in the final.

[79] In 1940, Municipal Stadium hosted the Florida State League All-Star Game held on Friday, August 20, 1940.

[80][81] On March 7, 1946, Sanford Stadium was the site of an incident involving Jackie Robinson in an exhibition game between the St. Paul Saints and the Montreal Royals.

[82] During the game, Roy Williams, the police chief of Sanford, entered the dugout and forced Robinson to leave the ballpark.