Middlesboro Athletics

Minor league baseball began in Middlesboro when the 1913 Middlesboro Colonels began play in the Class D level Appalachian League. The Colonels finished with a 30–71 record and in 6th place in the 1913 regular season standings. In 1914, the Colonels continued play and were in 1st place with a 15–13 record, when the team disbanded on June 17, 1914. The Morristown Jobbers disbanded at the same time, causing the entire Appalachian League to cease operations.[1][2]

Baseball returned to Middlesboro 35 years later, when the 1949 Middlesboro Athletics began play as members of the Class D level Mountain States League. The Athletics joined fellow 1949 league members, the Big Stone Gap Rebels, Harlan Smokies, Hazard Bombers, Jenkins Cavaliers, Morristown Red Sox, Newport Canners and Pennington Gap Miners. The 1949 Athletics finished with a 69–56 record, placing 3rd in the standings and losing to Harlan in the playoffs. Middlesboro drew 25,833 in 1949. The Athletics remained in the Mountain States League through 1954.[3][4]

In 1954, Middlesboro was in first place with a 48–34 record when the Mountain States League disbanded permanently on July 20, 1954. This came after the Morristown Red Sox disbanded on May 15, Maryville-Alcoa moved to Morristown on June 19, then disbanded on July 7 and the Lexington Colts disbanded on July 7. Midddlesboro drew 9,031 fans, an average of 220 per game.[3][4][5]

Middlesboro returned to the Appalachian League in 1961, with the Middlesboro Senators playing alongside the Bluefield Orioles, Harlan Smokies, Johnson City Cardinals, Kingsport Pirates, Morristown Cubs, Salem Rebels and Wytheville Twins in the eight–team league. In 1961, as an affiliate of the Washington Senators, the Senators captured the 1961 Appalachian League Championship with a 39–27 record. Middlesboro drew 16,751. In 1962, the Senators finished 3rd with a 35–34 record.[6][7][8][2][9]

In 1963, Middlesboro became an affiliate of both the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox, playing as the Middlesboro Cubsox. The Appalachian League became a Rookie League. The Middlesboro Cubsox finished 31–57. After the season, Middlesboro and the Kingsport Pirates disbanded, leaving the league with four teams for the 1964 season.[10][7]

Beginning in 1949, Middlesboro teams played at Hilltop Speedway Park. The ballpark had a capacity of 2,500 and hosted the Middlesboro Athletics (1949–1954), Middlesboro Senators (1961–1962) and Middlesboro Cubsox (1963).[11]