Boise Yankees

{{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox Minor League Baseball | name = Boise Yankees | firstseason = 1952 | lastseason = 1953 | allyears = | city = Boise, Idaho | logo = | caplogo = | past class level = Class C | league = | conference = | division = | past league = Pioneer League (1952–1953) | pastmajorleague = New York Yankees (1952–1953) | pastnames = | pastparks = Joe Devine Airway Park (1952–1953) | classchamps = | leaguechamps = | conferencechamps = | divisionchamps = }}

The '''Boise Yankees''' were a minor league baseball team in the western United States, based in Boise, Idaho. They played in the Class C Pioneer League in 1952 and 1953 as an affiliate of the New York Yankees, and their home venue was Joe Devine Airway Park, named for the late Yankee scout Joe Devine in 1952.<ref name=sptap>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0otaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XU8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3655%2C3377570 |newspaper=St. Petersburg Times |location=Florida |agency=Associated Press |title=Joe Devine honored |date=March 17, 1952 |page=15}}</ref><ref name=alookat>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-iDcR0R6-N0C&pg=PA41 |publisher=Can He Play? A Look at Baseball Scouts and their Profession |title=Joe Devine |last=Kling |first=Dwayne |date=November 2011 |pages=41–42|isbn=9781933599236 }}</ref>

==History== The team was previously known as the unaffiliated Boise Pilots<ref name=byinnn>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6o1hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=j04DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4763%2C4831293 |newspaper=Deseret News |location=Salt Lake City, Utah |agency=Associated Press |title=Boise Yanks is the new name |date=January 27, 1952 |page=C3}}</ref> from 1939 to 1951 (except for three years during World War II when the league did not operate), while the Yankees' affiliates in the Pioneer League were previously the Twin Falls Cowboys (1946–51)<ref name=trower>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qi5PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_k0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4285%2C3211888 |newspaper=Deseret News |location=Salt Lake City, Utah |agency=United Press |title=Twin Falls needs Yankee help – not 'Trower' of strength – yet |date=April 13, 1951 |page=A11 }}</ref><ref name=tgfipf>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OfJXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N_YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5652%2C5347142 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=Washington |agency=Associated Press |title=Twin, Great Falls in Pioneer finals |date=September 14, 1951 |page=11}}</ref><ref name=ybnr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UK1eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=By8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=2375%2C2656615 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho |agency=Associated Press |title=Boise assumes Yankee banner |date=October 2, 1951 |page=2}}</ref> and the Idaho Falls Russets (1940–41). The Yankees pulled out of the Pioneer League and the western U.S. after the 1953 season.<ref name=slc0ct53>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TrIwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=l00DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4482%2C3675073 |newspaper=Deseret News |location=Salt Lake City, Utah |last=Chipman |first=Dee |title=Pioneer League has talent; Yankees drop Boise; Garth deserves support |date=October 20, 1953 |page=2B }}</ref> The Boise team's name reverted to Pilots for 1954, then was the Boise Braves (affiliated with the Milwaukee Braves) from 1955 to 1963.

A notable Boise Yankee was future country music star Charley Pride.<ref name=cpbio>{{cite web |url=http://www.charleypride.com/about/biography |publisher=CharleyPride.com |title=Biography |accessdate=November 14, 2015}}</ref>

==Season records== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;" !Season !! Manager(s) !! W–L !! Win % !! Finish || Playoffs || Ref |- ! 1952 | Wayne Tucker || 63–69 || .477 || 5th || none || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=547110a0 |title=1952 Boise Yankees |website=Baseball-Reference.com |accessdate=August 16, 2017}}</ref> |- ! 1953 | Ted Gullic || 63–68 || .481 || 6th || none || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=55c4d50c |title=1953 Boise Yankees |website=Baseball-Reference.com |accessdate=August 16, 2017}}</ref> |}

==Notable players== *Woodie Held *Ken Hunt *Johnny James *Bob Martyn *Charley Pride

==See also== *Boise Yankees players

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== *[https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?city=Boise&state=ID&country=US Baseball Reference] – Boise teams

Category:Defunct Pioneer League (baseball) teams Category:Baseball teams established in 1952 Category:Professional baseball teams in Idaho Category:New York Yankees minor league affiliates Category:1952 establishments in Idaho Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1953 Category:1953 disestablishments in Idaho Category:Sports in Boise, Idaho Category:Defunct baseball teams in Idaho