{{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox Minor League Baseball | name =Nazareth Barons | firstseason =1946 | lastseason =1950 | allyears = | city =Nazareth, Pennsylvania | logo = | uniformlogo = | class level =Class D (1946–1950) | league =North Atlantic League (1946–1950) | majorleague =Detroit Tigers (1947) | nickname =Nazareth Cement Dusters (1946)<br /> Nazareth Tigers (1947)<br /> '''Nazareth Barons''' (1948–1950) | ballpark =Nazareth Borough Park (1946–1950) | classnum = | classchamps = | leaguenum =0 | leaguechamps =None | confnum = | conferencechamps = | divnum = | divisionchamps = | wildcardnum =1 | wildcardberths ={{hlist|1946}} }} The '''Nazareth Barons''' were a minor league baseball team based in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. From 1946 to 1950, Nazareth teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level North Atlantic League, qualifying for the 1946 playoffs and finishing in last place in both of their final two seasons. Nazareth was a minor league affiliate of the Detroit Tigers in 1947. Nazateth hosted home minor league home games at Nazareth Borough Park.
==History== Minor league baseball began in Nazareth in 1907, when the Nazareth team played the season as members of the independent Blue Mountain League.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1907 Nazareth Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> A printed postcard of the 1907 Nazareth team identified them as the "pennant winners" of the Blue Mountain League.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://us.bidspirit.com/|title=Bidspirit - Online auctions in the USA|website=Bidspirit}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2018/spring/729/1905-1948-baseball-team-postcard-collection/|title=Robert Edward Auctions - The Premiere Sports Auction House|website=robertedwardauctions.com}}</ref>
Minor league baseball returned in 1947, when the Nazareth "Cement Dusters" became charter members of the eight-team Class D level North Atlantic League. The Bloomingdale Troopers, Carbondale Pioneers, Mahanoy City Bluebirds, Newburgh Hummingbirds, Nyack Rockies, Peekskill Highlanders and Stroudsburg Poconos joined Nazareth in beginning league play on May 8, 1946.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-NATL1/y-1946|title=1946 North Atlantic League (NAL) Standings on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?code=NATL&class=D|title=North Atlantic League (D) Encyclopedia and History|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=f36cd7c8|title=1946 North Atlantic League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref name="encyc">{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball |editor-first1=Lloyd |editor-last1=Johnson |editor-first2=Miles |editor-last2=Wolff |edition=Third |publisher=Baseball America |date=2007 |isbn=978-1932391176}}</ref>
The Nazareth Cement Dusters qualified for the 1946 playoffs in their first season of play in the North Atlantic League. The Cement Dusters ended the 1946 season with a 78–40 record, placing second in the standings, playing under manager Stan Benjamin. Nazareth finished 6.0 games behind the first place Peekskill Highlanders. In the first round of the playoffs, the Carbondale Pioneers defeated the Nazareth four games to one. It would be the only playoff appearance for Nazareth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-NATL1/y-1946|title=1946 North Atlantic League (NAL) on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nd13221/y-1946|title=1946 Nazareth Cement Dusters minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref name="auto3"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1946 Nazareth Cement Dusters Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref name="encyc"/>
In 1947, Nazareth played as a minor league affiliate of the Detroit Tigers and adopted the "Tigers" nickname for the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1947 Nazareth Barons Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> John Mueller served as manager as the Tigers placed fifth in the regular season with a record of 64–66, finishing 17½ games behind the first place Kingston Dodgers in the regular season standings and missing the league playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-NATL1/y-1947|title=1947 North Atlantic League (NAL) on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nt13222/y-1947|title=1947 Nazareth Tigers minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref name="auto3"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=94fb6f92|title=1947 North Atlantic League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref name="encyc"/>
Nazareth continued North Atlantic League play in 1948, becoming known as the "Nazareth Barons."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1948 Nazareth Barons Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> Ending the 1948 season with a record of 52–72, the Barons placed sixth in the regular season standings, finishing 27½ games behind the 1st place Peekskill Highlanders. Playing under player/Manager Bill Burich, Nazareth did qualify for the four-team playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-NATL1/y-1948|title=1948 North Atlantic League (NAL) on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nb13220/y-1948|title=1948 Nazareth Barons minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref name="auto3"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=b3ef26b5|title=1948 North Atlantic League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref name="encyc"/>
Local newspapers nicknamed the 1948 team "Burich's Barons."<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uaoiAgAAQBAJ&dq=Nazareth+Barons+baseball+1946+pennsylvania&pg=PA198|title=Baseball Team Names: A Worldwide Dictionary, 1869-2011|first=Richard|last=Worth|date=February 26, 2013|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786468447 |via=Google Books}}</ref>
The 1949 Nazareth finished last in the eight-team North Atlantic League, their first of two consecutive last place finishes in the league standings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1949 Nazareth Barons Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> Placing eighth with a record of 52–86, the Barons were managed by Dick Errickson and Charles Heath. Nazareth finished 49½ games behind the first place 101-35 Stroudsburg Poconos and did not qualify for the four–team playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nb13220/y-1949|title=1949 Nazareth Barons minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-NATL1/y-1949|title=1949 North Atlantic League (NAL) on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref name="auto3"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=85dbf2e5|title=1949 North Atlantic League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref name="encyc"/>
In their final season of play, the Nazareth Barons again finished last in the North Atlantic League Standings. The Barons placed eighth and did not qualify for the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1950 Nazareth Barons Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> Nazareth ended the 1950 season with a record of 35–90, finishing 48.0 games behind the first place Lebanon Chix, playing under manager Irvin Fortune in their final season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-NATL1/y-1950|title=1950 North Atlantic League (NAL) on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-nb13220/y-1950|title=1950 Nazareth Barons minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref name="auto3"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1950 Carbondale Pioneers Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=4175fca5|title=1950 North Atlantic League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref name="encyc"/>
The North Atlantic League permanently folded after the conclusion of the 1950 season.<ref name="encyc"/> Nazareth has not hosted another minor league team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=Nazareth, Pennsylvania Encyclopedia|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref name="encyc"/>
==The ballpark== The Nazareth teams played home North Atlantic League minor league games at Nazareth Borough Park.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-1821|title=Nazareth Borough Park in Nazareth, PA minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref> The park was constructed beginning in 1935 as a Works Progress Administration project.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/nazareth-boro-park-nazareth-pa/#:~:text=Nazareth%20Boro%20Park%20(also%20spelled,2015%20due%20to%20structural%20damage | title=Nazareth Boro Park - Nazareth PA }}</ref> Still in use today as a public park with a ballfield, "Nazareth Borough Park" is located on North Broad Street.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nazarethboroughpa.com/rec_parks.html|title=Borough of Nazareth - Parks & Recreation - Parks in the Borough|website=www.nazarethboroughpa.com}}</ref>
==Timeline== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;" ! Year(s) !! # Yrs. !! Team !! Level !! League!!Affiliate!!Ballpark |- |1946 || 1 || Nazareth Cement Dusters ||rowspan=3 |Class D||rowspan=3 |North Atlantic League||None||rowspan=3|Nazareth Borough Park |- |1947||1||Nazareth Tigers||Detroit Tigers |- |1948–1950||3||Nazareth Barons||None |- |}
== Year–by–year records == {| class="wikitable" ! Year !! Record !! Finish !! Manager !!Attend !!Playoffs/notes |- align=center | 1946 || 78–40 || 2nd||Stan Benjamin||31,465||Lost in 1st round |- align=center | 1947|| 64–66 || 5th ||John Mueller||31,000||Did not qualify |- align=center | 1948 || 52–72 || 6th ||Bill Burich||22,985|| Did not qualify |- align=center | 1949|| 52–86 || 8th ||Dick Errickson / Charles Heath||17,176||Did not qualify |- align=center | 1950 || 35–90 || 8th ||Irvin Fortune||8,567|| Did not qualify |- align=center |}
==Notable alumni== {{Div col|colwidth=25em}} *Stan Benjamin (1946, MGR) *Bill Burich (1948, MGR) *Dick Errickson (1949, MGR) {{Div col end}}
==See also== *Nazareth Barons players *Nazareth Cememt Dusters players
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== *[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Nazareth&state=PA&country=US Nazareth, Baseball Reference]
Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams Category:Professional baseball teams in Pennsylvania Category:Defunct baseball teams in Pennsylvania Category:Baseball teams established in 1946 Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1950 Category:North Atlantic League teams Barons