Portland Pilots (minor league)

{{short description|Minor-league baseball team based in Portland, Maine}} {{For|the college athletics program in Oregon|Portland Pilots}} {{Redirect|Portland Pilots (baseball)|text=Not to be confused with Portland Pilots baseball, the baseball team of the University of Portland}} {{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox Minor League Baseball|name=Portland Pilots|founded=1946|city=Portland, Maine|misc=|logo=|uniformlogo=|class level=Class B (1946–1949)|past class level=|current league=New England League (1946–1949)|past league=|conference=|division=|majorleague=Philadelphia Phillies (1948–1949)|nickname=Portland Pilots (1947–1949)|pastnames=Portland Gulls (1946-1947)|ballpark=Fitzpatrick Stadium (1946–1949)|pastparks=|leaguenum=1|leaguechamps=1949|divnum=6|divisionchamps=|firsthalfnum=|firsthalfchamps=|secondhalfnum=|secondhalfchamps=|firstseason=}} The '''Portland Pilots''' were a minor league baseball team in Portland, Maine, who played as members of the Class B level New England League from 1946 to 1949. First playing in 1946 as the '''Portland Gulls''', the Pilots played through the 1949 season, when the New England League permanently folded. The Pilots were an affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1948 and 1949. The Portland Gulls and Portland Pilots team played home games at Portland Stadium.<ref>{{cite news |title=Flashback: Fitzpatrick Stadium |url=https://www.pressherald.com/2016/07/11/flashback-fitzpatrick-stadium-in-1948/ |accessdate=23 January 2020 |work=Press Herald |date=11 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Portland&state=ME&country=US|title = Portland, Maine Encyclopedia}}</ref> In 1949, the New England League's last season, the Pilots beat the Springfield Cubs to win the New England League's championship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1949 New England League |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=feec06ce |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

Preceding the Portland Pilots and Gulls, Portland, Maine had a long history of play in the New England League, beginning in 1886. The Pilots were preceded as members of the New England League by '''Portland''' (1886–1888, 1891–1896), the '''Portland Phenoms''' (1899), Portland (1901), '''Portland Duffs''' (1913–1915), Portland Blue Sox (1919), '''Portland Eskimos''' (1926–1927) and '''Portland Mariners''' (1928–1930).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?code=NENL&class=B|title=New England League (B) Encyclopedia and History}}</ref>

Until the Portland Sea Dogs expanded into the minor league Eastern League as the Florida Marlins' AA affiliate, the Pilots were the last professional baseball team in Portland.

The Portland Sea Dogs were preceded in the Eastern League by the Portland Duffs (1916) and '''Portland Paramounts''' (1917).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Portland&state=ME&country=US|title = Portland, Maine Encyclopedia}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=de4cee91|title=1916 Eastern League}}</ref>

==Year by year record== 1946: 20–99–1

1947: 45–80

1948: 78–47

1949: 66-57 (league champions)<ref>[http://www.seadogs.com/main_history.html History] Portland Sea Dogs</ref>

==Notable people== * Del Bissonette managed the squad from 1947 to 1948 * Skeeter Newsome managed the 1949 squad

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams Category:Baseball in Portland, Maine Category:Philadelphia Phillies minor league affiliates Category:Defunct baseball teams in Maine Category:1946 establishments in Maine Category:1949 disestablishments in Maine Category:New England League teams Category:Baseball teams established in 1946 Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1949 Category:Sports clubs and teams in Portland, Maine Category:20th century in Portland, Maine