{{Infobox Minor League Baseball | name =Torrington Tornadoes | firstseason =1896 | lastseason =1897 | allyears = | city =Torrington, Connecticut | logo = | uniformlogo = | class level =Independent (1896)<br />Class F (1897) | league =Naugatuck Valley League (1896) <br />Connecticut League (1897) | majorleague =None | nickname ='''Torrington Tornadoes''' (1896) <br />Torrington Demons (1897) | ballpark =Unknown (1896–1897) | classnum = | classchamps = | leaguenum =0 | leaguechamps =None | confnum = | conferencechamps = | divnum = | divisionchamps = | wildcardnum = | wildcardberths = }} The '''Torrington Tornadoes''' were a minor league baseball team based in Torrington, Connecticut. Torrington played the 1896 season as members of the Independent level Naugatuck Valley League, followed the next season by the 1897 Torrington Demons, playing in the Class F level Connecticut League.
Baseball Hall of Fame member Candy Cummings was manager of the 1896 Torrington Tornadoes.
==History== Minor league baseball began in Torrington, Connecticut in 1896. The Torrington "Tornadoes" became members of the six–team Independent level Naugatuck Valley League.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-CTST/y-1896|title=1896 Naugatuck Valley League (NVL) minor league baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref> With league founder Jim O'Rourke helping organize the league teams, Winsted and the Naugatuck Valley League teams began play on May 6, 1896.<ref name="auto7">{{Cite web|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/jim-orourke-2/|title=Jim O’Rourke – Society for American Baseball Research}}</ref><ref name="auto8">{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=1272a715|title=1896 Naugatuck Valley League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>
A Baseball Hall of Fame member, Jim O'Rourke was owner/player/manager for the Bridgeport team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=orourk003jam|title=Jim O'Rourke Independent & Minor Leagues Statistics & History|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> after returning to his hometown of Bridgeport upon ending his major league career, O'Rourke was instrumental in forming both the Bridgeport team and the other league members franchises.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bportlibrary.org/hc/heroes-and-villains/james-orourke/|title=James O’Rourke – Bridgeport History Center}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/jimmy-orourke/|title=Jimmy O’Rourke – Society for American Baseball Research}}</ref><ref name="auto7"/>
The Torrington use of the "Tornadoes" moniker corresponds to local weather patterns. There have been nearly 50 recorded tornado events in Torrington, Connecticut.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usa.com/torrington-ct-natural-disasters-extremes.htm|title=Torrington, CT Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes - USA.com™|website=www.usa.com}}</ref>
The Torrington Tornadoes began minor league play in the 1896 Naugatuck Valley League.<ref name="encyc">{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball |editor1-first=Lloyd |editor1-last=Johnson |editor2-first=Miles |editor2-last=Wolff |edition=Third |publisher=Baseball America |date=2007 |isbn=978-1932391176}}</ref> The other charter members of the league were the Ansonia Blues from Ansonia, Connecticut Bridgeport Victors from Bridgeport, Connecticut, the Derby Angels from Derby, Connecticut, the New Haven Edgewoods from New Haven, Connecticut the and Winsted Welcomes from Winsted, Connecticut, with league play beginning May 6, 1896.<ref name="auto8"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-CTST/y-1896|title=1896 Naugatuck Valley League (NVL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref> [[File:Candy Cummings, 1875.png|thumb|left|(1875) Baseball Hall of Fame member Candy Cummings. Cummings managed the second place Torrington Tornadoes in 1886.]]
In their first season of minor league play, the Torrington Tornadoes finished in second place, playing under managers Tom Burns and Baseball Hall of Fame member Candy Cummings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1896 Torrington Tornadoes Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> The final Naugatuck Valley League standings were led by the first place Bridgeport Victors with a 25–15 record. Bridgeport finished 1.0 game ahead of the second place Torrington Tornados (24–17), followed by the Derby Angels (22–18), New Haven Edgewoods (22–18), Winsted Welcomes (15–25) and Ansonia Blues (12–28).<ref name="encyc"/><ref name="auto9">{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-tt15016/y-1896|title=1896 Torrington Tornados minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref> Pitcher Lee Viau of Torrington led the league with 15 wins.<ref name="encyc"/>
The '''Torrington Demons''' continued play in a newly named league in 1897.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1897 Torrington Demons Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> With Jim O'Rourke organizing the league, three Naugatuck Valley League teams continued play as members of the renamed 1897 six–team Class F level Connecticut League. Torrington joined the Bridgeport Soubrettes, Bristol Braves, Derby Angels, Meriden Bulldogs and waterbury Indians in league play.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=720a41a1|title=1897 Connecticut State League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> With a record of 31–39, the Demons placed fourth in the final standings. Playing under managers Ralph Bottenus and Dennis Houle, Torrington finished 16.0 games behind the first place Meriden Bulldogs in the standings.<ref name="encyc"/><ref name="auto7"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-td15015/y-1897|title=1897 Torrington Demons minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref>
After a decades long absence, minor league baseball returned to Torrington in 1950, when the Torrington Braves played the season as members of the Class B level Colonial League.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1950 Torrington Braves Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-tb15014/y-1950|title=1950 Torrington Braves minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref>
==The ballpark== The name of the home minor league ballpark in Torrington in 1896 and 1897 is unknown.<ref name="auto9"/>
==Timeline== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;" ! Year(s) !! # Yrs. !! Team !! Level !! League |- | 1896|| 1|| Torrington Tornadoes||Independent ||Naugatuck Valley League |- |1897||1||Torrington Demons||Class F||Connecticut League |- |}
==Year–by–year record== {| class="wikitable" |- style="background: #F2F2F2;" ! Year !! Record !! Finish !! Manager !! Playoffs/notes |- align=center | 1896|| 24–16 || 2nd || Tom Burns / Candy Cummings|| No playoffs held |- align=center | 1897 || 31–39 || 4th || Ralph Bottenus / Dennis Houle|| No playoffs held |}
==Notable alumni== *Candy Cummings (1896) Inducted, Baseball Hall of Fame, 1939 {{Div col|colwidth=25em}} *Larry Battam (1896) *Mike Hickey (1897) *John Hofford (1896) *Art Nichols (1896) *Jack Rafter (1896) *Lee Viau (1896) *Willie Mills (1897) {{Div col end}} ==See also== *Torrington Demons players *Torrington Tornadoes players
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links== *[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Torrington&state=CT&country=US Torrington - Baseball Reference]
Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams Category:Defunct baseball teams in Connecticut Category:Baseball teams established in 1896 Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1896 Category:Naugatuck Valley League (baseball) teams Category:Torrington, Connecticut