Pensacola Senators
The Pensacola Senators are a defunct minor league baseball team that competed in the Class-D Alabama-Florida League from 1957-1962. The Senators were an affliate of the Washington Senators of Major League Baseball. The league operated from 1936-1939, and then from 1951-1962 typically from April through August. The Senators fit into Pensacola's baseball heritage with the Pensacola Pilots, the Pensacola Fliers, the Pensacola Dons and currently the Pensacola Pelicans.
The Senators home field was Admiral Mason Park, a 2,000 seat stadium located on 9th Avenue at the edge of Pensacola Bay (what is now the corner of 9th and Bayfront Parkway). The stadium was actually a miserable place to watch baseball. A sewage treatment plant was located directly across the street which meant a westerly breeze could choke even the most loyal fan. The lone parking lot was small and the dusky, humid summer evenings mixed with a large body of water brought mosquitoes. Admiral Mason Park was nicknamed "Stinko Stadium."
1957
In the six-team season, Pensacola took fifth place with a 56-64 (.467) record, 12 games behind leader Montgomery. The Senators would miss the playoffs. Panama City and Graceville were declared Co-Champions.
1958
The league boasts eight teams: Pensacola, Columbus, Dothan, Montgomery, Graceville, Ft. Walton Beach, Panana City and Selma. The Senators are a farm club of the Baltimore Orioles. would be in the race for first-place all season, but finished in third with 67-55 record, five games behind league leading Selma (71-49). The manager is Lou Fitzgerald. In the playoffs, Selma topped Pensacola three games to two. The league championship would be won by fourth place Dothan.
1959
The Senators, again led manager Lou Fitzgerald, took fourth place with a 59-66 record, 25 games out of first place. The squad did qualify as the fourth seed for the playoffs and then lost to Selma, the eventual champion, three games to none. The league is comprised of six teams.
1960
Pensacola finished in third place with a 59-60 record, 14 1/2 games behind first place Panama City (74-44). In the playoffs, the Senators upended Panama City three games to two, then won the championship by defeating Selma three games to one.
1961
Selma posted the league's best record with a 76-43 record with Pensacola second at 70-47. The league sports only six teams: Panama City, Montgomery, Dothan, and Ft. Walton Beach rounding out the league.
1962
The league is comprised of seven teams: Andalusia, Ozark, Montgomery, Selma, Dothan representing Alabama, with Ft. Walton Beach and Pensacola the lone Florida clubs. The Senators are managed by Wayne Terwilliger and took first place in the league with a 79-38 record (675.). Pensacola won the league by 22 games ahead of second place Ft. Walton (58-61) and oddly enough, was the only team to post a winning record. The Senators would also lead the league in attendance. In the playoffs, the Senators defeated fourth-seeded Dothan two games to one, and then was shocked by Selma (55-63 regular season record) in the finals three games to one. The league would fold after the 1962 season for refusing to accept black players.
