Greenville Greenies

1928 to 1929 Eastern Carolina League The first minor league baseball team in Greenville, North Carolina was the 1928 Greenville Tobacconists. The Tobacconists played as members of the Class D level Eastern Carolina League. In their first season of play, the Greenville Tobacconists finished last in the 1928 six–team Eastern Carolina League, which had reformed. Greenville finished 43–71, playing the season under Managers James Jolliff and Tom Abbott. Greenville [laced sixth in the league standings, behind the Fayetteville Highlanders (53–60), Goldsboro Manufacturers (66–48), Kinston Eagles (55–59), Rocky Mount Buccaneers (55–56) and Wilmington Pirates (68–46). Continuing play in the 1929 Eastern Carolina League, Greenville had three different managers and finished in fifth place. The Tobacconists had a record of 45–68 under Lester Bangs, Guy Smith and Dan Pasquella. The Eastern Carolina League permanently folded after the 1929 season. The Coastal Plain League became classified as a Class D League for the 1937 season. The Greenville Greenies ended the season with a record of 40–58, finishing in seventh place in the eight–team Coastal Plain League. Their manager in 1937 was Bo Farley. The Greenville Greenies advanced to the 1941 Coastal Plain League Finals. Playing at Guy Smith Stadium, the Greenies had a record of 64–54, placing second in the regular season under returning player/manager Halley Wilson. In the 1941 Coastal Plain League playoffs, the Greenville Greenies defeated the New Bern Bears 4 games to 2 and advanced. In the Finals, the Wilson Tobs defeated Greenville 4 games to 2. The 1948 Greenville Greenies again finished in last place in the Coastal Plain League standings. The Greenville Greenies finished 50–89 and placed eighth in the Coastal Plain League final standings. The team again had three managers: Bill Phebus, Izzy Cohen and Kelly Kee. Their home attendance at Guy Smith Stadium was 60,938, an average of 877 per game. In 2024 the Greenville became the home of the amateur Greenville Yard Gnomes of the collegiate summer baseball Coastal Plain League, playing their home games at Guy Smith Stadium. ==The ballparks==

Early Greenville minor league teams played home minor league games at Elm Street Park through 1937. Also called High School Park, the ballpark had a capacity of 1,200. Elm Street Park is still in use today and has a lighted youth baseball field and other youth baseball fields. Elm Street Park is located at 1058 South Elm Street, Greenville, North Carolina. From 1938 to 1940, the Greenville Greenies minor league teams played home games at Third Street Park. The ballpark had a capacity of 1,500 in 1938 and 3,000 in 1940. The field dimensions were (Left, Center, Right): 320–390–320. Beginning in 1941, Greenville minor league teams hosted home games at Guy Smith Stadium. The ballpark was built in 1939 for $50,000 as a Works Project Administration Project. Guy Smith Stadium is located within Guy Smith Park and is still in use as a baseball stadium. The location is 1051 Moye Boulevard in Greenville, North Carolina. ==Timeline==

• Johnny Allen (1928) MLB All-Star • Luis Arroyo (1948) 2x MLB All-Star • Fred Caligiuri (1937–1940) • Bo Farley (1937, MGR) • Randy Heflin (1950, MGR) • Bobo Newsom (1928) 4x MLB All-Star • Bill Phebus (1948, MGR) • Vinnie Smith (1938–1939) • Sid Varney (1949) • Fred Williams (1949, MGR) ==See also==