Daytona Beach Islanders


Daytona Beach Islanders was a name for various minor league baseball teams that have all played in the Florida State League from 1920–1966 and in 1977 and again from 1985–1986. In 1968 through 1973, the team became the Daytona Beach Dodgers, due to their affiliation with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1977, the team once again took up the Islanders name before becoming the Daytona Beach Astros for the next seven seasons. Then, for the 1985 and 1986 seasons, they were, yet again, known as the Daytona Beach Islanders, playing as a co-op club of the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers for the first of those years and as a full affiliate of the Rangers for the 1986 season. Finally the team became the Daytona Beach Admirals in 1987, before being sold and becoming the St. Lucie Mets.

History

Islanders

At first, the Islanders team were an independent team that played from 1920–1924. Partway through the 1924 season, they moved to Clearwater, Florida to become the Clearwater Pelicans. The second team, was an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals and Brooklyn Dodgers. While the Islanders were an affiliate of the Cardinals, Stan Musial played for them under manager Dickey Kerr. The third team played from 1946–1966 as an affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City A's and Detroit Tigers.

Dodgers

In 1968, the team became the Daytona Beach Dodgers, Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers and continued to play their games in the Florida State League until 1973.

Astros

After a hiatus in 1977, the team was once again named the Islanders, before becoming the Daytona Beach Astros the following year, as an affiliate with the Houston Astros. After 1984, the Astros moved the team to Kissimmee, Florida and they became the Osceola Astros.

Admirals

A team, known as the Admirals, moved back into Daytona Beach and played for one season, before moving to St. Lucie and becoming the St. Lucie Mets.

Notable alumni

Admirals