Auburn began in the NYPL in 1958 and has since competed under various names and served as the farm team for a number of Major League Baseball teams. The Doubledays and its mascot, Abner, are named for Abner Doubleday, the Civil War general and Auburn native apocryphally credited with inventing the game of baseball. Abner wears number 96 in honor of the birth of the team in 1996. With Major League Baseball's reorganization of the minor leagues after the 2020 season, Auburn was not selected to continue in affiliated baseball; they signed a deal to become members of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL) starting in 2021.
In 1978, the team became the Auburn Sunsets and were co-operated by the Phillies and Houston Astros. Managed by Dick Rockwell, the team went achieved a 32–40 record, finishing third in the league's Yawkey Division.[3] The team featured future major league players Carmelo Castillo and Alejandro Sanchez and future major league general manager Dave Littlefield.[4]
In 1979 the club became known as the Auburn Red Stars. The team featured future MLB player Doug Frobel.[5] The Red Stars operated under a co-operative agreement. The Red Stars received players from seven different major league organizations, led by the Detroit Tigers, with seven players, and Cleveland Indians, with five.
In 1980, the Red Stars changed their name to the Auburn Americans. The team once again operated as a co-op and received 17 players from the Cleveland Indians and several from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The squad featured future MLB player Jack Fimple and finished fourth in the New York–Penn League's West Division with a 29–45 record.[6][7]
Astros era
1988 Auburn Astros team photo
Auburn returned to play in the New York–Penn League in 1982 with the Auburn Astros as an affiliate of the Houston Astros.
In 1991, with John H. Graham as general manager,[8] the team set the all-time attendance record at Falcon Park.
Doubledays
The team was renamed the Auburn Doubledays before the 1996 season and has operated under that name since.
In 1998, the Doubledays and the Oneonta Yankees were named co-champions of the New York–Penn League after Central New York was hit with a torrential rain storm and the fields at both parks were deemed unplayable.
Under the management of Dennis Holmberg, the Doubledays won the Pinckney Division title for six straight years in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, but failed to win the league championship for the first five of those years. After losing in the first round of the playoffs for the first three years of their streak, they advanced to the New York–Penn League championship series before being swept by the Staten Island Yankees. In 2003, the Doubledays led all of baseball in winning percentage (.757).
The Doubledays finally won the NYPL title in 2007, sweeping the Brooklyn Cyclones in the league championship series. The final game featured a stellar pitching performance by Brett Cecil and a home run by J. P. Arencibia.[9] This was the first league championship for the city of Auburn since 1973.
Jeff Datz, an Indians, Orioles, and Mariners coach, played for the Auburn Astros in 1982 and 1984. As of 2011, Datz is the only former member of the Auburn Astros to reach MLB as both a player and a coach.
Rick Aponte, former Nationals bullpen coach, was the Auburn Astros pitching coach in 1987.
Ron Porterfield, head athletic trainer of the Rays, began his professional baseball career as the trainer for the 1988 Auburn Astros.
Manny Acta, an Expos and Mets coach and then Nationals and Indians manager, managed the Auburn Astros from 1993 to 1995. He also managed the Auburn Doubledays, in 1996.
Front office and staff
Steve DeSalvo was the team's general manager from 1982 to 1983.[12] He went on to a long career as a Minor League Baseball executive.[12]
Auburn native Leslie Leary was general manager from 1984 to 1987.[13] She was one of the first female general managers in Minor League Baseball.[13]
John H. Graham, previously the general manager of the Peninsula Pilots, was assistant general manager from early 1988 to early 1989;[15] business manager from early 1989 to late 1989;[16] and general manager from late 1989 to late 1991.[8][17]
Marc Techman, an Auburn native, was assistant general manager in 1991.[8]
Shawn Smith, currently a vice president with the NBA, was general manager from 1994 to 1995.[18][19]
TV/radio announcer Cory Provus worked for the team in 2000.
Charlie Wride was the team's public address announcer for most of the team's 14-season existence, as well as the team historian. Wride continued to work for the team's successor, the Auburn Doubledays, in a community relations capacity until his death in 2018 at the age of 81.[20][21]
