North Brevard History - Titusville, Florida
Titusville Gulls Semi-Pro Baseball Team - 1947
of the Central Florida East Coast League
By Michael Knight
The Titusville Gulls semi-pro baseball team players for 1947 were identified from the picture by Dr. Jim Clark. Dr. Clark was a four-year letterman in baseball from Titusville High School. He played baseball for THS during the 1950-1954 baseball seasons. His uncle, Joe (Buster) Brown was the manager of the Gulls during the time Dr. Clark played baseball for THS. Dr. Clark had a close association with most all of these players because his uncle allowed him to participate in team practices with the players and he came to know most all of them.
The team consisted of some local players and some students from Rollins College. They played at the old Draa Field when it was in the Baseball configuration. There was a large multi-tiered wooden stadium that provided different levels of view of the field for the observation of the game by the crowd.
The stadium had restrooms, two locker rooms with showers, lockers and a dressing area for the players. Dugouts were provided on either side of the stadium for the home and visitors. Day games were played there normally but high wattage lights were mounted on top of the stadium that provided lighting for night games at Draa Field. About an equal amount of day and night games were played there during the season.
A circular wooden fence was positioned around the outfield and there were bull-pen areas provided for each team on their respective side of the field.
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Identified from the 1947 Gulls Team Picture
Row/Pos |
Name |
Local/Rollins College |
Position Played |
|
|
|
|
T/1 |
Jack Mendel |
|
Utility |
T/2 |
Earl Joyner |
|
Utility |
T/3 |
Doug Barnhart |
Local |
Infield |
T/4 |
Harvey Cox |
Rollins College |
Outfield |
T/5 |
Smiley Wellman |
Rollins College |
Infield |
T/6 |
Jim Blalock |
Rollins College |
|
T/7 |
Jim Cavello |
Rollins College |
Pitcher |
T/8 |
Bob Hartman |
Local |
Utility |
T/9 |
William Levan |
Local |
Manager |
|
|
|
|
B/1 |
Buddy McBryde |
Rollins College |
Catcher |
B/2 |
Bob Lassiter |
Rollins College |
Pitcher |
B/3 |
Milford Talton |
Rollins Collins |
Infield |
B/4 |
Kenny Duff |
Local |
Outfield |
B/5 |
Selby Bailey |
Local |
Coach |
B/6 |
Roscoe Ray |
|
Utility |
B/7 |
George Whidden |
Local |
Infield |
B/8 |
Courtland Flake |
Local |
Utility |
B/9 |
David Marese |
Local |
Batboy |
North Brevard History
10/7/2017