Buffalo, NY War Memorial Stadium 1950s Stock Car Racing Video

We're all familiar with stock car races at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC and the "old" Soldier Field in Chicago.

My dad went to midget races at City Stadium in Richmond before I was born.

Growing up I was a great fan of the Richmond Virginians AAA International League Baseball team in the 1950s.

One of their great league rivals in the International League were the Buffalo Bisons of Buffalo, NY, one of the all-time great minor league baseball franchises, along with the AAA Rochester Red Wings.

When my Richmond team traveled to Buffalo, they played in War Memorial Stadium. Never knew they had stock car races there in the 1950s until I found this little video of 8mm film transfer while searching for info on Saugerties, NY.

PattyKay.... did you ever see a stock car race at War Memorial Stadium?

You had ole Luke Easter in his "retirement" years, perhaps the all-time International League baseball player and owner of a sausage factory in Buffalo where he also played. And, you had the much hated Earl Weaver before his stint as World Series winning manager for the Baltimore Orioles.

Earl charged from the Rochester dugout in Richmond's old Parker Field and ascended the steps to the the organist location and started strangling the Richmond organist one night. The next night at Richmond was declared Earl Weaver Music Appreciation Night and anyone bringing a musical instrument was admitted free.

Gotta love minor league baseball.

Here's another look at War Memorial Stadium with some stock car photos.

The fantastic and much loved Luke Easter in his final years as a Rochester Red Wing. Luke was murdered in a payroll robbery in Cleveland, OH where he was a courier. The baseball fans of Cleveland erected a statue in Luke's honor.

Funny, I recall Harry "The Hat" Walker as manager of the old Atlanta Crackers AAA team who moved to Jacksonville as the Suns when the Braves arrived in Atlanta.

Year-By-Year Managerial Record of Harry "The Hat" Walker
Year Team League Record Finish Organization Playoffs Notes
1951 Columbus Red Birds American Association 53-101 8th St. Louis Cardinals
1952 Rochester Red Wings International League 80-74 3rd St. Louis Cardinals League Champs
1953 Rochester Red Wings International League 97-57 1st St. Louis Cardinals Lost League Finals
1954 Rochester Red Wings International League 86-68 3rd St. Louis Cardinals Lost in 1st round
1955 Rochester Red Wings International League 21-17 -- St. Louis Cardinals replaced by Lou Kahn May 28
St. Louis Cardinals National League 51-67 7th St. Louis Cardinals replaced Eddie Stanky (17-19) on May 28
1956 Houston Buffaloes Texas League 96-58 1st St. Louis Cardinals League Champs
1957 Houston Buffaloes Texas League 97-57 2nd St. Louis Cardinals League Champs
1958 Houston Buffaloes Texas League 79-74 2nd St. Louis Cardinals Lost in 1st round
1963 Atlanta Crackers International League 85-68 2nd St. Louis Cardinals Lost League Finals
1964 Jacksonville Suns International League 89-62 1st St. Louis Cardinals Lost in 1st round
1965 Pittsburgh Pirates National League 90-72 3rd Pittsburgh Pirates
1966 Pittsburgh Pirates National League 92-70 3rd Pittsburgh Pirates
1967 Pittsburgh Pirates National League 42-42 -- Pittsburgh Pirates replaced by Danny Murtaugh on July 18
1968 Houston Astros National League 49-52 10th Houston Astros replaced Grady Hatton (23-38) on June 18
1969 Houston Astros National League 81-81 5th Houston Astros
1970 Houston Astros National League 79-83 4th Houston Astros
1971 Houston Astros National League 79-83 4th Houston Astros
1972 Houston Astros National League 67-54 -- Houston Astros replaced by Salty Parker on August 25

Rochester Red Wings Hall of Fame

LUKE EASTER - Inducted in 1989
One of the most popular and colorful performers in Rochester history, Luke Easter played or coached for six seasons with the Red Wings, after starring in the Negro Leagues, in the American League with the Cleveland Indians, and the Buffalo Bisons.