Montreal Royals and Havana Sugar Kings

[leshii]

I'm trying to put together franchise lineages, and I've come to two roadblocks for previous International League teams.

Most accounts of the Havana Sugar Kings show them moving to Jersey City, NJ. However, the Jacksonville Suns website claims that the IL Jacksonville Suns team (that ended up in Norfolk, VA) moved FROM Havana, as a Cleveland Indians affiliate. I can't find any record of this being true. So, given the IL Suns beginning play in 1962, is it possible they moved from New Jersey since the Jerseys stopped playing in NJ after 1961? I read that they folded after 1961 and did not relocate, making the Jacksonville Suns a brand new franchise in 1962.

Second question: where did the Montreal Royals move to after 1960?

Thanks.

[Biggtone23]

http://www.geocities.com/big_bunko/international0299.htm

That should take care of your questions

[Brian McKenna]

Cuban interests fielded a team, the Havana Sugar Kings, in the Triple-A International League from 1954-60 as part of the Cincinnati Reds organization. Much of the roster was filled with local talent, such as, longtime major league pitchers Orlando Pena and Mike Cuellar and infielders Leo Cardenas and Cookie Rojas.

With the communist revolution on the island in 1959 political pressure mounted on the International League. In July bullets were fired in political celebration outside the stadium that nicked a coach and player on the field as they landed. The visiting club left the country as soon as possible and league officials forced the relocation of most of the club’s remaining home games to the road.

Finally, the International League abruptly relocated the franchise to New Jersey with an edict on July 8, 1960. The club was on the road in Miami at the time. Several Cuban players and the manager immediately resigned and returned home. Others, like Pena, stayed in the United States to pursue their careers.

[Ralphcor]

With the movement of major league teams in the early 50's the IL experienced a number of changes. In 1954 Havana was added to the league. Richmond returned to the IL when the American League moved into Baltimore. In 1955 Columbus (Jets) replaced Ottawa and in 1956 Miami (Marlins) replaced Syracuse.
The next four years passed without a change in teams. Then in 1960, because of political disturbances in Cuba the IL moved Havana, in the middle of the season, to Jersey City. They were called the Reds because of their affiliation with Cincinnati. Because Castro was a communist (a red), Cincinnati changed the name to the Jersey City Jerseys. 1961 started out dreadful for the Jerseys and the IL. Nearly every home game of the Jerseys was rained out the first month of the season. Attendance was horrible and the Mets were one year away from joining the National League. On top of that Montreal was shifted to Syracuse. Miami went to San Juan, Puerto Rico and then to Charleston, West Virginia. All of this in 1961. In 1962 Jersey City was moved to Jacksonville and Charleston moved to Atlanta.
In 1963, the IL added two clubs Little Rock, Arkansas and Indianapolis, Indiana to become a 10 team league. They both dropped out in 1964. In 1965the Toledo (Mud Hens) replaced Richmond. In 1966 Richmond replaced Atlanta because the Braves moved from Milwaukee. I hope this answers your question.