The Dayton Ducks/Dayton Indians
 

Hey folks;
I was at my parents' today for an early Father's Day celebration, and as usual, the talk between my dad and I turned to baseball.
Being born in Dayton in 1935, he had a lot of opportunities to watch some old-time baseball, including some minor league Dayton games played before Homer Bailey's parents were born.
He remembers going to a few games of the Dayton Ducks when he was a small child - they were around in the late '30s and early '40s. He also remembers going to a few games when they were the Indians (late '40s and early '50s).
He also remembers going to a few games in Indiana.
Amongst players he watched before they made it to the biggies: Minnie Minosa, Ryan Duren, Pete Rose and Tony Perez.
He is not completely sure, but he seems to remember seeing Minosa, Rose and Perez all play in Dayton (they may not have been with the Dayton teams, simply visiting). Minosa fits very well into the time line. However, I can find no record of a Dayton team playing in the 1960s at Baseball Reference. Can anyone confirm a Dayton team in the '60s (it very could have been a pro-am team).
In addition, the information I am finding out about the Ducks is limited. I was wondering if anyone here knew anything about the team, or where I could find some information (A quick Google search has turned up minimal). Some pictures would be spectacular.
Thanks very much, folks.

Re: The Dayton Ducks/Dayton Indians
 

The Ducks were an old Mad-Atlantic team in the depression years. They played in Hudson Field. There were a series of articles in the DDN at one time (I want to say around 2000 when the Dragons came to town) about the Ducks and the Indians. The Indians left Dayton about 1950 or 1951 after a few years in the Central League.

I'd say the first place to check is the microfische at the Downtown Dayton Library. They have a LOT of old DDN's on file. The Montgomery County Historical Society has a lot of info on anything Dayton as well.

Good luck in your search. Dayton baseball is an interesting topic, but I don't have the time to research it as well.

Re: The Dayton Ducks/Dayton Indians
 

Perez played ML ball in the the NY-Penn League, Carolina, Sally and PCL.

Rose - NY-Penn, Florida and Sally

Minnie Minoso I believe went from the Negro Leagues straight to the bigs in 1949.

Re: The Dayton Ducks/Dayton Indians
 

I do believe Minoso played for the Dayton Ducks. There was a feature on the Dayton Ducks in the Dayton Daily News a few years back. Minoso was a big part of the story. Of course not to say that the Dayton Daily News has always printed fact!! :)

Re: The Dayton Ducks/Dayton Indians
 

I'm pretty sure he spent most of 1949 and all of 1950 in the minors. He was the ROY runner up in 1951 after the White Sox rescued him from the Indians' system (where apparently you could only have one black outfielder). Choosing Bob Kennedy over Minoso probably cost Cleveland a dynasty.

Re: The Dayton Ducks/Dayton Indians
 

Here it is

Minoso also had a short career in the minor leagues, beginning with a brief stint at Dayton (.525 batting average) between the New York Cubans and his first appearance in a Cleveland Indians' uniform. After that first "cup of coffee" in the big leagues, he was sent to San Diego in the Pacific Coast League, where he spent two seasons (1949-50) providing that he was ready for the major leagues. In addition to batting averages of .297 and .339, he had 30 stolen bases and 115 RBIs the latter year.

Re: The Dayton Ducks/Dayton Indians
 

I think Rose played some amateur baseball in Dayton. I remember Rose talking about it in the book Big Red Dynasty.

Re: The Dayton Ducks/Dayton Indians
 

I will have to take a look at those DDN articles.

I am starting to become more convinced that is what he was talking about. However, I am kind of skeptical about him seeing Perez before he made it to the bigs.

The timing sounds about right.

Thanks much, guys.