Phoenix Public Library's
Phoenix Municipal Stadium I

Former Home of the Phoenix Stars
Phoenix Senators
Phoenix Giants

Former Spring Home
of the
New York Giants
New York Yankees


As for the Phoenix Senators, 1953 had been a big year of change for them. Their entire lineup and pitching staff would become part of a major turn-around and they said goodbye to everybody who had made them who they were for the past decade… Richard Steinhauer, Tony Ponce, Ed Graham, Lefty Lewis, Gil Hawkins and Len Noran were all struck from the team after years of success; Only Don Cantrell remained and he would put up a 20-9, 4.25 record. Tony Ponce would eventually wind up in San Francisco and played at Triple-A PCL Seals Stadium where in 10 games, he would put up an 8-0, 1.31 record. In the lineup, the new hitters included Robert Brown (32 2Bs, 27 HRs, .335), Buck Elliott (36 2Bs, 17 Hrs, .328) and future Athletics' Gordie Windhorn (15 HRs, .318). Don Trower (.398) put up an amazing season but was promoted after only 161 At Bats. The Phoenix Senators fell to the bottom of the league at 58-82 (.414) and attendance was under 50,000. Change continued into 1954 as the Phoenix Senators were now the Phoenix Stars. The new "Stars" we have to say… did live up to their namesake. Two monster sluggers joined with two monster hitters and one of them… future Pittsburgh Pirates' Earl Smith, may have had the best all-around season of any player in the team's history. He wouldn't break any base records… but he almost broke all of them… hitting a whopping .387 while slamming 35 2Bs, 32 HRs and knocking in a mind-numbing 195 RBIs! This set the league's record dating back to 1931. His partner in crime, 19 year old Bill Jackson came even closer to taking over the HR record missing Pete Hughes by just one… 32 2Bs, 37 HRs and a .342. Both would fall short of becoming a permanent addition to the Phoenix Muni I's records. Kenneth Toothman however would set several new records… beating Lefty Lewis' 16 triple mark with 25 2Bs, 18 3Bs and 10 HRs while batting .355 and setting a new league record with 193 runs scored. Ray Swarts played as Toothman's counterpart putting up a very similar 33 2Bs, 15 3Bs, 16 HRs, .357. This was a startling team… perhaps even better than the ones of just two years ago. Future NY Mets' Don Rowe would be another pitcher who would play great ball and miss setting record as he put up an outstanding 18-3 performance. Together this hugely talented franchise would surge ahead behind the fireworks of Earl Smith who nearly hit .400 along with 32 bombs and the 37 HR season of Bill Jackson… drawing 114,000 fans, which more than doubled the previous season's attendance record. The new "Stars" shone brightly going 93-47 (.664) and finally… finally they would take home the first Championship title ever to Phoenix Municipal Stadium I.