Long before the Binghamton Mets and Rumble Ponies, the triple cities had a minor league baseball team that would show case some of the greatest players in the history of Baseball.

The history of professional baseball in the southern dates back to the early 20th century, and the year my father was born, 1932 when the Binghamton Triplets, our first minor league baseball team came to town.

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The team was a Yankee farm club designed to build new talent and player development, so you can only imagine how many future New York Yankees walked the street and lived their lives here in Binghamton.

The Triplets name was taken from our geographical nickname “The Triple Cities” which referred to Binghamton, Johnson City, and Endicott.

The team went out in the early sixties with a brief resurgence in the mid 1960’s, so I was very young and really have no memories of the team.

I visited with the dad this past Wednesday and had a conversation with him about the Binghamton Triplets team and some of his memories.

There were many Yankee greats that played here, some before they were moved to the Bronx and others in the annual exhibition game the New York Yankees played here each year.

Dad told me about seeing Whitey Ford pitch here, and Thurman Munson got his start in Binghamton.

I asked my dad about his experience watching Whitney Ford pitch, he said the man was designed to be a hall of famer.

The exhibition games showcased Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and my favorite player growing up, Mickey Mantle.

I can’t imagine how exciting it must have been to see these incredibly gifted players, many who went down in the history books as the greatest players ever.

The Triplets played in Johnson field on the cusp of Johnson City, the stadium was torn down decades ago to make way for what is now Route 17.

Courtesy of Greater Binghamton Sports Hall of Fame
Courtesy of Greater Binghamton Sports Hall of Fame
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You can find out more about the Triplets and our sports history at the Greater Binghamton Sports Hall Of Fame located inside the Oakdale Mall.

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