Pensacola Ahead Of Its Time A Century Ago With Negro League Baseball Opportunities 

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

More than 100 years ago, Pensacola was ahead of its time with opportunities in baseball.

In a downtown area now occupied by Baptist Hospital and the Pensacola Retirement Village, was site of Kupfrian Park, a ballpark built by the city as a community centerpiece for the segregated African-American population. The 500-seat venue was framed by a pond, a horsetrack, a picnic area and fairground.

This is where Pensacola in 1890 had a thriving Black baseball league and its strong community impact before American Negro League Baseball was officially founded in 1920.

Kupfrian Park was essentially the origination of Pensacola’s Black baseball history.

“Pensacola, in reality, was color blind to a degree when it came to the game of baseball,” said author Scott Brown, whose book, “Baseball In Pensacola: American’s Pastime & The City Of Five Flags,” was published in 2013 and chronicles the city’s unique heritage in the sport.

As Major League Baseball celebrates Black History Month, the existence of Kupfrian Park enabled the sport to reach all parts of Pensacola. It was spurned baseball’s growth during segregation in Pensacola, even before the 19th Century.

Only 25 years after the Civil War ended, Pensacola leaders had a vision to grow the game in the Black community. Few cities that were Pensacola’s size had anything resembling Kupfrian Park.

“One of things in my research that just blew me away was the building and usage of Kupfrian Park,” Brown said. “That was a huge entertainment arena. The fact the city and the mayor at that time, William D. Chipley, got behind the construction of a field that sat 500 people in the grandstand, which was a big stadium back then, is just amazing.

“I mean, we are talking 1890 Pensacola. And here was a Deep South city building a ballpark for early Negro League teams to use. This wasn’t just a baseball park, it was a community center completely run by African-American employees. This was huge for Pensacola.”

This is what eventually led to the Pensacola Arthur Giants in 1920 becoming part of the Southern Negro League. And it led 25 years later to Jackie Robinson playing an exhibition game in Pensacola, while with the Kansas City Monarchs at Pensacola’s Legion Field.

So much of the foundation for the future began at Kupfrian Park on North Pace Boulevard.

“Not only did the city have the insight, but they also had the understanding this was huge entertainment venue and this was a money maker for the city,” Brown said. “It was, by-design, a place to rally the community.

“That for me was the beginning of everyone in Pensacola for Negro League Baseball. The fact the white community of Pensacola back then gave place, gave property, and gave funding, to get all of this started.”

There were several other key moments and teams that carried Pensacola’s connections with various Negro League Baseball organizations.

The first were the Pensacola African Americans, who played at Kupfrian Park and competed in the Emerald Coast Negro League. Many of those players in the early 1900’s advanced to higher levels.

Once the official start of Negro League Baseball formed in 1920, Pensacola had teams in various leagues. The teams were the Pensacola Arthur Giants, the Pepsi-Cola Stars and the Pensacola Seagulls.

Legion Field was Pensacola’s ballpark for both the Negro Southern League teams like the Pensacola Seagulls and Pepsi-Cola Stars, but also the Florida-Alabama Class D League Pensacola Dons and Senators.
Photo courtesy of UWF Historic Trust

The stadiums in town evolved into Maxent Park, which became Legion Field in 1928 and was located at its present location on Gregory Street and G Street. It was Maxent Park and Legion Field where MLB teams stopped to play during spring training on train rides back to Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Boston.

Pensacola’s Negro League teams played at those stadiums on designated days.

“While Pensacola was still playing in segregated leagues, the people I talked to who were children then and still living now, can remember when people in the white community of Pensacola would attend Negro League games and people in the black community would attend the white games,” Brown said.

“During the white games, the African American fans were restricted to the non-covered portion of Legion Field back then along the left field line.”

The Seagulls were a feeder affiliate team for the Negro Southern League. They had the longest tenure in Pensacola, later becoming an semipro, non-affiliated, integrated team, all the way into the 1970’s.

“We might not have been known as a Negro League town in the same way as cities such as Kansas City with the Kansas City Monarchs, but were turning out players who were high aptitude in the game,” said Brown, discussing his research. “That continued on to the 1960’s. We had players who had the ability to sustain themselves all the way into the major leagues.”

The best of those players was Johnny Joe Lewis. The Booker T. Washington High graduate played for the Seagulls. He was an outfielder, who then attended a Detroit Tigers tryout as a catcher.

The Tigers signed Lewis, traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals where he made his pro debut in 1959 in Wytheville, Va. Five years later, on April 14, 1964, Lewis made his MLB debut with the Cardinals and became Pensacola’s first African-American player to reach the big leagues.

“Johnny was the epitome of the kind of talent we turned out in Pensacola among African-American players back then,” Brown said.

All of this is part of Pensacola’s rich history with Negro League Baseball. It put the community in a different light from so many other places during those eras.

“It wasn’t so much that it was an answer of giving a place to play, as much as it was that Pensacola was enamored with the game of baseball,” Brown said. “Pensacola was color blind in that regard.

“From my research, it was just a natural thing to do then. We’re just going to play baseball. It was so natural for Pensacola to begin playing black baseball.”

A look at Pensacola’s three best known Negro League teams.

ARTHUR GIANTS – The team played at Pete Caldwell Field, now in an area off Fairfield Drive and Market Street that is near Pensacola Catholic High School. The team had distinction in the early 1900’s as Pensacola most accomplished Black baseball team. Team owner E.S. Cobb, a Pensacola physician, enabled the team to travel and gain interest of the national level Negro League scouts during the 1930’s. The team played into the 1940’s.

PEPSI COLA STARS – Pensacola’s team was part of a national set of Black baseball teams sponsored by Pepsi-Cola. The team played an exhibition game on Aug. 9. 1942 against the Montgomery (Ala.) Brown Bombers, a team connected to the national Negro League.

PENSACOLA SEAGULLS – The team had its own bus, enabling trips to nearby cities or as far away as San Francisco, where the Seagulls once traveled to play. The ballclub was a feeder affiliate for the Negro Southern League during the 1940’s and stayed a team long past Integration in Major League Baseball. The team stayed as an amateur or adult league teams.

The Seagulls were led by catcher William “Pit” Bell, who later became a long-time employee at Armstrong World Industries. The team played at Legion Field and had exhibition games against the Indianapolis Clowns and Kansas City Monarchs, two of the most famous teams in the elite Negro National League.

It was also the team that Johnny Joe Lewis played for as an outfielder, leading into his opportunity to rise in professional baseball and become Pensacola’s first Black player to reach the Major Leagues.

Black History Month: Flash of Excellence

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The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers continue Minor League Baseball’s celebration of Black History Month with Tom Gordon’s seventeen starts as an Appleton Fox and his quick rise to the Major Leagues in 1988.

Before Tom Gordon spent 21 seasons in the Major Leagues, he spent three months in Appleton, Wisconsin. Gordon was twenty years old with the Appleton Foxes in 1988 and racked up strikeout numbers and amazing starts in seventeen games that most players don’t reach over an entire season.

Gordon entered his season in the Midwest League with a lot of hype. His 1987 season with Eugene in the Northwest was incredible with a 9-0 record, a 2.86 ERA, and 91 strikeouts in 72-1/3 innings pitched over fifteen games. Plus, he added three starts in the Florida State League with Fort Myers with a 1-0 record.

Brian Poldberg, the manager of the Foxes in 1988, named Gordon as his Opening Day starter for a game on April 8 at Wausau Athletic Park against the Wausau Timbers. Gordon pitched four scoreless innings, allowed three hits, walked two, and struck out seven. The article in the paper noted that Gordon pitched his way out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the bottom of the fourth.

Gordon’s next start was on April 13 and it was his first Goodland Field appearance. This time out, Gordon allowed on hit, walked one, and struck out eleven over five scoreless innings. He even recorded four strikeouts in one inning. Gordon left after reaching his 85-pitch limit and had a no decision in Appleton’s 1-0 victory.

“I didn’t feel as loose as I did in my first start, but I had pretty good stuff,” Gordon told Gary Shriver of The Post-Crescent after the game. “I was using fastball, change. I did tighten up some at the end.”

The Foxes failed to score in Gordon’s next two starts: A 5-0 loss at Springfield on April 18 and a 2-0 loss to Madison at home. Gordon was charged with the loss in both games despite allowing three earned runs over twelve innings. He had just two strikeouts at Springfield – Gordon’s season-low in Appleton. He had eight punchouts against Madison while giving up just one run.

Appleton’s offense made up for the lack of support and Gordon earned his first Midwest League win at Kenosha on April 30. He worked 6-2/3 innings, struck out seven and gave up three runs – two earned – as the Foxes won 12-5.

Tom Gordon’s Starts in April, 1988

DATE OPPONENT DEC IP H R ER BB SO
4/8 @Wausau ND 4.0 3 0 0 2 7
4/13 Peoria ND 5.0 1 0 0 1 11
4/18 @Springfield Loss 6.0 4 3 2 3 2
4/25 Madison Loss 6.0 4 1 1 2 8
4/30 @Kenosha Win 6.2 6 3 2 1 7
1-2 27.2 18 7 5 9 35

That result launched Gordon on a four start stretch in May that leaves an observer looking back at just the numbers leave one amazed.

It all started at Goodland Field against Beloit on May 5. Gordon allowed one run on three hits with four walks and seventeen strikeouts for a no decision. He had a 1-0 lead going into the top of the ninth inning, but David Nilsson had an RBI triple to tie the game. Terry Shumpert won the game with an RBI double in the bottom of the seventeenth inning for a 5-4 Foxes win.

Gordon was understated in his comments to Dan Vanderpas of The Post-Crescent after the game.

“I had a pretty good night. I threw the ball well. I felt good,” Gordon said. “My fastball was my best pitch tonight – high 80s, lower 90s. A game like this feels good because you had a good outing but I wanted to win. The thing I was looking for was to go out there and improve.”

The win followed in his next start. He pitched a nine-inning complete game against Quad Cities on May 11 in front of 2,646 fans at Goodland Field. Once again, Gordon allowed just one run in the game. Plus, he added eleven strikeouts in a 6-1 victory.

“I’m not hurting, but some days you just don’t feel your best. I didn’t feel my best, but I do see this as one of my better (pitching) days,” Gordon told Vanderpas. “The fastball worked real good for me tonight. That’s the ball that struck out most of the guys. It wasn’t the fastball I’m used to having. I had to work on it. I had to think to win. I had to think a little better than they did. That’s basically what I did.”

On May 16, Gordon made another start at home and pitched nine more innings to defat Burlington 3-1. This time out the youngster from Florida scattered six hits, allowed one run, walked two, and struck out sixteen for a complete game on 127 pitches in just over two hours as a birthday present for fellow Foxes pitcher Tim Odom and his manager.

“The more they hit the ball, the better I felt. It was just my team helping me and me helping my team,” said Gordon. “you can do a lot with A3 run lead because they’ve got to play catch up in baseball three runs is not a lot but if you’ve got a good pitcher on the mound you can fairly get by most teams.”

Poldberg fielded a question about how much longer Gordon would be in Appleton while snacking on some birthday cake in the clubhouse after the game.

“We haven’t had too many quick games lately, but when Tommy comes out there and you score a couple of runs you have a good chance of winning the game,” said the Foxes skipper. “Right now (to be called up), it’s just a matter of him getting command of himself because the higher up he goes a lot of the hitters will be taking the high fastballs that the younger hitters are swinging at.”

The final start in this stretch was a legendary appearance. It was in Waterloo, Iowa on May 21. Gordon gave up one hit, walked three, and struck out NINETEEN over seven scoreless innings. The only thing wrong with this night was that the Foxes bullpen blew a 3-0 lead. Waterloo scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth and held on for a 5-4 win.

Gordon had three impressive strikeout streaks – five in a row, six in a row, and seven in a row – during his seven innings. The only hit off Gordon was a single in the fourth inning. Waterloo put just three balls in fair territory against Gordon.

Russ L. Smith of the Waterloo Courier wondered why Gordon came out of the game and Poldberg had the answer.

“You got a young kid like that, you’ve got to protect his arm,” said Poldberg. “He has an embargo of 130 pitches in a game and he had 125 after the seventh. There’s no use starting him out to throw five pitches in the eighth.”

The month of May ended with a no decision and a loss for Gordon. He allowed six runs in 4-1/3 innings at Cedar Rapids on May 26 and was uncharacteristically wild with five walks and five strikeouts in that game. Then, he lost to Kenosha on May 31 at home despite allowing three runs over six innings.

In May, Gordon pitched 44-1/3 innings and recorded 74 strikeouts against just 20 walks.

Tom Gordon’s Starts in May, 1988

DATE OPPONENT DEC IP H R ER BB SO
5/5 Beloit ND 9.0 3 1 1 4 17
5/11 Quad Cities Win 9.0 5 1 1 2 11
5/16 Burlington Wiin 9.0 6 1 1 2 16
5/21 @Waterloo ND 7.0 1 0 0 3 19
5/26 @Cedar Rapids ND 4.1 5 6 6 5 5
5/31 Kenosha Loss 6.0 5 3 3 4 6
2-1 44.1 25 12 12 20 74

In June, Gordon made six starts and he was 4-0 in his first four. The first of that quartet was his first nine-inning, complete-game shutout with the Foxes.

Riverview Stadium in Clinton, Iowa was the site. June 5 was the date. Gordon allowed two hits, walked four, and struck out twelve in a 7-1 win.

Less that a week later, the Clinton Giants made the trip to Goodland Field. Gordon allowed one run with no walks and eleven strikeouts on June 10 for another complete game despite not feeling like he would be able to do much before the game.

“I was weak tonight,” said Gordon. “I just felt weak. I just didn’t feel like it was my night to pitch.”

“He didn’t have the great fastball early in the game and he went to his curveball a little more than I would have liked him to,” said Poldberg. “But he knew he didn’t have his best pitch, so he went to his next best pitch and that’s the curveball.”

Next up for Gordon was a start at South Bend on June 15. This was another win for Gordon as he allowed two runs on three hits with a walk and ten strikeouts in seven innings. While not as dominant as his previous two starts, this one impressed White Sox manager Steve Dillard.

“I’ve been wanting to see him,” Dillard told Curt Rallo of the South Bend Tribune. “I know he signed two years ago and I heard he threw in the middle 90s. But now he’s got a curve and that might be his best pitch. He didn’t strike a guy out until the third inning and he ended up with ten. We were overmatched.”

The final game in this four-start winning streak was on June 20 against Beloit at Goodland Field. Gordon should have had six scoreless innings to go along with his seven strikeouts. However, Bobby Knecht, an infielder moved to the outfield after an injury to starting left fielder Mike Gassman, couldn’t find a flyball – as he said – “against that bright, blue sky” with two runners on and two outs. The routine ball dropped in and by the time it was retrieved the Brewers had a three-run, inside-the-park home run to cut Appleton’s 4-0 lead to a single run.

The bullpen preserved the win for Gordon with two scoreless innings from Doug Nelson and a scoreless ninth from Brian McCormack to send Gordon’s record to 7-3 and 3,509 Foxes faithful home happy.

Gordon’s final two starts with Appleton were both losses, but the offense scored two runs total. South Bend won 5-2 at Goodland on June 25 and Burlington won 2-0 in Iowa on June 30.

The loss to the Burlington Braves was no fault of Gordon’s. He pitched eight innings, walked one, allowed two runs – one earned, and gave up five hits while striking out fourteen. The Foxes offense managed just three hits.

Tom Gordon’s Starts in June, 1988

DATE OPPONENT DEC IP H R ER BB SO
6/5 @Clinton Win 9.0 2 0 0 4 12
6/10 Clinton Win 9.0 6 1 1 0 11
6/15 @South Bend Win 7.0 3 2 2 1 10
6/20 Beloit Win 6.0 4 3 3 3 7
6/25 South Bend Loss 7.0 5 3 3 5 9
6/30 @Burlington Loss 8.0 5 2 1 1 14
4-2 46.0 25 11 10 14 63

John Boles, the Director of Minor League Operations for the Royals, was asked about Gordon’s future for an article in the July 3 edition of The Post-Crescent. Boles was very direct in his response.

“Tommy Gordon is going to pitch in the major leagues. No doubt about it. He’s one of the best prospects in minor league baseball, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to be going to be moving anywhere soon.”

That last part from Boles is the only thing wrong in his quote.

Gordon missed his next Foxes start due to a strained leg muscle. Then, on July 12, he was added to the roster of the Memphis Chicks, Kansas City’s Double-A affiliate. Six starts and 62 strikeouts later, Gordon was promoted to Omaha in Triple-A.

Despite being almost 6-1/2 years younger than the league average of the American Association, Gordon was not intimidated. He was 3-0 in three starts, allowed three runs, and had 29 strikeouts.

In an August 28 article in the Kansas City Star, Gordon talks with Jack Etkin about his whirlwind of a 1988, “I wake up sometimes,” he admits, “ and say, ‘I can’t believe I’m in Omaha.’ People say, ‘Can Tom Gordon make it to the big leagues this year?’ It seems like it’s a dream. It’s unbelievable. There can’t be too many people at 20 who’ve moved from A ball to Triple-A and are being thought about to play in the big leagues.”

The call came after Omaha’s season ended and Gordon would make his MLB debut in relief of Brett Saberhagen on Sept 9 in Kansas City against the Oakland Athletics. He pitched two perfect innings on 23 pitches, including a three-pitch strikeout of Jose Canseco.

Dave Parker, who popped out against Gordon in the game, was informed that Gordon was just twenty and he responded, “If he’s that young, that’s an advantage. This guy’s got a good idea of what he wants to do from what I saw tonight. I was impressed with him.”

He wasn’t the only person impressed with Tom Gordon. Baseball America named Gordon their Minor League Player of the Year for 1988.

What a year! And it all started for Gordon with the Appleton Foxes.

Previous Articles for Black History Month 2022:

February 1: Top 5

February 8: Ervin Lee Ford

February 15: Deacon Jones & Bernie Smith Make History

Yard Goats Recognize Influential Black Players In History 

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

We take a look back at some of the most influential black players in the long history of the Yard Goats organization during the month of February.

As we celebrate Black History Month, Minor League Baseball® announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

The Nine was named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946. The Hartford Yard Goats celebrated this launch by recognizing some of the top black players in our franchise history.

As many know, the Yard Goats franchise can be traced back to 1973 when the Bristol Red Sox became the Red Sox Double-A affiliate. This would be the birth of the longest continuous professional sports team in the state of Connecticut. The franchise began with a home run as 20-year-old outfielder Jim Rice won the league batting title before going on to have a Hall of Fame career with the Boston Red Sox. Rice, who was an All-Star in Double-A, led the league with a .317 batting average and was the team leader in batting, hits, home runs (27), RBI (93), Slugging, and OPS.

Bristol also had star pitcher Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd, who went 14-8 with a 2.81 ERA in his only season at the Double-A level in 1982. “The Can” was called up directly from Bristol and pitched three games for Boston that season. He joined the Red Sox rotation full time the following season and played ten years in the Major Leagues while helping lead the Red Sox to the 1986 American League Pennant.

The Bristol Red Sox relocated to New Britain, and future American League MVP and Connecticut native Mo Vaughn arrived in 1989. The “Hit Dog” actually began his professional career in the Hardware City and batted .278 with 15 doubles, 8 home runs and 38 RBI in 74 games after a stellar college career where he became one of the most prolific hitters in Seton Hall history. In the Major Leagues, Vaughn blasted 26 plus home runs in nine consecutive seasons and was named to three All-Star teams. The Norwalk product led the AL with 126 RBI in his MVP season of 1995 and is a member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame.

Former 18-year Major League veteran Ellis Burks had his longest minor league stint with this franchise. The two-time MLB All-Star played in 257 games in New Britain, including the entire 1985 and 1986 seasons before starting his major league career in 1987. The former first round pick, played six seasons in Boston, a year with the White Sox, and became an All-Star again with the Colorado Rockies. After five seasons with the Rockies, Burks played three with the Giants and Indians and then returned to Boston where he finished his career in 2004. He is a member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame.

The New Britain Red Sox became the New Britain Rock Cats with a new affiliation, the Minnesota Twins. In 1996, a 20-year-old outfielder Torii Hunter arrived and became the team’s first big star. Like Burks, Hunter spent most of his minor league time in New Britain, playing in over 300 career games with the Rock Cats. Over that span, he cranked 21 homers and had 121 RBI, and his spectacular defense gave everyone a preview of his future nine gold gloves that he would win in the majors. The five-time MLB All-Star played 11 seasons with the Twins, five with the Angels, and two with the Tigers, before returning to Minnesota for his final season in 2015. He is a member of the Twins Hall of Fame.

Some of the other tremendous black players to wear the Rock Cats uniform include outfielders Matt Lawton, Jacque Jones, Denard Span, Ben Revere and Aaron Hicks who all went on to play eight or more seasons in the Major Leagues. Lawton was a two-time All-Star, Jones helped the Twins win three straight American League Central Division titles, Span led the majors in triples in 2013 and set a Nationals’ franchise hits record while leading the National League in 2014, Revere led the NL in runs scored in 2014, and Hicks, about to start his 10th season in the Majors, has enjoyed 3 years where he finished in the top 5 in outfield assists.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton was on the fast track to the bigs after being the second overall pick in the 2012 draft out of high school. Buxton reached New Britain as a 20-year-old, with just over a year of professional experience with the wooden bat. It was unfortunate that Buxton got hurt in his only game as a Rock Cats player but many knew that he had a bright future. He is known for his outstanding play in the outfield and is one of the fastest runners in Major League Baseball. Buxton is coming off one of his best offensive seasons in 2021 when he batted .306 with 23 doubles, 19 home runs and 32 RBI with the Twins.

On April 13, 2017 the Harford Yard Goats played their first ever game at Dunkin’ Donuts Park in Hartford. Right-handed pitcher Yency Almonte started for the home team and pitched well, recording eight strikeouts in five innings of work in front of a capacity crowd. The following season in 2018, Almonte reached the Major Leagues and posted a 1.84 ERA in 14 relief outings with the Colorado Rockies. He spent parts of the past four seasons in Colorado.

Curve Join Minor League Baseball in Celebration of Black History Month: Josh Harrison

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In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

After taking a look back at the careers of LHP Shane Youman, speedster Rajai Davis, and the always popular Andrew McCutchen, let’s throw it back to the 2010 season with infielder Josh Harrison.

IF Josh Harrison (2010)

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio native, Harrison was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 6th round of the 2008 Amateur Draft out of the University of Cincinnati. As the 2009 trade deadline approached, the Pirates acquired Harrison in a five-player deal that sent pitchers John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny to Chicago.

The Pirates identified a speedy player with a versatile glove on the infield and a knack for making solid contact that would blossom into an All-Star contributor for their playoff teams in the mid 2010’s. After finishing off the 2009 season with a Carolina League Championship at High-A, Harrison opened the 2010 season in Altoona with many of his same teammates and immediately established himself as one of the Eastern League’s best hitters.

On Opening Day 2010, Altoona was greeted by a prospect-laden roster that included four of the Pirates Top-10 prospects according to Baseball America and eight of the Top-30 overall prospects. It was also a roster that had veteran talent, and it proved to be the perfect mix to get Altoona off to a nearly perfect start as the club started the season 7-1, a drastic turnaround after starting 2009, 0-8.

Included in those first eight games was one day where everything seemed to fall into place for a memorable afternoon at BCB. After the first three games of the season were played under dreary cold conditions, mother nature opened the skies for a perfect 67-degree day on April 11th when the national spotlight turned to Altoona for the first professional start of Harrisburg Senators phenom Stephen Strasburg. More than 70 media members from around the country and upwards of 7,800 people came to watch the professional debut of the heralded Strasburg on the picture-perfect day in Curve, Pa. The Curve managed to get four runs off the future Major League All-Star but fell 6-4 to the Senators.

Harrison bounced between second and third base that season on the field. He went on to knock 156 hits, tied for the fourth-most in a single season in Curve history. He also set the record for the most doubles in a game with four on June 27 against Bowie. He was selected as an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star.

The Curve remained at the top of the Western Division standings throughout the summer and eventually finished the season with an 82-60 record, the second-most wins in a season in franchise history and the team’s second-ever division title.

Bouncing between second and third base, Harrison finished off the regular season with an even .300 average, 33 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 75 runs batted in. He added 19 stolen bases and played a significant role in Altoona’s push toward the Eastern League Championship. After defeating the Harrisburg Senators in four games, the Curve overcame another Major League All-Star on the mound, New York Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte, in the opening game of the Eastern League Championship Series and secured their first title in franchise history. During the playoff run, Harrison recorded a team-best 11 hits in eight postseason games and homered three times, matching Chase D’Arnaud and Jordy Mercer for the team lead.

Harrison began the 2011 season with Triple-A Indianapolis and got the call to Pittsburgh for the first time on May 31, 2011 and suited up against the New York Mets, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. His debut season saw him work mostly in a bench role with 65 appearances on the diamond, showcasing a versatile glove and a solid approach at the plate.

After shuttling back and forth between Indianapolis and Pittsburgh, Harrison finally took hold of an everyday spot in the starting lineup in 2014. Named to the National League All-Star team that summer, Harrison batted .315 with a career-high 38 doubles, 13 home runs and 52 runs batted in. Harrison’s season finished the season ninth in the MVP voting helping the Pirates to an appearance in the National Wild Card Game. His .315 batting average was second-best in the National League, just behind Colorado’s Justin Morneau.

Harrison picked up a second National League All-Star selection in 2017 with a slight bump in the power department, smashing a career-best 16 home runs, and finished his eighth season with the Pirates in 2018. A .317 hitter in his time in the Steel City, Harrison has since appeared with the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals and Oakland Athletics. Headed into his age-34 season in 2022, Harrison has played in more than 1,000 major league games and holds a career batting average of .277. He is currently a free agent after finishing off the 2021 campaign with 48 appearances with the Athletics.

Tides Organization to Continue Youth Field Renovation Project

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The Norfolk Tides today announced the return of The Youth Field Makeover Project, a contest in which a local youth field will be renovated by Tides groundskeepers and front office staff. This field makeover will include an upgrade to the playing surface, an improvement to existing dugouts, based on need. The recipient of the makeover will be determined by a fan vote on the Tides website in March.

“Year in and year out, this is a special project that allows our staff to give back to very deserving members of the Hampton Roads community” said Tides General Manager Joe Gregory. “Each time we help renovate a field, we’re just thrilled to be making a difference.”

Those interested in having the Tides make over their facility should submit a picture of their field to Heather McKeating at [email protected]. Along with the photo, fans are asked to include a brief synopsis of why their league’s field should receive this enhancement. The deadline to submit this information is March 11, with online voting set to take place on the Tides website after March 14.

Since the inaugural renovation in 2012, the Tides have renovated 15 local fields: Eason’s Crossroads (Gates, NC), Ocean View Little League (Norfolk), Smithfield Recreation Association (Smithfield), Bennett’s Creek Little League (Suffolk), Phoebus Little League (Hampton), Shore Little League (Nassawadox), Cradock Little League (Portsmouth), Little Creek National (Norfolk), Gloucester Youth Baseball (Gloucester), Surry County Pony Baseball (Surry), Deer Park Youth Field (Newport News), Plaza Little League (Virginia Beach), Thalia/Malibu Baseball (Virginia Beach), Churchland Little League (Portsmouth) and Albemarle (North Carolina).

The project is made possible thanks to the Tides Youth Baseball Fund, a program established by the Tides in 1990 as a way to raise money for youth baseball and softball programs in Hampton Roads. The Youth Baseball Fund is partially financed by scoreboard announcements at Harbor Park throughout the season, and those wishing to make a donation directly to the Youth Baseball Fund can do so via norfolkides.com under the “Harbor Park” section.


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IronPigs to Host Weeklong Job Fair

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IronPigs are seeking hard-working, baseball loving, customer service-oriented individuals to join their team for another season!

Allentown, Pennsylvania (21 February 2022) – The Lehigh Valley IronPigs will be hosting a weeklong job fair from Monday, February 28 through Friday, March 4 from 4-6 p.m. at Coca-Cola Park. Interviews will be held in person or on zoom.

The benefits of working with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs include a family/fun environment, the opportunity to work in sports, and a flexible schedule!

Select departments will be interviewing for seasonal positions including Food & Beverage, Ticketing, Housekeeping, Ushers, Grounds Crew and more. Opportunities to work indoor, outdoor, and part time will be available. These jobs include the opportunity to work the 75 IronPigs home baseball games as well as other special events taking place at the ballpark between April and September. The IronPigs are also accepting applications from 14-year-old and 15-year-olds for food and beverage positions.

Applicants can apply at anytime and are encouraged to provide a resume at the time of the interview. An application can be found by going to ironpigsbaseball.com. Applicants may also apply here.

For applicants who are unable to interview during the scheduled times from 4-6 p.m., they can call 610-841-PIGS (7447) or walk-in to get applications and schedule zoom or in person interviews during the rest of the IronPigs office hours.

The IronPigs will also be interviewing candidates on Saturday, March 5 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Follow the IronPigs on Twitter at @IronPigs and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/LHVIronPigs.

The IronPigs are presented by Capital BlueCross.

–#OinkOn–

The Nine: Highlighting Black stars in Omaha baseball history

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

As part of honoring Black History month and Minor League Baseball’s initiative, “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide, the Omaha Storm Chasers are highlighting five of the franchise’s and city’s top Black players.

 

Bob Gibson (Omaha Cardinals, 1957-1959)

Bob Gibson’s baseball career has gone down as not only as one of the best by an Omaha native, but also one of the best in the history of the state of Nebraska. He’s one of six members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame born in Nebraska, a group that includes Grover Cleveland Alexander, Richie Ashburn, Wade Boggs, Sam Crawford, and Billy Southworth.

A two-time Cy Young Award winner, 1968 NL MVP, nine-time All-Star, nine-time Gold Glover, two-time World Series champion and World Series MVP, Gibson began his baseball career in Omaha at Creighton University, where he played both baseball and basketball for the Bluejays.

Gibson played professionally for Omaha from 1957-1959, when he suited up for the Omaha Cardinals of the American Association and played at Omaha Municipal Stadium (later known at Rosenblatt Stadium). He made 33 starts for the Omaha Cardinals over the course of three seasons, striking out 170 in 264.0 innings while breaking into the Major Leagues in 1959.

Now commemorated with a statue outside Werner Park, Gibson is best-remembered for authoring one of the greatest pitching seasons in baseball history in 1968, posting a 1.12 ERA (a post-integration record) in 34 starts, striking out 268 in 304.2 innings while posting a 22-9 record and throwing 13 shutouts.

Frank White (1973)

A member of the Royals’ Hall of Fame, White is one of six people (and three players) to have their number retired at Werner Park. He spent most of the 1973 season playing for the Omaha Royals while also making his Major League debut with the Kansas City Royals that season and playing 51 Major League games. In 86 games with Omaha, White batted .264/.341/.365 with 19 doubles to help anchor a lineup that also featured future Hall of Famer George Brett.

White spent his entire Major League career with Kansas City, earning All-Star honors five times and Gold Glove honors eight times over the course of his 18 seasons. In 1985, White helped lead Kansas City to the franchise’s first World Series title while becoming the first second baseman since Jackie Robinson to bat cleanup in a World Series game. His best World Series performance game in Game 3, when he doubled, homered, and drove in three to give the Royals their first win of the series.

Willie Wilson (1977)

A member of the Royals Hall of Fame, Wilson played his lone season with Omaha in 1977, the year after he made his Major League debut as a September call-up from Double-A. Wilson tied for first on the 1977 Omaha Royals in games played (132), ranked second in hits (145) behind Clint Hurdle, and set a franchise record for steals (74) that would be broken just two seasons later by Germán Barranca (75). Wilson’s 74 steals in 1977 were the most in Triple-A and the fifth-most in Minor League Baseball (Ricky Henderson led Minor League Baseball with 95 steals for Class A Modesto).

He went on to play a total of 15 seasons with Kansas City, earning All-Star honors in 1982 and 1983 and helping the Royals win the 1985 World Series by going 11-for-30 (.367) in the Fall Classic. One of the fastest players in the league, Wilson racked up 668 stolen bases in his career (12th all time) and led the league in triples five times. While he won the batting title with a .332 average in 1982, his best season came in 1980, when he hit .326/.357/.421 while leading the league in runs (133), hits (230), and triples (15). He also rapped 28 doubles and stole 79 bases in 1980 en route to finishing fourth in an American League MVP race won by George Brett.

Dwayne Hosey (1994-1995)

One of five players in franchise history to earn league MVP honors, Hosey posted one of the best all-around seasons in franchise history in 1994, his first of two seasons in Omaha.

In 1994, Hosey was named American Association MVP after batting .333/424/.628 with 95 runs scored, 23 doubles, 27 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 27 stolen bases in 112 games and recording 13 outfield assists as the team’s primary centerfielder. He finished second in the league in average (.333) and on-base percentage (.424) while leading the league in slugging (.628) by 48 points and tying for second in the circuit in homers (27). His 95 runs, eight triples, and 27 steals were all tops across Triple-A. Hosey returned to Omaha in 1995 and played 75 games, smacking 21 doubles and 12 homers while stealing 15 bases and hitting .295/.363/.535.

Hosey made his Major League debut with Boston in 1995, playing 52 total games for the Red Sox between 1995 and 1996 before enjoying a standout season with the Nippon Professional Baseball League’s (Japan) Yakult Swallows in 1997, when he was named a member of the league’s Best Nine team.

An Omaha resident since 2003, Hosey has owned and operated Hosey Baseball Training Center in Keystone since 2015.

Lorenzo Cain (2011-2012, 2014, 2016)

One of the most dynamic players in modern franchise history and in the Storm Chasers era (2011-pres.), Lorenzo Cain anchored Omaha’s 2011 Pacific Coast League Championship team in his lone full season with Omaha.

Cain played 128 games for Omaha in 2011, batting .312/.380/.497 with 28 doubles, 16 home runs, and 16 stolen bases. He was the starting centerfielder and leadoff hitter for the first-ever Storm Chasers home game at Werner Park on April 16, 2011, sharing the field with current Major Leaguers Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Manny Piña, Danny Duffy, and Jesse Chavez. Cain hit third in the Chasers’ lineup throughout the 2011 postseason, batting .438 (14-for-32) with three doubles, a triple, and two RBIs.

Currently in his second stint with the Milwaukee Brewers, Cain spent seven seasons with Kansas City, earning All-Star honors in 2015 en route to leading the Royals to a World Series title. He also helped the Royals win the American League pennant in 2014, earning ALCS MVP honors by batting .533 (8-for-15) with five runs scored and two doubles during the American League Championship Series against Baltimore.

The Omaha Storm Chasers are scheduled to begin the 2022 season on April 5 at Indianapolis before welcoming fans to Werner Park for the home opener on April 12 vs. Louisville. The full 2022 schedule can be found here and single-game tickets are now available here.

For more tickets and more information, please visit omahastormchasers.com, call the Werner Park Ticket office at (402) 738-5100, and follow the team on social media. You can follow the team on Twitter @omastormchasers, on Instagram @omahastormchasers, and “like” the team on Facebook at facebook.com/omahastormchasers.

Micah Hyde Charity Softball Game returns to Sahlen Field, May 15

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

Because nobody circles the bases like the Buffalo Bills!!!

The Micah Hyde Charity Softball Game, benefiting his IMagINe for Youth Foundation presented by West Herr Automotive Group with support from Equitable Advisors, will return to Sahlen Field, home of the Buffalo Bisons, on Sunday, May 15 (1pm). >>>Tickets are on sale now

After guiding his team to victory in the inaugural event nearly three years ago, 2017 Pro Bowler and 2021 Second Team All-Pro Micah Hyde and the defense finally have a chance to defend their supremacy on the diamond! Be a part of the fun and the rivalry as both dugouts will be filled with Micah’s Bills teammates, coaches and other Buffalo legends as they battle it out on the diamond for charity!

The afternoon will also include a special pre-game Home Run Derby starting at 12 p.m. Ballpark gates will open at 11 a.m.

Micah Hyde shares,

“Growing up, I was fortunate to be heavily involved in sports. Though I was given the opportunity to do so, I witnessed the obstacles my family had to face in order to provide opportunities, not only for myself, but my siblings as well. With all of these activities came costs that were not easy for my mother to attain. I can remember being responsible for insurance and participation fees, travel costs along with purchasing the equipment needed. If it were not for my mom doing all that she could do, along with a support system that we were able to fall back on, I would not be where I am today. I know there are many kids that face similar circumstances, but unfortunately, they do not have a support system to depend on. That’s why the IMagINe for Youth Foundation is here to give children the support they need in order to participate.

Looking back, being involved in athletics was more than Xs and Os. I learned to take the good with the bad, the bad with the good, and playing with countless personalities taught me how to coexist and be a team player. These are fundamentals that stuck with me. I believe sports is a gateway to learning how to be successful in the real world. I strongly believe that every child deserves the same opportunity to learn and experience those successes.

I have always wanted to give back. Now is the time to do so. Please join me in making a difference. I’M IN. Are you?”

Ticket Information -On Sale Now

Tickets for the softball game are just $10 or $23 – Micah Hyde’s jersey number. *A very limited number of tickets are available for $85 for the best seats in the house that *include a Micah Hyde autographed Buffalo Bills mini-helmet. All tickets can be purchased at Bisons.com or in person at Sahlen’s Field Box Office.

If you are interested in group ticket, suites or sponsorship donation opportunities, please contact Carley Sanfilippo at Team Lammi Sports Management at (414) 507-6197 or [email protected].

For more information on the Imagine for Youth Foundation please visit https://www.IMagINeforyouth.org/.

Hens recognize five of the best Black players in Toledo history

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

In celebration of Black History Month throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Here is a look at five of the best Black baseball players to suit up for the Toledo Mud Hens.

MOSES FLEETWOOD WALKER

Walker made his first appearance in Toledo during the 1883 season, appearing in 60 of the Toledo Blue Stockings 84 games as a catcher. He hit .251 that year, helping Toledo to a league championship in the Northwestern League.

On Opening Day 1884, Walker once again suited up as the catcher for the Blue Stockings as the team joined Ben Johnson’s Western Association (which would later become the modern-day American League). By doing so, he became the first African-American player to play a major league game.

During that season, Walker hit .263 but due to battling injuries he was limited to just 42 games during the 104-game season. His brother Weldy joined the Blue Stockings during that season, playing in a total of six games.

IKE BROWN

Brown spent his entire baseball career inside the Detroit organization that included multiple years in Toledo from 1967 through 1969. His first season in Toledo was as a 25-year-old when he posted a .269 batting average with 18 doubles, seven home runs, and 57 RBI to go along with 15 stolen bases.

A fan favorite in Toledo, Brown finished his Hens career with 34 home runs, 168 RBI, 33 stolen bases, and 48 doubles while appearing in 255 games.

He went on to join the Tigers after scorching Triple-A baseball in the 1969 season with a .356 average in 53 games for the Hens. That started a stretch of six seasons in MLB baseball, all with Detroit. The Memphis, Tennessee native appeared in 280 games for Detroit with a .256 average to go along 15 doubles, four triples, 20 homers, and 65 RBI. He also scored 85 runs in his major league career.

KIRBY PUCKETT

Puckett arrived in Toledo as a 24-year-old that skipped right over Double-A to start the 1984 season in Toledo. It was a short stay as after just 21 games, the Minnesota Twins decided to call up their first round pick (#3 overall) from 1982 to join the club. Puckett stole eight bases while hitting .263 for the Hens before joining the big league club.

The Chicago, Illinois native would never see the minor leagues again after his stay with the Hens, going on to play in 12 seasons for the Twins, including two World Series Championships. Over ten consecutive seasons he was named an MLB All-Star from his first appearance in 1986 to his last in 1995, which was also his final season. Six times he was named a Silver Slugger Award winner and matched that number with Gold Glove awards.

Puckett finished his career with a .318 batting average, 2,304 hits, 414 doubles, 57 triples, 207 homers, and 1,085 RBI. He topped baseball with a .339 batting average, while also leading the league in RBI once with 112 in the 1994 season at age 34. Puckett was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001.

TONY CLARK

Clark rocketed through the minor leagues after being selected by the Detroit Tigers second overall in the 1990 draft. He reached Triple-A and first wore a Hens uniform for 25 games at the end of the 1994 season. As just a 23-year-old, Clark cracked 14 home runs with 63 RBI in 110 games for the Hens in 1995 that led to his first big league call-up.

1996 became his first of a 15-year MLB career that saw him finish third in the Rookie of the Year voting in 1996 and also saw him as an All-Star in 2001 season. Most of Clark’s career was spent with Detroit (seven seasons) but he also played for Arizona, both the New York Yankees and New York Mets, and also the San Diego Padres. The Newton, Kansas native finished his career with 251 homers, 824 RBI, a .262 batting average, and 1,188 hits.

Clark continues to shape the future of baseball as the current head of the baseball players union.

MARCUS THAMES

After being a 30th round pick by the New York Yankees in 1996, Thames found his way to Toledo in the 2004 season after making his Major League debut with New York in 2002 and playing part of 2003 in Texas. That started a stretch of six consecutive seasons for him in the Detroit organization.

Most of his 151 appearances in a Hens uniform came from the 2004 and 2005 seasons with 137 games played during those two years. In 2004, the Louisville, Mississippi native hit 24 home runs with 59 RBI while hitting .329 in just 64 games. The next year while part of one of the best Hens teams of all-time, Thames showcased that power again with 22 bombs and 56 RBI to go along with a .340 average in 73 contests. That year was the first of back-to-back IL Championships for Toledo. In total as a Mud Hen, he hit 49 home runs with 123 RBI.

Thames went on to play in 640 career Major League games with 485 coming in a Tigers uniform. He was a huge part of the 2006 Tigers team that advanced to the World Series only to lose to St. Louis in five games. That year he was third on the Tigers with 26 home runs. Post his playing days, Thames spent four years as hitting coach for the New York Yankees from 2017-2021 and will have that role in 2022 with the Miami Marlins.

Black History Month: Top Players in Fort Wayne’s Franchise History

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Here is a look at five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up in Fort Wayne.

Fort Wayne’s Black baseball history dates back to at least the 1880s. Over the years, the Summit City hosted Hall of Fame players like Hank Aaron, Rube Foster, Smokey Joe Williams, and Sol White. Fort Wayne was even the site for Game 4 of the 1932 Negro League World Series. You can find out more about that rich history here. But meanwhile, it’s also fitting that in the modern era of Minor League Baseball in Fort Wayne, the legacy of those legends lives on.

Indiana native LaTroy Hawkins was a member of the inaugural Fort Wayne Wizards in 1993. Not only did the right-hander from Gary go on to become the first player in the organization’s history to reach the big leagues when he debuted with the Minnesota Twins in 1995, he also put together one of the most respected careers in MLB history. Hawkins ranks 10th all-time in career appearances for a pitcher with 1,042 games pitched across 21 seasons in The Show with 11 clubs. He was included on the ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2021 class.

Hawkins set the tone for his prolific career during his first full professional season in ’93 as he won the Midwest League’s pitching triple crown, leading the circuit in ERA (2.06), strikeouts (179), and wins (15). “Hawk” established Fort Wayne franchise records that still stand nearly 30 years later for ERA, strikeouts, complete games (4), and shutouts (3).

Hawkins remains very involved in the game today in a variety of ways, such as coaching, broadcasting, and advocating on behalf of The Players Alliance, which works to improve representation of Black Americans in all levels of baseball.

Fun Fact: LaTroy is Patrick Mahomes’ godfather.

Follow: @LaTroyHawkins32 on Twitter & Instagram

Check out the video below as LaTroy reminisces about his season in Fort Wayne.

A season after Hawkins established the standard for Fort Wayne pitchers, the franchise was fortunate to have Torii Hunter do the same for position players. Hunter, a first-round selection of the Twins out of high school, was only 18 years old for most of his time as a Wizard. Nevertheless, despite being a few years younger than most of his competition, he more than held his own, slashing a .293 batting average / .358 on-base percentage / .439 slugging percentage (.796 OPS). During his days at the old Memorial Stadium, Hunter also showcased his amazing ability as an outfielder. Take a look back at some highlights.

Hunter went on to reach the big leagues with the Twins by the age of 21 in 1997. He was selected as an American League All-Star five times and won nine consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 2001-09, playing for the Angels and Tigers as well. Hunter has been included on the last two National Baseball Hall of Fame ballots, and will be again next year, too.

Fun Fact: In 2018, former Notre Dame wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr. played at Parkview Field against the TinCaps with the Burlington Bees (then an Angels affiliate).

Torii Sr. is still staying busy today, in part by running restaurants.

Follow: @toriihunter48 on Twitter & @tnutts48 on Instagram

Will Venable originally went to Princeton to play basketball. While he was a First Team All-Ivy League guard who played in March Madness, as a sophomore, he joined the baseball team, too. Eventually, he was a seventh-round pick of the Padres in 2005 and assigned to Fort Wayne the following year.

The left-handed hitting outfielder put together one of the best seasons in franchise history. Venable slashed .314 / .389 / .477 (.866 OPS). His 91 RBIs that year set a franchise record that’s only been passed by one player since (Fernando Perez, 95 in 2014). Beyond that, in terms of club history, Venable ranks fourth in average, fifth in OPS, sixth in slugging, and 10th in on-base. He was a 2006 Midwest League Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star.

Venable’s success continued as he debuted with San Diego in 2008. With the Pads into 2015, Venable finished ninth in the National League in stolen bases twice, while he was top eight in triples four times. He also played for the Rangers in 2015 and finished his playing career with the Dodgers in 2016.

In short order, Venable has become one of the top rising young coaches in MLB. He served as the Cubs’ first base coach in 2018 and ’19 before moving to third base coach in ’20. The upcoming season will be his second as bench coach for the Red Sox.

Fun Fact: His father, Max, who also played in the majors, was his hitting coach in Fort Wayne in 2006… By the way, the only other student-athlete in Ivy League history to be First Team all-conference in both baseball and basketball is Chris Young, who was teammates with Will at Princeton. Young, a pitcher, also spent part of his career with the Padres and now is the General Manager of the Texas Rangers.

Joe Ross was a first-round pick of the Padres out of high school in 2011. After spending part of the 2012 season in Fort Wayne as a teenager, he returned in ’13 to headline a loaded rotation that included fellow future MLB starters Max Fried (Braves) and Zach Eflin (Phillies).

Ross got the Opening Day start and rolled from there, earning Midwest League All-Star status.

He made his big league debut with the Nationals in 2015. The righty from Northern California, who pitched in the Midwest League Playoffs in both of his seasons as a TinCap, started Game 5 of the 2019 World Series, as Washington went on to win the title.

Fun Fact: Joe’s older brother, Tyson, also pitched in the majors. Their mother, Jean, is an emergency room nurse, while their father, Willie, is a doctor.

Follow: @JoeRoss21 on Twitter & [@jross21](https://www.instagram.com/jross21/)_

While Ross was on the mound, Mallex Smith, at just 19 years old, was Fort Wayne’s leadoff batter on Opening Day in 2013. Smith homered in his Midwest League debut, though his game is more about speed than power. The lightning fast outfielder had a solid ’13 campaign, highlighted by stealing 64 bases — just one shy of tying the franchise record. (Smith accomplished that in 110 games compared to Rymer Liriano and Jeremy Owens swiping 65 in 116 and 129 games, respectively.)

The Padres reassigned Smith to the TinCaps to begin the following year. He then found another gear, as his average, on-base percentage, and slugging all rose significantly. Midway through the season, the center fielder had stolen 48 bases in 64 games, prior to a promotion to High-A. The effervescent Floridian capped off his Fort Wayne career in the Midwest League All-Star Game, where he also won the “Lost Art of the Bunt Contest” that was held by the West Michigan Whitecaps in lieu of a home run derby. He finished the year leading all players in both Minor League and Major League Baseball in stolen bags with 88 in 119 games.

Later, Smith made his MLB debut with the Braves in 2016. He hasn’t slowed down. After time with the Rays, Smith led the big leagues in stolen bases in 2019 with 46 for the Mariners. He spent the 2021 season in the minors for the Blue Jays and remains under contract with Toronto.

Fun Fact: Believe it or not, in the story below, Mallex says he’s not even the fastest runner in his immediate family. He’s credited his base-stealing and hitting success, in part, to writing scouting reports on pitchers in a marble notebook.

Also Of Note

The Wizards and TinCaps have had many more outstanding Black players, including outfielder Matt Lawton (1993), a two-time MLB All-Star… Kyle Blanks (2006), a Midwest League All-Star who went on to play for the Padres, A’s, and Rangers… Keyvius Sampson (2011), a Midwest League All-Star who’s pitched for the Reds.

Who’s Next

Shortstop CJ Abrams (2019) is the top Padres prospect, and ranked by MLB.com as the No. 6 prospect in all of baseball… Infielder Xavier Edwards (2019) was a Midwest League All-Star and now ranks as the No. 70 overall prospect in the sport as a member of the Rays’ farm system… Outfielder Joshua Mears is considered the top power-hitting prospect for the Padres. The 21-year-old grew up in the state of Washington and was committed to play collegiately at Purdue before being drafted and signing with San Diego. He’s projected to call Parkview Field home in 2022… Outfielder James Woods was San Diego’s second draft pick in 2021 and is already regarded as a top five prospect for the Pads. He could be a TinCap in the next year or two.

OKC Dodgers Hosting Annual Job Fair This Week

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Dodgers will host the team’s annual job fair for 2022 gameday staff on Thursday, Feb. 24 from 3-7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 26 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

The Dodgers are seeking multi-talented, highly motivated team players. Available positions include ushers, gate attendants, ticket window attendants, field crew, cashiers, cooks, quick service managers, in-seat servers, team store staff and much more.

A full list of open positions can be found here.

“Our gameday staff has always been, and will always be, a vital piece of the fan experience at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark,” said OKC Dodgers President/General Manager Michael Byrnes. “We typically have around 250 gameday employees working during our home games, and the people we hire during our job fair are the ones on the front lines assisting fans and providing the level of unsurpassed customer service we pride ourselves on.”

The job fair will be held in the Legends Lounge at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark on both days. Interested job seekers should enter the ballpark through the glass doors adjacent to the team store located on South Mickey Mantle Drive.

The 2022 baseball season begins April 5, with gameday employee training sessions throughout March. Those applying for any position must be available for all 75 Dodgers home games as well as other events held throughout the year. All applicants must be at least 16 years of age.

Applicants should be prepared to interview with Oklahoma City Dodgers’ full-time staff during the job fair. Bringing résumés are encouraged but not required.

For more information on the 2022 OKC Dodgers job fair, visit click here or call (405) 218-1000.

RubberDucks to Host Virtual Auditions for National Anthem Performers

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

(AKRON, OHIO) February 21, 2022 – The Akron RubberDucks are launching a virtual search for National Anthem performers for the 2022 season. All interested singers, vocal groups (five singers or fewer), and musicians must send a digital submission via video of their acapella or unaccompanied performance of the National Anthem no later than Friday, March 11th.

Virtual submissions are the ONLY way to audition for 2022 national anthem performances at Canal Park, no other arrangements can be made at this time.

Performers can submit their auditions by sending their video, along with their name(s), address, and phone number to [email protected]. Digital submissions can be accepted via YouTube video, Vimeo, WeTransfer, or other transfer site that allows for downloading videos.

All virtual auditions must meet the following criteria:

  • All auditions must be no longer than two minutes
  • All participants are encouraged to use the highest possible audio and video recording available, within reason. Cell phone videos are perfectly acceptable. Please make sure the camera is steady, oriented horizontally, and that the performer(s) are shown clearly in the center of the shot if possible.
  • Auditions should be recorded in a well-lit area.
  • It is not required to have a clear or scenic background; however, an area free from distractions is best.
  • Duet and group auditions are acceptable

The Akron RubberDucks are the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. The RubberDucks season is powered by FirstEnergy at Canal Park, with the home opener April 12, 2022, against the Reading Fightin Phils at 7:05 PM. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 330-253-5151 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, or visit akronrubberducks.com/. For more information about the team, please call 330-253-5151, visit the website at akronrubberducks.com, Facebook page facebook.com/AkronRubberDucks, or on Twitter @AkronRubberDuck, and Instagram @akronrubberducks.

Honor a Loved One Affected by Cancer with the Drive’s Special Package

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

The Greenville Drive, along with Bon Secours and the American Cancer Society, will be creating a specially designed Survivors jersey to honor and celebrate those in our community affected by cancer.

Packages are available for Drive fans to celebrate their loved one by including their name in the jersey design and each opportunity also comes with tickets to a 2022 Drive game as well as a donation back to the American Cancer Society.

The Drive will proudly wear these jerseys during their home game at Fluor Field on Sunday, May 8th and we will auctioning off the players’ jerseys during the game to raise additional funds to fight this terrible disease.

To learn more about the packages and how you can reserve a spot for your loved one, CLICK HERE.

Celebrating Black History Month: Highlighting Wendell Magee

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are looking back at some of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers from across the sport went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Over the month, we will highlight some of the best Black baseball players to ever suit up for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Wendell Magee

Wendell Magee was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 12th round of the 1994 draft out of Samford University. The Hattiesburg, Mississippi, native was never picked for his high school baseball team but went on to play football and baseball in college. After an athletic career that saw him inducted into both Pearl River Community College and Stamford’s respective Halls of Fame, Magee embarked on a 12-year professional baseball career.

Magee dominated in his first two years of pro ball and reached Triple-A in 1996. After 71 games with Reading, the Phillies promoted Magee to the Red Barons, where he appeared in 44 games and batted .284. The Phillies gave him a first-look at the bigs that season as well.

The outfielder spent the bulk of the next three summers with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Magee found his stride in 1998 and 1999 for the Red Barons, hitting a combined .286 over 268 games with 44 home runs and 151 combined runs batted in during those two seasons for skipper Marc Bombard.

The Phillies traded Magee to Detroit in 2000 and he appeared in nearly 300 games for the Tigers over the next few years, including spending the bulk of 2002 as their starting centerfielder. He was reacquired by Philadelphia in 2003 in a deal with Cleveland. Magee returned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and hit .333 over 25 games before the Phillies released him.

Magee spent seven seasons in the Majors where he held a .244 average, but his time with the Red Barons and in Triple-A truly set him apart from the pack. In 420 games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he hit .281. His 65 home runs for the Red Barons ranks second all-time in franchise history.

Read the rest of the series:

Part One: Celebrating Marlon Anderson

Part Two: Celebrating Ryan Howard

Part Three: Celebrating Aaron Judge

The Five Best Black Players in El Paso Professional Baseball History

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

Glenn Braggs played in 117 games for the 1985 Double-A El Paso Diablos, a first place team that went 86-50 and lost in the Texas League Championship Series to the Jackson Mets. Braggs hit .310, hit 20 home runs and drove in 103 runs that year. He later played seven seasons in the major leagues with the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds. Braggs won a World Series championship with Cincinnati in 1990.

Pat Listach played in 49 games for the 1991 Diablos, splitting time at second base and shortstop. That year’s Diablos team finished in first place and lost to the Shreveport Captains in the Texas League Championship Series. Listach played six seasons in the major leagues with the Brewers and Houston Astros. He was named American League Rookie of the Year in 1992.

Troy O’Leary played the entire 1992 season with the Diablos, hitting .334 with five home runs and 79 RBIs. He played 11 years in the major leagues with the Brewers, Boston Red Sox, Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs. O’Leary piled up 1,100 hits in the majors and reached the MLB postseason with the Red Sox and Cubs.

Gary Sheffield was also part of a first place Diablos team in 1988. That year’s El Paso club lost to the Tulsa Drillers in the Texas League Championship Series. Sheffield went on to be a nine-time MLB All-Star, a National League batting champion and a World Series champion with the 1997 Florida Marlins. His 509 home runs are the 26th most in MLB history.

Greg Vaughn was Sheffield’s teammate on the 1988 Diablos. He hit .301 with a team leading 28 home runs and 105 RBIs that year. Vaughn went on to become a four-time MLB All-Star and hit 355 homers in his 15-year MLB career. He helped the San Diego Padres reach the 1998 World Series.