The Nine: 5 Impactful Players In Louisville Franchise History

 

LOUISVILLE, KY – As part of The Nine outreach initiative, Minor League Baseball teams are featuring a list of standout players from each team’s all-time franchise history. Below are five impactful Louisville alumni and several highlights from their tenure with the team:

1. Deion Sanders

Best Louisville Season (2001): 19 games, .459 average, 10 XBH, 6 SB, .494 OBP
Career Highlights: 4x finished 2nd in NL in stolen bases, led NL in triples in 1992

Sanders, better known as “Primetime,” starred in both the National Football League and Major League Baseball during his pro career. The former Bats outfielder scored the franchise’s first ever run at Louisville Slugger Field during the 2000 season and went on to hit at an impressive .459 clip during the 2001 campaign.

2. Billy Hamilton

Best Louisville Season (2013): 123 games, .256 average, 28 XBH, 41 RBI, 75 SB
Career Highlights: 2014 NL Rookie of the Month (June), 2014 Baseball America Major League All-Rookie Team

Speedster Hamilton stole a Minor League Baseball record-setting 155 bases in 2012 prior to his full season with the Bats in 2013. He continued his impressive pace with 75 additional steals for Louisville in 2013, which finished as nearly double the next-closest amount by any International League player that year. Hamilton ultimately earned both Mid and Postseason All-Star selections with the Bats and was named a Futures Game selection for the second straight year.

3. Hunter Greene

Best Louisville Season (2021): 14 starts, 4.13 ERA, 79 SO/65.1IP
Career Highlights: Selected second overall by Cincinnati in 2017, Rated Top 5 prospect in Reds system by Baseball American from 2018-22, 3x Top 100 prospect by BA

Greene burst onto the scene with a 100+ MPH fastball that dazzled scouts at showcases and flummoxed opponents on the diamond. He dominated at the Double-A level to open the 2021 season to rank second in all of Minor League Baseball in both wins and strikeouts en route to his first promotion to the Triple-A level. He unleashed a 104 MPH pitch against the Omaha Storm Chasers in his debut and went on to cap his first Triple-A stint with 79 strikeouts over 65.1 innings of work.

4. Dmitri Young

Best Louisville Season (1996): 122 games, .333 average, 54 XBH, 90 R, 16 SB
Career Highlights: Member of 1995 Louisville Redbirds American Association Championship team, 2003 AL All-Star, 2007 NL All-Star, 2007 NL Comeback Player of the Year

Nicknamed “the Meat Hook,” Young was a member of the Louisville Redbirds 1995 American Association championship team before becoming a standout and both mid and postseason All-Star with Louisville during the 1996 campaign. Following several productive years in the Majors between St. Louis, Cincinnati and Detroit, Young earned his second and final MLB All-Star selection of his career in 2007 by boasting a .320 average and 51 extra-base hits over 136 games with Washington.

5. Didi Gregorius

Best Louisville Season (2012): 48 games, .243 average, 25 R, 19 XBH, .981 FPCT
Career Highlights: 2018 AL Player of the Month (April), AL Player of the Week (2018), 2016 Yankees Heart and Hustle Award

The slick-fielding Gregorius converted 209 of his 2013 chances in the field between shortstop and second base with the Bats in 2012, registering a solid .981 fielding percentage while holding down the middle infield for Louisville. He went on to fill the huge shoes of Hall of Famer Derek Jeter at shortstop for the New York Yankees and was rewarded with the team’s Heart and Hustle Award for the 2016 campaign.

RoughRiders announce new Dallas Black Giants identity for 2022 season

 

FRISCO, Texas (February 10, 2022) – The Frisco RoughRiders are thrilled to announce that they will be playing under the moniker “Dallas Black Giants” over three dates during the 2022 season as a tribute to the Dallas-based Negro Leagues team in the early to mid-1900s. The first of these games will take place on Juneteenth (June 19th) while the RoughRiders will also play as the Black Giants on August 14th and September 7th.

These dates are now on presale and tickets can be purchased by clicking here.

“I’ve been fortunate to hear countless stories about the Negro Leagues from the president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Bob Kendrick over the years,” RoughRiders President and General Manager Victor Rojas said. “The work he and his staff have done in raising awareness for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in my hometown of Kansas City has been beyond impressive. I wanted the RoughRiders to be a part of the storytelling in some fashion…to share the history of the game of baseball with those in and around our community, especially history that may not be widely known. We are excited about bringing the Dallas Black Giants back to life in Frisco this summer.”

From the early 1900s into their heyday in the 1920s and 30s, the Dallas Black Giants played host to an entertaining, loud, fast-paced style of baseball synonymous with the Negro Leagues legends of the time. Future Hall of Famer Ernie Banks highlighted a long list of alumni who donned uniforms in downtown Dallas for the Black Giants.

On Juneteenth, Kendrick will be in attendance to throw out the first pitch and meet fans. Additionally, there will be giveaways prior to all three dates and themes that will recreate the excitement and pageantry of the Black Giants Negro Leagues games.

“Fans flocked to see [Negro Leagues] games, so they played a vital role in their communities,” Kendrick said. “It brought a level of joy and excitement to African American communities throughout this country. That’s why the spirit of what’s being done in the minor leagues now is so vitally important because it is opening up the opportunity to make those fans feel welcome back into the stadium.”

The Dallas Black Giants program would not possible without community partnerships to lead the RoughRiders forward. If your organization would like to be a part of the Dallas Black Giants Nights, please click here. A portion of the community partnership proceeds will benefit underrepresented groups through the RoughRiders Foundation.

The RoughRiders will begin the 2022 season with Opening Day on April 8th at Riders Field. For tickets and more information about the Frisco RoughRiders, visit RidersBaseball.com or call 972.731.9200.

About the RoughRiders

The Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. The team was founded in 2003 and has finished first among all Double-A franchises in attendance for 15 consecutive seasons (2005-2019). In August 2014, the RoughRiders were purchased by an ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg. Since then, the new ownership group, together with the City of Frisco, has spearheaded numerous major franchise enhancements, investing over $8 million in a wide array of facility upgrades and improvements, including a state-of-the-art HD video board, sound system, Bull Moose Saloon, InTouch Grille, Riders Outpost Team Store and the world’s largest water feature in a sports facility, the massive Lazy River. These enhancements earned the Riders and the City of Frisco Ballpark Digest’s prestigious “Best Ballpark Renovation” award for two consecutive years (2015 and 2016). More than 170 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact [email protected].

Celebrating Black History Month: Highlighting Ryan Howard

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.

Ryan Howard

The Philadelphia Phillies tabbed Ryan Howard in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Missouri State University. After 85 home runs in over his first three and a half seasons, including 37 for the Reading Phillies over 102 games in 2004, Howard was promoted to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He closed 2004 with nine more home runs and his first call to Philadelphia.

After capturing the Joe Baumann Award in 2004 with 46 home runs to lead all Minor Leaguers, Howard began 2005 in Moosic. He hit four home runs and drove in 14 over his first 23 games of the year and carried a .316 average to a second MLB call. After three weeks up with the Phillies, he returned to the Red Barons and mashed. In June, Howard hit .420 with six home runs and 27 batted in. He was recalled in early July and never looked back. All told, he batted .336 over 90 games in two years with the Red Barons with 25 home runs and 83 runs batted in. Howard closed 2005 with 22 home runs in the Majors and drove in 63 over 88 games with Philadelphia, claiming the National League Rookie of the Year award.

Howard was a staple at first base for the Phillies over the next decade. “The Big Piece” won the 2006 NL MVP Award with a Phillies franchise-record 58 home runs, a .313 average and 149 runs batted in. In addition, Howard was a three-time MLB All-Star, a Silver Slugger and claimed NLCS MVP honors in 2008 before the Phillies won the World Series. He closed his career with 382 home runs and 1,194 runs batted in during his 13-year Major League career.

In 2019, Howard was tabbed for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s All-Time Team as part of their 30th Anniversary Season celebration.

Curve Join Minor League Baseball in Celebration of Black History Month: Rajai Davis

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 career of LHP Shane Youman, now we take a look at outfielder Rajai Davis.

OF Rajai Davis (2005)

Pittsburgh found a diamond in the rough late in the 2001 MLB Amateur draft when the Pirates selected outfielder Rajai Davis in the 38th round out of Division-III UConn-Avery Point. Davis, a native of nearby New London, CT, used blazing speed to become one of the best outfielders in the Pirates minor league system and quickly rose to prominence for his exploits on the base paths combined with a patient, contact-oriented approach at the plate.

By the time Davis arrived in Altoona for the 2005 campaign, he already had a pair of 40 stolen base seasons under his belt and had established himself as a .300 hitter at the lower levels of the Pirates minor league system. Davis kept the good times rolling with the Curve and combined with Rich Thompson to create havoc on the basepaths. Davis and Thompson both stole 45 bases during the 2005 season, tops in the Eastern League, to lead Altoona to a third straight playoff appearance. Named to the Eastern League All-Star team, the Curve missed Davis’ presence in the postseason after he was placed on the Injured List in late-August and missed the rest of the campaign. Davis finished his lone season in Altoona with a team-best 140 hits and 82 runs scored in 123 games played.

Davis’ speed combined with his contact-oriented approach at the plate would serve him well as he went on to a 14-year major league career with Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Oakland, Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, Boston and the New York Mets. Davis made his major league debut on August 14, 2006 with a pinch-hit appearance against the Milwaukee Brewers in a 4-2 Pirates victory. Like many young players, his first two seasons in the majors saw him shuttle back and forth between the major league club and Triple-A. Davis totaled 44 games in a Pirates uniform, batting .242 with three doubles, one triple and six stolen bases, and his speed allowed him to make highlight reel plays in the outfield. As the trade deadline arrived in the summer of 2007, the San Francisco Giants came calling and acquired Davis, along with a player to be named later, for righty Matt Morris. Davis played 51 games down the stretch of the 2007 season for San Francisco and batted .282 with 17 stolen bases. His performance helped establish him as a reliable contributor in the outfield that would put him in demand at the major league level.

Davis moved to the American League and into a starting role with the Oakland Athletics after they claimed him off waivers prior to the 2008 campaign. While patrolling center field for the A’s for three seasons, he compiled a .283 average and stole 120 bases in 381 games. Davis went on to spend three seasons in Toronto before advancing to the postseason for the first time in his major league career with Detroit in 2014. Led by a veteran core at the plate with future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera in the middle of the order, Davis combined to man center field with Austin Jackson and helped lead the Tigers to an AL Central Division title.

Despite a sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles in the 2014 Division Series, Davis would soon write his name into the history books when found himself back in the thick of the playoff chase with AL Central rival Cleveland in 2016. On July 2, 2016, Davis became the eighth player in Major League history to hit for the cycle in reverse. Facing off against his former teammates in Toronto, Davis homered to lead off the game, tripled in the third inning, doubled in the sixth and singled in the ninth to finish off the cycle. As the Indians surged to their first World Series appearance since 1997, Davis played a massive role in the Fall Classic; a seven-game thriller with the Chicago Cubs. With Cleveland trailing by two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and just four outs away from elimination, Davis swatted a 2-2 offering from Chicago’s Aroldis Chapman over the wall in left field to tie the game at 6-6. The Cubs went on to win break the Curse of the Billy Goat with a victory in extra innings.

Following the heartbreaking loss in the 2016 World Series, Davis signed a free agent deal with the Oakland Athletics and found himself back in the postseason the very next year as an extra outfielder for the Boston Red Sox after they acquired him up at the 2017 Trade Deadline. Despite making just one plate appearance in the postseason, Davis complimented Jackie Bradley Jr. in center field providing a right-handed platoon and maintained a veteran presence in the clubhouse that had several young stars including Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers.

Davis’ 14-year major league career wrapped up following another season with Cleveland in 2018 and the New York Mets in 2019. All told he played in 1,448 major league games batting .262 with 62 home runs, 387 runs batted in and 415 stolen bases. Prior to the 2021 season, Davis accepted a role with Major League Baseball as Senior Director, On-Field Operations overseeing the Northeast region.

The Nine – Triple-A Dukes Era (1972-2000)

Minor League Baseball has 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. It’s named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946. The Albuquerque Isotopes will look back at the rich history of Black ballplayers in the Duke City by highlighting the Top Nine over various eras.

2B Davey Lopes — 1972

Known as part of “The Infield” that was together from 1973-81, Davey Lopes actually started his pro career as an outfielder. Lopes was already 27 years old when he made his Major League Debut, but still played 16 years through his age-42 season. On the 1972 Dukes, Lopes showed the skills that would define his career: .317 batting average, .411 on-base percentage and 48-of-58 stolen bases. Lopes was a four-time All Star, received the most votes of any player for the 1980 All-Star Game, won a Gold Glove, led the league in stolen bases twice, stole 38-straight bases, and was successful on 83% of his career steal attempts.

OF Larry Hisle — 1972

The 1972 Dukes team is one of the best in minor league baseball history, and Hisle was arguably the best player on it. Hisle batted .325 with 23 home runs, 91 RBI and 20 stolen bases over 131 games. That season in Albuquerque was three years _after _Hisley had finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting and it resurrected his career. Hisle was a two-time All Star with the Twins, leading the league with 119 RBIs in 1977 and mashing 34 home runs the year after. Hisle also owns the unique distinction of being the first designated hitter of a spring training game, in 1973, when he connected on two home runs. As a coach with the Blue Jays, he won World Series titles in 1992 and 1993.

OF Jeffrey Leonard – 1976, 1978

A three-sport star at Overbrook High, Jeffrey “HacMan” Leonard had 60 scholarship offers to play college football and five for basketball, but chose pro baseball even though he wasn’t drafted. Leonard made a mockery of PCL pitching in 1978, slashing .365/.443/.532 with 48 extra-base hits, 93 RBIs and 36 stolen bases. With a crowded outfield, the Dodgers traded Leonard to the Astros and he was the runner-up Rookie of the Year in 1979. Leonard is most remembered for his years with the Giants, when he went from Jeff to Jeffrey, reached his first All-Star Game, became known for his “one-flap down” home run trot, and won the 1987 NLCS Most Valuable Player award, even though his team lost the series.

RHP Dave Stewart – 1977, 1979-80

Known for his “Death Stare” on the mound, Stewart spent the entire 1979 and 1980 seasons with the Dukes. He nearly won the pitchers Triple Crown in 1980, leading the league in innings with a staggering 202, tied for the league lead with 15 wins, and finished second with 125 strikeouts. Stewart won 20 or more games in four straight years for his hometown Oakland A’s from 1987-90 and tossed a no-hitter. But he was most known for his postseason dominance, making 18 starts, posting a 2.84 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and winning the MVP three times (1989 World Series, 1990 ALCS and 1993 ALCS). Stewart has worked as a coach, general manager, agent and TV analyst after his playing career ended.

OF Mike Devereaux — 1988

Coming out of powerhouse Arizona State, Mike Devereaux was already a five-tool prospect and his 1988 season with the Dukes vaulted him to one of the best prospects in the sport. Devereaux batted .340, hit 13 home runs en route to a .513 slugging percentage, stole 33 bases and played outstanding center field for the Dukes. But the Dodgers needed pitching, so he was traded to the Orioles for right-hander Mike Morgan. It took Deveraux a few years to get established, then he finished seventh in MVP voting in 1992 with 24 home runs and 107 RBIs. Devereaux won a World Series with the Braves in 1995 and was the MVP of the NLCS. In all, Devereaux played 12 years in the majors and is a member of the Orioles Hall of Fame.

RHP Ken Howell – 1983-84, 1987-88

Whatever role was needed, Ken Howell filled it. He was a swingman for the Dukes in 1984, starting nine games, relieving in nine games, winning eight, finishing seven, and going the distance three times. Howell saved a combined 24 games for the Dodgers in his initial two years in the majors, before a trade to the Phillies and a switch back to the starting rotation. Howell returned to the Dodgers organization in 1988 and posted a dominant 10-1 record with a 3.27 ERA with the Dukes. Howell was a coach for the Dodgers in the majors and minors, and instrumental in the conversion of Kenley Jansen from catcher to pitcher. Diagnosed with diabetes, Howell brought attention to the disease, before passing away in 2018 at age 57.

INF Eric Young, Sr. – 1991-92

Despite being a 43rd round draft pick, Eric Young reached the major leagues and stayed there for 15 seasons. Young’s final year in the minors was in 1992 with the Dukes, when he walked more times (33) than he struck out (18), compiled a .337 batting average and stole 28 bases. Young was a Dodger then, but his connections to the Rockies are stronger. Selected in the expansion draft, Young hit a leadoff home run in the Rockies first home game in 1993, was an instrumental member of their 1995 playoff team, and his son Eric Junior played for the Rockies as well. Senior won a World Series as a member of the Braves coaching staff in 2021.

OF Darryl Strawberry – 1993

Darryl Strawberry went 10 years between appearances in the minor leagues, from his final game as a top prospect with Triple-A Tidewater in 1983, until starting a rehab assignment for the Dukes in 1993. Strawberry was returning from a back injury that only allowed him to play 32 games that year for the Dodgers. He signed autographs for seemingly everyone in Albuquerque and talked to reporters frequently during his rehab assignment. Strawberry went 6-for-19 with two doubles, a home run and two RBIs in five games for the Dukes. Strawberry played 17 years in the major league, was selected to eight All-Star Games, won World Series titles with the Mets in 1986 and the Yankees in 1996 and 1999.

1B Eddie Murray — 1997

Eddie Murray thought his playing career was over when the Angels released him on August 14, 1997. But six days later, after a call from Dodgers General Manager Fred Claire, Murray was at the Albuquerque Sports Stadium, wearing a Dukes uniform and talking to reporters. The 41-year-old Murray played nine games for the Dukes, batted .308, hit a pair of home runs, then the Dodgers brought him back to the major leagues to conclude his Hall of Fame career. Murray was an eight-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award winner, won the 1977 Rookie of the Year, finished in the Top 6 of MVP voting seven times, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.

Check back to www.abqisotopes.com throughout February as we celebrate the most prominent Black players in the Duke City’s history from the Isotopes era (2003-current), the Dukes Triple-A era (1972-2000), and the Early Years (1888-1971).

Black History Month: Top 5 Black Players During OKC’s Bricktown Era

In celebration of Black History Month, teams across Minor League Baseball are honoring some of the best Black players in their respective histories.

The retrospective for Oklahoma City will be a two-part series, first looking at the top five Black players during the team’s Bricktown era (since 1998) as well as the top five Black players during the team’s post-war Indians and 89ers era (1946-97).

Players were selected based on a combination of individual season and career achievements while playing for Oklahoma City, as well as their Major League careers. They are presented below in alphabetical order.

Part 1: Bricktown Era (1998-Present)

**Willie Calhoun (Infielder)**

Calhoun first appeared for the Oklahoma City Dodgers during the 2016 playoffs and returned in 2017. In 99 games that season, Calhoun slashed .298/.357/.574 with 23 home runs, 52 extra-base hits and 67 RBI en route to being named a Pacific Coast League Mid-Season All-Star.

He was traded July 31, 2017 to the Texas Rangers as part of a package in exchange for Yu Darvish. Following the trade, Calhoun continued to rake with Round Rock and finished in the top five of the Pacific Coast League with 31 homers and 93 RBI, earning a spot on the league’s Post-Season All-Star Team.

Calhoun made his Major League debut later in 2017 with Texas and has appeared in 235 games with the Rangers since then.

**O’Koyea Dickson (Outfielder/Infielder)**

Dickson spent three seasons with OKC between 2015-17 and was a significant contributor each year, helping the team to division titles in 2015 and 2016. Among players during the team’s Bricktown era, Dickson ranks third in both career home runs (55) and career doubles (77). He is also in the top eight in hits (308) and RBI (190).

His finest of the three seasons was in 2016, when he slashed .328/.398/.596 over 101 games. During that season’s playoffs, he hit a dramatic, go-ahead three-run homer in eighth inning of a winner-take-all Game 5 of the American Conference Finals in Nashville.

Dickson’s Major League career was brief, with only seven career at-bats with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017. He also played in Mexico and Japan during his pro career.

Craig Monroe (Outfielder)

Monroe had a brief taste of Triple-A in 1999 and returned to play for the RedHawks in earnest in 2001. Over 114 games that season, Monroe batted .281 with 20 homers and 75 RBI while putting up a then career-best .512 slugging percentage and was selected to the Triple-A All-Star Game.

He made his Major League debut with the Texas Rangers that season and even homered in his first game July 29. Over his nine-year Major League career, he also suited up for the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins and Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2006, he led the Tigers with 28 home runs and 92 RBI as Detroit won the American League. The outfielder finished his big league career with 115 home runs, including three seasons with at least 20 homers.

Chuck Smith (Pitcher)

Smith filled a variety of roles over his two seasons with RedHawks (1999-2000). He made a total of 43 appearances, which included 15 starts, three complete games, 13 games finished and four saves. During his OKC career, he posted a 3.32 ERA with 149 strikeouts in 151.2 innings.

In 1999, Smith was named to the Triple-A All-Star Game. On June 23 of that season against Memphis, Smith set the team’s single-game strikeout record with 14. The record stood until 2017, but Smith remains as just one two players with 14 or more strikeouts in a game during the team’s Bricktown era.

Smith’s pro career spanned 16 seasons (1991-2006), including two seasons with the Florida Marlins (2000-01).

**George Springer (Outfielder)**

Springer first joined OKC in the middle of the 2013 season. Combined with his numbers from Double-A Corpus Christi, Springer put together a 30/30 season and nearly a 40/40 season, as he finished with 37 home runs and 45 stolen bases across the two levels. In his 62 contests with the RedHawks that year, Springer put up an incredible .311/.425/.626 line with 18 homers, 53 RBI and 22 steals.

He returned to Bricktown to begin 2014, and after mashing for the first 13 games of the season, he was called up to Houston and has stayed in the Majors ever since. The dynamic outfielder is a three-time All-Star (2017-19) and a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2017, 2019). He helped the Astros win the American League in both 2017 and 2019, and he was named MVP of the 2017 World Series.

This past season with the Blue Jays, Springer eclipsed the 500 RBI barrier for his career and he now sits just four home runs shy of 200 for his career.

Celebrating Black History Month with the Top 5 Black Players in Las Vegas Professional Baseball History

Aviators Recognize Top 5 Black Players in Franchise History

In honor of Black History Month, the ballclub gives a tip of the cap to five of its all-time greats

By Matt Jacob | Las Vegas Aviators | @MattRJacob

In celebration of Black History Month, 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 don a Las Vegas Stars, 51s or Aviators uniform.

James Loney (Las Vegas 51s, 2006-07)

A first-round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2002 amateur draft, James Loney had modest success during his first four professional seasons. Playing exclusively in the low minors, the Houston native batted .280 with 181 RBI in 431 games.

Loney then earned his first Triple-A promotion ahead of the 2006 season. Upon arriving at Cashman Field, the 22-year-old first baseman promptly showed why the Dodgers made him a first-round selection. Loney won the Pacific Coast League batting crown with a .380 average, collecting 136 hits — including 33 doubles — in 98 games. He finished the season with eight home runs, 67 RBI and 64 runs, and by the following April, he was on the Dodgers’ opening-day roster.

Loney returned to Las Vegas briefly in 2007, and finished his 51s career with a .341 batting average, nine homers, 99 RBI and 92 runs in 156 games. He went on to enjoy a productive 11-year Major League career with the Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox. In nearly 1,500 big-league games, Loney batted .284 with 108 homers, 267 doubles and 669 RBI.

Matt Kemp (Las Vegas 51s, 2006-07)

It didn’t take Matt Kemp very long to race through the Los Angeles’ Dodgers minor-league system. Just three years after L.A. drafted him in the sixth round, Kemp was patrolling the outfield at Dodger Stadium and showcasing the hitting prowess that would make him a frequent MVP candidate.

Las Vegas baseball fans got a first-hand glimpse of Kemp’s five-tool talents during parts of two seasons with the 51s. The Oklahoma native was promoted from Double-A Jacksonville during the 2006 season and hit .368 with three homers and 36 RBI in 44 games in Las Vegas. After finishing the 2006 campaign in L.A., a 22-year-old Kemp returned to the 51s to start the 2007 season and he hit .329 with four homers and 20 RBI in 39 games.

That was enough for the Dodgers to come calling again, and Kemp never looked back. In 15 big-league seasons — the first nine of which were spent with the Dodgers — Kemp made three All-Star teams, won two Silver Slugger awards and two Gold Gloves.

During a particularly prolific three-year run from 2009-2011, Kemp hit .290 with 93 home runs, 83 doubles, 17 triples, 316 RBI and 294 runs. The best of those seasons was in 2011, when Kemp posted a career-best .324 batting average and led the National League with 39 homers, 126 RBI and 115 runs. In a controversial vote, he fell just short of winning the NL MVP.

Kemp retired after the 2020 season, finishing his career with a .284 average, 287 homers and 1,031 RBI in 1,750 Major League games.

Shane Mack (Las Vegas Stars, 1986-89)

Shane Mack’s baseball career began with a bit of a gamble: After the Kansas City Royals drafted him in the fourth round of the 1981 draft, the Los Angeles native declined to sign, instead accepting a scholarship from UCLA. The decision paid off, because three years later, the San Diego Padres selected Mack with the 11th overall pick of the 1984 draft and promptly sent the outfielder to Double-A.

After two solid seasons with the Beaumont (Texas) Golden Gators, Mack was elevated to Triple-A Las Vegas during the 1986 season. He would spend parts of the next four seasons with the Stars, batting .326 across 137 games.

In addition to being part of Las Vegas’ only two Pacific Coast League championship teams in 1986 and 1988, Mack earned his first two big-league promotions, playing a combined 201 games for the Padres in 1987 and 1988.

Prior to the start of the 1990 season, Mack was traded to the Minnesota Twins, where he enjoyed his greatest Major League success. In five seasons in Minnesota, he hit .309 with 67 homers, 119 doubles, 24 triples, 315 RBI, 351 runs and 71 stolen bases. At age 27, Mack was an integral part of the Twins’ 1991 World Series-winning team, batting .318 with 18 homers, 27 doubles and 74 RBI.

Mack ended his nine-year Major League career with a .299 batting average — and he finished it with the team that initially drafted him: the Royals.

Bip Roberts (Las Vegas Stars, 1987-88; 1995)

Like Mack, Leon “Bip” Roberts bypassed pro ball when he was initially drafted in 1981 by the Pittsburgh Pirates. But after the second baseman spent one season at Chabot College in Heyward, California, the Pirates came after Roberts again, selecting the Berkeley native in the first round of the 1982 draft.

This time, Roberts signed. However, he never played a game for the Pirates, as the San Diego Padres plucked him in the 1985 Rule 5 Draft. In so doing, the Padres had to keep Roberts on the big-league roster for the entire 1985 season or offer him back to Pittsburgh. They did just that, and Roberts hit .253 in 101 games with San Diego.

No longer under Rule 5 constraints, the Padres shipped diminutive infielder to Triple-A Las Vegas before the 1987 season. Needless to say, the 5-foot-7 Roberts rose to the challenge, as he batted .329, scored 139 runs and stole 56 bases in 198 games with the Stars in 1987-88.

Roberts was a huge contributor to the Stars’ 1988 Pacific Coast League championship club. He hit .353, posted a .406 on-base percentage, delivered 36 extra-base hits (including eight triples) and stole 29 bases in 36 attempts.

The Padres finally recalled Roberts in September 1988, and “The Bipster” spent the next decade as a big leaguer with six different teams (Padres, Royals, Reds, Indians, Tigers and his hometown A’s). In all, he played 12 Major League seasons and hit .294 with 30 home runs, 203 doubles, 31 triples, 663 runs, 352 RBI and 264 stolen bases.

Roberts, who played three games for Las Vegas in 1995 on an injury rehab stint, also made the 1992 National League All-Star team and finished among the top 10 NL hitters in 1990, 1992 and 1994.

Eddie Williams (Las Vegas Stars, 1990, 1994, 1998)

If ever there was a poster child for the phrase “baseball journeyman,” it was Eddie Williams.

Drafted by the New York Mets with the fourth-overall pick in 1983, Williams played for 11 different Major League organizations from 1983-1999. He then went on to play four seasons of independent ball and one season in the Mexican League.

A prodigious power hitter from San Diego, Williams did three tours of duty with his hometown Padres in 1990, 1994-95 and 1998. And each time the first baseman/third baseman returned to the San Diego organization, he found his way to Las Vegas, where he frequently tormented Pacific Coast League pitchers.

Never was this truer than on April 22, 1998, when Williams had a game for the ages north of the border: Facing the Calgary Cannons, Williams exploded for a Las Vegas franchise-record four home runs and 10 RBI in a wild 20-15 victory.

Every time he donned a Stars uniform, Williams delivered at the plate. He hit .316 with 17 homers and 75 RBI in 93 games in 1990; .352 with 20 homers and 54 RBI in 59 games in 1994; and .336 with 20 homers and 77 RBI in 90 games in 1998.

Altogether, Williams’ career statistics rank among the best in Las Vegas history: .332 batting average, 57 homers, 65 doubles, 176 runs and 206 RBI.

Williams spent parts of 10 seasons (395 games) with six big-league clubs, but he did the bulk of his damage for San Diego. In 177 games with the Padres, Williams hit .279 with 26 of his 39 career home runs and 96 of his 150 career RBI.

Black History Month: Top Five Black Players In Bowie Baysox History

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 for the Bowie Baysox.

JEFFREY HAMMONDS

After being the 4th overall pick in the 1992 MLB First Year Player Draft by the Baltimore Orioles, Hammonds played on the USA Olympic Team during that summer. After playing in one game at Camden Yards during the pre-Olympic Tour, he signed with the Orioles immediately following the game and was introduced to the home crowd during that night’s Orioles vs. Twins game.

He would be assigned to begin his first pro season with the new Bowie Baysox in 1993 and played in 24 games with the club, hitting .283/3/10 before being promoted to AAA Rochester. He played in 36 games with the Red Wings before being promoted to Baltimore.

Hammonds would hit .305 during his first year in Baltimore and play for the Orioles from 1993-1998 before being traded to Cincinnati where he would play two seasons. He was then traded to Colorado for the 2000 season where he was selected as a National League All-Star and hit .335 with 20 home runs and 106 RBIs. He then signed a 3-year deal with Milwaukee but struggled with injuries during that tenure. He would also play for the Giants in 2003-04 and the Nationals in 2005 before retiring.

In a career that came full circle, he played his final pro game at Prince George’s Stadium while on a rehab assignment for the Nationals with the Harrisburg Senators.

Today, Hammonds is the Associate Director of Player Programs and Initiatives at the Major League Baseball Players Association in New York.

In Bowie, Hammonds will forever be known as the first Baysox player to have ever been called up to the Major Leagues.

CALVIN PICKERING

A 35th round (976 overall) Draft Pick of the Orioles in the 1995 MLB First Year Player Draft, Calvin Pickering had to overcome big odds against him making it to the big leagues. He was an intriguing talent, with the power to match his 6’5″ and 2660 pound frame. He steadily progressed through the Orioles minor league system and showing the baseball world what he could do.

In 1996, he hit .325/18/66 for rookie-level Bluefield in 60 games and followed that up with a .311/25/79 line in 122 games for low-A Delmarva in 1997. Then came a big promotion from low-a to double-A Bowie, skipping over high-A Frederick, for the 1998 season. He would not be phased.

Pickering would continue his development in a big way during the 1998 season with the Baysox, hitting .309 with 31 home runs and 114 RBIs (a single season Bowie record that still stands) on his way to winning the Eastern League MVP award. He also won the home run and RBI legs of the Triple Crown in the league.

Following his MVP season, he would be called up to Baltimore to make his MLB Debut on September 12, 1998. He would spend much of the next three seasons at AAA Rochester, being called up to Baltimore for one 23-game stint with the Orioles in 1999. He would play a total of 95 MLB Games with Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati and Kansas City between 1998-2005.

In Bowie, he will forever be the first league MVP in team history.

CURTIS GOODWIN

A 12th round selection of the Baltimore Orioles in the 1991 MLB First Year Player Draft, outfielder Curtis Goodwin wasn’t among the top rated players in his draft class. He did make a name for himself in the Orioles system with his hitting prowess and speed. In 1992 & 1993, Goodwin hit .282 with a total of 113 stolen bases between Low-A and High-A. He would be assigned to play with Bowie during a rather unique season in 1994.

The Baysox were scheduled to play a full season in their new home of Prince George’s stadium in 1994, however construction delays brought on by weather issues in the winter delayed the opening until mid-June. The Baysox would play “home” games at the United states Naval Academy, University of Maryland and Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick before playing their first real home game on June 16, 1994. These developments didn’t seem to slow down Goodwin in his quest to make it to the Majors.

Goodwin had a season to remember for the Baysox that year, leading the team in games played (142), at bats (597), runs scored (105), hits (171), stolen bases (59) while hitting .286. Those numbers still rank as single-season records for the Baysox franchise today.

He would be called up for his MLB Debut with the Orioles on June 2, 1995 and play 87 games for the big club that season. He would go on to play two seasons with the Reds in 1996-97, one season with Colorado (1998) and split the 1999 season between the Cubs and Blue Jays. He played a total of 431 MLB games. He finished his playing career spending 73 games with Oklahoma City (AAA) in 2001 and playing in some independent leagues between 2002-2007.

One of seven first round draft picks of the Orioles in the 1999 MLB First Year Player Draft, Keith Reed was rated as the Orioles #1 prospect in 2001 and made his MLB Debut for the Orioles on May 11, 2005.

Reed would be assigned to play with Bowie for part of the 2001 season where he hit .254/1/8 in 18 games. He would return to Bowie and play 372 games over three seasons (2002-2004) with the Baysox.

He is among the Baysox all-time franchise leaders in many categories including:

  • Games played: 390 (5th)
  • Hits: 382 (3rd)
  • Runs: 189 (5th)
  • Doubles: 66 (8th)
  • Home Runs: 42 (4th)
  • RBIs: 176 (4th)

Reed would only get to play in six MLB games for Baltimore in his career, going 1-5 in 2005. He would spend the 2006 season with AAA Ottawa and then spent the 2007-08 seasons playing independent ball before retiring.

CEDRIC MULLINS

From being a 13th round draft pick to MLB All-Star, Cedric Mullins had a steady ascent through the Orioles farm system before hitting a roadblock on his way to becoming one of the top outfielders in the game today.

He would spend the 2017 season with Bowie, hitting .265/13/37 before returning to begin the 2018 season with the Baysox. He wouldn’t be in Bowie too long, playing in just 49 games and compiling a .313/6/28 line before getting promoted to AAA Norfolk. He would also get called up to Baltimore to make his MLB Debut on August 10, 2018 and play in 45 games for the Orioles.

Entering the 2019 season, he seemed to have a lock on a job in the outfield for the Orioles, but after hitting just .094/0/4 in 22 games, Mullins was sent back to AAA Norfolk where he continued to struggle. After 66 games at AAA, he would be sent back to Bowie to try to recapture what got him to the Big Leagues. Mullins would work hard and persevere in 51 games with the Baysox, hitting .271/5/18 and helping lead the team back to the playoffs and a berth in the Eastern League Championship series.

The 2020 MLB season, shortened by the Covid-19 pandemic, would see Mullins begin the season as part of the 30-man squad preparing at the “alternate training site” in Bowie. He would be called up early in the season and played in 48 games, hitting .271/3/12. He was back on the map and seemed to enter the 2021 season as the incumbent in centerfield. What came next, most people did not expect…except maybe Cedric.

Cedric started the 2021 season as the Orioles leadoff hitter and starting centerfielder and he would not relinquish that position all season long. He was a rock in the lineup, playing in 159 of 162 games and putting together a season to remember. He spent much of the season near the top of the American League batting leaders and finished with a .291 average. He also hit 30 home runs, a career high, and knocked in 59 runs. He also added 37 doubles (5th in A.L.), 30 stolen bases (2nd in the A.L.) and had 175 hits. He was also named as an American League All-Star for the first time in his career. He also won the MLBPAA Orioles Heart and Hustle Award.

In early February, 2022, Mullins revealed that he was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in November, 2020. In the spring of 2020, Mullins felt ill for a bit but thought it might have been food poisoning. At the time, Trey Mancini was battling Colon cancer and Mullins was certainly concerned with the pain that followed throughout the season. He found out in November, 2020 that he had Crohn’s and over 10 centimeters of his intestine was surgically removed. Due to an infection, he lost around 20 pounds. He built himself back up and had a breakthrough and breakout season.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the names and accomplishments of six additional players who suited up for part of their career in Bowie.

JERRY HAIRSTON, JR: Hairston was drafted by the Orioles in the 11th round of the 1997 MLB Draft. He made his pro debut with the rookie-level Bluefield Orioles in 1997. He made a quick rise up in the O’s farm system, beginning the 1998 season with high-A Frederick, where he played 80 games. He was then promoted to Bowie, where he hit .326 in 55 games and received a September promotion to Baltimore. He made his MLB Debut for the Orioles on September 11, 1998.

He would go on to have a 16 year Major League career, playing for the Orioles, Cubs, Rangers, Reds, Yankees, Padres, Nationals, Brewers and Dodgers. He would win a World Series as part of the 2009 Yankees team. Today, he works as part of the Dodgers broadcast team.

WILLIE HARRIS: A 24th round draft pick of the Orioles in the 1999 MLB Draft, Harris rocketed through the O’s farm system, reaching AA Bowie in just his 2nd full season in pro ball. He would not disappoint, putting together a solid season, hitting .305 with nine home runs and 49 RBIs while playing 133 games for the Baysox. He also stole 54 bases, a total that ranks second in Baysox team history for a single season. Following the Bowie season in 2001, he would be called up to Bowie for his his MLB Debut with the Orioles.

After the 2001 season, Harris was traded to the Chicago White Sox where he played for four seasons. He was an important piece of their 2005 World Series Championship. In game four, he scored the only run in a 1-0 win by the White Sox, clinching the series championship.

Following the 2005 season, he was picked up by the Red Sox and he would play 47 games in Boston in 2006. He would go on to play for Atlanta (2007), Washington (2008-10), New York Mets (2011) and Cincinnati (2012) before hanging up his cleats. Since retiring, Harris has served as a minor league coach and manager in the White Sox and Giants organizations. He has also served as the Cincinnati Reds baserunning and outfield coordinator and most recently was the third base coach for the Chicago Cubs.

TIM RAINES, JR.: “Little Rock” as many called him, was drafted in the 6th round of the 1998 MLB Draft by the Orioles. He would spend parts of the 2001-2003 seasons with the Baysox where he would show off his speed on the base paths. He would swipe 90 bases in his Bowie career, becoming the team’s all-time career leader in that category. In his minor league career, he amassed 453 stolen bases.

“Little Rock” is the son of Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Tim “Rock” Raines. On October 4, 2001, Raines, Jr. played centerfield for the Orioles while his dad, played left field. They became the second major league father-son duo to play in the same game for the same team (Griffey’s). Raines, Jr. has also coached in the Orioles farm system, serving as the Hitting Coach for the Aberdeen IronBirds during the 2017 season.

WALTER YOUNG: Selected by the Pirates in the 31st round of the 1999 MLB Draft, Young was a very imposing figure. Standing 6′ 5″ tall and weighing around 300 pounds, Young could launch baseballs all over the ballpark. While a student at Purvis High School in Purvis, Mississippi, he turned down a scholarship offer to play football at LSU to sign with the Pirates. He would play in the minors for the Pirates though the 2003 season, but was released prior to the 2004 season and he was signed by the Orioles and assigned to Bowie.

During the 2004 season with the Baysox, he overcame a slow start to play in 133 games, hitting .274 with 33 home runs and 98 RBIs. The 33 home runs are tied for the single-season record in Baysox team history. Young would be named to the Eastern League All-Star game in 2004 and participate against Ryan Howard in the All Star Game Home Run Derby. During the Derby, Young launched a home run over the flag pole in deep centerfield that was going UP as it left the stadium.

Young would be called up to make his MLB Debut on September 6, 2005 after a solid season at AAA Ottawa. He would play in 14 games for the Orioles, hitting .303 with his only MLB home run. Those would be the only MLB games he would play. He would retire from baseball after playing for a few independent league teams between 2007-2010 and became a shift sergeant at the county jail in Forrest County Sheriff’s Department in Hattiesburg, MS. He died of a heart attack on September 19, 2015.

QUINCY LATIMORE

“Q” was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 4th round of the 2007 MLB Draft out of Middle Creek High School in Apex, NC. Through 2021, he has played in over 1,700 professional games across the world, including stops in the U.S., Mexico and even Australia. Entering the 2022 season, he is looking forward to getting at least 43 more RBIs, which would give him 1,000 for his professional career.

Latimore was signed by the Orioles as a minor league free agent after playing the previous four seasons across the Eastern League, including two seasons in Altoona, one in Akron and one Harrisburg. The 2015 season would be his fifth consecutive season in the same Double-A league. It was here in Bowie where he had a breakout, hitting .274 with a career single-season best 20 home runs and 64 RBIs. He was also a key member of the Baysox 2015 Eastern League Championship Team, providing timely offense, stellar defense and infectious, positive attitude everyday at the ballpark. The 2022 season will be Latimore’s 15th professional season playing baseball and maybe his final season as a player.

DARNELL MCDONALD

D-Mac as his teammates called him throughout his career, was drafted by the Orioles in the first round of the 1997 MLB Draft out of Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, CO. His first professional experience would be with the Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds, spending one season there in 1998. He would move up to High-A Frederick in 1999 and then join Bowie for the 2000 season. McDonald would play in 183 career games with the Baysox between 2000-2002 and would make his MLB Debut for the Orioles on April 30, 2004.

Throughout his professional baseball career, he played in over 1,800 games, 331 of those in the majors, for seven organizations including: Baltimore, Cleveland, Minnesota, Cincinnati, Boston, Yankees and Cubs. While with the Red Sox in 2010, he hit a pinch hit, game tying home run, making him just the ninth player in team history to hit a home run in his first at bat.

The Nine – Norfolk’s Top 5 Black Players All Time

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 for the Norfolk Tides:

Outfielder D.J. Dozier was born in Norfolk, Virginia on September 21, 1965. He attended Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach and excelled as a baseball and football player. He was drafted out of high school by the Detroit Tigers in the 18th round of the 1983 MLB Draft but elected to not sign and went to play football at Penn State University. Dozier led the Nittany Lions in rushing yards all four years he played and scored the game-winning touchdown in the 1986 Fiesta Bowl to help Penn State win the National Championship. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings with the 14th overall pick of the 1987 NFL Draft, but left the NFL after the 1989 season to pursue a baseball career. He signed with the New York Mets in 1990 and played two seasons with the Tidewater Tides in 1991 and 1992, where he totaled 107 games and batted .250 with eight home runs and 47 RBI. He played 25 games with the Mets in 1992, making him one of 67 people to have played a game in both MLB and the NFL. Dozier was inducted into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

Seven players have won league MVP for the Tides, and third baseman Butch Huskey was one of them. After the MLB Strike Year in 1994, Huskey returned for his second season with Norfolk and hit .284 with 28 home runs and 87 RBI in 109 games to earn the International League MVP Award and a Postseason All-Star selection. The 28 homers are tied for the third most by a Tide in a single season. In his career with Norfolk, Huskey played 238 games between three seasons (1994-95, 1998), hitting .253 with 38 home runs and 147 RBI. He ranks among Tides franchise career leaders in home runs (T-11th) and RBI (17th). Huskey went on to play in seven different seasons in MLB (1993, 1995-2000), totaling a .267 average, 86 home runs and 336 RBI in 642 games. Huskey was one of the last Mets to wear number 42 before MLB retired Jackie Robinson’s number throughout the league.

Like Dozier, Huskey was also a football player. He played both sports at Eisenhower High School in his hometown Lawton, Oklahoma, where he was an All-State tight end and was offered a scholarship to play at the University of Oklahoma. Instead, he signed with the New York Mets after being drafted in the seventh round of the 1989 MLB Draft.

Cedric Mullins

In 2015, outfielder Cedric Mullins was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 13th round in the MLB Draft out of Campbell University. Mullins started his baseball career as a switch hitter but decided to only bat left-handed before the 2021 season. That decision paid off, as he went on to earn his first MLB All-Star selection and won an AL Silver Slugger Award as an outfielder. In 159 games, he hit .291 with 91 runs, 37 doubles, 30 home runs, 59 RBI and 30 stolen bases. He was the second player in franchise history to record at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, joining Ken Williams (St. Louis Browns, 1922). The outstanding season placed him ninth in AL MVP voting. He was the first Oriole to start in an All-Star game since Manny Machado did so at the shortstop position in 2018.

Mullins played 126 games with the Tides between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, hitting .235 with 81 runs, 25 doubles, 11 home runs, 43 RBI and 25 stolen bases. He hit leadoff in 111 of those games.

One of the most decorated players in Tides’ history is Darryl Strawberry, who was the number one overall pick in the 1980 MLB Draft by the New York Mets. After playing the 1982 season with Double-A Jackson, he was called up to Tidewater to help the Tides compete in the International League playoffs. He went 5-for-20 in five playoff games, including a home run and two RBI, which helped Tidewater go 6-0 in the playoffs for their second Governors’ Cup title.

Strawberry started the 1983 season with the Tides and played 16 games before being called up to the Mets. He went on to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award that season. Strawberry’s success continued from there, earning eight-straight All-Star selections from 1984 to 1991. He also won NL Silver Slugger Awards as an outfielder in 1988 and 1990, where he also placed in the top-three in MVP voting those seasons.

Strawberry is one of seven former number one overall picks to play for the Tides. Among former Tides, he ranks among MLB career leaders in home runs (335, 2nd), stolen bases (221, 8th) and RBI (1,000, 8th).

In game six of the 1986 World Series, Mookie Wilson made his mark in baseball history. With the Mets down to their final out against the Boston Red Sox, Wilson hit a routine groundball to first baseman Bill Buckner which should have won Boston their first World Series since 1918. However, the ball rolled through Buckner’s legs and Mets went on to win game six and seven to win the World Series.

Prior to winning a World Series with the Mets, Wilson played in three seasons with the Tides. He played two full seasons in 1979 and 1980, while playing nine games in 1986 on an injury rehab assignment. In 282 games, he hit .280 with 180 runs, 34 doubles, 24 triples, nine home runs, 84 RBI and 103 stolen bases. He’s the franchise leader in triples, while ranking third in stolen bases and tied for tenth in runs scored with Clint Hurdle. He’s one of eight Tides to play at least 140 games in a season and owns the single-season triples record with 14 in 1980.

Rattlers Celebrate Black History Month: Ervin Lee Ford: Appleton Pro Baseball Pioneer

 

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers continue Minor League Baseball’s celebration of Black History Month with a look at Ervin Ford, the first African-American to play for the Appleton Papermakers.

It was February 5, 1952. Travis Jackson had just stepped off the train in Appleton less than a week after the Boston Braves had named his as the manager of the Papermakers. One of his first questions for the Papermakers board was about the set-up in this northern city for Black players.

Jackie Robinson had broken the color barrier in Minor League Baseball in 1946 in Montreal and in Major League Baseball in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Papermakers, a team in Class-D, had been affiliated with the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, and St. Louis Browns between 1946 and 1951 and had never had an African-American player assigned to them by their parent club.

The Boston Braves has a different approach. According to Jackson, the Braves had signed as many as 20 Black players heading into 1952 and fans of the Papermakers should expect to see some heading their way.

Ervin Lee Ford, born in 1930 in Whiteville, North Carolina, was a graduate of North Carolina A&T University in 1949. He played baseball and ran track there. His speed was his calling card and that is what caught the eye of baseball scouts.

The first mention of Ford in The Appleton Post-Crescent was on April 23, 1952. It was a dispatch from Boston Braves minor league camp in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

John Roach appears to have nailed down an outfield post while Ervin Ford, the fastest man in camp, looks like he will patrol another field.

The second mention of Ford in The Appleton Post-Crescent was on April 24, 1952, just three days before the team was scheduled to arrive in Appleton after breaking camp.

The Appleton Papermakers suffered their first major injury of the baseball season on the eve of their departure from the Boston Braves’ minor league training camp at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Ervin Ford, fleet outfielder, suffered a fractured ankle sliding into second base at Myrtle Beach Wednesday, manager Travis Jackson told Appleton baseball club officials this morning.

This injury kept Ford from joining the team for Opening Day. He would not reach Appleton until July 13. There were a few days off for the Wisconsin State League All-Star Game and Ford didn’t get his first start until July 16.

Ervin Ford started his first game of ball since his injury in spring training…He got a big round of applause every time he came to bat but managed to get only one hit, an infield knock in front of the plate. He bats right and throws right.

The paper made note of Ford’s speed in an article about a game at Green Bay on July 27, 1952.

Highly touted as a speedster before he fractured his ankle in spring training, he gave the fans a look at what he can run like Saturday night when he singled to right in the ninth inning. The Green Bay outfielder bobbled the ball and the long, loose Ford, running like a foxhound on a fresh scent, went all the way to third.

Unfortunately, Ford’s season ended just a few days later:

Ervin Ford, Appleton Papermaker outfielder, dogged with bad luck all year, is being sent to his home in Whiteville, North Carolina with a broken ankle. Ward re-fractured his right ankle according to Dr. George Hegner, team physician. Hegner believes the break occurred in a game at Green Bay Thursday night. Ford complained of his ankle hurting him and he sat out the exhibition game with the Milwaukee Brewers Friday night. X-rays revealed that the ankle was broken.

The Post-Crescent states that Ford had appeared in thirteen complete games since joining the team, had a hit in all those games, and was the team’s leading hitter during that time.

Baseball-Reference has Ford 19-for-65 (.292) in sixteen games in his brief time with the Papermakers that season.

Ford started 1953 with Eau Claire in the Class C-Northern League and played ten games there with a .308 average before the Braves sent him back to Appleton on May 19 and he had two hits in that game at Fond du Lac. However, Ford wound up on the injured list in early June, would total just eight more hits over his next seventeen games while healthy for a .179 average, and the Braves would release him on June 16, 1953.

Ford would get back into baseball with the El Paso Texans of the Southwestern League in 1956 where he played 130 games, hit .347, knocked ten homers, drove in 73 runs, scored 102 runs, and stole 22 bases. He split time between El Paso and the Mexico City Reds of the Mexican League in 1957. In 1958, Ford finished his professional playing career with Mexico City.

The last mention that I could find of Ford is this story from Greenboro.com on September 26, 1998 about the North Carolina A&T University Sports Hall of Fame.

Ervin Ford, who graduated in 1949, who graduated in 1949, played baseball and ran track at A&T. he later played with the Negro League’s Indianapolis clowns, [the Appleton Papermakers and the Eau Claire Bears in the Boston Braves’ minor league system, and with the El Paso Texans and Mexico City Reds].

Ford and his wife of 47 years, Mary George Ford, have eight children, seventeen grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Ford has supported three children through A&T undergraduate program and currently is supporting his granddaughter, who is attending Graduate School at A&T

Appleton was a small part of Ervin Lee Ford’s life. However, he was an important part of Appleton’s baseball history and of Appleton’s overall story.

Military Appreciation Night at FirstEnergy Stadium

 

(Reading, PA) – The Reading Fightin Phils will salute the men and women who have fought for our country and freedom. On Tuesday, June 14th the R-Phils will celebrate Military Appreciation Night at America’s Classic Ballpark when the team takes on the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox) at 7:00pm. Fans can have the opportunity to honor a special military member in their life by reserving a group outing to receive a personalized game-worn jersey. Plus, be one of the first to enter the gate to get a unique R-Phils giveaway celebrating Flag Day!

On Flag Day, each Fightins player will wear a custom jersey dedicated to one who has served or is currently serving in the nation’s armed forces during the game. Players will receive a photo & bio prior to the game of the military member they are representing. A special post-game jersey ceremony will take place with the 25 military honorees or their families thanks to Savage 61 Auto Group & 830 AM WEEU.

If you have a loved one that you would like honored during the game, please consider bringing out a group of family and friends. Groups that purchase 20 or more reserved seats or picnic area tickets to the June 14 game can have a personalized jersey worn by a member of the R-Phils recognizing a veteran or a member of the active military for no additional charge. This opportunity is limited to the first 25 groups. To honor a special military member in your life, click here.

The first 2,000 fans age 15 and over will receive a celebratory R-Phils Flag Day Patriotic T-Shirt. All fans will have the chance to show our local veterans and active military some love and support.

FirstEnergy Stadium, built as Reading Municipal Memorial Stadium in 1951, was named in honor of the service men and women who gave their lives for the country. 48 years later in 1999, a statue in the form of giant dog tags was placed in front of FirstEnergy Stadium in a special rededication ceremony to honor the area’s veterans.

To further pay tribute to the sacrifices made by our veterans, the Fightins fly a Ceremonial Flag to honor and tell the story of a specific veteran each home game. The ceremonial flag flies by those giant dog tags near the stadium’s main entrance, thanks to Savage 61. After the game, the flag is lowered and given to the family.

Before each game, the Fightin Phils raise a ceremonial flag to pay tribute to their memory and tell their story while welcoming their family to the game.

“FirstEnergy stadium was built to honor the service men and women from our community who gave their lives for our country,” said Fightin Phils General Manager Scott Hunsicker. “America’s Classic Ballpark is not just a stadium, it’s a memorial. It is only fitting that those who have protected America are remembered at every game here at America’s Classic Ballpark. We hope that everyone attends our games will be fully aware the stadium is a memorial to the veterans of our community.

Help us continue to show support and gratitude for all active and retired service personnel by joining us at our Military Appreciation Night on Tuesday, June 14th.

Please complete this form to reserve the opportunity for a jersey to be worn by a player during the June 14th game. A Reading Fightin Phils representative will contact you to confirm your submission and coordinate your group outing.

Contact Matt Koch at [email protected] with any questions!

Top Black Players in Cedar Rapids Kernels History

 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at six 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 six of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for the Cedar Rapids Ball Club.

Eric Davis:

Drafted in the 8th round of the 1980 MLB draft by the Cincinnati Reds. Eric Davis played in 111 games for the Cedar Rapids Reds in 1982. Eric hit .277 with 15 home runs, 56 RBIs, and stealing 53 bases.

Eric debuted with the Cincinnati Reds in 1984. Eric became a member of the 30/30 club in 1987, hitting 37 home runs and stealing 50 bases. Eric was a key member of the Reds 1990 World Series Championship team. Over his 17-year career Eric was a .269 hitter with 282 home runs and 349 stolen bases. The two-time All-Star also won three Gold Gloves.

Reggie Sanders:

The Cincinnati Reds used their 7th round pick in the 1987 draft on Outfielder, Reggie Sanders. Reggie played for Cedar Rapids in 1990, playing in 127 games. Reggie hit .285 with 17 home runs, 63 RBIs and 40 stolen bases.

Reggie debuted with the Reds in the 1991 season playing in just 9 games. In the 1992 season Reggie finished 4th in the Rookie of the Year voting. Reggie was part of the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks team that would win the World Series. In total Reggie played for 8 big league teams over 17 seasons. A career .267 hitter with 305 home runs and 983 RBI’s. Reggie has 1666 career hits and 304 Stolen Bases.

Howie Kendrick:

The Anaheim Angels drafted Howie Kendrick in the 10th round in 2002. Howie played 75 games for the Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2004 and he did not disappoint. Howie hit an incredible .367 over those 75 games.

Howie would make his MLB debut in 2006 and would enjoy a 15-year career. His only All-Star appearance came in 2011, but his best season was in 2019 when he helped lead the Nationals to the Franchises first World Series title. The NLCS MVP hit a career high .344 in 121 games with 17 home runs during the regular season. Howie recently retired after the 2020 season, as a career .294 hitter with 1747 career hits to his name.

Reggie Jefferson:

Reggie Jefferson was a first baseman out of Lincoln High School in Tallahassee, Florida. The Reds would draft him in the 3rd round in 1986, he would play 15 games in Cedar Rapids in 1987 and would return for a full season in 1988. Reggie blasted 18 home runs and drove in 90 runs during the ’88 season.

Reggie Debuted with the Reds in 1991 but would only play in five games before being traded to Cleveland. Over his 9-year big league career Reggie would average 17 home runs 71 RBIs. He finished his career with a batting average of exactly .300. Reggie would also spend some time playing in Japan, as well as coaching in the Minor Leagues and College level.

Chili Davis:

Born in Jamacia, Chili Davis was drafted in the 11th round by the Giants out of High School in 1977. He would play in 124 games for the Cedar Rapids Giants in 1978. That year Chili hit .281 with 16 home runs, 73 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. He was a Midwest League All-star and named the team MVP.

In 1981 Chili made history, being the first Jamaican born player to reach the big leagues. He would finish 4th in the Rookie of the Year votes in 1982 and would spend 19 years as a player in the big leagues playing for 5 teams. Chili would be on three World Series Championship teams (Minnesota 1991, New York Yankees 1998-99). A .274 career hitter with 2380 hits and 350 home runs. After retiring as a player Chili would go on to be a coach making stops in Oakland, Boston, Chicago (Cubs), and New York (Mets).

John Roseboro:

John played for the Cedar Rapids Raiders (Brooklyn Dodgers) in 1955 where he played in 55 games. John hit .235 that year but was better known for his defense.

He would make his MLB debut in 1957, playing in 35 games. The next season he would take over full time catching duties for the Dodgers after Roy Campanella was seriously injured in a car accident. John made his first of six All-Star teams that year. John was known as one of the best defensive catchers in baseball during his 14-year career. He would win two Gold Gloves and win 3 World Series titles. Following his retirement John would coach for the Senators, Angels, and Dodgers in both the Major and Minor Leagues. John passed away in 2002 at the age of 69.

Top 5 Black Players in Visalia History

 

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 for the Visalia Rawhide.

Kirby Puckett

Kirby Puckett was named California League Rookie of the Year in 1983, when he hit .309 with 172 hits, 97 RBI, and 48 stolen bases. He went on to win two World Championships with the Minnesota Twins. Puckett compiled a career batting average of .318 and was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. His home run in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series remains an indelible moment from one of the most exciting series in baseball history. He was inducted into the Rawhide Hall of Fame in 2011 as a part of the inaugural class. Kirby Puckett’s number 28 is the only retired number in Visalia franchise history, other than Jackie Robinson’ number 42.

Napoleon “Nap” Gulley

Napoleon Gulley, affectionately known as “Nap,” was one of the first African-American players in the California League. He holds Visalia’s Franchise Record for most career hits with 507. He ranks among franchise leaders in career home runs and batted .307 over four seasons. Gulley never had the chance to play in Major League Baseball, but was a supremely talented outfielder who played for Jackie Robinson’s barnstorming teams and was a Negro League and Mexican League Star..

Dave Roberts

David “Dave” Roberts played for the 1996 Visalia Oaks in the Detroit organization. In 126 games, Roberts scored 112 runs, slashed .272 and led the minors 65 stolen bases. He went on to play in the Majors, becoming a World Series Champion in 2004 with the Boston Red Sox. Roberts became manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016. He led the Dodgers to the World Series in 2017, 2018, and 2020, winning it all in the latter year. In doing so, he became the first manager of Asian heritage and second Black manager to lead his team to a World Series title.

Justin Upton

The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Upton with the first overall pick in the 2005 MLB Draft. He began a stint with the Visalia Oaks in 2007, where he stole 9 bases and had an .341 on-base percentage before getting promoted to the Double-A Mobile Baybears. Upton has gone on to become a four-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger.

Vada Edward Pinson, Jr.

Vada Pinson, Jr .dominated the California League in 1957. He batted .367 with 209 hits, 40 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs, 165 runs scored, and 349 total bases while playing every game that season. He is highly regarded as a legend to all who saw him play at Recreation Ballpark. Pinson spent 18 seasons in the Major Leagues, primarily with the Cincinnati Reds, collecting over 2,700 career hits in the Majors. He remained close friends with Visalia’s Taylor Family (the founders and owners of the iconic Taylor’s Hot Dogs) until his death in 1995.

Best African-American Tourists Baseball Players of All Time

ASHEVILLE- 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.

Here is a look at the top five African-American baseball players to suit up in Asheville, along with a few honorable mentions; criteria ranges from MLB performance, numbers put up in Asheville, and significance in both the baseball world as well as the Asheville community:

#5 Clarence Moore

Originally a member of the Asheville Black Tourists, Clarence Moore founded the Asheville Blues in the 1940s and recruited a number of his teammates to his new club; one of the most talented Negro baseball teams in the region.

Moore was born in El Dorado, Arkansas in 1908 and was drawn to baseball at an early age. During his teenage years and into his twenties, Moore faced off against some of the best African-American ballplayers including “Cool Papa” Bell and Satchel Paige. In 1934, Moore became a teacher and Athletic Director at Stevens-Lee High School in Asheville. Leading up to the 1944 season, Moore purchased the Asheville Blues. For the first two years of its existence, the Blues were Asheville’s only professional baseball team.

Moore led the Blues to back-to-back Negro Southern League championships in 1946 and 1947. He was then named the president of the newly formed Negro American Association, a league which was based in North Carolina that Moore and the Blues joined in 1948. Despite losing a lot of talent throughout the season, Moore led the Blues to a 38-9 record in the first half of the season and ultimately a runner-up finish in the championship.

1946 Asheville Blues, Negro Southern League Champions. C.L Moore is in the front row all the way on the left.

Clarence Moore retired in 1973. He was inducted into Shaw University’s Athletic Hall of Fame, the Western North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, and the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame (Mitchem, 2012). Moore’s contribution to the city of Asheville goes well beyond baseball; however, his Asheville Blues were one of the most successful and historically significant baseball teams in the city’s history.

*The information and photographs used to highlight Clarence Moore are from the article “Wonder Team of the Carolinas” C.L. Moore, the Asheville Blues, and Minor League Blackball in the South by Pamela Mitchem.

Player Number 4 – Tuesday

Player Number 3 – Wednesday

Player Number 2 – Thursday

Player Number 1 and Honorable Mentions – Friday

Nine of the Most Significant Black Players in Syracuse Baseball History

 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at some of the most significant 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.”

In honor of Jackie Robinson’s number nine, which he wore in his lone minor league season with the Montreal Royals in 1946, here is a look at nine of the most significant Black baseball players ever to suit up for Syracuse.

Moses Fleetwood Walker

Moses Fleetwood Walker played for the Syracuse Stars in 1888 and 1889 and is known as the first Black man to play in the major leagues. Although research shows that William Edward White was the first Black man to play in the majors (playing as a substitute in one game), White passed as a white man, whereas Moses Fleetwood Walker was the first to be open about his heritage. Walker played one season in the majors with the Toledo Blue Stockings in 1884, playing in 42 games, primarily as a catcher. After stops with other minor league teams, Walker finished his professional baseball career with Syracuse. He helped the Starts win the International Association pennant in 1888. The Stars were in the International League in 1889, and Walker played in 50 games before he was released from the team near the end of the season. Walker was the last Black player to play in the International League before Jackie Robinson did so in 1946 with Montreal.

Vic Power

Vic Power is the first Black player to play a full season with the Syracuse Chiefs. Power played for the Chiefs in 1951 as part of the New York Yankees organization, hitting .294 with 22 doubles and 56 RBI as a first baseman and outfielder. By some accounts, Power should’ve been the first Black Yankee player, but he wasn’t, and Elston Howard holds that title. Instead, Power combined for a .284 career batting average in 12 seasons in the majors between the Philadelphia Athletics, Kansas City Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Angels, and California Angels. Power was inducted into the Syracuse Baseball Wall of Fame in 2008.

Willie Smith

Willie Smith pitched for the Syracuse Chiefs in 1963 and played two games in 1964 while he was a member of the Detroit Tigers system. Smith earned the nickname “Wonderful Willie” while putting together an outstanding 1963 season with Syracuse, going 14-2 on the mound with 14 complete games in 19 appearances and 145 innings pitched, including a franchise-record ten consecutive games with a win. Smith’s 2.11 ERA was the best in the league, as was his winning percentage. After his first eight wins, including seven complete games, Smith was called up and made his major league debut on June 18, 1963. After a few other appearances, Smith was sent back to Syracuse where he was named the starting pitcher for the league’s All-Star team in an exhibition against the defending champion New York Yankees. Smith threw three scoreless innings of no-hit baseball while allowing just one walk. Smith was named the International League’s best pitcher of the 1963 season and was also solid at the plate with a .380 batting average (30-for-89). Smith went on to be used primarily as a hitter in nine major league seasons, including a .301 batting average in 118 games with the Los Angeles Angels in 1964 while pitching nearly 32 innings with a 2.84 ERA. Smith was inducted into the Syracuse Baseball Wall of Fame in 2000.

Willie Horton

Willie Horton played briefly with the Syracuse Chiefs in 1963, but his breakout season happened in 1964. After starting the season with Detroit, Horton struggled and was sent down to Syracuse where he flourished, hitting .288 in 135 games with 28 home runs and 99 RBIs. His production in Syracuse earned him a late-season call up to Detroit. Horton remained in the majors from 1964-1980, earning four All-Star Game selections with the Tigers and winning the 1968 World Series with Detroit. Horton finished his career with a .273 career batting average and 325 career home runs in 18 seasons between the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, and Seattle Mariners. Horton is also a member of the Syracuse Baseball Wall of Fame Class of 2000.

Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders is one of the best athletes of all time and is possibly the greatest multi-sport athlete ever. Sanders played 14 NFL seasons while playing 11 seasons of professional baseball, including nine years in the Major Leagues. Sanders played part of just one season with Syracuse, but it was where he ended his professional baseball career, playing 25 games with the Syracuse SkyChiefs in 2001. In his final professional baseball game, Sanders hit a home run and had an RBI single for Syracuse in a 12-6 win against Toledo. Sanders is the only person to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.

Terry Whitfield

Terry Whitfield played three seasons with the Syracuse Chiefs from 1974 to 1976 and was named an International League Mid-Season All-Star all three seasons. Whitfield worked his way up to Syracuse, the New York Yankees’ top minor league affiliate at the time, after he was drafted by the Yankees in the first round of 1971 MLB June amateur draft. Whitfield played briefly in three seasons with the Yankees from 1974 to 1976, but his best Major League seasons came from 1977 to 1980 with the San Francisco Giants where he played 514 games and had a .289 batting average in his four seasons with the Giants. After three years in the Japan Pacific League, Whitfield played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1984 to 1986. Whitfield is a 2008 inductee of the Syracuse Baseball Wall of Fame.

Greg “Boomer” Wells

Boomer Wells was a team leader and fan favorite while he played for the Syracuse Chiefs from 1978 to 1981. In those four seasons, Wells combined for a .274 batting average, 50 home runs, 64 doubles, and 226 RBIs in 379 games. Wells was a 1979 Minor-League Gold Glove winner at first base and a 1981 International League Post-Season All-Star. Despite his solid stats, Wells only played parts of two seasons in the Majors: 32 games in 1981 with Toronto and 15 games in 1982 with Minnesota. In 1983, Wells went to the Japan Pacific League where he played ten seasons. Wells is a member of the Syracuse Baseball Wall of Fame Class of 2008.

Clarence “Choo-Choo” Coleman

Choo-Choo Coleman played one season in Syracuse but was a member of the New York Mets in their inaugural season in 1962. Coleman hit the first home run in Mets history, albeit during an exhibition game, on Match 11, 1962 against the Cardinals. Despite this, Coleman did not make New York’s Opening Day roster and instead was sent to Triple-A Syracuse where injuries limited him to a .195 batting average in 71 games. Coleman did get an opportunity later in the season with the Mets where he hit .250 in 55 games as New York’s catcher. Coleman went on to play with the Mets in 1963 but then did not play in the majors again until 1966 where he played just six games with New York.

Bobby Mitchell

Bobby Mitchell played three seasons with Syracuse from 1969 to 1971 as a member of the New York Yankees organization. Mitchell played 69 games with the Chiefs in 1969 where he had a .328 batting average with 13 home runs, 18 doubles, 8 triples, 57 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases. Mitchell’s 1969 season included a five-hit game on July 16, 1969 at Louisville. He is one of 45 Syracuse players to have at least five hits in a game since 1961. In 1970, Mitchell played 107 games with Syracuse and ten games with the New York Yankees where he made his Major League debut. Then, Mitchell played 73 games with Syracuse in 1971 before he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. Mitchell played parts of four seasons with the Brewers before he played the rest of his career in the Japan Pacific League with the Nippon Ham Fighters.