Bellingham Dodgers

Last updated
Bellingham Dodgers
Minor league affiliations
Class Class A-Short Season
League Northwest League
Major league affiliations
Previous teams Los Angeles Dodgers
Minor league titles
Division titles (1)1974
Team data
ColorsDodger blue, white
  
Previous parks
Joe Martin Field
ManagerBill Berrier

The Bellingham Dodgers were a Minor League Baseball team in the Class A-Short Season Northwest League, based in Bellingham, Washington. The franchise played four season as an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1973 to 1976. In 1977 the team would change names to Bellingham Mariners representative of their new parent club.

Contents

History

The franchise arrived in 1973 as the Bellingham Dodgers, affiliated with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After three seasons in Medford and one season in Spokane in 1972, the Dodgers moved their Northwest League affiliate to Bellingham for 1973. In their first season the Dodgers posted a record of 42–37. The Dodgers would build upon their initial success. Bellingham went 52–32 on the year to win the West Division title. In the best of three games league championship series, the Dodgers fell to the Eugene Emeralds.

The team gained unwanted national notoriety in 1975 when it opened the season with 25 straight losses; [1] [2] [3] they finished at 17–61 (.218). The Dodgers would again find themselves at the bottom of the league standings in 1976. Following the season the franchise signed a player development contract with the expansion Seattle Mariners. The Los Angeles Dodgers shifted their short season affiliation to Lethbridge, where they would play as the Lethbridge Dodgers of the Pioneer League.

Ballpark

The Bellingham franchise played at Joe Martin Field, a venue with a seating capacity near 1,600. The park is currently the home of the Bellingham Bells of the West Coast League. [4]

Season-by-season record

SeasonPDC Division Finish Wins Losses Win% Post-seasonManagerAttendance
Bellingham Dodgers
1973 LAD South2nd4237.638 Bill Berrier 38,396
1974 LAD West1st5232.619Lost to Eugene in championship series 1-2 Bill Berrier 30,350
1975 LAD North6th1761.217 Bill Berrier 21,357
1976 LAD South6th3042.416 Bill Berrier 23,225
Division winnerLeague champions

See also

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References

  1. Hopper, Betty (July 13, 1975). "Bellingham Dodgers: maybe you can lose 'em all..." Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. p. D1.
  2. "Northwest League standings". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). July 13, 1975. p. D2.
  3. "Bellingham ends string, starts over". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. July 14, 1975. p. 10.
  4. "Joe Martin Field". Bellingham Bells. Archived from the original on September 1, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
Preceded by
Expansion franchise
Northwest League franchise
1973-1976
Succeeded by