Bend Rockies

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Bend Rockies
Minor league affiliations
Class Class A Short Season
League Northwest League
Division South
Major league affiliations
Previous teams Colorado Rockies
Minor league titles
Division titles (1)1992
Team data
ColorsPurple, black, silver, white
    
Mascot Bucky Buck
Ballpark Vince Genna Stadium

The Bend Rockies were a minor league baseball team that played in Bend, Oregon. The Rockies were members of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League for three years, from 1992 through 1994 and were affiliated with the Colorado Rockies. Prior to 1995 season, the franchise relocated to Portland, where they continued play as the Portland Rockies through 2000.

Contents

History

Following two seasons operating as a co-op club, the Bend franchise signed player development contract with the expansion Colorado Rockies. Bend was the first affiliate for the Colorado, who would not begin play until the following season in 1993. [1] Bend, who had been named the Bucks for the past five years, changed their moniker to mirror their parent club. The Bend Rockies began play on June 16, 1992. [2] [3] [4] [5]

The Rockies posted a record of 43–33 (.566) in their first regular season under manager Gene Glynn to win the south division title. [6] [7] Bend faced the Bellingham Mariners for the 1992 league championship, but were swept in two games by the Baby M's in the best-of-three series. [8] [9]

After reaching the peak of the Northwest League in their inaugural season, Bend was unable to match the same level of success. The Rockies posted consecutive last place division finishes in 1993 and 1994, the club's last in Bend. Portland had been vacant since autumn 1993, when owner Joe Buzas moved the Portland Beavers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL) to Salt Lake City (and became the Buzz). [10] With Oregon's largest city open, the franchise opted to fill the void by relocating. [11] Since the departure of the Rockies to Portland, affiliated professional baseball has yet to return to central Oregon. The only professional team to play in Bend since was the Bend Bandits of the Western Baseball League; the Bandits folded in 1998.

Ballpark

The Rockies played at Vince Genna Stadium in Bend. [2] [3] [5] [8]

Identity

Initially, owner Jack Cain wanted to maintain the Bucks name; at the insistence of the Colorado Rockies general manager Bob Gebhard, Bend adopted the nickname of their parent club. [12] The team's colors were purple, black, silver, and white and their uniforms were nearly identical to what the big club Rockies would wear with the exception of pinstripes. [13] The new identity for Bend was an instant success as the club sold more merchandise on opening night than the Bucks had sold in the entire previous season.

Season-by-season record

SeasonPDC Division Finish Wins Losses Win% Post-seasonManagerAttendance
Bend Rockies
1992 COL South1st4333.566Lost to Bellingham in championship series 2-0 Gene Glynn 58,777
1993 COL South4th3541.461 Howie Bedell 60,612
1994 COL South4th2947.381 Rudy Jaramillo 69,225
Division winnerLeague champions

Former players

References

  1. ↑ "Colorado Rockies select Bend as teams 1st minor league club". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 10, 1991. p. 2D.
  2. 1 2 Wilson, Mike (June 16, 1992). "New Bend Rox are ready to roll". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). p. D-1.
  3. 1 2 Wilson, Mike (June 17, 1992). "Rockies' debut thrusts Bend into spotlight". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). p. A-1.
  4. ↑ "Rockies win the 1st game for franchise". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. June 17, 1992. p. 3B.
  5. 1 2 Wilson, Mike (June 18, 1992). "Rox slugger makes instant impact". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). p. D-1.
  6. ↑ Wilson, Mike (September 3, 1992). "Bend manager puts polish on the Rox". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). p. D-1.
  7. ↑ Fears, Shannon (September 5, 1992). "Ems finish with a win over Bend". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1B.
  8. 1 2 Crolb, Bill (September 7, 1992). "M's end Rockies' roll in Game 1". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). p. D-1.
  9. ↑ Crolb, Bill (September 9, 1992). "Rox get Lowe-balled in Bellingham". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). p. D-1.
  10. ↑ Baum, Bob (September 3, 1993). "No turning back for Portland's Salt Lake-bound Beavers". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). p. -D-2.
  11. ↑ "Bend Rockies baseball moves over to Portland". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). Associated Press. September 14, 1994. p. 3B.
  12. ↑ "The day the Rockies came to Bend".
  13. ↑ Wilson, Mike (June 16, 1992). "New Bend Rox are ready to roll". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). p. D-1.
Preceded by Northwest League franchise
1992–1995		Succeeded by

46°04′37″N118°20′10″W / 46.077°N 118.336°W / 46.077; -118.336

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