Bend Rockies

Last updated
Bend Rockies
Minor league affiliations
Class Class A Short Season
League Northwest League
DivisionSouth
Major league affiliations
Previous teams Colorado Rockies
Minor league titles
Division titles (1)1992
Team data
ColorsPurple, black, silver, white
    
MascotBucky 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, Oregon, where they continued play as the Portland Rockies.

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 in 1992.

The Rockies posted a record of 43–33 on the year to win the south division title. Bend faced the Bellingham Mariners for league championship, but were swept by the Baby M's in the three game championship series.

After reaching the peak of the Northwest League in their inaugural season, Bend would be unable to match the same level of success. The Rockies posted consecutive last place division finishes in 1993 and 1994. The 1994 season would the club's last in Bend. Portland, Oregon had been vacant since 1993 when then-owner Joe Buzas moved the Portland Beavers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League to Salt Lake City. With Oregon's largest city open, the franchise opted to fill the void by relocating. [2] Since the departure of the Bend Rockies, 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 located in Bend, Oregon.

Identity

Initially, owner Jack Cain wanted to maintain the Bend Bucks . At the insistence of the Colorado Rockies general manager Bob Gebhard, Bend adopted the nickname of their parent club. [3] 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. [4] 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 2-0Gene Glenn58,777
1993 COL South4th3541.461 Howie Bedell 60,612
1994 COL South4th2947.381 Rudy Jaramillo 69,225
Division winnerLeague champions

Former players

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midwest League</span> American Minor League baseball league

The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pioneer League (baseball)</span> Independent baseball league

The Pioneer League is an independent baseball league that operates in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. Its teams are not directly affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB). It is designated as an MLB Partner League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona Complex League</span> Rookie league in Minor League Baseball

The Arizona Complex League (ACL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in and around Phoenix, Arizona, since 1988. Prior to 2021, it was known as the Arizona League (AZL). Along with the Florida Complex League (FCL), it forms the lowest rung on the North American minor-league ladder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado Springs Sky Sox</span> Minor league baseball team

The Colorado Springs Sky Sox were a Minor League Baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and was the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Milwaukee Brewers (2015–2018), Colorado Rockies (1993–2014), and Cleveland Indians (1988–1992). The Sky Sox won the PCL title in 1992 and 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boise Hawks</span> Minor league baseball team

The Boise Hawks are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. Home games are played at Memorial Stadium in Garden City, Idaho, a small city nearly surrounded by Boise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tri-City Dust Devils</span> Minor league baseball team

The Tri-City Dust Devils are a Minor League Baseball team based in Pasco, Washington. The Dust Devils are members of the Northwest League and are affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels. Tri-City plays their home games at Gesa Stadium, which opened in 1995 and has a seating capacity of 3,654.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portland Rockies</span> Minor league baseball team

The Portland Rockies were a minor league baseball team that played in Portland, Oregon. The Rockies were members of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League for six years, from 1995 through 2000. Prior to relocating to Portland, the franchise played in Bend, Oregon as the Bend Rockies from 1992 until 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vince Genna Stadium</span>

Vince Genna Stadium is a baseball park in the northwest United States, located in Bend, Oregon. Opened 59 years ago in 1964, it currently hosts college summer baseball league and area American Legion games.

Portland, Oregon, United States, is home to three major league sports teams — the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association, the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer, and the Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League. The city also hosts a wide variety of other sports and sporting events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of baseball in Portland, Oregon</span>

Portland, Oregon, has been home to many baseball teams, dating back to the 19th century. Despite this, Portland has never fielded a Major League Baseball team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Oregon Timberjacks</span> Minor league baseball team

The Southern Oregon Timberjacks were a minor league baseball team in the northwest United States, based in Medford, Oregon. The team played in the Class A-Short Season Northwest League and were an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics for 21 seasons. They played their home games at Miles Field in south Medford.

The Bend Phillies were a minor league baseball team located in Bend, Oregon. The Phillies were members of the Class A Short Season Northwest League from 1979 to 1986. Prior to 1981 the team was named the Central Oregon Phillies.

The Bend Rainbows were a minor league baseball team in Bend, Oregon, from 1970 to 1971. They played in the Class A-Short Season Northwest League and were an affiliate of the Triple-A Hawaii Islanders of the Pacific Coast League. Despite their brief tenure in minor league baseball, the team is often remembered as the team for which actor Kurt Russell began his professional baseball career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portland Beavers</span> Minor league baseball team

The Portland Beavers was the name of separate minor league baseball teams, which represented Portland, Oregon, in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). The team was established in 1903, the first year of the PCL.

The Bend Bucks were a minor league baseball team located in Bend, Oregon. The Bucks were members of the Class A Short Season Northwest League from 1987 to 1991.

The Bend Timberhawks were a minor league baseball team located in Bend, Oregon. The Timber Hawks were members of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League for a single season in 1978 and were affiliated with the Oakland Athletics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yakima Bears</span> Minor league baseball team

The Yakima Bears were a minor league baseball team in the northwest United States, located in Yakima, Washington. The Bears competed at the Class A Short Season level as members of the Northwest League from 1990 to 2012. Following the 2012 season, the franchise relocated to Hillsboro, Oregon, and became Hillsboro Hops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver Canadians (PCL)</span> Minor league baseball team

The Vancouver Canadians were a Minor League Baseball team of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League from 1978 to 1999. They were located in Vancouver, British Columbia and played their home games at Nat Bailey Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocky Mountain Vibes</span> Minor league baseball team

The Rocky Mountain Vibes are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, an MLB Partner League. They are located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and play their home games at UCHealth Park.

References

  1. ↑ "Colorado Rockies select Bend as teams 1st minor league club". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. December 10, 1991. p. 2D.
  2. ↑ "Bend Rockies baseball moves over to Portland". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. Associated Press. September 14, 1994. p. 3B.
  3. ↑ "The day the Rockies came to Bend".
  4. ↑ Wilson, Mike (June 16, 1992). "New Bend Rox are ready to roll". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. p. D1.
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

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.