Oak Ridge Bombers

Last updated
Oak Ridge Bombers
1948
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Minor league affiliations
Class Class D
League Mountain States League
Major league affiliations
TeamUnaffiliated
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Team data
Ballpark Ridgeview Park

The Oak Ridge Bombers were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Class D Mountain States League in 1948. [1] The Bombers were located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and were named for the city's association with the Manhattan Project and the development of the first atomic bomb. [1] [2] They played their home games at Ridgeview Park. [1]

Poor fan support caused the Bombers to operate at a loss from Opening Day. [3] By the second week of June, the team had the league's lowest attendance despite having the league's best record. [4] On June 10, in first place with a 24–11 (.686) record, owner Bob Broome relocated the team to Hazard, Kentucky, where they became the Hazard Bombers. [1] [5]

Across both Oak Ridge and Hazard, the Bombers accumulated a 65–43 (.602) record, placing second. [6] They defeated the Pennington Gap Miners in the semifinals, three games to none, but lost the playoff championship finals to the Morristown Red Sox, three games to two. [6]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "1948 Oak Ridge/Hazard Bombers Roster". Stats Crew. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  2. "Oak Ridge, Tennessee". Atomic Heritage Foundation. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  3. "Oak Ridge No Go—Broome Seeks Kentucky Site". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. Knoxville. June 8, 1948. p. 15 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Oak Ridge's Franchise Is On the Block". The Bristol Herald Courier. Bristol. June 9, 1948. p. 9 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Oak Ridge Bombers Move to Hazard". Kingsport Times. Kingsport. June 11, 1948. p. 9 via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 "1948 Oak Ridge/Hazard Bombers Roster". Stats Crew. Retrieved May 22, 2020.