Pittsfield Cubs

Last updated
Pittsfield Cubs
1985 1988
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes Class AA
League Eastern League
Major league affiliations
Previous teams Chicago Cubs (1985-1988)
Team data
Previous names
Pittsfield Cubs (1985-1988)
Previous parks
Wahconah Park (1985-1988)

The Pittsfield Cubs, located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, were a minor league baseball team that played in the Eastern League from 1985 to 1988. They played their home games at Wahconah Park and were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs.

Contents

Season-by-season record

SeasonClassLeagueAffiliationManagerRecordFinishAttendancePostseason
1985AAEasternChicago CubsTom Spenser59-797th60,585-
1986AAEasternChicago CubsTom Spenser76-643rd47,709Lost to Vermont in first round 3-2
1987AAEasternChicago Cubs Jim Essian 87-511st51,551Lost to Vermont in first round 3-1
1988AAEasternChicago CubsJim Essian75-633rd53,121Lost to Vermont in first round 3-1

On the field, the Cubs were successful, making the playoffs in three of four years. In 1987, the team finished first during the regular season, although they failed to win the championship. In addition to Eastern League all-star selections, the team had two Eastern League Most Valuable Players, Rafael Palmeiro in 1986 and Mark Grace in 1987. The team also had two no-hitters during their existence. On August 1, 1985, Johnny Abrego threw a no-hitter against the Nashua Pirates winning by a 1-0 score. On July 18, 1988, Kris Roth pitched a no-hitter against the Harrisburg Senators, winning by a 3-0 score.

Off the field, the Cubs were plagued by attendance problems. They finished last or next to last in Eastern league attendance during each of their four years of existence.

Legacy

The Pittsfield Cubs moved to Williamsport, Pennsylvania after the 1988 season, becoming the Williamsport Bills and affiliating with the Seattle Mariners. The community of Pittsfield gained the Pittsfield Mets for the 1989 season. The Chicago Cubs transferred their AA level affiliation to the Charlotte Knights. [1]

Future Major League Pittsfield Cubs

Pittsfield Cubs with previous Major League experience

Eastern League All-Stars

Eastern League Season Leaders

Pitching

Hitting

Related Research Articles

Rafael Palmeiro Former Major League Baseball player

Rafael Palmeiro Corrales is a Cuban American former Major League Baseball first baseman and left fielder. Palmeiro was an All-American at Mississippi State University before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1985. He played for the Cubs (1986–1988), Texas Rangers, and the Baltimore Orioles.

Peoria Chiefs American Minor League baseball team

The Peoria Chiefs are a Minor League Baseball team of the High-A Central and the High-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They are located in Peoria, Illinois, and were named for the Peoria Indian tribe for which the city was named. In 2005, the team replaced the indigenous imagery associated with the Chiefs name and moved to a logo of a Dalmatian depicted as a fire chief stating "The team was proactive in understanding and respecting Indian culture." The team plays its home games at Dozer Park which opened in 2002. The Chiefs previously played at Vonachen Stadium near Bradley University from 1983 through 2001.

Wahconah Park Wachconah Park is the last remaining ballpark in the United States with a grandstand

Wahconah Park is a city-owned baseball park located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and nestled in a working-class neighborhood. One of the last remaining ballparks in the United States with a wooden grandstand, it was constructed in 1919 and seats 4,500. Through the park's history, 201 different Pittsfield players went on to the Major Leagues, and 100 different Pittsfield players already had some Major League experience. The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Will Clark American baseball player

William Nuschler Clark Jr. is an American professional baseball first baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 through 2000. He played for the San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, and St. Louis Cardinals. Clark was known by the nickname of "Will the Thrill." The nickname has often been truncated to simply, "The Thrill."

The 1989 National League Championship Series was played between the National League West champion San Francisco Giants and the National League East champion Chicago Cubs. The Giants won the series four games to one, en route to losing to the Oakland Athletics in four games in the 1989 World Series.

Mike Harkey American baseball player & coach

Michael Anthony Harkey is an American former professional baseball player and current coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from 1988 to 1997 for the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, California Angels, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Stephen Douglas Wilson is a retired Canadian professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, he played all or part of six seasons in Major League Baseball. He is an alumnus of the University of Portland and participated in the 1983 Pan American Games and the 1984 Summer Olympics for Canada.

The Geneva Cubs was the final moniker of the minor league baseball team located in Geneva, New York. Their home stadium was at McDonough Park.

Mike Brumley (infielder) American baseball player and coach

Anthony Michael Brumley is an American former professional baseball utility player in Major League Baseball (MLB), who played primarily as a shortstop. He played from 1987 through 1995 for the Cubs (1987), Detroit Tigers (1989), Seattle Mariners (1990), Boston Red Sox (1991–1992), Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics (1994). Brumley was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed. He was the assistant hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs in 2014. He is the son of the catcher Mike Brumley.

1994 New York Mets season Major League Baseball season

The New York Mets' 1994 season was the 33rd attempt at a regular season for the Mets. They went 55–58 and finished 3rd in the NL East. They were managed by Dallas Green. They played home games at Shea Stadium. The season was cut short by the 1994 player's strike.

The New York Mets' 1993 season was the 32nd attempt at a regular season for the Mets. The team sought to improve on its 72-90 mark from 1992. Instead, the Mets slid back and for the first time since 1967 lost 100 games. The Mets finished with a 59-103 record, their fifth worst in history, and finished last place in the NL East. They played all of their home games at Shea Stadium. As of 2021, this was the most recent 100-loss season for the Mets.

The 1992 Milwaukee Brewers season featured the team finishing in second place in the American League East with a record of 92 wins and 70 losses.

1989 Chicago Cubs season Major League Baseball season

The 1989 Chicago Cubs season was the 118th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 114th in the National League and the Cubs' 74th season at Wrigley Field. The Cubs were managed by Don Zimmer in his second season as manager and played their home games at Wrigley Field as members of Major League Baseball's National League East Division.

1987 Chicago Cubs season Major League Baseball season

The 1987 Chicago Cubs season was the 116th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 112th in the National League and the 72nd at Wrigley Field. The Cubs finished sixth and last in the National League East with a record of 76–85, 18½ games behind the division and pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals.

1986 Chicago Cubs season Major League Baseball season

The 1986 Chicago Cubs season was the 115th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 111th in the National League and the 71st at Wrigley Field. The Cubs finished fifth in the National League East with a record of 70–90.

1992 Chicago Cubs season Major League Baseball season

The 1992 Chicago Cubs season was the 121st season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 117th in the National League and the 77th at Wrigley Field. The Cubs finished fourth in the National League East with a record of 78–84.

The Pittsfield Red Sox was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, from 1965 through 1969. It was the Double-A Eastern League affiliate in the Boston Red Sox farm system and produced future Major League Baseball players such as George Scott, Sparky Lyle, Reggie Smith and Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk. The team played at Wahconah Park.

Williamsport Bills Minor League Baseball team

The Williamsport Bills were a Class AA Eastern League baseball affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners, and New York Mets from 1987 to 1991 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in the United States. They played their games in Bowman Field, which is currently home to the Williamsport Crosscutters, a charter member of the MLB Draft League.

The Wytheville Cubs was the final name of the minor league baseball teams located in Wytheville, Virginia between 1948 and 1989. An affiliate of the Chicago Cubs from 1985 to 1989, the Wytheville Cubs were a member of the Rookie level Appalachian League. Previous Wytheville teams played as members of the Blue Ridge League (1948-1949) and Appalachian League.

Harold Albert "Pete" Vonachen, Jr. was an American businessman and Minor league baseball team owner. Born in Peoria, Illinois, he was often dubbed "Peoria's Mr. Baseball, although this was usually only done for press consumption.

References

Notes

  1. "30 Teams in 30 Days 1989".

Sources