Worcester Bravehearts

Last updated

Worcester Bravehearts
WorcesterBraveheartsLogo.png WorcesterBraveheartsCap.png
Team logoCap insignia
Information
League FCBL (2014-present)
Location Worcester, Massachusetts (2014-present)
Ballpark Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field (2014-present)
Founded2014
League championships2014, 2015, 2018 (Co-champs), 2019
ColorsNavy, Green
  
OwnershipFrank Vaccaro (since 2024)
ManagerAlex Dion (since 2019)
General ManagerDave Peterson (since 2013)
Website worcesterbravehearts.com//

The Worcester Bravehearts are a summer collegiate baseball team based in Worcester, Massachusetts, US, that plays in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) of New England starting in 2014. The team's home games are played at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field in Worcester.

Contents

The Bravehearts brought baseball back to Worcester after the Worcester Tornadoes franchise was disbanded in 2012.

Team history

Pregame of the team's inaugural game in 2014. The Bravehearts defeated Torrington, 3-1. FuessenichPark2014.jpg
Pregame of the team's inaugural game in 2014. The Bravehearts defeated Torrington, 3-1.

The team was announced as a partnership with the College of the Holy Cross on September 30, 2013. [1] The new team's name and logo were announced on December 2, 2013, selecting the name "Bravehearts". [2] The "hearts" in the name refer to the heart on Worcester's city seal and nickname as the "Heart of the Commonwealth".

2014 season

The team began its inaugural season on June 4, 2014, with a 3–1 win in Torrington, Connecticut, against the Torrington Titans. [3]

On August 14, 2014, the Bravehearts defeated the Martha's Vineyard Sharks 1-0 at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field to clinch the FCBL Championship. [4]

2015 season

In 2015, the Bravehearts started their title defense poorly, but a concluding 8-2 run in their last ten games got them into the playoffs as the sixth seed. They went on to repeat as league champions, defeating the Bristol Blues with a tenth-inning rally in the third game of the best-of-three championship series. [5]

2016 season

Worcester won the West Division with a league-best record of 37–18 during the 2016 regular season, and for the third straight season they advanced to the FCBL Championship Series, where they fell to the Nashua Silver Knights in two games. [6]

Total attendance for Bravehearts games went up 18 percent in 2016. Averaging 2,230 spectators per game, the team ranked ninth nationally among total attendance for summer collegiate teams. [7]

2017 season

The Bravehearts won the final game of the 2017 regular season to earn a one-game, winner-moves-on-loser-goes-home game against the Wachusett Dirt Dawgs. The Bravehearts won, 9-2, that sent them to the semifinals against the Brockton Rox. Worcester won the first two of the best-of-three series, capping it off with a wild, 13-7, win on the road. For the fourth straight year – all four of their time in the league – the Bravehearts punched their ticket to the championship series, this time in a rematch against the Nashua Silver Knights. On August 12, Nashua completed the two-game sweep again with a 2–0 victory in Game 2 at Holman Stadium in Nashua. [8]

2018 season

The Bravehearts earned a share of the 2018 FCBL League championship, as the title was split between them and the Martha's Vineyard Sharks. The Bravehearts won Game 1, 10-6, on the Vineyard but lost Game 2, 4-2, at home. After rain washed out Game 3 of the FCBL Championship series at Vineyard Ballpark, league commissioner Chris Hall declared the Bravehearts and Martha’s Vineyard Sharks co-champions. The best-of-three series already had been delayed a day and many players’ flights home already had been booked. Postponing the game to the next day was not an option. [9]

2019 season

In June 2019, the team's owner said he believes the Bravehearts can remain in the market after the 2021 relocation of the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. [10]

Worcester finished the 2019 regular season with a 30–26 record. [11] The Bravehearts beat the Pittsfield Suns in a one-game playoff. [12] They then beat the Brockton Rox, 2-1, in the semifinals to make the championship series for the sixth time in six seasons. [13] After beating the Bristol Blues, 2-1, in Game 1, Worcester won Game 2 in Bristol, 12-2, to win its fourth FCBL title in six years. [14]

2020 season

In 2020, the team was forced to relocate to Doyle Field in Leominster, MA due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and restrictions within the state of Massachusetts. The team finished first in the regular season with a 23–15 record, advancing to the championship series to take on the Nashua Silver Knights. Despite being the home team, all three games were played in Nashua, NH because of Covid-19 restrictions in the State of Massachusetts. The Bravehearts lost the series 2-1, coming within one game of a fifth championship.

2021 season

In 2021, the Bravehearts started the season at 25% capacity, once again due to Covid-19 Restrictions. In a surprise announcement, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced that stadiums and businesses could open to 100% capacity a week into the team's season. Despite the state's opening, the Worcester Bravehearts experienced their worst-attended year in franchise history, with an announced average attendance of 1,229 fans.

On the field, the Bravehearts also failed to advance to The Futures League Championship Series for the first time in their eight-year history. The eventual champion Vermont Lake Monsters defeated the Bravehearts 2-0 in a best-of-three series to advance to the Championship Series.

2022 season

In an effort to increase attendance in 2022, the Bravehearts launched an off-season interactive campaign known as "Twenty-Twenty-You" allowing fans to have an impact on what they show at their games.

Their first initiative in 2022 was to create a 90-foot fan wall, also referred to as the "Home is Where the 'Hearts Are" Fan Wall. In partnership with the Better Business Bureau the team asked fans to submit selfies throughout the off-season to be featured on the mural, as well as asked small business owners to submit logos of their family-owned businesses to be displayed. The 90-foot banner was unveiled on opening night with over 250 faces and 65 small business logos, all on the wall at no cost.

On June 7, the team caught national attention as the Bravehearts became the first team in organized baseball history to play a game where the fans were able to choose the rules the teams played by during their "You-Choose-The-Rules" games. As part of the "Twenty-Twenty-You" campaign, the Bravehearts allowed fans to submit rules in the off-season that they would like to see the team play by, and chose one rule per inning that was submitted by a fan. Some rules included kickball for an inning, pied in the face if you strike out, and rock-paper-scissors to determine out or safe. The team announced both games as sellouts, with over 6,000 fans combined witnessing the warped baseball rulebook.

For the first time in franchise history, the team failed to qualify for the Futures League playoffs, finishing with a 26–36 record. Despite the lack of on-field success, the team announced a 30% attendance jump from the previous season, along with 5 sellouts and a record-breaking month of online ticket sales in July 2022.

The team will celebrate their 10th anniversary season in 2023.


Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Shore Spirit</span> Minor-league baseball team in Lynn, Massachusetts

The North Shore Spirit was a minor-league baseball team based in Lynn, Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. The Spirit played in the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent league that is not affiliated with Major League Baseball or with the Minor League Baseball organization. The team was originally known as the Waterbury Spirit, based out of Waterbury, Connecticut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brockton Rox</span> Massachusetts, USA collegiate baseball team

The Brockton Rox are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Brockton, Massachusetts, United States. Formerly a professional baseball franchise, the Rox were a member of the independent Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, from the 2005 through 2011 seasons. The Rox play their home games at Campanelli Stadium. The team's name is a derivative of the nearby Boston Red Sox of the American League and a tribute to the boxers Rocky Marciano and Marvelous Marvin Hagler, both from Brockton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New England Collegiate Baseball League</span> U.S. collegiate summer baseball league

The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) is a 13-team collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 44-game schedule during June and July, with a playoff in early August. Like the Cape Cod Baseball League and other amateur leagues, the NECBL is a showcase for top college-level players, giving professional baseball scouts a chance to see prospective pros playing against each other. Along with the Cape Cod Baseball League, Northwoods League, and Coastal Plain League, it is considered one of the top summer leagues in the country and is a part of the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball. In 2019, the Collegiate Summer Baseball Register ranked the NECBL as the 2nd best collegiate summer baseball league, behind only the Cape Cod League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vermont Lake Monsters</span> Collegiate minor league baseball team in Burlington, Vermont

The Vermont Lake Monsters are a collegiate summer baseball team located in Burlington, Vermont, United States. From 1994 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's New York–Penn League (NYPL). They play their home games at Centennial Field, one of the oldest minor league stadiums, on the campus of the University of Vermont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campanelli Stadium</span> Stadium in Brockton, Massachusetts, US

Campanelli Stadium is a stadium in Brockton, Massachusetts. It is primarily used for baseball and is the home field of the Brockton Rox baseball team of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL). Starting in 2024, it will also be home to the New England Knockouts of the Frontier League (FL).

The New England League was a mid-level league in American minor league baseball that played intermittently in five of the six New England states between 1886 and 1949. After 1901, it existed in the shadow of two Major League Baseball clubs in Boston and alongside stronger, higher-classification leagues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Shore Navigators</span> American collegiate summer baseball team

The North Shore Navigators are a wooden-bat, collegiate summer baseball team based in Lynn, Massachusetts, playing in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). The team plays home games at Fraser Field in Lynn. The team is owned by Old School Sports Group, LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in Worcester, Massachusetts</span>

Worcester, Massachusetts, is home to minor league sports teams and NCAA Division 1 college and university sports, most notably The College of the Holy Cross. Other professional teams that have moved on from the city include the New England Blazers, a Major League Lacrosse team that played at the Worcester Centrum during the 1980s, the Bay State Bombardiers of the Continental Basketball Association, who played in the Worcester Memorial Auditorium from 1984 to 1986, the Worcester Ice Cats, an American Hockey League franchise and developmental team for the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues who played in the DCU Center from 1994 to 2005, and the Worcester Sharks, an American Hockey League franchise and developmental team for the NHL's San Jose Sharks. Many historic and local sporting events have occurred in Worcester such as the first official Ryder Cup golf tournament at Worcester Country Club in 1927.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norwich Sea Unicorns</span> American minor league baseball team

The Norwich Sea Unicorns are a baseball team located in Norwich, Connecticut. From 2010 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's New York–Penn League (NYPL) as the Class A Short Season affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They play their home games at Senator Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium. They were previously known as the Connecticut Tigers from 2010 to 2019. With Major League Baseball's reorganization of the minor leagues after the 2020 season, Norwich was not selected to continue in affiliated baseball. Starting with the 2021 season, Norwich plays in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide</span> Maine collegiate summer baseball team

The Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide was a collegiate summer baseball team based in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. It was a member of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL), a wood-bat league with a 56-game regular season comprising 10 teams from New Hampshire to western Connecticut. The team played its home games at The Ball Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martha's Vineyard Sharks</span> American collegiate baseball team

The Martha's Vineyard Sharks is a collegiate summer baseball team based on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. It was a charter member of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL), a wood-bat league comprising seven teams from New Hampshire to western Connecticut. The Sharks played in the FCBL from 2010 to 2018 before switching to the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL), where they began playing in 2019. In 2019 the Sharks posted the best regular-season record in the league and won a best-of-three series against the Newport Gulls to win the Southern Division, but ultimately lost 2–0 in the NECBL Championship to the Keene Swamp Bats. The team's mascot is likely a reference to the film Jaws, which was filmed on Martha's Vineyard and made it a popular tourist destination.

The Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) is an eight-team collegiate summer baseball league. It has four franchises in Massachusetts, two in Connecticut, and one each in New Hampshire and Vermont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Worcester Tornadoes</span> Baseball team based from Worcester, MA

The Worcester Tornadoes were a professional baseball team based in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Tornadoes were a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent baseball league which was not affiliated with Major League Baseball. The Tornadoes played their home games at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field, on the College of the Holy Cross campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seacoast Mavericks</span>

The Seacoast Mavericks were a collegiate summer baseball team located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It was a charter member of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL), a wood-bat league in New England. It suspended operation in 2017 pending completion of a sports complex in Dover, New Hampshire. However, in 2019, it abandoned its FCBL franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nashua Silver Knights</span> Collegiate baseball team in New Hampshire, USA

The Nashua Silver Knights is a collegiate summer baseball team based in Nashua, New Hampshire. It is a charter member of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL), a wood-bat league with a 64-game regular season comprising eight teams ranging from New Hampshire to western Connecticut. The team's home games are played at Holman Stadium in Nashua. The team is owned by John Creedon Jr, who also owns the Worcester Bravehearts.

The Wachusett Dirt Dawgs were a collegiate summer baseball team playing in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League of New England based in Leominster, Massachusetts. They played their home games at Historic Doyle Field in Leominster, Mass. 2012–2017. They were an expansion team for the FCBL and played their inaugural season in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pittsfield Suns</span> American collegiate baseball team

The Pittsfield Suns are an inactive summer collegiate baseball team based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA, that plays in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) of New England. The team's home games are played at Wahconah Park in Pittsfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol Blues</span>

The Bristol Blues are a summer collegiate baseball team based in Bristol, Connecticut. It is a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL), a wood-bat league with a 44-game regular season that has six franchises in Massachusetts and two each in New Hampshire and Connecticut. The team's home games are played at Muzzy Field in Bristol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westfield Starfires</span> Baseball team

The Westfield Starfires are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Westfield, Massachusetts. They play in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL), a wood-bat league with a 56-game regular season comprising eight teams from northern Vermont to western Connecticut. The team, owned by Chris Thompson, plays its home games at Bullens Field in Westfield.

Matthew James Shaw is an American professional baseball shortstop in the Chicago Cubs organization.

References

  1. ↑ "FCBL Announces 10th Team for 2014". thefuturesleague.com. FCBL. September 30, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  2. ↑ "#NAMEWOOBALL". Worcester Bravehearts. December 2, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Worcester Bravehearts Win Inaugural Game in Franchise History". Our Sports Central. June 5, 2014. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Desai leads the Worcester Bravehearts to 1-0 victory thanks to 8 strikeouts". Our Sports Central. August 14, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  5. ↑ Suhoski, Shaun (August 16, 2015). "Worcester Bravehearts repeat as FCBL champs". Telegram & Gazette . Worcester, Massachusetts . Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  6. ↑ Ames, Ryan (June 1, 2017). "Worcester Bravehearts, Blues set for season-opener". Telegram & Gazette . Worcester, Massachusetts . Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  7. ↑ Murtishi, Alban (August 1, 2017). "Worcester Bravehearts owner John Creedon Jr. on potential PawSox move: 'Could Worcester support both teams? Maybe, but not likely'". masslive.com . Springfield, Massachusetts . Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  8. ↑ Bird Jr., Walter (August 11, 2017). "A Cinderella Story: The Worcester Bravehearts not done yet". Worcester Magazine . Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  9. ↑ Nordman, Dave (August 13, 2018). "Futures League championship: Game canceled; Bravehearts, Sharks share title". Telegram & Gazette . Worcester, Massachusetts . Retrieved June 11, 2019.
  10. ↑ Reilly, Adam (June 3, 2019). "With The WooSox Looming, Worcester's Other Minor-League Team Gears Up For A Fight". WGBH News. WGBH-TV . Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Futures Collegiate Baseball League of New England - standings". Pointstreak Sports Technologies. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  12. ↑ Stuczko, Zachary (August 5, 2019). "Bravehearts: Angelo Baez dazzles in playoff start as Worcester eliminates the Pittsfield Suns". Telegram & Gazette . Worcester, Massachusetts . Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  13. ↑ Stuczko, Zachary (August 9, 2019). "Bravehearts: Worcester tops Brockton, advances to FCBL finals". Telegram & Gazette . Worcester, Massachusetts . Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  14. ↑ Calabro, Joe (August 12, 2019). "Bravehearts Win FCBL Championship". GoLocalWorcester. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
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.