Durham Bulls
Encyclopedia
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball
team that currently plays in the International League
. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park
located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina
. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays
. The Bulls became internationally famous in 1988 following the release of the movie Bull Durham
, which starred the Bulls, Kevin Costner
as a veteran catcher, Tim Robbins
as a talented young pitcher, and Susan Sarandon
as their love interest. The Bulls have also been featured in the film The Rookie
.
At the time of Bull Durham, both the real Bulls and their movie counterparts played in the High-A Carolina League
, two steps below the team's current position in the Triple-A International League
. The Atlanta Braves
Carolina League squad which was part of the Durham Bulls franchise from 1980-1997 relocated to American Legion Field in Danville, Virginia
to form a new franchise called the Danville 97s
. The 97s only played in Danville, Virginia for the 1998 season only. The Danville 97s relocated to BB&T Coastal Field in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
for the 1999 season to become the Myrtle Beach Pelicans
. The team is still based in Myrtle Beach and still plays in the Carolina League. This new franchise however, was not granted as an expansion franchise. The Triple-A leagues expanded by two teams to accommodate affiliates for the Major League Baseball
expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Arizona Diamondbacks
, with the Durham Bulls moving up from High-A to Triple-A due to their popularity since they starred in the movie Bull Durham, entering the International League as an expansion franchise. The Bulls then switch affiliates from the Braves to the Devil Rays for the 1998 season. Thus, the franchise acquired the Devil Ray’s Triple-A squad. Through twelve seasons in Triple-A, the team has already won three Governors' Cup
s. In 2009, the Bulls won their first Triple-A National Championship. In 2002, the Bulls celebrated their 100th anniversary season. On August 2, 2011, the Durham Bulls defeated the Charlotte Knights
for their 6,000th win in franchise history.
), as the owner. The Tobacconists took the field for the first time on April 24 in an exhibition game against Trinity College
. Their first game in the North Carolina League was at Charlotte
on May 5 against the Hornets
, and their first home game was against the New Bern Truckers on May 12. The league, however, folded in July, not having played a full season.
In December 1912, the Durham Tobacconists re-formed as the Durham Bulls in the North Carolina State League
. Their first game was on April 24, 1913 at Hanes Field on the Trinity College campus (now the East Campus of Duke University
). They defeated the Raleigh Capitals 7-4. On May 30, 1917, however, the North Carolina State League folded due to America's joining of the Allied Powers during World War I. The Bulls were declared league champions, even though the season was shortened to only 36 games.
The Bulls then joined the Piedmont League
, a minor league with clubs scattered around Virginia
and North Carolina
, on October 31, 1919. Seven years later, in 1926, the team moved to its new home, El Toro Park
. The park was dedicated on July 26 by the Commissioner of Baseball Kenesaw Mountain Landis
, who put on a show by riding a real bull
, the team mascot, onto the playing field.
Six years later, in 1932, the team became affiliated with the National League
's Philadelphia Phillies
, the first of ten teams that the Bulls have been affiliated with. The next year, the city of Durham purchased El Toro Park, renaming it the Durham Athletic Park after the 1933 season, but the Bulls were unable to operate for the 1934 and 1935 seasons due to the Great Depression
. Then, on June 17, 1939, the Durham Athletic Park burned to the ground, hours after the Bulls had defeated Portsmouth 7-3. The groundskeeper, Walter Williams, who slept under the stands, was able to escape. In a remarkable two-week turnaround, the Durham Athletic Park was functioning again by July 2, with the old wood
en grandstand replaced by concrete
and steel
. The stadium also included temporary bleachers and seated 1,000 people. The crowd that day saw the Bulls beat the Charlotte Hornets 11-4.
The stadium was completed in April 1940 in time for an exhibition game on April 7 between the Cincinnati Reds
and Boston Red Sox
, that attracts 5,574 fans. Only 1,587 turned out ten days later for the Bulls' first game of the season. On September 5, 1943, the last-place Bulls played their last Piedmont League game, beating Richmond 15-5. The following year, the Piedmont League became an all-Virginia league, and there was no baseball in Durham in 1944.
In 1945, a second Carolina League formed, and on April 27 the Bulls played their first game in the new league after being suspended for the 1944 season, defeating the Burlington Bees
5-0. Three years later, in September 1948, Tom Wright, a former outfielder with the Bulls, became the first Carolina League player to make the majors when he debuted with the Boston Red Sox. And three years after that, the Bulls made history when their 5-4 loss to the Danville Leafs
featured the first black player in Carolina League history, Percy Miller Jr.
, who played for the Leafs.
Football Hall of Famer Clarence Parker
was the Bulls' manager from 1949-52. It would not be until April 18, 1957 that the Bulls would field African-American players. On that day, third baseman
Bubba Morton
and pitcher
Ted Richardson
took the field in a loss to Greensboro. That season also saw the first Carolina League All-Star game played in Durham.
In 1968, the Bulls acquired the Raleigh club and merged with them which formed a joint venture of baseball in both Durham and Raleigh as one baseball club. After the merge, the Bulls became known as the Raleigh-Durham Mets, an affiliate of the New York Mets
, playing half of its home games in the Durham Athletic Park and half in Raleigh. The team switched affiliations from the Mets to the Philadelphia Phillies
and were renamed the Raleigh-Durham Phillies for the 1969 season. The team hasn’t beem affiliated with the Phillies since the 1932 season. The team became independent and were renamed the Raleigh-Durham Triangles
for the 1970 season when the Phillies abandoned the team. The team played as the Triangles from 1970-1971. The team folded before the 1972 season, and baseball would not return to Durham until 1980. For the 1980 season the Raleigh-Durham Triangles were reformed and renamed back to Durham Bulls. On June 22 of that same year, the local CBS affiliate
broadcast the Bulls game locally, the first time that the Bulls had ever been broadcast on television. Ten years later, on August 30, 1990, a crowd of 6,202 made the Bulls the first Class-A team in history to pass the 300,000 mark in attendance for an entire season.
Team owner Miles Wolff began pushing for a new ballpark for the Bulls in 1988 in order to attract a Triple-A baseball, but plans for the stadium were pushed back until the new stadium opened in downtown Durham
in 1995. Wolff never saw the completion of the new stadium as an owner, as the Bulls were sold in 1991 to Raleigh
-based Capitol Broadcasting Company
. Capitol Broadcasting Company president Jim Goodmon initially proposed building the new stadium near Raleigh-Durham International Airport
, but after city leaders in Durham offered to renovate the old ballpark or help build a new stadium, the current downtown Durham site was secured.
On July 17, 1992, the Bulls unveiled their new mascot, Wool E. Bull, a moniker submitted by Durham resident Jim Vickery out of a pool of 500, inspired by the otherwise unrelated novelty song oldie, "Wooly Bully". The "E" in his name supposedly stands for "education." The next June, the Bulls retired the number 18 belonging to Joe Morgan
, the only Hall of Famer ever to play for the Bulls, who was a member of the 1963 club. Morgan's number remains the only one ever retired by the club, and he attended the ceremony in which his number was retired. The Bulls also retained the snorting Bull used in the movie Bull Durham
. The original bull used in the movie and at Durham Athletic Park
can be seen hanging on the wall of the concourse at the Bulls' new stadium, Durham Bulls Athletic Park
.
The new stadium does have a newly built snorting Bull similar to the original. Written on that snorting bull in white font is the following passage: "Hit Bull Win Steak". Beneath it reads "Hit Grass Win Salad". Whenever a Bulls player hits a home run the bull's eyes light up, its tail moves up and down and it snorts steam out of its nose. Whenever a player hits the bull with a home run that player wins a steak dinner at a local restaurant. A fan in the audience during the game will also win a free steak dinner. On April 16, 2007, high winds tore off a piece of the left side of the bull's head. The damage was fixed by that weekend. In 2008 it was announced that the second bull will be replaced by a two-sided bull. The old o Durham Tobacconists (1902)
, just like its predecessor.
The 1997 season, during which the Bulls were an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves
from 1980-1997, marked their last year in the Class-A Carolina League. The Carolina League squad that was part of the Durham Bulls franchise relocated to Danville, Virginia
in 1998 to become a new franchise called the Danville 97s
, before moving to their current home in Myrtle Beach
in 1999 to become the Myrtle Beach Pelicans
. In 1998 Wolff's dream of attracting Triple-A baseball came true when the Bulls became the Triple-A affiliate of the newly formed Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now Tampa Bay Rays
), their parent club ever since, and began play in the International League
(IL). That year saw the Bulls play their first game outside the United States when they played road games against the Ottawa Lynx
, though it would be another year before they recorded their first win in Canada. The 2001 season saw the Bulls set single-game (10,916 on July 23) and full-season (505,319 set on September 1) attendance records. The Bulls celebrated their 100th anniversary season in 2002. Then, on September 12, 2002, the Bulls won their first IL championship, defeating the Buffalo Bisons
2-0 for the Governors' Cup
. Next year, the team became the first in the 119-year history of the championship to sweep back-to-back final playoff series, defeating the Pawtucket Red Sox
.
After missing the playoffs for the 2005 and 2006 seasons, the Durham Bulls captured the South Division title with an 80-64 regular season record. The Bulls defeated the Toledo Mud Hens
in a three-game sweep during the first round of the playoffs, but were defeated three games to two in the Governors' Cup Final by the Richmond Braves
. In 2008, with a record of 74-70 the Bulls would once again win the South Division. After defeating the Louisville Bats
three games to one in the first round, the Bulls again lost the championship, this time in four games to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. In 2009, they would win the division for a third consecutive season with an 83-61 record. Facing the Louisville Bats in the first round again, the Bulls were victorious in the series, winning in five games. The third time was the charm for the Bulls in the Governors' Cup final. They dethroned the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, who had beaten them the previous season to win the championship. Sweeping the Yankees in three games, the Bulls won their third league championship since joining the International League. The Bulls advanced to the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game against the champions of the Pacific Coast League
for the first time in the team's history, as there had been no such game that took place at the time of the Bulls' previous two Governors' Cup championships. Facing the Memphis Redbirds
, the Bulls would win their first class championship, scoring the winning run on a wild pitch
in the bottom half of the eleventh inning.
On August 19th, 2010 the Bulls won their fourth straight division championship. Almost two weeks later the Bulls set their Triple-A wins record winning their 84th game of the 2010 season.
On August 2, 2011, the Durham Bulls defeated the Charlotte Knights
, the Chicago White Sox
affiliate for their 6,000th win in franchise history with a final score of 18-3.
in Raleigh, North Carolina. Explorer Post 50 is a youth-based television production group with students who have completed middle-school and are 14 to 20 years old. Explorer Post 50 provides all of the camera work for Durham Bulls TV on RTN, replays and "fan cams" on the video board in left field, and the highlights of all of the Durham Bulls home games. Explorer teaches youth how to produce a live broadcast, including graphics, replays, graphic scores aka "Fox Box", camera work, producing, and directing. Two students from Explorer Post 50 have been hired by ESPN
, one at ESPN Regional Television
and another at ESPN Master Control. Starting in the 2008 season, Explorer Post 50 hands out academic scholarships to the graduating seniors of the program who are on their way to college. (http://www.durhambulls.com/team/press_release.html?id=654; http://www.durhambulls.com/community/explorer_post.html)
Piedmont League
Carolina League
(note: the team played as the Raleigh-Durham Mets in 1968 and the Raleigh-Durham Phillies in 1969)
International League
The Bulls have won the Governors' Cup (the championship of the IL) three times, and have played in the championship series seven times.
. Morgan spent part of the 1963 season with the Bulls before earning a promotion to the Houston Colt 45s (Houston Astros
). His number 18 was retired by the team on August 9, 2002, during a postgame ceremony which he attended. Danny Gans
, a famous Las Vegas entertainer, once played for the Bulls and played the third baseman in Bull Durham before suffering a career ending injury.
Other famous Bulls who are currently or were once in the majors include:
Current Rays who were once Bulls:
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team that currently plays in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Durham Bulls Athletic Park, frequently called the DBAP , is a ballpark in Durham, North Carolina that is home to the Durham Bulls, the AAA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. It is also home to the Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Central Eagles college baseball teams. The...
located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. The Bulls became internationally famous in 1988 following the release of the movie Bull Durham
Bull Durham
Bull Durham is a 1988 American romantic comedy baseball film. It is based upon the minor league experiences of writer/director Ron Shelton and depicts the players and fans of the Durham Bulls, a minor league baseball team in Durham, North Carolina....
, which starred the Bulls, Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
as a veteran catcher, Tim Robbins
Tim Robbins
Timothy Francis "Tim" Robbins is an American actor, screenwriter, director, producer, activist and musician. He is the former longtime partner of actress Susan Sarandon...
as a talented young pitcher, and Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
as their love interest. The Bulls have also been featured in the film The Rookie
The Rookie (2002 film)
The Rookie is a 2002 drama sports film directed by John Lee Hancock. It is based on the true story of Jim Morris, who had a brief, but famous Major League Baseball career in 1999. The film stars Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez, and Brian Cox....
.
At the time of Bull Durham, both the real Bulls and their movie counterparts played in the High-A Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
, two steps below the team's current position in the Triple-A International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. The Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
Carolina League squad which was part of the Durham Bulls franchise from 1980-1997 relocated to American Legion Field in Danville, Virginia
Danville, Virginia
Danville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...
to form a new franchise called the Danville 97s
Danville 97s
The Danville 97s were a minor league baseball team based in Danville, Virginia for the 1998 season only. They were a baseball team that played in the Carolina League and were affiliated with the Atlanta Braves for their lone season. Prior to the 97s, the Durham Bulls were the Braves High-A...
. The 97s only played in Danville, Virginia for the 1998 season only. The Danville 97s relocated to BB&T Coastal Field in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
for the 1999 season to become the Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a minor league baseball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. They are a Class A Advanced team in the Carolina League and the franchise is currently the farm team of the Texas Rangers. From their inaugural season until 2010, the Pelicans were an affiliate of the...
. The team is still based in Myrtle Beach and still plays in the Carolina League. This new franchise however, was not granted as an expansion franchise. The Triple-A leagues expanded by two teams to accommodate affiliates for the Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, with the Durham Bulls moving up from High-A to Triple-A due to their popularity since they starred in the movie Bull Durham, entering the International League as an expansion franchise. The Bulls then switch affiliates from the Braves to the Devil Rays for the 1998 season. Thus, the franchise acquired the Devil Ray’s Triple-A squad. Through twelve seasons in Triple-A, the team has already won three Governors' Cup
Governors' Cup
The Governors' Cup is the trophy awarded each year to the champion of the International League, one of the two current Triple-A level minor leagues of Major League Baseball.-Governors' Cup history:...
s. In 2009, the Bulls won their first Triple-A National Championship. In 2002, the Bulls celebrated their 100th anniversary season. On August 2, 2011, the Durham Bulls defeated the Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
for their 6,000th win in franchise history.
History
The Durham Bulls were founded in 1902 as the Durham Tobacconists. The Durham Tobacconists were formed on March 18, 1902, with W. G. Bramham, later President of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (Minor League BaseballMinor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
), as the owner. The Tobacconists took the field for the first time on April 24 in an exhibition game against Trinity College
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
. Their first game in the North Carolina League was at Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
on May 5 against the Hornets
Charlotte Hornets (baseball)
The Charlotte Hornets was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The club was originally founded in 1901, and lasted in some form until 1973, capturing 11 league titles during its history...
, and their first home game was against the New Bern Truckers on May 12. The league, however, folded in July, not having played a full season.
In December 1912, the Durham Tobacconists re-formed as the Durham Bulls in the North Carolina State League
North Carolina State League
The North Carolina State League was a "Class D" league in Minor League Baseball. The original version of the league existed from 1913-1917 as the successor to the Carolina Association...
. Their first game was on April 24, 1913 at Hanes Field on the Trinity College campus (now the East Campus of Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
). They defeated the Raleigh Capitals 7-4. On May 30, 1917, however, the North Carolina State League folded due to America's joining of the Allied Powers during World War I. The Bulls were declared league champions, even though the season was shortened to only 36 games.
The Bulls then joined the Piedmont League
Piedmont League
The Piedmont League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1920 through 1955. The league operated principally in the Piedmont plateau region in the eastern United States.- Former :...
, a minor league with clubs scattered around Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, on October 31, 1919. Seven years later, in 1926, the team moved to its new home, El Toro Park
Durham Athletic Park
Durham Athletic Park, affectionately known as "The DAP" , is a former minor league baseball stadium in Durham, North Carolina. The stadium was home to the Durham Bulls from 1926 through 1994...
. The park was dedicated on July 26 by the Commissioner of Baseball Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death...
, who put on a show by riding a real bull
Bull
Bull usually refers to an uncastrated adult male bovine.Bull may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Bull , an original show on the TNT Network* "Bull" , an episode of television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
, the team mascot, onto the playing field.
Six years later, in 1932, the team became affiliated with the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
's Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, the first of ten teams that the Bulls have been affiliated with. The next year, the city of Durham purchased El Toro Park, renaming it the Durham Athletic Park after the 1933 season, but the Bulls were unable to operate for the 1934 and 1935 seasons due to the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. Then, on June 17, 1939, the Durham Athletic Park burned to the ground, hours after the Bulls had defeated Portsmouth 7-3. The groundskeeper, Walter Williams, who slept under the stands, was able to escape. In a remarkable two-week turnaround, the Durham Athletic Park was functioning again by July 2, with the old wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
en grandstand replaced by concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
and steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
. The stadium also included temporary bleachers and seated 1,000 people. The crowd that day saw the Bulls beat the Charlotte Hornets 11-4.
The stadium was completed in April 1940 in time for an exhibition game on April 7 between the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, that attracts 5,574 fans. Only 1,587 turned out ten days later for the Bulls' first game of the season. On September 5, 1943, the last-place Bulls played their last Piedmont League game, beating Richmond 15-5. The following year, the Piedmont League became an all-Virginia league, and there was no baseball in Durham in 1944.
In 1945, a second Carolina League formed, and on April 27 the Bulls played their first game in the new league after being suspended for the 1944 season, defeating the Burlington Bees
Burlington Bees
The Burlington Bees are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Oakland Athletics, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home is in Burlington, Iowa.-History:...
5-0. Three years later, in September 1948, Tom Wright, a former outfielder with the Bulls, became the first Carolina League player to make the majors when he debuted with the Boston Red Sox. And three years after that, the Bulls made history when their 5-4 loss to the Danville Leafs
Danville Leafs
The Danville Leafs were a professional minor league baseball team that played in the city of Danville, Virginia.Professional baseball first made its appearance in Danville in 1905 when the town fielded a team, the Tobacconists, in the short-lived Virginia-North Carolina League...
featured the first black player in Carolina League history, Percy Miller Jr.
Percy Miller Jr.
Percy Miller, Jr. is a former minor league baseball player who broke the color barrier in the Carolina League. The son of Negro league pitcher Percy Miller, he made his debut for the Danville Leafs in August 1951, and played in 19 games that season. Bill White, who would be the second black player...
, who played for the Leafs.
Football Hall of Famer Clarence Parker
Clarence Parker
Clarence "Ace" Parker, is a former quarterback who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers , Boston Yanks , and the New York Yankees. He was an All-American tailback at Duke University in 1936...
was the Bulls' manager from 1949-52. It would not be until April 18, 1957 that the Bulls would field African-American players. On that day, third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Bubba Morton
Bubba Morton
Wycliffe Nathaniel "Bubba" Morton was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Detroit Tigers , Milwaukee Braves and California Angels...
and pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Ted Richardson
Ted Richardson
George Edward "Ted" Richardson was a former professional footballer, who played for Newcastle United, Huddersfield Town, Sheffield Wednesday, York City and Bradford City.-References:...
took the field in a loss to Greensboro. That season also saw the first Carolina League All-Star game played in Durham.
In 1968, the Bulls acquired the Raleigh club and merged with them which formed a joint venture of baseball in both Durham and Raleigh as one baseball club. After the merge, the Bulls became known as the Raleigh-Durham Mets, an affiliate of the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, playing half of its home games in the Durham Athletic Park and half in Raleigh. The team switched affiliations from the Mets to the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and were renamed the Raleigh-Durham Phillies for the 1969 season. The team hasn’t beem affiliated with the Phillies since the 1932 season. The team became independent and were renamed the Raleigh-Durham Triangles
Raleigh-Durham Triangles
From 1968-1971, the Durham Bulls baseball team played as the Raleigh-Durham Mets for the 1968 season, played as the Raleigh-Durham Phillies for the 1969 season, and played as the Raleigh-Durham Triangles for the 1970 and 1971 seasons. The team remained in the Carolina League...
for the 1970 season when the Phillies abandoned the team. The team played as the Triangles from 1970-1971. The team folded before the 1972 season, and baseball would not return to Durham until 1980. For the 1980 season the Raleigh-Durham Triangles were reformed and renamed back to Durham Bulls. On June 22 of that same year, the local CBS affiliate
WTVD
WTVD, channel 11, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, licensed to Durham, North Carolina. The station serves the areas of Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Fayetteville, known as the Triangle...
broadcast the Bulls game locally, the first time that the Bulls had ever been broadcast on television. Ten years later, on August 30, 1990, a crowd of 6,202 made the Bulls the first Class-A team in history to pass the 300,000 mark in attendance for an entire season.
Team owner Miles Wolff began pushing for a new ballpark for the Bulls in 1988 in order to attract a Triple-A baseball, but plans for the stadium were pushed back until the new stadium opened in downtown Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
in 1995. Wolff never saw the completion of the new stadium as an owner, as the Bulls were sold in 1991 to Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
-based Capitol Broadcasting Company
Capitol Broadcasting Company
Capitol Broadcasting Company is a TV and radio broadcast company based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They also own and operate the minor league baseball team, the Durham Bulls.-TV:*WRAL-TV 5...
. Capitol Broadcasting Company president Jim Goodmon initially proposed building the new stadium near Raleigh-Durham International Airport
Raleigh-Durham International Airport
Raleigh-Durham International Airport is a public international airport located 4.5 miles northeast of the town of Morrisville in suburban Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The airport covers and operates three runways, providing direct service to 40 domestic and international...
, but after city leaders in Durham offered to renovate the old ballpark or help build a new stadium, the current downtown Durham site was secured.
On July 17, 1992, the Bulls unveiled their new mascot, Wool E. Bull, a moniker submitted by Durham resident Jim Vickery out of a pool of 500, inspired by the otherwise unrelated novelty song oldie, "Wooly Bully". The "E" in his name supposedly stands for "education." The next June, the Bulls retired the number 18 belonging to Joe Morgan
Joe Morgan
Joe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
, the only Hall of Famer ever to play for the Bulls, who was a member of the 1963 club. Morgan's number remains the only one ever retired by the club, and he attended the ceremony in which his number was retired. The Bulls also retained the snorting Bull used in the movie Bull Durham
Bull Durham
Bull Durham is a 1988 American romantic comedy baseball film. It is based upon the minor league experiences of writer/director Ron Shelton and depicts the players and fans of the Durham Bulls, a minor league baseball team in Durham, North Carolina....
. The original bull used in the movie and at Durham Athletic Park
Durham Athletic Park
Durham Athletic Park, affectionately known as "The DAP" , is a former minor league baseball stadium in Durham, North Carolina. The stadium was home to the Durham Bulls from 1926 through 1994...
can be seen hanging on the wall of the concourse at the Bulls' new stadium, Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Durham Bulls Athletic Park, frequently called the DBAP , is a ballpark in Durham, North Carolina that is home to the Durham Bulls, the AAA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. It is also home to the Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Central Eagles college baseball teams. The...
.
The new stadium does have a newly built snorting Bull similar to the original. Written on that snorting bull in white font is the following passage: "Hit Bull Win Steak". Beneath it reads "Hit Grass Win Salad". Whenever a Bulls player hits a home run the bull's eyes light up, its tail moves up and down and it snorts steam out of its nose. Whenever a player hits the bull with a home run that player wins a steak dinner at a local restaurant. A fan in the audience during the game will also win a free steak dinner. On April 16, 2007, high winds tore off a piece of the left side of the bull's head. The damage was fixed by that weekend. In 2008 it was announced that the second bull will be replaced by a two-sided bull. The old o Durham Tobacconists (1902)
, just like its predecessor.
The 1997 season, during which the Bulls were an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
from 1980-1997, marked their last year in the Class-A Carolina League. The Carolina League squad that was part of the Durham Bulls franchise relocated to Danville, Virginia
Danville, Virginia
Danville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...
in 1998 to become a new franchise called the Danville 97s
Danville 97s
The Danville 97s were a minor league baseball team based in Danville, Virginia for the 1998 season only. They were a baseball team that played in the Carolina League and were affiliated with the Atlanta Braves for their lone season. Prior to the 97s, the Durham Bulls were the Braves High-A...
, before moving to their current home in Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
in 1999 to become the Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a minor league baseball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. They are a Class A Advanced team in the Carolina League and the franchise is currently the farm team of the Texas Rangers. From their inaugural season until 2010, the Pelicans were an affiliate of the...
. In 1998 Wolff's dream of attracting Triple-A baseball came true when the Bulls became the Triple-A affiliate of the newly formed Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
), their parent club ever since, and began play in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
(IL). That year saw the Bulls play their first game outside the United States when they played road games against the Ottawa Lynx
Ottawa Lynx
The Ottawa Lynx were a minor league baseball team that formerly competed in the Triple-A International League from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. Over the team's 15 seasons, it was the Triple-A Minor League affiliate of the Montreal Expos , Baltimore...
, though it would be another year before they recorded their first win in Canada. The 2001 season saw the Bulls set single-game (10,916 on July 23) and full-season (505,319 set on September 1) attendance records. The Bulls celebrated their 100th anniversary season in 2002. Then, on September 12, 2002, the Bulls won their first IL championship, defeating the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
2-0 for the Governors' Cup
Governors' Cup
The Governors' Cup is the trophy awarded each year to the champion of the International League, one of the two current Triple-A level minor leagues of Major League Baseball.-Governors' Cup history:...
. Next year, the team became the first in the 119-year history of the championship to sweep back-to-back final playoff series, defeating the Pawtucket Red Sox
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
.
After missing the playoffs for the 2005 and 2006 seasons, the Durham Bulls captured the South Division title with an 80-64 regular season record. The Bulls defeated the Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
in a three-game sweep during the first round of the playoffs, but were defeated three games to two in the Governors' Cup Final by the Richmond Braves
Richmond Braves
The Richmond Braves were the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and played in the International League. Colloquially referred to as the R-Braves, they were based in Richmond, Virginia, where they played from 1966, when the Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta where their AAA team, the Crackers,...
. In 2008, with a record of 74-70 the Bulls would once again win the South Division. After defeating the Louisville Bats
Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats, which play in Louisville, Kentucky, are the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team, formerly known as the Louisville RiverBats, plays in the International League...
three games to one in the first round, the Bulls again lost the championship, this time in four games to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. In 2009, they would win the division for a third consecutive season with an 83-61 record. Facing the Louisville Bats in the first round again, the Bulls were victorious in the series, winning in five games. The third time was the charm for the Bulls in the Governors' Cup final. They dethroned the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, who had beaten them the previous season to win the championship. Sweeping the Yankees in three games, the Bulls won their third league championship since joining the International League. The Bulls advanced to the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game against the champions of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
for the first time in the team's history, as there had been no such game that took place at the time of the Bulls' previous two Governors' Cup championships. Facing the Memphis Redbirds
Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
, the Bulls would win their first class championship, scoring the winning run on a wild pitch
Wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
in the bottom half of the eleventh inning.
On August 19th, 2010 the Bulls won their fourth straight division championship. Almost two weeks later the Bulls set their Triple-A wins record winning their 84th game of the 2010 season.
On August 2, 2011, the Durham Bulls defeated the Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
, the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
affiliate for their 6,000th win in franchise history with a final score of 18-3.
Explorer Post 50
The Durham Bulls also created a program after they went to Triple-A status called Explorer Post 50. Explorer Post 50 is a program that is similar to Explorer Post 5 which is located at WRAL-TVWRAL-TV
WRAL-TV, virtual channel 5 , is a television station in Raleigh, North Carolina. WRAL-TV has been the flagship station of Capitol Broadcasting Company since its inception, and is currently the CBS affiliate for the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill/Fayetteville area, known collectively as the Triangle...
in Raleigh, North Carolina. Explorer Post 50 is a youth-based television production group with students who have completed middle-school and are 14 to 20 years old. Explorer Post 50 provides all of the camera work for Durham Bulls TV on RTN, replays and "fan cams" on the video board in left field, and the highlights of all of the Durham Bulls home games. Explorer teaches youth how to produce a live broadcast, including graphics, replays, graphic scores aka "Fox Box", camera work, producing, and directing. Two students from Explorer Post 50 have been hired by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, one at ESPN Regional Television
ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus, the popular name of ESPN Regional Television, is an American television program syndicator. ERT is based along with sister network ESPNU in Charlotte, North Carolina...
and another at ESPN Master Control. Starting in the 2008 season, Explorer Post 50 hands out academic scholarships to the graduating seniors of the program who are on their way to college. (http://www.durhambulls.com/team/press_release.html?id=654; http://www.durhambulls.com/community/explorer_post.html)
Titles/notable finishes
North Carolina State LeagueNorth Carolina State League
The North Carolina State League was a "Class D" league in Minor League Baseball. The original version of the league existed from 1913-1917 as the successor to the Carolina Association...
- 1917 - In first place (24-12) when league ceased play due to World War I
Piedmont League
Piedmont League
The Piedmont League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1920 through 1955. The league operated principally in the Piedmont plateau region in the eastern United States.- Former :...
- 1922 - Won second half of the season (69-58 overall) and defeated the High Point Furniture Makers in the play-off to take the title
- 1924 - Won pennant with a 74-46 record
- 1925 - Won first half of the season (68-58 overall) and defeated the Winston-Salem Twins in the playoff to take the title
- 1926 - Won second half of the season (73-71 overall) but lost to the Greensboro Patriots in the playoff
- 1929 - Won pennant with an 85-51 record
- 1930 - Finished second (71-68), defeated the first-place Henderson Gamecocks in a play-off
- 1936 - Finished second (79-63), lost to the first-place Norfolk TarsNorfolk TarsThe Norfolk Tars were a minor league baseball team that existed on and off from 1906 to 1955. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, they played in the Virginia League from 1906 to 1918 and from 1921 to 1928, in the Eastern League from 1931 to 1932 and in the Piedmont League from 1934 to 1955, and from 1934...
in the play-offs - 1939 - Finished second (75-65), lost to the Rocky Mount Red Sox in the play-offs
- 1940 - Finished fourth (73-62) but defeated the Richmond ColtsRichmond ColtsThe Richmond Colts were a minor league baseball team based in Richmond, Virginia that existed on-and-off from 1894 to 1953. They played in the Virginia League in 1894, and in another Virginia League in 1900, and another Virginia League from 1906–1914 and from 1918-1928...
and Rocky Mount Red Sox to take play-off title - 1941 - Won pennant (84-53), defeated the Norfolk TarsNorfolk TarsThe Norfolk Tars were a minor league baseball team that existed on and off from 1906 to 1955. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, they played in the Virginia League from 1906 to 1918 and from 1921 to 1928, in the Eastern League from 1931 to 1932 and in the Piedmont League from 1934 to 1955, and from 1934...
and the Greensboro Patriots to take play-off title
Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
- 1946 - Finished third (80-62), lost to the Raleigh Capitals in the play-off finals
- 1951 - Finished first (84-56), lost to the Reidsville Luckies in the first round of the play-offs
- 1952 - Finished second (76-59), lost to the Reidsville Luckies in the play-off finals
- 1954 - Finished fourth (70-68), lost to the Fayetteville Highlanders in the first round of the play-offs
- 1955 - Finished fourth (69-69), lost to the High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms in the first round of the play-offs
- 1956 - Finished second (84-69), lost to the Danville LeafsDanville LeafsThe Danville Leafs were a professional minor league baseball team that played in the city of Danville, Virginia.Professional baseball first made its appearance in Danville in 1905 when the town fielded a team, the Tobacconists, in the short-lived Virginia-North Carolina League...
in the first round of the play-offs - 1957 - Won first half of the season (79-61 overall) and defeated the High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms in the playoff to take the title
- 1959 - Finished third (70-60), lost to the Wilson TobsWilson TobsThe Wilson Tobs are an amateur baseball team playing in the Coastal Plain League, an NCAA-sanctioned collegiate summer baseball league. The team plays its home games at Historic Fleming Stadium in Wilson, North Carolina. The Tobs were one of the original teams in the Coastal Plain League when the...
in the first round of the play-offs - 1962 - Finished first (89-51), lost to the Kinston Eagles in the play-off finals
- 1963 - Finished second in the West Division (78-65), lost to the Greensboro Yankees in the first round of the play-offs
- 1965 - Finished first in the West Division (83-60), lost to the Portsmouth Tides in the play-off finals
- 1967 - Finished first in the West Division (74-64), defeated the Portsmouth Tides in the play-off finals
- 1968 - Finished first in the East Division (83-56), lost to the High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms in the play-off finals
- 1969 - Finished second in the East Division (79-62), defeated the Burlington Senators in the play-off finals
- 1980 - Finished first in the NC Division (84-56), lost to the Peninsula PilotsPeninsula PilotsThe Peninsula Pilots are an amateur baseball team in the Coastal Plain League, collegiate summer baseball league. The team plays its home games at the War Memorial Stadium in Hampton, Virginia...
in the play-off - 1982 - Finished second in the South Division (80-56), lost to the Alexandria DukesAlexandria DukesThe Alexandria Dukes were a baseball team in the minor-league Class A Carolina League. The team was formed in 1978 by the then-floundering Carolina League, which had only four teams when the Dukes were formed...
in the play-off finals - 1989 - Finished first in the South Division (84-54), lost to the Prince William Cannons in the play-off finals
- 1994 - Won second half of season in the South Division (66-70 overall), lost to the Winston-Salem WarthogsWinston-Salem WarthogsThe Winston-Salem Dash is a minor league baseball team in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League and have been a farm team of the Chicago White Sox since 1997...
in the play-offs
(note: the team played as the Raleigh-Durham Mets in 1968 and the Raleigh-Durham Phillies in 1969)
International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
The Bulls have won the Governors' Cup (the championship of the IL) three times, and have played in the championship series seven times.
- 1998 - Lost to BuffaloBuffalo BisonsThe Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
- 1999 - Lost to CharlotteCharlotte KnightsThe Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
- 2002 - Defeated BuffaloBuffalo BisonsThe Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
- 2003 - Defeated PawtucketPawtucket Red SoxThe Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
- 2007 - South Division Champions; Lost to RichmondRichmond BravesThe Richmond Braves were the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and played in the International League. Colloquially referred to as the R-Braves, they were based in Richmond, Virginia, where they played from 1966, when the Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta where their AAA team, the Crackers,...
- 2008 - South Division Champions; Lost to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
- 2009 - South Division Champions; Defeated Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
- Defeated MemphisMemphis RedbirdsThe Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
in National Championship Game
- Defeated Memphis
- 2010 - South Division Champions; Lost to Columbus ClippersColumbus ClippersThe Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
Former Bulls
The most notable baseball player to have once played for the Bulls is Hall of Famer Joe MorganJoe Morgan
Joe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
. Morgan spent part of the 1963 season with the Bulls before earning a promotion to the Houston Colt 45s (Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
). His number 18 was retired by the team on August 9, 2002, during a postgame ceremony which he attended. Danny Gans
Danny Gans
Daniel Davies Gans was an American singer and comedian who found regional success as a vocal impressionist.-Career:...
, a famous Las Vegas entertainer, once played for the Bulls and played the third baseman in Bull Durham before suffering a career ending injury.
Other famous Bulls who are currently or were once in the majors include:
- Steve AverySteve AverySteven Thomas Avery is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who was a young star with the Atlanta Braves in the early 1990s.-Young Gun:...
- Rocco BaldelliRocco BaldelliRocco Dan Baldelli is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter. Because of his excellent size and speed, and in reference to his hometown, he was nicknamed, "The Woonsocket Rocket," early in his professional career...
- Grant BalfourGrant BalfourGrant Robert Balfour is a relief pitcher who plays for the Oakland Athletics. He has previously played for the Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers.-Early life:...
- Joe BeimelJoe BeimelJoseph Ronald Beimel is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Amateur career:...
- Jim BibbyJim BibbyJames Blair Bibby was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 12-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972-1984 with the St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, and Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom he was a member of its 1979 World Series Champions...
- Jeff BlauserJeff BlauserJeffrey Michael Blauser is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. He played for the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs from 1987 to 1999.-Career:...
- Bob BooneBob BooneRobert Raymond Boone is a former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who was a four-time All-Star. Born in San Diego, California, Bob Boone is the son of a major league player, the late third baseman Ray Boone, and the father of two major leaguers: former second baseman Bret Boone and...
- Jorge CantúJorge CantúJorge Luís Cantú Guzmán is an American professional baseball first baseman.Cantú bats and throws right-handed. He was born in McAllen, Texas, went to Sharyland High School, but was raised and makes his home in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico.-Tampa Bay Devil Rays:Cantú was spotted by a scout while...
- Norm CharltonNorm CharltonNorman Wood Charlton III , nicknamed "The Sheriff", is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds , Seattle Mariners , Philadelphia Phillies , Baltimore Orioles , Atlanta Braves , and Tampa Bay Devil Rays .Charlton holds three degrees from Rice University.The left-handed...
- Carl CrawfordCarl CrawfordCarl Demonte Crawford is an American professional baseball outfielder who plays for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws left-handed...
- Steve CoxSteve CoxCharles Steven Cox is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays....
- Lawrence "Crash" Davis
- Elijah DukesElijah DukesElijah David Dukes, Jr. is an American professional baseball player. A right-handed outfielder, he currently plays for the Newark Bears.-High school years:...
- Julio FrancoJulio FrancoJulio César Robles Franco is a former Major League Baseball infielder and designated hitter. In , Franco was the oldest active player in the major leagues at the age of 49....
- Ron GantRon GantRonald Edwin "Ron" Gant is a former American Major League outfielder and second baseman earlier on who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cincinnati Reds , St...
- Jonny GomesJonny GomesJonathan Johnson "Jonny" Gomes is an American professional baseball outfielder.-Early years:...
- José GuillénJosé GuillénJosé Manuel Guillén |San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic]]) is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. A prototypical league journeyman, the Giants were the tenth team for which Guillén has played since his major league debut in 1997....
- Toby HallToby HallToby Jason Hall is a Major League Baseball catcher who is currently with the Camden Riversharks in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball....
- Jason Hammel
- Michel HernandezMichel HernandezMichel Hernandez is a Cuban professional baseball catcher for the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball.-Professional career:...
- Aubrey HuffAubrey HuffAubrey Lewis Huff III is a Major League Baseball first baseman with the San Francisco Giants. He debuted in 2000 with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and later played for the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, and Detroit Tigers. He is the starting first baseman for the San Francisco Giants who won the...
- Edwin JacksonEdwin JacksonEdwin Jackson is an American professional baseball pitcher.-Early life:Jackson's father, Edwin Jackson, Sr., a military cook, was stationed in Germany at the time of his birth. Jackson is one of 27 major league players who were born in Germany...
- Dan Johnson
- Chipper JonesChipper JonesLarry Wayne "Chipper" Jones, Jr. is a Major League baseball player for the National League's Atlanta Braves. Although initially a shortstop, he has spent most of his career as the starting third baseman for the Braves...
- Andruw JonesAndruw JonesAndruw Rudolf Jones is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is a free agent.Jones made his debut during the 1996 season. In the 1996 World Series, Jones became the youngest player to ever homered in the postseason...
- David JusticeDavid JusticeDavid Christopher Justice is a former outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , and Oakland Athletics .-Early life:David was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Robert and Nettie Justice...
- Ryan KleskoRyan KleskoRyan Anthony Klesko , is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and corner outfielder, who played for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and the San Francisco Giants...
- Wes LivengoodWes LivengoodWesley Amos Livengood was a major league baseball pitcher and minor league baseball manager including some time as a player-manager....
- Mickey LolichMickey LolichMichael Stephen Lolich is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1962 until 1979 who played the majority of his career with the Detroit Tigers.-Baseball career:...
- Javier LópezJavier LópezJavier Alfonso López is a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants. López previously played for the Colorado Rockies , Arizona Diamondbacks , Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates . He is a left-handed specialist known for his sidearm delivery...
- Greg Luzinski
- Kevin MillwoodKevin MillwoodKevin Austin Millwood is an American professional baseball pitcher. He has previously played for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles and Colorado Rockies.-Personal life:Millwood graduated from Bessemer City High School in North Carolina...
- Joe MorganJoe MorganJoe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
- Jim MorrisJim MorrisJames "Jimmy" Samuel Morris, JR is a former American professional baseball player known for his brief Major League Baseball career....
- Fernando PerezFernando Perez (baseball)Fernando Perez is an outfielder is an American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
- Johnny PeskyJohnny PeskyJohn Michael Pesky , nicknamed "The Needle" and "Mr. Red Sox", was a Major League Baseball shortstop, third baseman, and manager. During a 10-year career, he played in 1942 and from 1946-1954 for three different teams. He missed all of the 1943, 1944, and 1945 seasons while serving in World War...
- Shawn RiggansShawn Riggans-Career:Riggans was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 24th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft. He played nine games for the Devil Rays in 2006, including eight appearances as catcher and one as a pinch hitter. In 2008, Riggans became the backup catcher for the Rays, behind...
- Juan SalasJuan SalasJuan Salas is a professional baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent. Salas signed with Tampa Bay on July 8, , as an amateur free agent, and made his Major League debut September 5, ....
- Jason SchmidtJason SchmidtJason David Schmidt , is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher.Schmidt was born in Lewiston, Idaho. In his career he has played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , San Francisco Giants , Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves , by whom he had been drafted in the eighth round, 206th overall, of...
- Rusty StaubRusty StaubDaniel Joseph "Rusty" Staub is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder, designated hitter, and first baseman. He enjoyed a 23-year baseball career with 5 different teams...
- Mitch Talbot
- Johnny Vander Meer
- Dan WheelerDan WheelerDaniel Michael Wheeler is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.-Baseball career:...
- Randy WinnRandy WinnDwight Randolph Winn is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. Winn was a switch hitter, and threw right-handed. He played college baseball at Santa Clara University and made his Major League debut in 1998 with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays...
- Delmon YoungDelmon YoungDelmon Damarcus Young is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He is the younger brother of former major league outfielder and first baseman Dmitri Young. He was born in Montgomery, Alabama.Young is known for having a strong and accurate...
Current Rays who were once Bulls:
- J.P. HowellJ.P. HowellJames Phillip Howell is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. J.P. attended Saint Mary's School in Sacramento, California...
- John JasoJohn JasoJohn Edward Jaso is an American professional baseball catcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball.-Baseball career:...
- Evan LongoriaEvan LongoriaEvan Michael Longoria is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays. Formerly, Longoria was a star infielder for the Long Beach State University baseball team, the Cape Cod League MVP, and the Big West Co-Player of the Year.He made his major league debut for the Rays in , and...
- Jeff NiemannJeff NiemannJeffrey Warren Niemann is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays.-College:...
- David PriceDavid Price (baseball)David Taylor Price is an American Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. Price was selected first overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft by the Rays and made his major league debut in September 2008.Price pitched out of the bullpen during the Rays' run...
- James ShieldsJames Shields (pitcher)James Anthony Shields , nicknamed "Big Game James", is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays.-Professional career:...
- Andy SonnanstineAndy SonnanstineAndrew Michael Sonnanstine is a relief pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. Sonnanstine is a graduate of Wadsworth High School in Wadsworth, Ohio, and attended Kent State University...
- B.J. Upton
- Ben ZobristBen ZobristBenjamin Thomas "Ben" Zobrist is an American baseball player currently with Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays. A switch-hitter who throws right-handed, he has exhibited a versatility to play most positions with the exception of pitcher and catcher. He has been the Rays' starting second...
- Reid BrignacReid BrignacReid Michael Brignac is a Major League Baseball shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays.-Professional career:Brignac was drafted by Tampa Bay Rays in the second round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft out of St. Amant High School as a shortstop...
- Wade DavisWade DavisEdmund Wade Davis is a Canadian anthropologist, ethnobotanist, author and photographer whose work has focused on worldwide indigenous cultures, especially in North and South America and particularly involving the traditional uses and beliefs associated with psychoactive plants...
- Jeremy HellicksonJeremy HellicksonJeremy Robert Hellickson is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa and attended Hoover High School...
- Dan Johnson
- Elliot Johnson
- Sean RodriguezSean RodriguezSean John Rodriguez is a Cuban American Major League Baseball short stop for the Tampa Bay Rays.-High school career:...
- Matt JoyceMatt Joyce (baseball)Matthew R. Joyce is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays.-Early life:Joyce began his career at North Brandon Little League in Brandon, Florida....
- Matt MooreMatt Moore (baseball)Matthew Cody Moore is a pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He is considered the Rays second best prospect for 2011 by Baseball America.-High School:...
- Jake McGee
- Jose LobatonJose LobatonJosé Manuel Lobatón is a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He is currently a catcher for the Tampa Bay Rays....
- Brandon GuyerBrandon GuyerBrandon Eric Guyer is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.-Baseball career:Guyer played college baseball at the University of Virginia....
- Dane De La RosaDane De La RosaDane D. De La Rosa is a minor league baseball relief pitcher currently on the Tampa Bay Rays active roster....
- Alex CobbAlex CobbAlexander Miller "Alex" Cobb is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays.-Professional career:Cobb was called up to the majors for the first time on May 1, 2011 and made his major league debut that day. He was optioned back to the minors after the game. On May 31, Cobb was recalled...
- Brandon GomesBrandon GomesBrandon Gomes is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. He was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 17th Round of the 2007 MLB Draft out of Tulane University...
- Cesar RamosCesar Ramos (baseball)Cesar Ramos is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher, with the Tampa Bay Rays.-Amateur career:...
- Alexander TorresAlexander TorresAlexander Jesus Torres Matos is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.Torres was signed on January 12, 2005, by Los Angeles Angels scout Carlos Porte, as an international free agent, and was assigned to the Angels' Dominican Summer League affiliate that season...
- Robinson ChirinosRobinson ChirinosRobinson David Chirinos Gonzalez is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher for the Tampa Bay Rays.Following the 2010 season, Chirinos was add to the Cubs 40-man roster....
- Kelly ShoppachKelly ShoppachKelly Brian Shoppach is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. He is nicknamed Shop.Shoppach was traded to the Indians from the Boston Red Sox organization on January 28, 2006, as part of the same deal that saw outfielder Coco Crisp sent to Boston and highly regarded prospect Andy...
- Russ CanzlerRuss CanzlerRussell Michael Canzler is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays.-Professional career:Canzler was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 30th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft out of Hazleton Area High School. He played in the Cubs organization from 2004 to 2010...
- Casey KotchmanCasey KotchmanCasey John Kotchman is an American Major League Baseball first baseman.-High school:He was on the 2001 national champion team of Seminole High School in Seminole, Florida.-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:...
- Desmond JenningsDesmond JenningsDesmond Delane Jennings is an outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays.-Baseball career:Jennings was taken by the Cleveland Indians in the 18th round of the 2005 amateur draft out of high school but did not sign...
- Justin RuggianoJustin RuggianoJustin Marshall Ruggiano is a Major League Baseball outfielder in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.-Baseball career:Ruggiano played college baseball at Texas A&M....