Phoenix Firebirds
Encyclopedia
The Phoenix Firebirds, formerly the Phoenix Giants, were a Minor League Baseball
team that played in Phoenix, Arizona
, USA
from 1958-1959, and 1966 until 1997.
The franchise was a member of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League
(PCL), and were the top minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants
. The Firebirds were forced to leave Phoenix following the 1997 season, as the new National League
expansion team, the Arizona Diamondbacks
would begin play in Phoenix the following year. In a complicated series of events, the owners of the Firebirds moved their team to Tucson, Arizona
and became the Tucson Sidewinders
, dropping their affiliation with the Giants in favor of the expansion Diamondbacks. The owners of the existing Tucson Toros
then moved their franchise to Fresno, California
, thus ending a 92-year hiatus of PCL baseball in Fresno. The transplanted Toros, renamed the Fresno Grizzlies
, became the Giants' new PCL affiliate.
where the Firebirds played from 1992-1997.
The Giants first came in 1958 but moved to Tacoma, Washington
after the 1959 season. In 1966 the franchise returned to the Phoenix area until their move to Fresno
.
The Firebirds played their home games at Phoenix Municipal Stadium
until moving to Scottsdale Stadium
upon its reopening in 1992. Their final regular season game in 1997 was played at the old ball park known locally as Phoenix Muni, which is also the spring training home of the Oakland Athletics
. The team made the 1997 PCL playoffs their final year, which extended their existence by a couple weeks. The Firebirds defeated the Colorado Springs Sky Sox
3-0 in the first round but lost the championship series 3 games to 1 to the Edmonton Trappers
.
The franchise's final game was September 11, 1997, a 7-1 loss handing the Edmonton Trappers
the 1997 PCL Championship played at Scottsdale Stadium
.
, Willie McCovey
, Bobby Bonds
, Matt Williams and Kirt Manwaring
played in Phoenix. Some of the Phoenix alumni went on to San Francisco, to take part in the Giants' two National League titles (1962 and 1989).
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 played in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from 1958-1959, and 1966 until 1997.
The franchise was a member of the Triple-A 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...
(PCL), and were the top minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. The Firebirds were forced to leave Phoenix following the 1997 season, as the new 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...
expansion team, 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...
would begin play in Phoenix the following year. In a complicated series of events, the owners of the Firebirds moved their team to Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
and became the Tucson Sidewinders
Tucson Sidewinders
The Tucson Sidewinders were a minor league baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona. The team, which played in the Pacific Coast League, was the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks major-league club....
, dropping their affiliation with the Giants in favor of the expansion Diamondbacks. The owners of the existing Tucson Toros
Tucson Toros
The Tucson Toros are a professional baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. They are owned by Tucson Baseball, LLC with Jay Zucker as chairman of the board. Sean Smock is the team's general manager....
then moved their franchise to Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
, thus ending a 92-year hiatus of PCL baseball in Fresno. The transplanted Toros, renamed the Fresno Grizzlies
Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a minor league baseball team based in Fresno, California. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League , is the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major league club. The Grizzlies play in Chukchansi Park , located in downtown Fresno and built in 2002...
, became the Giants' new PCL affiliate.
History
The Firebirds were known as the Phoenix Giants until the 1986 season. They were affiliated with the San Francisco Giants for their entire existence, now a rarity in the minor leagues. The Giants' still have spring training facility in the Phoenix area, but in ScottsdaleScottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
where the Firebirds played from 1992-1997.
The Giants first came in 1958 but moved to Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
after the 1959 season. In 1966 the franchise returned to the Phoenix area until their move to Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
.
The Firebirds played their home games at Phoenix Municipal Stadium
Phoenix Municipal Stadium
Phoenix Municipal Stadium is a baseball stadium, located in Phoenix, Arizona. The stadium was built in 1964 and holds 8,775 people. It is the spring training home of the Oakland Athletics and is one of two Spring Training facilities, run by the City of Phoenix...
until moving to Scottsdale Stadium
Scottsdale Stadium
Scottsdale Stadium is a baseball field located in Scottsdale, Arizona. The stadium was built in 1992 and holds 12,000 people. It is the spring training home of the San Francisco Giants...
upon its reopening in 1992. Their final regular season game in 1997 was played at the old ball park known locally as Phoenix Muni, which is also the spring training home of the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. The team made the 1997 PCL playoffs their final year, which extended their existence by a couple weeks. The Firebirds defeated the Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox are a minor league baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team's colors are red and blue. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Colorado Rockies...
3-0 in the first round but lost the championship series 3 games to 1 to the Edmonton Trappers
Edmonton Trappers
The Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada....
.
Championships
The Phoenix Giants won two PCL championships in 1959 and 1977. The franchise never won a championship title under the Firebirds name.The franchise's final game was September 11, 1997, a 7-1 loss handing the Edmonton Trappers
Edmonton Trappers
The Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada....
the 1997 PCL Championship played at Scottsdale Stadium
Scottsdale Stadium
Scottsdale Stadium is a baseball field located in Scottsdale, Arizona. The stadium was built in 1992 and holds 12,000 people. It is the spring training home of the San Francisco Giants...
.
Playoff history
- 1977
- Championship: Defeated Salt Lake CitySalt Lake BeesThe Salt Lake Bees are a Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Bees serve as the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They play their home games at Spring Mobile Ballpark, known to fans as the Apiary, which was...
3 games to 2
- Championship: Defeated Salt Lake City
- 1985
- Division Series: Defeated Hawaii IslandersHawaii IslandersThe Hawaii Islanders were a AAA minor league baseball team, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1961 through 1987. The Islanders were originally an affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics. They played their home games at Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu's Aloha Stadium...
3 games to 0 - Championship: Lost to Vancouver CanadiansVancouver CanadiansThe Vancouver Canadians are a minor league baseball team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Canadians are the Northwest League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The C's have previously affiliated with the Oakland Athletics between 2000-2010. They are the only Canadian team in the...
3 games to 0
- Division Series: Defeated Hawaii Islanders
- 1986
- Division Series: Lost to Las Vegas StarsLas Vegas 51sThe Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
3 games to 2
- Division Series: Lost to Las Vegas Stars
- 1996
- Division Series: Defeated Las Vegas StarsLas Vegas 51sThe Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
3 games to 0 - Championship: Lost to Edmonton TrappersEdmonton TrappersThe Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada....
3 games to 1
- Division Series: Defeated Las Vegas Stars
- 1997
- Division Series: Defeated Colorado Springs Sky SoxColorado Springs Sky SoxThe Colorado Springs Sky Sox are a minor league baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team's colors are red and blue. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Colorado Rockies...
3 games to 0 - Championship: Lost to Edmonton TrappersEdmonton TrappersThe Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada....
3 games to 1
- Division Series: Defeated Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Alumni
Several Giants alumni like Willie MaysWillie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
, Willie McCovey
Willie McCovey
Willie Lee McCovey , nicknamed "Mac", "Big Mac", and "Stretch", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He played nineteen seasons for the San Francisco Giants, and three more for the San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics, between and...
, Bobby Bonds
Bobby Bonds
Bobby Lee Bonds was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball from to , primarily with the San Francisco Giants...
, Matt Williams and Kirt Manwaring
Kirt Manwaring
Kirt Dean Manwaring , is a former Major League baseball catcher. He played thirteen seasons in the major leagues, from 1987 until 1999....
played in Phoenix. Some of the Phoenix alumni went on to San Francisco, to take part in the Giants' two National League titles (1962 and 1989).