Vermont Mariners
Encyclopedia
The Vermont Mariners are a defunct minor league
baseball
team. They played in the Eastern League at Centennial Field
in Burlington, Vermont
in 1988. They were affiliated with the Seattle Mariners
.
from 1984 to 1987 and served as the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds
. Prior to that, the franchise was known as the Lynn Sailors
from 1980 to 1983 and served as the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners
(1980 to 1982) and Pittsburgh Pirates
(1983).
By September 1988, with the team in the Eastern League playoffs, team owner Mike Agganis had decided to move the franchise to Canton, Ohio
. Canton was building a brand-new ballpark, Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium
, which would have a capacity of 5,700. More so, the Canton metropolitan area offered twice the population of Burlington. Agganis told the New York Times, "Our attendance has averaged out to about 85,000 over five years in Burlington. In Canton, we can probably do between 225,000 and 300,000 attendance." The franchise moved to Canton after the 1988 season, affiliated with Cleveland
, and became the Canton-Akron Indians
.
Today, the franchise is still the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians
and is known as the Akron Aeros
.
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...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team. They played in the Eastern League at Centennial Field
Centennial Field
Centennial Field is the name of two sports facilities at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont. One is used for baseball and the other is now primarily used for men's and women's soccer. It once serving as the home field for the school's football and lacrosse teams...
in Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
in 1988. They were affiliated with the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
.
History
Prior to their four year stint as the Vermont Mariners, this franchise was known as the Vermont RedsVermont Reds
The Vermont Reds are a defunct minor league baseball team. They played in the Eastern League at Centennial Field in Burlington, Vermont from 1984 to 1987...
from 1984 to 1987 and served as the Double-A affiliate of 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....
. Prior to that, the franchise was known as the Lynn Sailors
Lynn Sailors
The Lynn Sailors were a class AA American minor league baseball team affiliated with the Seattle Mariners and Pittsburgh Pirates. They were a member of the Eastern League and played at Fraser Field in Lynn, Massachusetts from 1980-1983....
from 1980 to 1983 and served as the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
(1980 to 1982) and Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(1983).
By September 1988, with the team in the Eastern League playoffs, team owner Mike Agganis had decided to move the franchise to Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Canton was building a brand-new ballpark, Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium
Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium
Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium is a stadium in Canton, Ohio primarily used for baseball. The facility is named after former Major League Baseball player Thurman Munson, who grew up in Canton. The ballpark has a capacity of 5,700 people and opened in...
, which would have a capacity of 5,700. More so, the Canton metropolitan area offered twice the population of Burlington. Agganis told the New York Times, "Our attendance has averaged out to about 85,000 over five years in Burlington. In Canton, we can probably do between 225,000 and 300,000 attendance." The franchise moved to Canton after the 1988 season, affiliated with Cleveland
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, and became the Canton-Akron Indians
Canton-Akron Indians
The Canton-Akron Indians are a defunct minor league baseball team. They played in the Eastern League at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium in Canton, Ohio from 1989 to 1996...
.
Today, the franchise is still the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
and is known as the Akron Aeros
Akron Aeros
The Akron Aeros are a minor league baseball team based in Akron, Ohio, USA. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.The Aeros play in Canal Park, located in downtown Akron, which seats 9,097 fans...
.
Notable players
- Chuck Carr
- Eric FoxEric FoxEric Hollis Fox was born on August 15, 1963 in Lemoore, California. The 5'10", 180 pound former Major League Baseball player attended Fresno State University....
- Jerry GoffJerry GoffJerry Leroy Goff was a Major League Baseball player. Primarily a catcher, Goff was 6'3" tall and weighed 207 pounds...
- Ken Griffey, Jr.Ken Griffey, Jr.George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey, Jr. , nicknamed "Junior" and "The Kid", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and during his final years, designated hitter...
- Calvin Jones
- Pat Lennon
- Omar VizquelOmar VizquelOmar Enrique Vizquel González , nicknamed "Little O", is a Venezuelan Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. Vizquel has played for the Seattle Mariners , the Cleveland Indians , the San Francisco Giants , the Texas Rangers and the Chicago White Sox...
- Jim WilsonJim Wilson (first baseman)- External links :*...
- Clint ZavarasClint ZavarasClinton Wayne Zavaras , is a Greek American professional baseball player who pitched for the Seattle Mariners during the 1989 season. He was originally picked in the 3rd round of the 1985 Amateur draft. On June 3, 1989, he made his Major League debut against Nolan Ryan and the Texas Rangers...