Baltimore Orioles (minor league)
Encyclopedia
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball
teams called the Baltimore Orioles.
). It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899
in the American Association
/National League
and by a charter member of the American League
from 1901 through 1903
. The American League franchise was shifted to New York City
and renamed the New York Highlanders, which later became the New York Yankees.
, an Oriole minor league team joined the Eastern League (renamed the International League
in 1911
, and not to be confused with the present day AA Eastern League
). This Orioles team stayed mediocre for the first few years of its existence, but after the arrival of Jack Dunn
as manager, it won the league pennant in 1908
.
The 1914 season featured the professional debut of local son Babe Ruth
, but competition from the Baltimore Terrapins
of the Federal League
forced Dunn to sell Ruth and many of his other players, and relocate the team to Richmond, Virginia
(eventually becoming the present-day Syracuse Chiefs).
team won the International League
pennant with 100 victories, the first team to win that many games. Featuring another future Hall-of-Fame pitcher
in Lefty Grove
, the Orioles improved on that in 1920
by winning 110 games, including the last 25 of the season. In 1921
, the Orioles won 27 straight games (a record for consecutive victories by a minor league team that would stand until the Salt Lake City team of the Pioneer League won 29 in 1987
). The Orioles won the league by 20 games over the second place team, and had a home record of 70 wins and 18 losses. Despite their impressive record, however, they lost the Little World Series to the American Association
champion Louisville Colonels
, 4 games to 1. The Orioles actually led the fourth game, 12–4, but a riot broke out among the Baltimore home crowd in the top of the 9th inning, and the game was forfeited to Louisville, 9 runs to 0. The Orioles continued to roll over International League opposition through 1925
.
The team entered the Governors' Cup
playoffs in 1936, 1937, and 1940, but did not win another pennant until 1944
. The team was leading the league on July 4 of that year, when their home stadium, Oriole Park
, burned down. The team seemed to have a hard time recovering from that loss, playing lackluster ball through the rest of the season and losing their last game, only to back into the championship when the second place team, the Newark Bears
, also lost. The Orioles, under manager Tommy Thomas, went on to win the Junior World Series that year, 4 games to 2, against Louisville. In 1950, under manager Nick Cullop, Baltimore lost the Junior World Series to Columbus, 4 games to 1.
season, the St. Louis Browns
moved to Baltimore and took the name of the Baltimore Orioles. The later minor league Orioles team re-located to Richmond (as had the earlier Orioles team) as the Virginians
from 1954–64, have been today's Toledo Mud Hens
franchise since 1965.
, the championship of the IL
, 2 times, and played in the championship series 5 times.
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...
teams called the Baltimore Orioles.
Name history
"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore (after the birdBaltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
). It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899
Baltimore Orioles (19th century)
The Baltimore Orioles were a 19th-century American Association and National League team from 1882 to 1899. The club, which featured numerous future Hall of Famers, finished in first place three consecutive years and won the Temple Cup championship in 1896 and 1897...
in the American Association
American Association (19th century)
The American Association was a Major League Baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from to . During that time, it challenged the National League for dominance of professional baseball...
/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...
and by a charter member of the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
from 1901 through 1903
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. The American League franchise was shifted to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and renamed the New York Highlanders, which later became the New York Yankees.
First Minor League Team, 1903–1914
In 19031903 in baseball
300px|thumb|1903 [[1903 Boston Americans season|Boston]] vs [[1903 Chicago White Stockings season|Chicago]] at [[Huntington Avenue Grounds]]-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Boston Americans over Pittsburgh Pirates , in the first modern World Series...
, an Oriole minor league team joined the Eastern League (renamed 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...
in 1911
1911 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: Philadelphia Athletics over New York Giants -Awards and honors:*Chalmers Award**Ty Cobb, Detroit Tigers, OF**Wildfire Schulte, Chicago Cubs, OF-MLB statistical leaders:-American League final standings:...
, and not to be confused with the present day AA Eastern League
Eastern League (U.S. baseball)
The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League...
). This Orioles team stayed mediocre for the first few years of its existence, but after the arrival of Jack Dunn
Jack Dunn
John Joseph Dunn was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball at the turn of the 20th century who later went on to become a minor league baseball club owner....
as manager, it won the league pennant in 1908
1908 in baseball
-Statistical leaders:-American League final standings:-National League final standings:-January-March:*February 27 - The sacrifice fly rule is adopted. No time at bat is charged if a run scores after the catch of a fly ball...
.
The 1914 season featured the professional debut of local son Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, but competition from the Baltimore Terrapins
Baltimore Terrapins
The Baltimore Terrapins were one of the most successful teams in the short-lived Federal League of professional baseball from to , but their brief existence led to litigation that led to an important legal precedent in baseball...
of the Federal League
Federal League
The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that operated as a "third major league", in competition with the established National and American Leagues, from to...
forced Dunn to sell Ruth and many of his other players, and relocate the team to Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
(eventually becoming the present-day Syracuse Chiefs).
Second Minor League Team, 1916–1953
After the Federal League's demise, Dunn returned with a team in 1916. The 19191919 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:Chicago White Sox players accused of throwing World Series, resulting in the Black Sox scandal.-Champions:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Chicago White Sox -MLB statistical leaders:-Headline Event of the Year:...
team won 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...
pennant with 100 victories, the first team to win that many games. Featuring another future Hall-of-Fame 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...
in Lefty Grove
Lefty Grove
Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove was a professional baseball pitcher. After having success in the minor leagues during the early 1920s, Grove became a star in Major League Baseball with the American League's Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox, winning 300 games in his 17-year MLB career...
, the Orioles improved on that in 1920
1920 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: Cleveland Indians over Brooklyn Robins -MLB statistical leaders:-American League final standings:-National League final standings:-Negro National League final standings:-East final standings:...
by winning 110 games, including the last 25 of the season. In 1921
1921 in baseball
-Headline Events of the Year:*First radio broadcast of the World Series.*Babe Ruth breaks Roger Connor's All-Time Home Run record of 138.-Champions:*World Series: New York Giants over New York Yankees -MLB statistical leaders:...
, the Orioles won 27 straight games (a record for consecutive victories by a minor league team that would stand until the Salt Lake City team of the Pioneer League won 29 in 1987
1987 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Minnesota Twins over St. Louis Cardinals ; Frank Viola, MVP**American League Championship Series: Gary Gaetti, MVP**National League Championship Series: Jeff Leonard, MVP...
). The Orioles won the league by 20 games over the second place team, and had a home record of 70 wins and 18 losses. Despite their impressive record, however, they lost the Little World Series to the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
champion Louisville Colonels
Louisville Colonels (minor league baseball team)
The Louisville Colonels was the name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Louisville, Kentucky, in the 20th century. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels.-Twentieth century minor league teams:...
, 4 games to 1. The Orioles actually led the fourth game, 12–4, but a riot broke out among the Baltimore home crowd in the top of the 9th inning, and the game was forfeited to Louisville, 9 runs to 0. The Orioles continued to roll over International League opposition through 1925
1925 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Washington Senators *Negro League World Series: Hilldale Daisies over Kansas City Monarchs -Awards and honors:*League Award** Roger Peckinpaugh, Washington Senators, SS** Rogers Hornsby, St...
.
The team entered 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:...
playoffs in 1936, 1937, and 1940, but did not win another pennant until 1944
1944 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over St. Louis Browns , in the "Streetcar Series"*All-Star Game, July 11 at Forbes Field: National League, 7-1-Other champions:...
. The team was leading the league on July 4 of that year, when their home stadium, Oriole Park
Oriole Park
Oriole Park is the name of several former major league and minor league baseball parks in Baltimore, Maryland.It is also half the name of the current home of the Baltimore Orioles of the American League, its full name being Oriole Park at Camden Yards....
, burned down. The team seemed to have a hard time recovering from that loss, playing lackluster ball through the rest of the season and losing their last game, only to back into the championship when the second place team, the Newark Bears
Newark Bears
The Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &...
, also lost. The Orioles, under manager Tommy Thomas, went on to win the Junior World Series that year, 4 games to 2, against Louisville. In 1950, under manager Nick Cullop, Baltimore lost the Junior World Series to Columbus, 4 games to 1.
Back to the Majors
After the 19531953 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers *All-Star Game, July 14 at Crosley Field: National League, 5-1-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Cangrejeros de Santurce *College World Series: Michigan...
season, the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
moved to Baltimore and took the name of the Baltimore Orioles. The later minor league Orioles team re-located to Richmond (as had the earlier Orioles team) as the Virginians
Richmond Virginians
The Richmond Virginians was the name of a minor league baseball Class AAA International League franchise that played in Richmond, Virginia, from 1954 through 1964....
from 1954–64, have been today's 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...
franchise since 1965.
Governors' Cup Titles
The Orioles won the Governors' CupGovernors' 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:...
, the championship of the IL
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...
, 2 times, and played in the championship series 5 times.
- 19361936 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over New York Giants *All-Star Game, July 7 at Braves Field: National League, 4–3-Awards and honors:* Most Valuable Player**American League: Lou Gehrig, New York Yankees, 1B...
– 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... - 19371937 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over New York Giants *All-Star Game, July 7 at Griffith Stadium: American League, 8-3-Awards and honors:*MLB Most Valuable Player Award**American League: Charlie Gehringer, Detroit Tigers, 2B...
– Lost to NewarkNewark BearsThe Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &... - 19401940 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Detroit Tigers *All-Star Game, July 9 at Sportsman's Park: National League, 4-0-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player**Hank Greenberg - OF, Detroit Tigers...
– Lost to NewarkNewark BearsThe Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &... - 19441944 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over St. Louis Browns , in the "Streetcar Series"*All-Star Game, July 11 at Forbes Field: National League, 7-1-Other champions:...
– Defeated NewarkNewark BearsThe Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &... - 19501950 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Philadelphia Phillies *All-Star Game, July 11 at Comiskey Park: National League, 4-3 -Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Carta Vieja *College World Series: Texas...
– Defeated RochesterRochester Red WingsThe Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...