The
Burlington Bees are a Class A
minor league baseballMinor 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, affiliated with the
Oakland AthleticsThe 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....
, that plays in the
Midwest LeagueThe Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
. Their home is in
Burlington, IowaBurlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
.
History
The team began playing in the Central Association of Professional Baseball as the Burlington Indians in 1947, the same year that their stadium,
Community FieldCommunity Field is a stadium in Burlington, Iowa. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Burlington Bees minor league baseball team. Community Field was originally built in 1947 upon the establishment of the Burlington Indians. The grandstand burned down on June 9, 1971,...
, was opened. They won the league championship in 1949, their third and final year in the Central Association. The team joined the Three-I (Illinois, Iowa, Indiana) League in 1952 as the Burlington Flints but was renamed the Bees in 1954. In 1958, Billy Williams played 61 games with the Bees before joining the Cubs.
BurlingtonBurlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
joined the Midwest League in 1962 as a farm team of the
Pittsburgh PiratesThe 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...
, but that affiliation lasted only one season. From 1963 through 1974 they were a farm team of the
Kansas City (later Oakland) A'sThe 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....
; subsequent affiliations included the
BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1975-81), the
RangersThe Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
(1982-85), the
ExposThe Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
(1986-87 and 1993-94), the
BravesThe 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....
(1988-90), the
AstrosThe 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...
(1991-92), the
GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1995-96), the
RedsThe 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....
(1997-98), and the
White SoxThe 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...
(1999-2000). The Bees won the
Midwest LeagueThe Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
championship in 1965, 1977, 1999, 2008, and 2009.
The team was known as the Bees from 1962-81, but starting with the 1982 season they used the nickname of their major league parent club. The Bees nickname was revived for the 1993 season.
In addition to Billy Williams, the first Bee inducted into the Hall of Fame, former players who have enjoyed major league success include
Sal BandoSalvatore Leonard Bando is a former third baseman and executive in professional baseball who played for the Kansas City & Oakland Athletics and Milwaukee Brewers . He batted and threw right-handed. During the A's championship years of 1971-75, he captained the team and led the club in runs batted...
,
Vida BlueVida Rochelle Blue Jr. is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 17-year career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Francisco Giants , and Kansas City Royals He won the American League Cy Young award and Most Valuable Player Award in 1971...
(who struck out a team-record 231 batters in 1968),
Jim "Catfish" HunterJames Augustus "Catfish" Hunter , was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1965-1979 for both the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees...
George HendrickGeorge Andrew Hendrick Jr. is a former major league outfielder for the Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels. However Hendrick is best remembered as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, for whom he played for from 1979–84. He was a...
,
Phil GarnerPhilip Mason Garner is a former infielder in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants from 1973 to 1988...
,
Chet LemonChester Earl Lemon is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. A three time All-Star, he was a member of the World Series champion 1984 Detroit Tigers.-Early years:...
,
Claudell WashingtonClaudell Washington is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Oakland Athletics , Texas Rangers , Chicago White Sox , New York Mets , Atlanta Braves , New York Yankees and California Angels...
, Hall of Famer
Paul MolitorPaul Leo Molitor , nicknamed "Molly" and "The Ignitor", is an American former Major League Baseball designated hitter and infielder. During his 21-year baseball career, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Minnesota Twins...
,
Randy ReadyRandall Max Ready , is a former professional baseball player and was the hitting coach for the San Diego Padres. Ready played in the major Leagues primarily as a utility player from to . He also played one season in Japan for the Chiba Lotte Marines in...
,
Larry WalkerLarry Kenneth Robert Walker is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1989 through 2005, Walker played for the Montreal Expos , Colorado Rockies , and St. Louis Cardinals...
,
Rubén SierraRubén Angel Sierra García is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Sierra also goes by the nicknames El Caballo and El Indio....
,
Kenny RogersKenneth Scott Rogers is a former American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 20-year baseball career, he pitched from 1989-2008 for six different teams. In addition to being known for his fielding , he pitched the fourteenth perfect game in major league baseball history...
,
José VidroJosé Angel Vidro is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. Though he never officially retired, Vidro has not played since .-Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals:...
,
Ugueth UrbinaUgueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. A two-time All-Star, Urbina led the National League in saves with 41 in the 1999 season and helped the Florida Marlins win the 2003 World Series...
,
Javy LópezJavier López Torres is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
,
Mark BuehrleMark Alan Buehrle is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He has pitched his entire baseball career for the Chicago White Sox, starting the opening game every season from 2002 to 2006 and again from 2008 to 2011....
,
Mike MordecaiMichael Howard Mordecai is a right-handed hitting/throwing infielder in Major League Baseball who most recently played for the Florida Marlins.-School and minor leagues:...
,
Shawn EstesAaron Shawn Estes is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. After he attended Douglas High School in Minden, Nevada, he was offered a scholarship by Stanford University...
,
Ruben Gotay-Kansas City Royals:Gotay made his major league debut with the Kansas City Royals on August 4, , when they played the Chicago White Sox. He went 1-for-3 and got his first major league hit off José Contreras. Gotay played in 44 games for the Royals in 2004. He hit .270 with one home run and 16 RBI....
and
Gus ZernialGus Edward Zernial was a Major League Baseball left-fielder and right-handed batter who played for the Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Athletics , Kansas City Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
. In total 159 former Bees have played in the majors, including 35 on active rosters in 2004.
Their home park is
Community FieldCommunity Field is a stadium in Burlington, Iowa. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Burlington Bees minor league baseball team. Community Field was originally built in 1947 upon the establishment of the Burlington Indians. The grandstand burned down on June 9, 1971,...
, built in 1947 and rebuilt after a 1971 fire. The franchise attendance record of 83,927 was set in 1994. The stadium was upgraded for the 2004 season, including a revamped consessions area, a partial covering of the grandstand, an improvement in the sound system, and a new scoreboard. In 2007, the Bees changed their logo and uniforms.
Former players
- Burlington Bees (1993—)
- Burlington Astros (1992-1992)
- Burlington Braves (1988-1990)
- Burlington Expos (1986-1987)
- Burlington Rangers (1982-1985)
- Burlington Bees (1954-1981)
- Burlington Flints (1952-1953)
- Burlington Indians (1947-1949)
Source
- Dinda, J. (2003), "Burlington, Iowa, in the Midwest League," http://www.mwlguide.com/cities/burlington/index.html
External links