Bellingham Giants

Bellingham Giants
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass A-Short Season
LeagueNorthwest League
DivisionNorth
Major league affiliations
Previous teamsSan Francisco Giants (1995–1996)
Minor league titles
Division titles (1)1995
Team data
Previous names
Bellingham Mariners (1977–1994)
Bellingham Dodgers (1973–1976)
ColorsBlack, orange, white
     
Previous parks
Joe Martin Field
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Sports Enterprises, Inc.

The Bellingham Giants were a Minor League Baseball team in the Class A-Short Season Northwest League, based in Bellingham, Washington, for two seasons (1995, 1996), and were an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. After years of struggling attendance, co-owners Jerry Walker and William Tucker moved the franchise south to Keizer, Oregon, and began play in 1997 as the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.

History

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The franchise arrived in 1973 as the Bellingham Dodgers, affiliated with the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Major League Baseball returned to Seattle in 1977, the expansion Mariners placed their first minor league affiliate in Bellingham. The club adopted the moniker of their parent club, taking the name Bellingham Mariners, but were commonly referred to as the "Baby M's."

Bellingham enjoyed a long affiliation with the Mariners, lasting eighteen years, through 1994. Following that season, the Mariners signed a player development contract with Everett, who had been a Giants affiliate since 1984, and Everett became the AquaSox. Seattle and San Francisco, essentially swapped affiliates as Bellingham inked an agreement with the Giants. Like their predecessors, who mirrored their parent clubs, the team took the name Giants.

Bellingham went 43–33 (.566) in 1995 to earn the top spot in the north division, and the Giants faced the Boise Hawks for the league crown. Boise bested Bellingham in the deciding game of the best-of-three NWL championship series. Despite winning a division title, the Giants struggled at the gate, and were last in the league in attendance.

The Giants returned in 1996 and were 39–36 (.520), a half-game behind the division winning Yakima Bears. Attendance woes continued as the Giants failed to eclipse fifty thousand in attendance. Following the season, the franchise relocated to Keizer, Oregon,[1] opened a new $7 million ballpark in 1997, and rebranded as the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.

Ballpark

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The Bellingham franchise played at Joe Martin Field, a venue with a seating capacity near 1,600. The park is currently the home of the Bellingham Bells of the West Coast League.[2]

Season-by-season record

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Season PDC Division Finish Wins Losses Win% Post-season Manager Attendance
Bellingham Giants
1995 SFG North 1st 43 33 .566 Lost to Boise in championship series 1-2 Glenn Tufts 54,104
1996 SFG North 2nd 39 36 .520 Shane Turner 48,417
Division winner League champions

Former players

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References

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  1. ^ "Bellingham might lose team to Keizer". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. September 11, 1996. p. 5C.
  2. ^ "Joe Martin Field". Bellingham Bells. Archived from the original on September 1, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
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Preceded by Northwest League franchise
1995-1996
Succeeded by