Bristol Pirates

Bristol Pirates
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassRookie (1969–2020)
LeagueAppalachian League (1969–2020)
Major league affiliations
Team
Minor league titles
League titles (6)
  • 1972
  • 1974
  • 1977
  • 1985
  • 1998
  • 2002
Division titles (3)
  • 1985
  • 1998
  • 2002
Team data
Name
  • Bristol Pirates (2014–2020)
  • Bristol White Sox (1995–2013)
  • Bristol Tigers (1969–1994)
BallparkBoyce Cox Field at DeVault Memorial Stadium (1969–2020)

The Bristol Pirates were a Minor League Baseball team in Bristol, Virginia, United States. They were a Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League.

The team played home games at DeVault Memorial Stadium. Opened in 1969, Devault Memorial Stadium held 2,000 fans. The team was previously affiliated with the Detroit Tigers, and a previous manager was retired Tigers manager Jim Leyland. They were a farm team of the Chicago White Sox from 1995 to 2013 as the Bristol White Sox.

The team was operated by a non-profit organization, Bristol Baseball, Incorporated (BBI). BBI had no full-time paid staff, instead relying on a volunteer board and general manager to keep and promote professional baseball in Bristol.

The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30.[1][2] In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball beginning with the 2021 season, the Appalachian League was reorganized as a collegiate summer baseball league, and the Pirates were replaced by a new franchise, the Bristol State Liners, in the revamped league designed for rising college freshmen and sophomores.[3]

Season-by-season records

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Bristol Tigers (Appalachian League)
Year
Record Win % Finish* Manager Playoffs
1969 34-34 .500 3rd South Bill Lajoie none
1970 26-31 .464 5th AL Al Lakeman none
1971 31-35 .470 3rd South Jim Leyland none
1972 40-28 .588 1st AL Joe Lewis League Champs
No playoffs
1973 24-45 .348 7th AL Joe Lewis none
1974 52-17 .754 1st North Joe Lewis League Champs
No playoffs
1975 37-31 .544 3rd South Joe Lewis none
1976 35-32 .522 2nd South Joe Lewis none
1977 43-26 .614 2nd AL Joe Lewis League Champs
No playoffs
1978 35-34 .507 3rd AL Joe Lewis none
1979 19-50 .275 6th AL Joe Lewis none
1980 36-33 .522 2nd AL Tom Kotchman none
1981 29-41 .414 5th AL Joe Lewis none
1982 28-36 .438 3rd South Boots Day none
1983 34-38 .472 3rd AL Boots Day none
1984 37-33 .529 2nd South Hal Dyer none
1985 44-25 .638 1st AL Tom Burgess League Champs
No playoffs
1986 35-34 .507 3rd South Tom Gamboa
1987 20-49 .290 4th South Rick Magnante
1988 46-27 .630 2nd South Rick Magnante Lost 1 game playoff
1989 28-39 .418 5th South Rubén Amaro, Sr.
1990 22-46 .324 10th AL Ken Cunningham
1991 22-44 .333 5th South Juan Lopez
1992 33-35 .485 3rd South Mark Wagner
1993 28-39 .418 4th South Ruben Amaro, Sr.
1994 27-36 .429 4th South Kevin Bradshaw
Bristol White Sox (Appalachian League)
1995 28-39 .418 4th South Chris Cron
1996 17-51 .450 4th South Nick Capra
1997 30-38 .441 4th West Nick Capra
1998 42-24 .636 1st West Nick Capra League Champs
1999 45-24 .652 2nd West Gary Pellant
2000 34-33 .507 4th South R.J. Reynolds
2001 38-26 .594 2nd South John Orton
2002 43-25 .632 1st South Nick Leyva League Champs
2003 33-33 .500 6th AL Jerry Hairston, Sr.
2004 27-38 .415 5th West Jerry Hairston, Sr.
2005 30-36 .455 2nd West Jerry Hairston, Sr.
2006 22-42 .344 5th West Nick Leyva
2007 25-43 .368 4th West Bobby Thigpen
2008 34-30 .531 3rd West Bobby Thigpen
2009 27-39 .409 4th West Ryan Newman
2010 32-36 .471 3rd West Ryan Newman
2011 24-44 .353 5th West Pete Rose Jr.
2012 19-46 .292 5th West Pete Rose Jr.
2013 20-45 .308 5th West Mike Gellinger
Bristol Pirates (Appalachian League)
2014 22-46 .324 5th West Edgar Varela
2015 29-36 .446 4th West Edgar Varela
2016 25-43 .368 5th West Kory DeHaan
2017 17-49 .258 5th West Miguel Perez

Playoffs

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  • 2019: Lost to Johnson City 2–1 in semifinals.
  • 2002: Defeated Bluefield 2–1 to win championship.
  • 1998: Defeated Princeton 2–0 to win championship.

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ "A Message From Pat O'Conner". Minor League Baseball. March 13, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  2. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  3. ^ "MLB, USA Baseball Announce New Format for Appalachian League". Major League Baseball. September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
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