Pittsfield Cubs
Minor league baseball team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Pittsfield Cubs, located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, were a minor league baseball team that played in the Eastern League from 1985 to 1988. They played their home games at Wahconah Park and were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs.
| Pittsfield Cubs | |
|---|---|
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Previous classes | Class AA |
| League | Eastern League |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Previous teams | Chicago Cubs (1985-1988) |
| Team data | |
Previous names | Pittsfield Cubs (1985-1988) |
Previous parks | Wahconah Park (1985-1988) |
History
The Cubs were founded in 1985 after an investment group acquired the Double-A franchise rights for $350,000 from the Buffalo Bisons.[1]
On the field, the Cubs were successful, making the playoffs in three of four years. In 1987, the team finished first during the regular season, although they failed to win the championship. In addition to Eastern League all-star selections, the team had two Eastern League Most Valuable Players, Rafael Palmeiro in 1986 and Mark Grace in 1987. The team also had two no-hitters during their existence. On August 1, 1985, Johnny Abrego threw a no-hitter against the Nashua Pirates winning by a 1-0 score. On July 18, 1988, Kris Roth pitched a no-hitter against the Harrisburg Senators, winning by a 3-0 score.
Off the field, the Cubs were plagued by attendance problems. They finished last or next to last in Eastern league attendance during each of their four years of existence.
Season-by-season record
| Season | Class | League | Affiliation | Manager | Record | Finish | Attendance | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | AA | Eastern | Chicago Cubs | Tom Spenser | 59-79 | 7th | 60,585 | - |
| 1986 | AA | Eastern | Chicago Cubs | Tom Spenser | 76-64 | 3rd | 47,709 | Lost to Vermont in first round 3-2 |
| 1987 | AA | Eastern | Chicago Cubs | Jim Essian | 87-51 | 1st | 51,551 | Lost to Vermont in first round 3-1 |
| 1988 | AA | Eastern | Chicago Cubs | Jim Essian | 75-63 | 3rd | 53,121 | Lost to Vermont in first round 3-1 |
Legacy
The Pittsfield Cubs moved to Williamsport, Pennsylvania after the 1988 season, becoming the Williamsport Bills and affiliating with the Seattle Mariners. The community of Pittsfield gained the Pittsfield Mets for the 1989 season. The Chicago Cubs transferred their AA level affiliation to the Charlotte Knights.[2]
Future Major League Pittsfield Cubs
- Johnny Abrego (1985)
- Mike Brumley (1985)
- Mike Capel (1985-1986)
- Steve Engel (1985)
- Darrin Jackson (1985-1986)
- Jamie Moyer (1985)
- Gary Varsho (1985-1986)
- Rich Amaral (1986-1988)
- Damon Berryhill (1986)
- Drew Hall (1986)
- Les Lancaster (1986)
- Greg Maddux (1986)
- Mike Martin (1986)
- Paul Noce (1986)
- Rafael Palmeiro (1986)
- Rolando Roomes (1986-1987)
- Phil Stephenson (1986)
- Doug Dascenzo (1987)
- Mark Grace (1987)
- Dave Pavlas (1987)
- Jeff Pico (1987)
- Laddie Renfroe (1987-1988)
- Rich Scheid (1987-1988)
- Dwight Smith (1987)
- Héctor Villanueva (1987-1988)
- Rick Wrona (1987-1988)
- Jim Bullinger (1988)
- Joe Girardi (1988)
- Mike Harkey (1988)
- Joe Kraemer (1988)
- Ced Landrum (1988)
- Kelly Mann (1988)
- Jeff Schwarz (1988)
- Jerome Walton (1988)
- Dean Wilkins (1988)
Pittsfield Cubs with previous Major League experience
- Jeff Cornell (1985)
- Steve Hammond (1985)
- Jeff Jones (1985)
- Dickie Noles (1987)
- Al Chambers (1988)
Eastern League All-Stars
- First Base: Phil Stephenson (1986), Mark Grace (1987)
- Shortstop: Mike Brumley (1985), Paul Noce (1986)
- Outfield: Rafael Palmeiro (1986), Dwight Smith (1987), Jerome Walton (1988)
- Pitcher: Dean Wilkins (1988)
Eastern League Season Leaders
Pitching
- Winning Percentage: .813 (13-3), David Masters (1987)
.818 (9-2) Michael Harkey (1988)
Hitting
- Batting Average: .331, Jerome Walton (1988)
- Runs: 87, Paul Noce (1986)
111, Dwight Smith (1987)
82, Ced Landrum (1988) - Hits: 156, Rafael Palmeiro (1986)
- Runs Batted In: 95, Rafael Palmeiro (1986)
101, Mark Grace (1987)
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