Professional baseball in Connecticut

There have been numerous professional baseball teams in Connecticut since the late 1800s. Most have been minor league teams, however, some early major league teams played in Connecticut. The last major league team was the Hartford Dark Blues, which played its final season in Hartford as a charter member of the newly-established modern National League in 1876.

History

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New Britain/Bristol

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Minor League Baseball in New Britain has had a wide variety of teams and notable players, famous players such as Roger Clemens, David Ortiz and Curt Schilling have played for New Britain; The individual considered the fastest pitcher in professional baseball, Steve Dalkowski, also grew up in New Britain.[1] The Boston Red Sox former AA Pawtucket Red Sox moved to Bristol in 1973, and then to New Britain in 1983. In 1995 the New Britain Red Sox became the Minnesota Twins affiliate and changed their name to the Rock Cats. The team switched its affiliation to the Colorado Rockies prior to the 2015 season and left New Britain in favor of Hartford at the end of the 2015 season, but was replaced by the Independent New Britain Bees of the Atlantic League.[2]

At the end of the 2019 season, the New Britain Bees announced the franchise was leaving the Atlantic League, and reorganizing as an amateur team in the New England–based Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL).[3] The nearby Bristol Blues transferred from the FCBL to the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) at the end of 2019, creating a vacancy in the league for the Bees.

Hartford

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Hartford had nearly continuous baseball from 1874 to 1952, including early major league baseball teams from 1874 to 1877. Notable events include five league titles by the Hartford Senators. In 2016, the former minor league club from New Britain began play as the Hartford Yard Goats, but did not play a home game in Hartford until 2017.

Waterbury

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Several different Minor League Baseball teams have been located in the city of Waterbury, Connecticut since 1884. These include 1884–1888, 1891, 1894–1895, 1897–1902, 1906–1914, 1918–1928, 1947–1950, 1966–1971, and 1973–1986. Teams won their respective league championships three times in 1924, 1925, and 1970.

The earliest Waterbury teams played in the Connecticut State League between 1884 and 1912. These teams went by several different nicknames during this period, including the Brassmen, Brass City, Indians, Pirates, Rough Riders, Authors, Invisibles, Finnegans, Champs and Spuds. The Waterbury Brasscos (also called the Nattatucks) played in the old Eastern League from 1918–1928. They won two league titles in 1924 and 1925. The Waterbury Timers played in the Colonial League between 1947 and 1950.

Waterbury became home to professional baseball again in 1966 when the Waterbury Giants, an affiliate of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants came to town. From 1966 to 1986 (with the exception of 1972), the Waterbury team played in the Eastern League as an affiliate of the Giants, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Cincinnati Reds and California Angels. The team name changed every time the affiliation agreement changed hands. Waterbury did not have an Eastern League team at the start of the 1972 season. However, in the middle of the season, flooding made the ballpark in Elmira, New York unusable, and so the Elmira Pioneers played their "home games" in the second half of the 1972 season in Waterbury.

The Independent Northeast League chose to place a team in Waterbury in 1997 as the Waterbury Spirit, but they moved after the 2000 season to become the North Shore Spirit.

Summary of franchises by city

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Bridgeport

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Former Bridgeport teams

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Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venue
Bridgeport Bluefish 1997–2017 N/A Atlantic League
(Independent of MLB)
N/A Harbor Yard, Bridgeport
Bridgeport Bees 1947–1950 B Colonial League N/A Candlelite Stadium, Bridgeport

Hartford

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Hartford Yard Goats (active)

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Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venue
Hartford Yard Goats Since 2016
Bristol/New Britain since 1973
AA Eastern League Colorado Rockies Dunkin' Donuts Park, Hartford (from 2017)
Dodd Stadium early 2016

Former Hartford teams

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Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venue
Hartford Dark Blues
Hartfords of Brooklyn (1877)
1874–1877 MLB National Association (1874–75)
National League (1876–1877)
-- Hartford Ball Club Grounds
New Bedford/New Haven/Hartford 1878 N/A International Association -- --
Hartford Babies (1885)/
Hartford (1884)
1884–1885 N/A Connecticut State League (1884–1885)
Southern New England League (1885)
-- --
Hartford Dark Blues 1885–1886 N/A Eastern League (original) -- --
Hartford 1889–1890 N/A Atlantic Association -- --
Hartford 1891 E Connecticut State League -- --
Hartford Cooperatives (1898)
Hartford Bluebirds (1895–1897)
1895–1898 B (1897–1898) Atlantic League (1896–1899)
Connecticut State League (1895)
-- --
Hartford Indians/
Wooden Nutmegs
1899–1901 A Eastern League (original) -- --
Hartford Senators 1902–1945

(also known as the Bees

and the Laurels)

A (1919–1933)
B (1905–1918, 1934)
*varies
Eastern League (1916–1933)
Northeastern League (1934)
Colonial League (1915)
Eastern Association (1913–1914)
Connecticut State League (1902–1912)
-- Brooklyn Dodgers (1932)

-- Boston Bees (1938-1940)

-- Boston Braves (1941-1945)

Morgan G. Bulkeley Stadium
Hartford Chiefs (1946–52)
Hartford Bees (1939–45)
Hartford Laurels (1938,1944)
1938–1952 A Eastern League -- Morgan G. Bulkeley Stadium
Note: Clubs frequently changed leagues in early baseball history; franchise dates are approximate. From Baseball-Reference.[4]


New Britain/Bristol

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Active former professional teams

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Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venue
New Britain Bees* Since 2016
N/A Futures Collegiate Baseball League (Amateur)[3]

Atlantic League 2016-2019
(Independent of MLB)

N/A New Britain Stadium

Former New Britain teams

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Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venue
New Britain Rock Cats (1997–2015)*/
New Britain Red Sox (1983–94)/
Bristol Red Sox (1973–82)
1983–2015 (New Britain)
1973-1982 (Bristol)
AA EL Colorado Rockies (2015–2017)*
Minnesota Twins (1995–2014)
Boston Red Sox-AL (1973–94)
New Britain Stadium (1995–2015)
Beehive Field 1983-94
(Both at Willow Brook Park)
Muzzy Field, Bristol (1973–82)
New Britain Sinks[5] 1908–1914 B Eastern Association
New Britain Brass City[5] 1891 E Connecticut State League
New Britain[5] 1884–1885 N/A Southern New England League
Note1: Also known as the "Hardware City Rock Cats" circa 1995-1996
Note2: Team moved to Hartford at the conclusion of the 2015 season


Former Bristol teams

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Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venue
Bristol Owls[6] 1949-1950 B Colonial League N/A Muzzy Field

Middletown

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Former Middletown teams

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Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venue
Middletown Mansfields[7] 1872 MLB National Association N/A Mansfield Club Grounds

Norwich

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Norwich Sea Unicorns (active)

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Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venue
Connecticut Tigers (2010-2019)/
Norwich Sea Unicorns (2020-Present)
Since 2010 A-Short Season (2010-2020) New York-Penn League (2010-2020)
Futures Collegiate Baseball League (2021-Present)
Detroit Tigers 2010-2020
Dodd Stadium
Note: Due to the 2020 MLB Takeover of the MiLB, The New York-Penn League and the entire Class A-Short Season system was shut down. The Norwich Sea Unicorns have been a part of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League since 2021.


Former Norwich teams

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Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venue
Norwich Navigators (1995–05)/
Connecticut Defenders (2006–09)
1995–2009 AA EL New York Yankees-AL (1995-02)
San Francisco Giants-NL (2003–09)
Dodd Stadium
Note: Team relocated to Richmond, Virginia at the end of 2009.


New Haven

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Former New Haven and metro area teams

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Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venue
New Haven County Cutters 2004–2007 N/A Can-Am League (independent) N/A Yale Field
New Haven Ravens 1994–2003 AA EL St. Louis Cardinals (2001–2002)
Seattle Mariners (1999–2000)
Colorado Rockies (1994–1998)
Yale Field
West Haven Yankees (1972–80)
West Haven White Caps (1980)
West Haven A's (1981–82)
1972–1982 AA EL New York Yankees (1972-1980)
Oakland Athletics (1980-1982)
Quigley Stadium
New Haven Elm Citys 1875 MLB National Association N/A Howard Avenue Field
Note: New Haven Ravens relocated to New Hampshire at the end of 2003.
Note: West Haven Yankees known as White Caps for 1980 season, switched to the West Haven A's for the 1981 and 1982 seasons before folding.


Waterbury

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Former Waterbury teams

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Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venue
Waterbury Spirit[citation needed] 1997–2000 Northeast League (1997–1998)

Northern League East (1999–2000)

Independent Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Indians 1985–1986 Class AA (1966–1986)

Eastern League (1966–1986)

Cleveland Indians (1985–1986) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Angels 1984 California Angels (1984) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Reds 1980–1983 Cincinnati

Reds (1980–1983)

Municipal Stadium
Waterbury A's 1979 Oakland Athletics (1979) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Giants 1977–1978 San Francisco Giants (1977–1978) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Dodgers 1973–1976 Los Angeles Dodgers (1973–1976) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Pirates 1970–1971 Pittsburgh Pirates (1970–1971) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Indians 1968–1969 Cleveland Indians (1968–1969) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Giants 1966–1967 San Francisco Giants (1966–1967) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Timers 1947–1950 Class B (1947–1950) Colonial League (1947–1950) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Brasscos 1920–1928 Class A (1919–1928) Eastern League (1918–1928) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Nattatucks 1918–1919 Municipal Stadium
Class B (1906–1914, 1918)
Waterbury Contenders 1913–1914 Eastern Association (1913–1914) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Spuds 1912 Connecticut State League (1900–1902,
1906–1912)
Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Champs 1911 Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Finnegans 1910 Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Invincibles 1909 Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Authors 1906–1908 Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Rough Riders 1899–1902 Class D (1902) Connecticut League (1899) Municipal Stadium
Class F (1897–1901) Connecticut State League (1888, 1891, 1894–1898)
Waterbury Pirates 1898 Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Indians 1897 Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Brassmen 1895 Class B (1894) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury 1888, 1891, 1894 Class E (1891) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Brass City 1887 Eastern League (1885–1887) Municipal Stadium
Waterbury Brassmen 1886 Municipal Stadium
Waterbury 1884–1885 Southern New England League (1885) Municipal Stadium
Connecticut State League (1884–1885)

References

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  1. ^ Wendel, Tim (6 April 2013). "Steve Dalkowski:The Fastest Ever?". The National Pastime Museum. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  2. ^ "New Britain Bees lose in home-opener to York Revolution". 22 April 2016.
  3. ^ a b "New Britain Bees set to leave Atlantic League, will join Futures Collegiate Baseball League". The Hartford Courant. October 28, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  4. ^ "Hartford, Connecticut Register City Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  5. ^ a b c "New Britain, Connecticut Minor League City Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  6. ^ "About Muzzy Field". Futures Collegiate Baseball League of New England. 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  7. ^ Middletown Mansfields 1866-1872
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