Mobile BayBears
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| Mobile BayBears | |||||
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| Minor league affiliations | |||||
| Class | Double-A (1997–2019) | ||||
| League | Southern League (1997–2019) | ||||
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| Colors | Navy, light blue, ecru, white Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content. Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content. Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content. Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content. | ||||
| Mascot | Teddy (2001–2019) Bay B. Bear (1997–2019) BayBear (1997–2004) Kookie (2001–2019) | ||||
| Ballpark | Hank Aaron Stadium (1997–2019) | ||||
The Mobile BayBears were a Minor League Baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The team, which played in the Southern League, served as the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres (1997–2006), Arizona Diamondbacks (2007–2016), and Los Angeles Angels (2017–2019). The BayBears played in Hank Aaron Stadium, which opened in 1997 and is named after baseball's former all-time home run record holder and Mobile native Hank Aaron.
In 2020, the BayBears relocated to Madison, Alabama, where they are now called the Rocket City Trash Pandas.[1]
History
The BayBears franchise originated in 1976 in Charlotte, North Carolina, first as the Charlotte Orioles and then as the first incarnation of the Charlotte Knights. When Charlotte moved up to become a Triple-A franchise in 1993, the team found a temporary home in Nashville, Tennessee, as the Nashville Xpress from 1993 to 1994. It existed as the Port City Roosters in Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1995 to 1996. The franchise landed in Mobile in 1997.
The team's name was announced in July 1996, having been selected in a name-the-team contest.[2] Mobile mayor Mike Dow announced the name at that year's Mobile Fourth of July fireworks display.[3] In September 1996, the BayBears signed an affiliation agreement with the San Diego Padres.[4]
In November 2017, BayBears owners Michael Savit and HWS Group, closed on the sale of the team to BallCorps LLC.[5] The team continued to play in Mobile through the 2019 season, but relocated to Madison, Alabama, in 2020, where they were planned to play in a newly-built ballpark.[6][7] Upon relocation, the team was renamed the Rocket City Trash Pandas.[1] The name is a reference to both the area's association with the space industry and the determination and ingenuity of raccoons.[1]
The BayBears played their final game on September 2, 2019.[8] They were defeated by the Tennessee Smokies, 5–4, before a crowd of 1,554 people.[9]
BayBears Hall of Fame
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Other notable alumni
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References
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- ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Ary, Patrick (September 5, 2018). "Rocket City Trash Pandas chosen as new Madison baseball team's name". WHNT-TV. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Baseball Notes". Star-News. Wilmington, North Carolina. July 6, 1996. p. 2C. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Baseball". The Tuscaloosa News. July 5, 1996. p. 3C. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."New Mobile team links with Padres". Star-News. Wilmington, North Carolina. September 20, 1996. p. 2C. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Stephenson, Creg (November 9, 2017). "Mobile BayBears confirm sale, will play 2018 season at Hank Aaron Stadium". AL.com. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Reichard, Kevin (January 30, 2018). "New Madison Ballpark Approved; 2020 Opening Planned". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."MiLB Approves Mobile BayBears Move to Madison". Ballpark Digest. May 30, 2018. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Gattis, Paul (September 3, 2019). "BayBears bid farewell to Mobile to become Rocket City Trash Pandas". AL.com. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Smokies vs. BayBears Box Score | 09/02/19". MiLB.com. September 2, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
