New Bedford Bay Sox
| New Bedford Bay Sox | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| League | NECBL (Southern Division) | |||
| Location |
New Bedford, MA (2009-present) Torrington, CT (1997-2008) | |||
| Ballpark | Paul Walsh Field (2009-present) | |||
| Year founded | 1997 | |||
| League championships | 0 | |||
| Post-Season Division championships | 4 (1997, 1998, 2003, 2006) | |||
| Regular-Season Division championships | 4 (2001, 2002, 2004, 2007) | |||
| Former name(s) |
New Bedford Bay Sox (2009-present) Torrington Twisters (1997-2008) | |||
| Former league(s) |
| |||
| Former ballparks | Fuessenich Park (1997-2008) | |||
| Colors |
Navy, Red | |||
| Mascot | Slamu the whale | |||
| Ownership | Pat O'Connor (President) | |||
| Management | Andrew Cormier (GM) | |||
| Manager | Rick Miller | |||
| Website | nbbaysox.com | |||
The New Bedford Bay Sox are a baseball team that plays in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, a collegiate summer baseball league located in the northeastern United States region of New England. The team is located in New Bedford, Massachusetts. New Bedford's Paul Walsh Field serves as the home field of the Bay Sox. Th NECBL's players use wooden bats, as opposed to aluminum, and are college baseball players recruited from the top intercollegiate baseball programs in the United States. The franchise has appeared in league finals four times in their history, all as the Torrington Twisters (1997, 1998, 2003, 2006), and have twice played host to the NECBL All-Star Game as the Twisters (1998, 2008). Pat and Beth O'Connor, owners of Little Fenway and Little Wrigley joined the ownership team of the New Bedford Bay Sox in October, 2011, and signed a 3-year lease to play at Paul Walsh Field. In November 2011, former MLB player Rick Miller was announced as the 2012 Bay Sox manager.[1]
History
In Torrington, the team's longest-serving head coach was former Chicago Cubs player Moe Morhardt. Coaching from 1998 to 2004, he led the team to four playoff appearances.
Relocation
On December 17, 2008, franchise owners Robin Wadsworth and Rita Hubner, along with New Bedford mayor Scott Lang, announced the relocation of the Torrington Twisters from Torrington, Connecticut to New Bedford, Massachusetts. The team became the New Bedford Bay Sox. They also announced the agreement to a three-year lease deal for Paul Walsh Field in New Bedford. At the press conference, Wadsworth was quoted as saying, "New Bedford has a sense of pride, community and passion that clearly shines through; their enthusiasm is second to none. It quickly became a virtual no brainer, the minute we engaged with Mayor Lang, Matt Morrissey and other community leaders."[2]
On December 26, 2010, changes were announced in the Bay Sox ownership. While owners Wadsworth and Hubner maintained their positions, Tewksbury, Massachusetts residents Jim and Effie Dragon joined as minority owners. The owners voiced their interest in keeping the team in New Bedford.[3]
Franchise postseason appearances
| Year | Division Semi-Finals | Division Finals* | NECBL Championship Series | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torrington Twisters | ||||||
| 1997 | Danbury Westerners | W (2-0) | Middletown Giants | L (1-2) | ||
| 1998 | Rhode Island Gulls | W (2-0) | Middletown Giants | L (1-2) | ||
| 2001 | Keene Swamp Bats | L (1-2) | ||||
| 2002 | Keene Swamp Bats | L (1-2) | ||||
| 2003 | Middletown Giants | W (2-0) | Newport Gulls | W (2-0) | Keene Swamp Bats | L (0-2) |
| 2004 | Newport Gulls | L (1-2) | ||||
| 2006 | North Adams SteepleCats | W (2-0) | Newport Gulls | W (2-0) | Vermont Mountaineers | L (0-2) |
| 2007 | Manchester Silkworms | W (2-0) | Newport Gulls | L (0-2) | ||
| New Bedford Bay Sox | ||||||
| 2009 | Newport Gulls | L (0-2) | ||||
| 2012 | Laconia Muskrats | W (2-0) | Newport Gulls | L (0-2) | ||
- *The NECBL did not separate into divisions until 2001.
References
- ↑ "Bay Sox Welcome Former MLB Star Rick Miller as Manager". South Coast Today. 29 November 2011. Archived from the original on 2012-02-15. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
- ↑ http://www.nbbaysox.com/nbbs/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35:new-bedford-lands-new-england-collegiate-baseball-league-team&catid=18:press-releases Bay Sox news page, URL accessed December 19, 2008
- ↑ Bay Sox have new partners, new GM heading to 2011 at southcoasttoday.com, URL accessed December 27, 2010. Archived 12-27-2010
- Twisters look for fresh start in '09 The Register Citizen
- Twisters dole out awards The Register Citizen
- South stars rise in NECBL showcase The Register Citizen
