Coos Bay-North Bend A's

Minor league baseball first came to the area when the Coos Bay–North Bend A's joined the Northwest League in 1970. The Northwest league expanded from a four–team league in 1969 to a six–team league in 1970 with the addition of Coos Bay–North Bend and the Bend Rainbows.

The Oakland A's had a Northwest League farm team in Pasco, Washington where they played the 1969 season as the Tri-City A's. Davego Sports Inc., who owned the Tri-City franchise, declined renewing their working agreement with Oakland. Tri-City would sign on with the San Diego Padres. Oakland A's farm system director Phil Seghi wanted to keep a team in the Northwest League. Seghi and the league president narrowed down a list of possible destinations: Vancouver, British Columbia, Kalispell, Montana, Missoula, Montana and North Bend, Oregon. The Northwest League president, John Carbray, negotiated with Seghi to place a franchise in North Bend-Coos Bay and gained the support of local leaders. Ss an affiliate of the Athletics, the club adopted the A's moniker.[1][2][3][4] North Bend Municipal Park was expanded and upgraded to host the team. The A's games were broadcast locally on KBBR radio. The price of a 1970 a single-season ticket was $25 for the whole season. On opening night June 24, 1970, 813 were in attendance for the first game.[3][5]

The 1970 Coos Bay–North Bend A's finished with a finished with a 45–35 record, ahead of the Bend Rainbows (39–41), Lewis-Clark Broncs (43–37), Medford Dodgers (36–44), Tri-City Padres (38–42) and Walla Walla Phillies (39–41) in the Northwest League standings. The Managed by Harry Bright, the A's finished 1st in the South Division. Playing at North Bend Municipal Park, the Coos Bay–North Bend A's had season attendance of 14,817, an average of 370 per game.[2][6]

In their second season, the Coos Bay–North Bend A's finished 2nd in the Northwest League South Division and 5th overall. The 1971 Coos Bay–North Bend A's finished the regular season 36–42 under Managers Jim Reinhold and Warren Hacker. The A's had home attendance of 11,701 for the season.[7][8][6]

In their final season, the 1972 Coos Bay–North Bend A's finished 3rd in the Northwest League South Division and 5th overall. Managed by Grover Resinger, the A's finished 33–45. In their final season at North Bend Municipal Park, the Coos Bay–North Bend A's' season attendance was 10,220 an average of 262, last in the Northwest League.[9][10][6]

On August 21, 1972, the team scheduled a ceremonial Charlie O’ Finley day in honor of the Oakland A's and franchise owner. Finley didn't appear as planned. On August 30, the last home game of the season, there were 291 fans in attendance.[3]

Following the season, Oregon Coast Baseball terminated their affiliation with the Oakland Athletics. The Oakland Athletics moved their Northwest League farm team to Lewiston, Idaho, where they played the 1973 Northwest League season as the Lewiston Broncos. Coos Bay–North Bend has not hosted another minor league team.[3][5]

"The Bay Area was blessed," said Ed Keim, President of Oregon Coast Baseball, the Coos Bay–North Bend A's local sponsor group,. "Even though it was a short amount of time, the people who were able to brave the weather got to see some great ballplayers who did some incredible things after the time they spent here."[5]

The Coos Bay–North Bend A's played at North Bend Municipal Park. Built in 1947, the ballpark had a capacity of 1,000 and field dimensions of (Left, Center, Right) 325–390–305 (1971). Today, the ballpark is known as "Clyde Allen Field" and is still in use by youth baseball teams and North Bend High School teams. The Clyde Allen Field address is 2222 Broadway Avenue, North Bend, Oregon.[11][12][13][5][14]

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