Medford Dodgers
The Medford Dodgers were a minor league baseball team based in Medford, Oregon, that played in the Class A-Short Season Northwest League from 1969-1971. Prior to 1970, the club played as the Rouge Valley Dodgers.
| Medford Dodgers 1969–1971 Medford, Oregon | |
| Minor league affiliations | |
|---|---|
| Class | Class A-Short Season |
| League | Northwest League |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Previous teams | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (1) | 1969 |
| Team data | |
Previous names | Rogue Valley Dodgers (1969) |
| Colors | Dodger blue, white |
| Ballpark | Miles Field |
History
Rogue Vally Baseball, Inc. was awarded a Northwest League franchise to play in Medford. The club affiliated with the San Francisco Giants. Utilizing their parent club's namesake, the Medford Giants played for two season from 1967-1968. The club changed affiliations to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1969 and became the Rogue Valley Dodgers for a season. In late July of 1969 the franchise was sold to Ashland businessman Cleatis Mitchell.[1] The Dodgers finished the season with a record of 50-29 to claim the Northwest League championship.Following the season the Rouge Valley name was dropped in favor of Medford. Half way into the 1971 season the club was in financial trouble. Owner Cleatis Mitchell sought financial assistance for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the amount of $6000. Without additional funding the club would cease operations.[2] The Dodgers received the necessary funding played in Medford through the 1971 season.
The Dodgers moved their Northwest League affiliate to Spokane in 1972, which had been their AAA team in the Pacific Coast League since 1958, when they moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles.[3] [4]
Spokane returned to the Pacific Coast League in 1973 as the Texas Rangers affiliate and the Dodgers moved their Northwest League affiliation west to Bellingham.
The Northwest League returned to Medford and Miles Field in 1979 when the Bend Timber Hawks moved south after one season in central Oregon and became the Medford A's.[5]
Season-by-season record
| Season | PDC | Division | Finish | Wins | Losses | Win% | Post-season | Manager | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rogue Valley Dodgers | ||||||||||
| 1969 | LAD | 1st | 50 | 29 | .633 | Northwest League champion by virtue of record | Bill Berrier | 23,696 | ||
| Medford Dodgers | ||||||||||
| 1970 | LAD | South | 3rd | 36 | 44 | .450 | Bill Berrier | 19,687 | ||
| 1971 | LAD | South | 3rd | 34 | 46 | .425 | Bill Berrier | 12,930 | ||
| Division winner | League champions |
References
- "Medford Dodgers Said Purchased". Newspapers.com. 1969-07-28. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
- "Medford Recovers". Newspapers.com. 1971-07-18. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
- Missildine, Harry (December 13, 1971). "Baseball set for Spokane". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 1.
- Lynch, Mike (February 3, 1972). "Ken Merkel heads club". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 15.
- "Emmans clears final hurdle in Medford". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. February 15, 1979. p. 14.
External links
- Stats Crew Medford Dodgers
- Medford Dodgers from the Bullpen wiki page
| Preceded by Medford Giants |
Northwest League franchise 1969-1971 |
Succeeded by Ceased operations |