Greensboro Grasshoppers
History
Greensboro has fielded professional teams since the early 1900s, in several different leagues. Early on, the nickname Greensboro Patriots was applied to those teams, in reference to the Battle of Guilford Court House.
There were a few false starts. The North Carolina League of 1902 fielded a Greensboro team, but the league failed in mid-season. The Virginia-North Carolina League of 1905 also included a Greensboro franchise. The league completed its season but disbanded thereafter.
The Patriots joined the Carolina Association in 1908 and began a run of 10 straight seasons in pro ball. The league was reorganized as the North Carolina Association for 1913 and renamed itself the North Carolina State League in 1916. The league played one more season and then disbanded after 1917. By then, America’s involvement in World War I was well under way, and many minor leagues folded after 1917.
With peacetime, interest in professional baseball and the minor leagues revived. The Greensboro Patriots were revived as well, joining the newly-formed Piedmont League in 1920, winning its inaugural championship. The Patriots also won the league title in 1926. In 1930, the club began a five-year affiliation with the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Greensboro clubs initially played their home games at Cone Athletic Park, better known as simply Cone Park, a small facility on the grounds of the Cone Mills textile plant. World War Memorial Stadium opened in 1926 (on Armistice Day), but the Patriots continued to play at Cone Park until 1930, when the addition of lights and other improvements to the Stadium, spurred by the affiliation with the Cardinals, resulted in the team moving to the Stadium. The various Greensboro clubs would call the Stadium “home” for the next 75 years.
After the Cardinals contract expired, the franchise transferred to Asheville Tourists in 1935. Five years later, minor league ball returned to Greensboro for a couple of years, with another Piedmont League entry called the Greensboro Red Sox, which played during 1941-1942.
After the Piedmont League years, another Greensboro team operated in the Carolina League during 1945-1968. The club was known variously as the Patriots (1945-1951), the Greensboro Pirates (1952-1954), the Patriots again (1955-1957), the Greensboro Yankees (1958-67), and the Patriots once again (1968). Following the 1968 season, Greensboro dropped out of professional ball for the next ten years, during a time when minor league baseball had lost popularity. That situation would start to change for the better in the late 1970s, and Greensboro would benefit from it.
The minors returned to Greensboro in 1979, with a new entry in the Western Carolinas League. The WCL renamed itself as the South Atlantic League the next year, reviving the name once used by the Southern League. Abandoning the old nickname of “Patriots”, which by then was best known for the New England Patriots of the NFL, the new club instead decided to adopt the nickname Greensboro Hornets. That nickname was better known for teams based in Charlotte, but the Charlotte Hornets baseball team had abandoned its nickname after the 1973 season, and the new Greensboro team adopted it. Some naming rights complications arose when the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA began play in 1988. The nicknames co-existed in the state until 1994, when the Hornets settled with the NBA and changed their name to the punning nickname Greensboro Bats. Consequently, the team mascot switched from a hornet to a flying bat wielding a baseball bat.
With the move from 80-year-old War Memorial Stadium to the new park in 2005, the club further expanded its corporate face-lift by changing nicknames again, to the alliterative Greensboro Grasshoppers.
In the 2008 season 18 year old rookie Michael Stanton, former second round pick by the Florida Marlins set the single season home run record for the Hoppers with 39 homers.
Former Greensboro players
Greensboro alumni who had lengthy major league careers include:
Reggie Sanders, outfielder, Cincinnati Reds and others
Derek Jeter, shortstop, New York Yankees
Don Mattingly, first baseman, New York Yankees
Andy Pettite, pitcher, New York Yankees, Houston Astros
Jorge Posada, catcher, New York Yankees
Mariano Rivera, relief pitcher, New York Yankees
Mike Pagliarulo, third baseman, New York Yankees
Curt Schilling, pitcher, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox and others
Roster
Greensboro Grasshoppers roster
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Players
Coaches/Other
Pitchers
40 Ramon Benjamin
— Robert Bono
54 Arquimedes Caminero
— Luis Chirinos
— Natividad Dilone
32 Johnny Dorn
43 Rodolfo Encarnacion
22 Brad Hand
53 Graham Johnson
38 Kyle Kaminska
46 Sandy Rosario
— Sean Teague
16 Brandon Todd
34 Jared Yecker
Catchers
14 Jose Ceballos
2 Torre Langley
8 Kyle Skipworth
17 Robert Taylor
Infielders
15 Paul Gran
33 Ryan Keedy
23 Ben Lasater
— Michael Pasek
12 Daniel Pertusati
11 Jake Smolinski
14 Brandon Turner
Outfielders
1 Justin Bass
27 Isaac Galloway
41 Thomas Hickman
21 Justin Jacobs
28 Kevin Mattison
Manager
— Darin Everson
Coaches
— Robert Bell (hitting)
— Charlie Corbell (pitching)
Disabled list
* On Florida Marlins 40-man roster
Reserve list
Suspended list
Restricted list
# Rehab assignment
Roster updated 2009-12-17
Transactions
Sources
Professional Baseball Franchises, Peter Filichia, Facts on File Books, 1993.
Baseball in North Carolina’s Piedmont, Chris Holaday, Arcadia, 2002.
References
^ http://www.news-record.com/content/2008/09/02/article/grasshoppers_end_season_with_walk_off_home_run
External links
Greensboro Grasshoppers Official Site
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Florida Marlins
Based in Miami Gardens, Florida
The Franchise
Seasons History Expansion Draft Records Players Managers and Owners Broadcasters Florida Marlins Radio Network Opening Day starters
Ballparks
Sun Life Stadium New Marlins Ballpark (future)
Spring Training: Cocoa Expo Stadium Space Coast Stadium Roger Dean Stadium
Culture
Steve Bartman The Inning Billy the Marlin Fire sales Norman Braman
Rivalries
Philadelphia Phillies Citrus Series
Important Figures
Carl Barger H. Wayne Huizenga John W. Henry Jeffrey Loria David Samson Larry Beinfest Fredi Gonzalez Rene Lachemann Jeff Conine Mike Lowell Luis Castillo Josh Beckett Dontrelle Willis Miguel Cabrera Jack McKeon Jim Leyland Ivn Rodrguez Hanley Ramrez Dan Uggla Jeremy Hermida Livn Hernndez Gary Sheffield Edgar Rentera Craig Counsell Juan Pierre Kevin Brown Al Leiter Alex Fernandez Charles Johnson Benito Santiago
Retired Numbers
5 42
Key Personnel
Owner: Jeffrey Loria Team President: David Samson President of Baseball Operations: Larry Beinfest General Manager: Michael Hill Manager: Fredi Gonzlez
World Series
Championships (2)
1997 2003
National League Pennants (2)
1997 2003
Division Titles
National League East: none
Minor League
Affiliates
AAA: New Orleans Zephyrs AA: Jacksonville Suns A: Jupiter Hammerheads Greensboro Grasshoppers Jamestown Jammers Rookie: Gulf Coast League Marlins DSL Marlins
Seasons (18)
1990s
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000s
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010s
2010
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Florida Marlins franchise
Triple-A
Double-A
Class A
Rookie
New Orleans Zephyrs
Jacksonville Suns
Jupiter Hammerheads
Greensboro Grasshoppers
Jamestown Jammers
GCL Marlins
DSL Marlins
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South Atlantic League
Northern Division
Delmarva Shorebirds Hagerstown Suns Hickory Crawdads Kannapolis Intimidators Lakewood BlueClaws West Virginia Power
Southern Division
Asheville Tourists Augusta GreenJackets Charleston RiverDogs Greensboro Grasshoppers Greenville Drive Lexington Legends Rome Braves Savannah Sand Gnats
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Sports teams based in North Carolina
Australian Rules Football
USAFL/EAFL: North Carolina Tigers, WAFA: North Carolina Lady Tigers
Baseball
IL: Durham Bulls Charlotte Knights, SL: Carolina Mudcats, CL: Kinston Indians Winston-Salem Dash, SAL: Asheville Tourists Greensboro Grasshoppers Hickory Crawdads Kannapolis Intimidators, ApL: Burlington Royals, CPL: Asheboro Copperheads Edenton Steamers Fayetteville Swampdogs Forest City Owls Gastonia Grizzlies Morehead City Marlins Outer Banks Daredevils Thomasville Hi-Toms Wilmington Sharks Wilson Tobs
Basketball
NBA: Charlotte Bobcats, CBL: Carolina Cougarz Wilmington Sea Dawgs, ABA: Charlotte Crossovers
Football
NFL: Carolina Panthers, UNGL: North Carolina Comets, AIFA: Carolina Speed Fayetteville Guard, IWFL: Cape Fear Thunder Carolina Phoenix Carolina Queens, WFA: Carolina Raging Wolves
Hockey
NHL: Carolina Hurricanes, AHL: Charlotte Checkers, ECHL: Charlotte Checkers, SPHL: Fayetteville FireAntz
Rugby
SL: Charlotte RFC
Soccer
USL-1: Carolina RailHawks, USL-2: Charlotte Eagles Wilmington Hammerheads, PDL: Carolina Dynamo Cary Clarets, WL: Carolina Dynamo Carolina RailHawks Women Charlotte Lady Eagles
College Athletics
(NCAA Division I)
Appalachian State Campbell Charlotte Davidson Duke East Carolina Elon Gardnerebb High Point North Carolina North Carolina A&T North Carolina Central North Carolina State UNC Asheville UNC Greensboro UNC Wilmington Wake Forest Western Carolina Winstonalem State
Main Article: Sports in North Carolina
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Categories: United States baseball team stubs | Sports clubs established in 1980 | South Atlantic League | Professional baseball teams in North Carolina | Sports in Greensboro, North Carolina
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