TheBoise Athleticswere aminor league baseballteam located inBoise, Idaho.They were members of theClass A-Short SeasonNorthwest Leaguefor two seasons (1975, 1976) and were affiliated with theOakland Athletics.
| Boise A's | |
|---|---|
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Previous classes | Class A Short Season |
| League | Northwest League |
| Division | South |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Previous teams | Oakland Athletics |
| Team data | |
| Colors | Kelly green, athletic gold, white |
| Ballpark | Borah Field (now Bill Wigle Field) |
History
editIn 1974, the Northwest League awarded Boise a new franchise to begin play in 1975. However, by the close of the season, the league's expansion plans were thwarted by the termination of operations by theLewiston BroncsandTri-City Atoms.[1][2]TheNew Westminster Fraserssought a new home after enduring a season of poor attendance,[3]and relocated to Boise. This was Boise's first entry in the Northwest League. TheOakland Athletics,who had been partnered with Lewiston, signed a player development contract with Boise. The club adopted their parent club's name to become the Boise Athletics; the parent club had won a third consecutiveWorld Seriesin1974.
On June 18, 1975, Boise hosted its first professional baseball game since 1963 with 1,814 in attendance.[4]Tom Trebelhorn,who played the previous season in the Oakland farm system at Lewiston, served as manager. The A's finished the season at an even 38–38 (.500), but Boise struggled financially, which was attributed to the absence of beer sales. Their home field was located on ahigh schoolcampus and theschool boarddenied the sale of beer.[5]Despite the lack of beer revenue, they were third in home attendance in the six-team league.
Trebelhorn returned as manager in 1976 and the most intriguing player on Boise's roster wasRickey Henderson,fresh out of high school. The futurehall of famerplayed in 46 games for Boise and hit.336 as a 17-year-old.[6]Even with the exciting Henderson, attendance had fallen dramatically in the A's second season. With only 181 in attendance, the A's closed out the season in a losing effort against theWalla Walla Padresin what became their final game;[7]and finished the season at 33–38 (.465).[8]
Following the season, it was reported by theMedicine Hat NewsinAlbertathat an executive of the Boise A’s Northwest League baseball team said he has talked to municipal officials and businessmen inMedicine Hatabout the possibility of moving the club into the city and into thePioneer League.[9]A little more than a month later, it was confirmed that the Boise franchise was departing the City of Trees for Medicine Hat as a member of thePioneer League.
Boise took a one-year hiatus from baseball, with the unaffiliatedBuckskinsbeginning (and ending) play in 1978; theHawks'first season was nine years later.
Ballpark
editHome games of the Boise A's were played at Borah Field (now Bill Wigle Field) on the campus ofBorah High School.[4]Also the home of the Buckskins (1978) andHawksfor their first two seasons (1987, 1988), theballparkis still in use today for high school andAmerican Legionplay.
Season records
edit| Season | PDC | Division | Finish | Wins | Losses | Win% | Post-season | Manager | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise A's | ||||||||||
| 1975 | OAK | South | 3rd | 38 | 38 | .500 | Tom Trebelhorn | 29,286 | ||
| 1976 | OAK | South | 3rd | 33 | 38 | .465 | Tom Trebelhorn | 16,294 | ||
Notable alumni
edit- Brian Kingman(1975)
- Darrell Woodard(1975)
- Rickey Henderson(1976)
- Boise A's players
References
edit- ^Barrows, Bob (January 10, 1975)."Directors' vote kills Bronc baseball".Lewiston Morning Tribune.Idaho. p. B1.
- ^Barrows, Bob (January 11, 1975)."Broncs' demise no sudden thing".Lewiston Morning Tribune.Idaho. p. B1.
- ^"Frasers absorb their worst drubbing".Newspapers.com.1974-09-03.Retrieved2020-09-28.
- ^ab"Boise drops opener before 1,814 fans".Lewiston Morning Tribune.Idaho. Associated Press. June 19, 1975. p. B1.
- ^Hart, Arthur (1994).Boise Baseball: The First 125 Years.Caxton Press.ISBN0963125869.
- ^"1976 Boise A's – team statistics".Baseball Reference.RetrievedOctober 29,2011.
- ^"Nampa Idaho Free Press Archives, Sep 6, 1976, p. 11".6 September 1976.
- ^"Northwest League: final standings".Eugene Register-Guard.(Oregon). September 5, 1976. p. 9C.
- ^"The Pioneers: Medicine Hat A's".July 2019.
External links
edit- Stats CrewBoise A's