New Bedford Bay Sox

New Bedford Bay Sox

Team Logo

Cap Insignia
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)
  • NECBL
    • Southern Division (2004-2008)
    • Western Division (2002)
    • National Division (2001)
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

Former Twisters Logo (1997-2007)

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)

References

  1. "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.
  2. 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
  3. Bay Sox have new partners, new GM heading to 2011 at southcoasttoday.com, URL accessed December 27, 2010. Archived 12-27-2010
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