Portland Beavers
|
|
The Portland Beavers are a minor league baseball team which, along with the Los Angeles Angels,, Oakland Oaks, Sacramento Solons, San Francisco Seals, and Seattle Indians, was a charter member of the Pacific Coast League which was founded in 1903. Other than Sacramento, Portland is the only city among the original franchises that still has a team in the PCL. Portland is also the largest metropolitan area not to have a Major League team.
The original Portland Beavers began play in the PCL in 1903, being known variously as the Browns, Giants, Ducks, and Webfooters before deciding on the name “Beavers.” The Beavers played at 12,000-seat Vaughn Street Park at Vaughn Street and NW 24th Avenue. They won their first PCL pennant in 1906, finishing 19½ games over runnerup Seattle. The team also won pennants in 1910, 1911, 1913, and 1914.
After the 1914 season, the team went into a tailspin that lasted over a decade. With America’s entry into World War I, restrictions were placed on travel, such that the Beavers even withdrew from the PCL for the 1918 season, playing instead in the Class B Pacific Coast International League, but re-entered the PCL a year later. It wasn’t until 1932, however, that the team won its next PCL flag, with an offense that led the league in hitting. The team won the pennant again in 1936, finishing but 1½ games over runner-up Oakland, then winning the postseason series to capture the crown.
The 1936 title would be the last for the first incarnation of the Beavers. For the remaining 36 seasons, the Beavers finished high enough to make the playoffs but six times. The team finished second once (1944) and third four times (1947, 1956, 1964, and 1967 ). Usually the team finished well into the second division.
In 1956, the Beavers left the now-dilapidated Vaughn Street Park to move into 25,000-seat Multnomah Stadium, eventually renamed Civic Stadium. After 1972, in which the Beavers drew less than 92,000 fans for the entire season, the team left Portland for Spokane.
A second version of the Beavers rejoined the PCL in 1978 and played there in Civic Stadium through 1992. In 1983, the new Beavers won the PCL pennant, the first for Portland in 47 years. Though finishing fourth overall that year, the Beavers defeated the Edmonton Trappers to win the Northern Division title, then bested the Albuquerque Dukes in the finals to capture the flag.
The current Portland Beavers play in renovated Civic Stadium, renamed PGE Park, and are the AAA affiliates of the San Diego Padres.
Headline text
Current AAA Roster (As of June 20th, 2005)
Pitchers
Miguel Asencio Brad Baker Jack Cassel Roger Deago Brandon Emanuel Brian Falkenborg Justin Germano Clay Hensley Jason Kershner Marty McLeary Chris Oxspring Danny Patterson Tim Redding Scott Stewart Brian Sweeney
Catchers
Lee Evans Michel Hernández Seth McCauley
Infielders
Josh Barfield Tagg Bozied J.J. Furmaniak Jesse García Bobby Scales Wilson Valdéz
Outfielders
Adam Hyzdu Ben Johnson Jon Knott
Rehab Assignment
none
External links
- Portland Beavers web site (http://www.portlandbeavers.com/)
- The Unofficial Portland Beavers web site (http://www.pdxbeavers.com/)