Bluefield Orioles
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Template:MLB Orioles franchise
The Bluefield Orioles, a professional baseball team, is a minor league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, representing the twin cities of Bluefield, West Virginia and Bluefield, Virginia. It plays in the Appalachian League, a Rookie League whose players are mostly newly-signed professionals.
Bluefield's link with the Orioles, which started in 1958, is currently the oldest continuous affiliation with the same major-league franchise in Minor League Baseball.
The Bluefield Orioles play their home games at Bowen Field, a historic stadium (opened in 1939) in Bluefield's city park. The park, which straddles the Virginia-West Virginia state line, is operated by the West Virginia city; however, Bowen Field lies entirely within Virginia.
The team's nickname is the "Baby Birds." Their most famous former player is Cal Ripken, Jr., who played with the club in 1978 when he was 17 years old.
External links
- Official team site (http://www.bluefieldorioles.com)
- Bluefield Orioles at Appalachian League site (http://www.appalachianleague.com/bluefield.htm)