History of Baseball in Denver, Part II
In a not-so-surprising result, Dinger was voted the most likely to be the rox’ ace for 2005. Please vote in the new poll.
As I mentioned in History of Baseball in Denver, Part 1, Denver has had professional baseball at one time or another since 1862. Early professional teams were comprised mostly of company teams or club teams. Few of these teams had any players that were paid. The first all-salaried professional team in Colorado was the Leadville Blues in 1882 and Denver first fielded an all-salaried team in 1885, both playing in the Rocky Mountain League with teams from Pueblo, Colorado Springs and other Colorado cities.
In 1886, the Western League was formed with other cities such as Omaha and Topeka, among others. In it’s inaugural season, the Denver Mountain Lions won the Western League pennant with a record of 54-26. In 1888, the Denver Mountaineers won the pennant for what was then called the Western Association, however the season consisted of only 24 games. Denver fielded teams in the Western Association off and on through the 1895 season. Denver played it’s last season in the league, now called the Western League, in 1899 as the Denver Nine.
In 1900, the Western League was reorganized, led by George Tebeau, as part of efforts to establish an official minor-league system to feed the major leagues. For years Denver’s Western League team was called the Grizzlies, but was also commonly referred to as the Bears. The 1900 Bears/Grizzlies won the first new Western League pennant. They didn’t win another one until 1911, but then won three pennants in a row as one of the most successful teams in Denver history. The 1911 Grizzlies, 111-54, were listed as number 22 of the 100 greatest teams in minor league history by Minor League Baseball. Denver fielded a team in the Western League every year until after the 1917 season when a team didn’t exist due to World War I.
In 1922, Denver returned to the Western League, this time officially as the Bears and as a Class A minor-league franchise. 1932 was the first year Denver was affiliated with a major league team, the St. Louis Cardinals. Following that year Denver suspended play due to the Western League needing to reduce travel expenses and remove Denver from the schedule as a result of the Depression.
During the Depression and World War II, Denver got it’s baseball fix from the semi-pro Denver Post Tournaments. These tournaments often brought major league all-star teams to compete with Denver semi-pro and club teams. Players such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gerig and Rogers Hornsby played in the Denver Post Tournament. In 1934, the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League came to play in the tournament, bringing future Hall of Famers Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Cool Papa Bell.
After a six-year absence, the Bears rejoined the Western League, still a Class A league, in 1939, although for only a few years. In 1947, baseball returned to Denver, this time for good and as an affiliate of the New York Yankees. In 1948, the Bears were sold to the Howsam family, who then built a new stadium, Bears Stadium, and also brought the Denver Broncos to town in 1960 when the AFL was formed. The Bears won one more Western League pennant before moving to the American Association and the Class AAA level in 1955 as the affiliate of the New York Yankees.
From 1963-1968, the Bears were members of the Pacific Coast League, but returned to the American Association in 1969. The most successful seasons for the Bears occurred during the period of 1976-1981 as an affiliate of the Montreal Expos. During that stretch the Bears won three minor league championships. The 1980 team, 92-44, is listed as number 37 of the top 100 teams in minor league history by Minor League Baseball. The Bears remained a fixture in Denver sports until being sold in 1984 and renamed the Zephyrs, much to the dismay of many Denver baseball fans. Several Bears and Zephyrs players went on to have successful major league careers. Players such as Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, Tim Wallach, Gary Sheffield, Daryl Boston, Eric Davis, Rob Dibble, Whitey Herzog, Barry Larkin, Don Larsen, Lloyd McClendon, Paul O’Neill, Bryn Smith and Chris Sabo perfected their skills in Denver before making their mark on the major league stage.
1992 was the final year of minor league baseball in Denver, as the Zephyrs moved to New Orleans to make way for the National League expansion Colorado Rockies, who began play in 1993.
Author’s note: I have added an Excel file on the website which has a chronological history of teams in Denver as best as I can determine from my research.
As I mentioned in History of Baseball in Denver, Part 1, Denver has had professional baseball at one time or another since 1862. Early professional teams were comprised mostly of company teams or club teams. Few of these teams had any players that were paid. The first all-salaried professional team in Colorado was the Leadville Blues in 1882 and Denver first fielded an all-salaried team in 1885, both playing in the Rocky Mountain League with teams from Pueblo, Colorado Springs and other Colorado cities.
In 1886, the Western League was formed with other cities such as Omaha and Topeka, among others. In it’s inaugural season, the Denver Mountain Lions won the Western League pennant with a record of 54-26. In 1888, the Denver Mountaineers won the pennant for what was then called the Western Association, however the season consisted of only 24 games. Denver fielded teams in the Western Association off and on through the 1895 season. Denver played it’s last season in the league, now called the Western League, in 1899 as the Denver Nine.
In 1900, the Western League was reorganized, led by George Tebeau, as part of efforts to establish an official minor-league system to feed the major leagues. For years Denver’s Western League team was called the Grizzlies, but was also commonly referred to as the Bears. The 1900 Bears/Grizzlies won the first new Western League pennant. They didn’t win another one until 1911, but then won three pennants in a row as one of the most successful teams in Denver history. The 1911 Grizzlies, 111-54, were listed as number 22 of the 100 greatest teams in minor league history by Minor League Baseball. Denver fielded a team in the Western League every year until after the 1917 season when a team didn’t exist due to World War I.
In 1922, Denver returned to the Western League, this time officially as the Bears and as a Class A minor-league franchise. 1932 was the first year Denver was affiliated with a major league team, the St. Louis Cardinals. Following that year Denver suspended play due to the Western League needing to reduce travel expenses and remove Denver from the schedule as a result of the Depression.
During the Depression and World War II, Denver got it’s baseball fix from the semi-pro Denver Post Tournaments. These tournaments often brought major league all-star teams to compete with Denver semi-pro and club teams. Players such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gerig and Rogers Hornsby played in the Denver Post Tournament. In 1934, the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League came to play in the tournament, bringing future Hall of Famers Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Cool Papa Bell.
After a six-year absence, the Bears rejoined the Western League, still a Class A league, in 1939, although for only a few years. In 1947, baseball returned to Denver, this time for good and as an affiliate of the New York Yankees. In 1948, the Bears were sold to the Howsam family, who then built a new stadium, Bears Stadium, and also brought the Denver Broncos to town in 1960 when the AFL was formed. The Bears won one more Western League pennant before moving to the American Association and the Class AAA level in 1955 as the affiliate of the New York Yankees.
From 1963-1968, the Bears were members of the Pacific Coast League, but returned to the American Association in 1969. The most successful seasons for the Bears occurred during the period of 1976-1981 as an affiliate of the Montreal Expos. During that stretch the Bears won three minor league championships. The 1980 team, 92-44, is listed as number 37 of the top 100 teams in minor league history by Minor League Baseball. The Bears remained a fixture in Denver sports until being sold in 1984 and renamed the Zephyrs, much to the dismay of many Denver baseball fans. Several Bears and Zephyrs players went on to have successful major league careers. Players such as Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, Tim Wallach, Gary Sheffield, Daryl Boston, Eric Davis, Rob Dibble, Whitey Herzog, Barry Larkin, Don Larsen, Lloyd McClendon, Paul O’Neill, Bryn Smith and Chris Sabo perfected their skills in Denver before making their mark on the major league stage.
1992 was the final year of minor league baseball in Denver, as the Zephyrs moved to New Orleans to make way for the National League expansion Colorado Rockies, who began play in 1993.
Author’s note: I have added an Excel file on the website which has a chronological history of teams in Denver as best as I can determine from my research.
posted by Todd Nikkel | 9:09 PM
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