fbpx
Wikipedia

Lewiston Broncs

May 16, 2023

The Lewiston Broncs were a minor league baseball team in the northwest United States, based in Lewiston, Idaho, and played from 1952 through 1974. Locally, the team was known as "Lewis-Clark" to include the adjacent twin city of Clarkston, Washington. The team's ballpark was Bengal Field,[1] a few blocks southeast of the high school.

Lewiston Broncs
Minor league affiliations
Previous classesShort-season Class A (1966–1974)
Class A (1963–1965)
Class B (1937, 1955–1962)
Class A (1952–1954)
Class C (1939)
Class D (1921)
Previous leagues
Northern Utah League (1921)
Western International League(1937)
Pioneer League (1939)
Northwest League (1955–1974)
Western International League (1952–1954)
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles 3 (1961, 1970, 1972)
Team data
Previous names
  • Lewis-Clark Broncs
  • Lewiston Indians (1939)
  • Lewiston Broncs (1921, 1937, 1952–1974)
ColorsRoyal blue and white
   
Previous parks
Bengal Field (1952–1974)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Lewiston Baseball Club, Inc.

History

The parent organization was Lewiston Baseball Club, Inc., formed in 1952 by Lewiston businessmen Sam Canner Sr., Jack Lee, Billy Gray, George Thiessen, and others. Gray later sold his shares to Thiessen. Prior to its arrival in Lewiston, the team was the Tacoma Tigers, owned by William Starr of San Diego, and were affiliated with the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League (PCL).[2][3]

The Broncs were a member of the Western International League ("Willy") from 1952–54,[4][5] and its successor, the Northwest League, from 1955–74. The Broncs won the NWL championships in 1961,[6] led by catcher–manager John McNamara, the future MLB skipper, and again in 1970[7] and 1972.[8]

The Broncs had two distinctions:

  1. They played in the smallest town in America to have a professional baseball team (1960 census = 12,691^); and
  2. They were the only professional baseball team to be operated without a business manager. During their entire existence, they were run by a board of directors centered on the stockholders.

The team colors were blue and white and the ballpark was Bengal Field;[1] at 11th Avenue and 14th Street, it is now the football-only venue of Lewiston High School, with a grandstand on its west sideline. When it was a baseball stadium for the Lewiston Broncs, home plate was in the northeast corner of the property at 15th Street, resulting in an unorthodox southwest alignment (home to center field). (The recommended alignment is east-northeast.)[9] LHS played baseball there through 1983.[10]

^ Note: The Orchards area of south Lewiston was unincorporated until late 1969.[11][12]

Affiliations

The Broncs were affiliated with four major league franchises:

Year Affiliation
1952 Independent
1953 St. Louis Browns
1954 Baltimore Orioles
1955–56 Independent
1957 Philadelphia Phillies
1958–59 Independent
1960–66 Kansas City Athletics
1967–70 St. Louis Cardinals
1971 Independent
1972 Baltimore Orioles
1973–74 Oakland Athletics
  • The St. Louis Browns became the Baltimore Orioles in 1954.
  • The Kansas City Athletics moved to Oakland in 1968.

Players

A roster check in 1967 showed that 40% of the players and coaches of the Kansas City Athletics had been in Lewiston at one time or another. Reggie Jackson was perhaps the most famous Lewiston Bronc of all-time; Mr. October played 12 games at age 20 for Lewiston in 1966.[13] The Broncs' rosters included Rick Monday,[14] manager John McNamara, Vearl ("Snag") Moore, Thorton ("Kip") Kipper, Antonio Perez, Ron Koepper, Delmer Owen, Dick Green, Bud Swan, Bert Campaneris, John Israel, Dave Duncan, Al Heist and as a player, later coach-manager Robert ("Gabby") Williams. In 1967, the Broncs started a four-year affiliation with the St. Louis Cardinals,[15] who went to the World Series those first two seasons, both going seven games; they won in 1967, but were a game short in 1968.

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable alumni

See also

Termination

The Broncs and their parent company were dissolved in January 1975,[16][17] after years of financial losses due to poor win–loss records, resulting in low attendance. Micromanagement interference from A's owner Charlie O. Finley, at all levels of the organization, was the cause. The result for the Broncs was lost games due to the best players being quickly moved up to other A's minor league franchises in Single-A (Burlington Bees) and Double-A (Birmingham A's).

The A's maintained a presence in the Northwest League in 1975 with a new franchise in southwestern Idaho as the Boise A's, managed by former Bronc Tom Trebelhorn.[18][19] After two seasons in Boise at Borah Field, the team moved to Medicine Hat in eastern Alberta in 1977 and joined the Pioneer League.[20] The Medicine Hat A's switched affiliations after one season to become the Medicine Hat Blue Jays in 1978. There was no A's affiliate in the NWL in 1977; in 1978 it was the Bend Timber Hawks, who moved south in 1979 and became the Medford A's.

Previous teams

Prior to the Broncs, Lewiston's first seasons in the minor leagues were in the 1921 Northern Utah League and with teams named the Indians, in the Class B WIL in 1937,[21][22] and in the Class C Pioneer League in 1939.[23][24][25][26] The first night game at Bengal Field was 86 years ago, the opening game in 1937 on April 27.[21][27]

References

  1. ^ a b "Danforth wins 20th game". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. September 3, 1961. p. 8.
  2. ^ "Lewiston completes deal to buy Tacoma baseball franchise". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 30, 1951. p. 8.
  3. ^ "Lewiston ready to buy Tacoma team franchise". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. November 30, 1951. p. 11.
  4. ^ "Bronc ability well-rounded for Willy League opening". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. April 16, 1952. p. 8.
  5. ^ "Broncs bring pro baseball back to Lewiston tonight". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. April 22, 1952. p. 8.
  6. ^ "Broncs beat Yakima 12-4, capture first championship". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. September 10, 1961. p. 10.
  7. ^ "Broncs defeat Phils 6-4 in final game". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. September 1, 1970. p. 12.
  8. ^ "Broncs beat Tribe to end season". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. September 1, 1972. p. 19.
  9. ^ "Objectives of the Game – rule 1.04". Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
  10. ^ Sahlberg, Bert (April 15, 1984). "Home isn't what it used to be". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1C.
  11. ^ Hollister, Hal (December 17, 1969). "Orchards tracts now part of city". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 14.
  12. ^ Lee, Sandra L. (January 1, 2005). "Old grudges are slow to pass; Lewiston Orchards annexation". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  13. ^ "Reggie Jackson – minor league statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  14. ^ "Rick Monday, Jackson end holdouts, sign contracts". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. March 7, 1969. p. 23.
  15. ^ "Broncs land major pact", Spokane Daily Chronicle, (Washington), p. 13, September 23, 1966
  16. ^ Barrows, Bob (January 10, 1975). "Directors' vote kills Bronc baseball". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. B1.
  17. ^ Barrows, Bob (January 11, 1975). "Broncs' demise no sudden thing". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. B1.
  18. ^ "Pro ball returns to Boise after absence of 11 years". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). June 18, 1975. p. B1.
  19. ^ "Former Broncs boss Trebelhorn takes over Portland Beavers". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). June 21, 1982. p. 2C.
  20. ^ "Teams added for Pioneer". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. October 14, 1976. p. 34.
  21. ^ a b "Lewiston to see first game under the lights tonight when Indians meet Spokane Hawks". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. April 27, 1937. p. 8.
  22. ^ "Spokane Hawks trim Lewiston". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. April 28, 1937. p. 13.
  23. ^ "Lewiston ball club in first home game". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. May 5, 1939. p. 5.
  24. ^ "Join us in celebrating". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. (advertisement). May 5, 1939. p. 8.
  25. ^ "Undefeated Lewiston team will meet Boise Pilots tonight". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. May 5, 1939. p. 10.
  26. ^ "Mel Marlowe whitewashes Indians as Salt Lake City takes series". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. September 1, 1939. p. 8.
  27. ^ "New W.I. League opens tonight". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. April 27, 1937. p. 13.

External links

  • Baseball-Reference.com – minor league teams – Lewiston, Idaho
  • Nat Notes – Northwest League
  • Northwest League of Professional Baseball 2012 Media Guide
    • (Information on page 28 supports the fact that the franchise's official nickname was Broncs, not Broncos).

Coordinates: 46°24′32″N 117°00′43″W / 46.409°N 117.012°W / 46.409; -117.012

May 16, 2023
lewiston, broncs, were, minor, league, baseball, team, northwest, united, states, based, lewiston, idaho, played, from, 1952, through, 1974, locally, team, known, lewis, clark, include, adjacent, twin, city, clarkston, washington, team, ballpark, bengal, field. The Lewiston Broncs were a minor league baseball team in the northwest United States based in Lewiston Idaho and played from 1952 through 1974 Locally the team was known as Lewis Clark to include the adjacent twin city of Clarkston Washington The team s ballpark was Bengal Field 1 a few blocks southeast of the high school Lewiston Broncs1921 1974 1921 1937 1939 1952 1974 Lewiston IdahoMinor league affiliationsPrevious classesShort season Class A 1966 1974 Class A 1963 1965 Class B 1937 1955 1962 Class A 1952 1954 Class C 1939 Class D 1921 Previous leaguesNorthern Utah League 1921 Western International League 1937 Pioneer League 1939 Northwest League 1955 1974 Western International League 1952 1954 Major league affiliationsPrevious teamsOakland Athletics 1973 1974 Baltimore Orioles 1972 Independent 1971 St Louis Cardinals 1967 1970 Kansas City Athletics 1960 1966 Independent 1958 1959 Philadelphia Phillies 1957 Independent 1955 1956 Baltimore Orioles 1954 St Louis Browns 1953 Independent 1952 Minor league titlesLeague titles3 1961 1970 1972 Team dataPrevious namesLewis Clark Broncs Lewiston Indians 1939 Lewiston Broncs 1921 1937 1952 1974 ColorsRoyal blue and white Previous parksBengal Field 1952 1974 Owner s Operator s Lewiston Baseball Club Inc Contents 1 History 2 Affiliations 3 Players 4 Baseball Hall of Fame alumni 5 Notable alumni 5 1 See also 6 Termination 7 Previous teams 8 References 9 External linksHistory EditThe parent organization was Lewiston Baseball Club Inc formed in 1952 by Lewiston businessmen Sam Canner Sr Jack Lee Billy Gray George Thiessen and others Gray later sold his shares to Thiessen Prior to its arrival in Lewiston the team was the Tacoma Tigers owned by William Starr of San Diego and were affiliated with the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League PCL 2 3 The Broncs were a member of the Western International League Willy from 1952 54 4 5 and its successor the Northwest League from 1955 74 The Broncs won the NWL championships in 1961 6 led by catcher manager John McNamara the future MLB skipper and again in 1970 7 and 1972 8 The Broncs had two distinctions They played in the smallest town in America to have a professional baseball team 1960 census 12 691 and They were the only professional baseball team to be operated without a business manager During their entire existence they were run by a board of directors centered on the stockholders The team colors were blue and white and the ballpark was Bengal Field 1 at 11th Avenue and 14th Street it is now the football only venue of Lewiston High School with a grandstand on its west sideline When it was a baseball stadium for the Lewiston Broncs home plate was in the northeast corner of the property at 15th Street resulting in an unorthodox southwest alignment home to center field The recommended alignment is east northeast 9 LHS played baseball there through 1983 10 Note The Orchards area of south Lewiston was unincorporated until late 1969 11 12 Affiliations EditThe Broncs were affiliated with four major league franchises Year Affiliation1952 Independent1953 St Louis Browns1954 Baltimore Orioles1955 56 Independent1957 Philadelphia Phillies1958 59 Independent1960 66 Kansas City Athletics1967 70 St Louis Cardinals1971 Independent1972 Baltimore Orioles1973 74 Oakland AthleticsThe St Louis Browns became the Baltimore Orioles in 1954 The Kansas City Athletics moved to Oakland in 1968 Players EditA roster check in 1967 showed that 40 of the players and coaches of the Kansas City Athletics had been in Lewiston at one time or another Reggie Jackson was perhaps the most famous Lewiston Bronc of all time Mr October played 12 games at age 20 for Lewiston in 1966 13 The Broncs rosters included Rick Monday 14 manager John McNamara Vearl Snag Moore Thorton Kip Kipper Antonio Perez Ron Koepper Delmer Owen Dick Green Bud Swan Bert Campaneris John Israel Dave Duncan Al Heist and as a player later coach manager Robert Gabby Williams In 1967 the Broncs started a four year affiliation with the St Louis Cardinals 15 who went to the World Series those first two seasons both going seven games they won in 1967 but were a game short in 1968 Baseball Hall of Fame alumni EditReggie Jackson 1966 Inducted 1993 Tony LaRussa 1964 Inducted 2015 John McNamara 1955 1958 1962 MGR Inducted 2015Notable alumni EditJack Aker 1961 1963 Bert Campaneris 1963 6x MLB All Star Reggie Cleveland 1967 Chuck Dobson 1965 Dave Duncan 1965 MLB All Star Bob Forsch 1969 1970 Dick Green 1961 Wayne Gross 1973 MLB All Star Dave Hamilton 1966 Ted Kubiak 1963 Marcel Lachemann 1964 Hillis Layne 1956 1958 MGR Steve McCatty 1973 1974 1981 AL ERA Leader Rick Monday 1965 2 x MLB All Star Dwayne Murphy 1973 6x Gold Glove Jim Nash 1965 Fred Norman 1962 Blue Moon Odom 1965 2x MLB All Star John O Donoghue 1960 1961 MLB All Star Tom Trebelhorn 1974 Gary Woods 1973 See also Edit Lewiston Broncs players 1952 1974 Termination EditThe Broncs and their parent company were dissolved in January 1975 16 17 after years of financial losses due to poor win loss records resulting in low attendance Micromanagement interference from A s owner Charlie O Finley at all levels of the organization was the cause The result for the Broncs was lost games due to the best players being quickly moved up to other A s minor league franchises in Single A Burlington Bees and Double A Birmingham A s The A s maintained a presence in the Northwest League in 1975 with a new franchise in southwestern Idaho as the Boise A s managed by former Bronc Tom Trebelhorn 18 19 After two seasons in Boise at Borah Field the team moved to Medicine Hat in eastern Alberta in 1977 and joined the Pioneer League 20 The Medicine Hat A s switched affiliations after one season to become the Medicine Hat Blue Jays in 1978 There was no A s affiliate in the NWL in 1977 in 1978 it was the Bend Timber Hawks who moved south in 1979 and became the Medford A s Previous teams EditPrior to the Broncs Lewiston s first seasons in the minor leagues were in the 1921 Northern Utah League and with teams named the Indians in the Class B WIL in 1937 21 22 and in the Class C Pioneer League in 1939 23 24 25 26 The first night game at Bengal Field was 86 years ago the opening game in 1937 on April 27 21 27 References Edit a b Danforth wins 20th game Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho September 3 1961 p 8 Lewiston completes deal to buy Tacoma baseball franchise Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho November 30 1951 p 8 Lewiston ready to buy Tacoma team franchise Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Associated Press November 30 1951 p 11 Bronc ability well rounded for Willy League opening Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho April 16 1952 p 8 Broncs bring pro baseball back to Lewiston tonight Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho April 22 1952 p 8 Broncs beat Yakima 12 4 capture first championship Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho September 10 1961 p 10 Broncs defeat Phils 6 4 in final game Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho September 1 1970 p 12 Broncs beat Tribe to end season Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho September 1 1972 p 19 Objectives of the Game rule 1 04 Major League Baseball Retrieved November 2 2015 Sahlberg Bert April 15 1984 Home isn t what it used to be Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho p 1C Hollister Hal December 17 1969 Orchards tracts now part of city Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho p 14 Lee Sandra L January 1 2005 Old grudges are slow to pass Lewiston Orchards annexation Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Retrieved October 21 2017 Reggie Jackson minor league statistics Baseball Reference com Retrieved July 29 2013 Rick Monday Jackson end holdouts sign contracts Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press March 7 1969 p 23 Broncs land major pact Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington p 13 September 23 1966 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 Pro ball returns to Boise after absence of 11 years Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho June 18 1975 p B1 Former Broncs boss Trebelhorn takes over Portland Beavers Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho June 21 1982 p 2C Teams added for Pioneer Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Associated Press October 14 1976 p 34 a b Lewiston to see first game under the lights tonight when Indians meet Spokane Hawks Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho April 27 1937 p 8 Spokane Hawks trim Lewiston Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho April 28 1937 p 13 Lewiston ball club in first home game Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington May 5 1939 p 5 Join us in celebrating Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho advertisement May 5 1939 p 8 Undefeated Lewiston team will meet Boise Pilots tonight Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho May 5 1939 p 10 Mel Marlowe whitewashes Indians as Salt Lake City takes series Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho September 1 1939 p 8 New W I League opens tonight Spokesman Review Spokane Washington April 27 1937 p 13 External links EditBaseball Reference com minor league teams Lewiston Idaho Nat Notes Northwest League Northwest League of Professional Baseball 2012 Media Guide Information on page 28 supports the fact that the franchise s official nickname was Broncs not Broncos Coordinates 46 24 32 N 117 00 43 W 46 409 N 117 012 W 46 409 117 012 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lewiston Broncs amp oldid 1134209125, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.