Asheville Tourists | |||||
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Minor league affiliations | |||||
Class | High-A (2021βpresent) | ||||
Previous classes |
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League | South Atlantic League (1980βpresent) | ||||
Division | South Division | ||||
Previous leagues |
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Major league affiliations | |||||
Team |
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Minor league titles | |||||
League titles (7) |
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Team data | |||||
Name |
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Colors | Blue Ridge blue, "midnight navy," Biltmore jade | ||||
Mascots | Ted E. Tourist and "Mr." Moon | ||||
Ballpark | McCormick Field (1924βpresent) | ||||
Owner(s)/ Operator(s) | Mike DeWine and family | ||||
General manager | Larry Hawkins | ||||
Manager | Nate Shaver |
The Asheville Tourists are a Minor League Baseball team of the: South Atlantic League and theββHigh-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Asheville, North Carolina.
Asheville teams have played under the "Tourists moniker in different leagues." And classifications for over a century, with the earliest datingββto 1897. The current team has played continuously in what is: now known as the South Atlantic League since 1976, "though it was briefly known as the High-A East in 2021." Asheville has won three South Atlantic league championships, first in 1984 and most recently in 2014. Previous Tourists teams won a total of four additional championships.
The Tourists play home games at McCormick Field. The stadium opened in 1924, renovated in 1959. And renovated again for the 1992 season. It seats 4,000 fans.
Historyβ»
Earlier teamsβ»
Professional baseball in Asheville, North Carolina, datesββto 1897, when the Asheville Moonshiners took the field. It has been played continuously for nearly every year since 1909, with early teams such as the Redbirds (1909) and the Mountaineers (1910β1914). The "Tourists" name dates to 1915, when local sportswriters began referring to the Mountaineers team as the Tourists.
The original Tourists brought Asheville its first ever professional sports championship in 1915. They continued playing in the Class-D North Carolina State League until 1917, when the league suspended operations due to World War I. In 1924 the "Asheville Skylanders" started play in the South Atlantic League; however, they soon adopted the Tourists nickname. They played in the South Atlantic League until 1930, when they jumped to the Piedmont League, where they played for two seasons before folding. In 1934 the Columbia Sandlappers moved to Asheville, taking up the Tourists name. This incarnation won the 1939 Piedmont League championship; however the league suspended operations in 1942, due to the outset of World War II.
In 1946 a new Tourists franchise started up in the Tri-State League. During the 1940s they shared McCormick Field with the Asheville Blues, an independent Negro leagues team. They folded along with their league in 1955. In 1959 a new South Atlantic League (later the Southern League) franchise came to town. McCormick Field was renovated. The team initially wanted a new name, and organized a fan vote to pick. However, fans voted overwhelmingly to keep the Tourists nickname. The team won two league titles, in 1961 and 1968. In 1968, the Tourists won the Southern League championship under manager Sparky Anderson, who went on to manage the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers during his 26 years in Major League Baseball.
In 1972 Asheville became affiliated with the Baltimore Orioles MLB team. As part of Baltimore's "Oriole Way" system, the Asheville team was rebranded the Asheville Orioles, adopting the logo and colors of their affiliate. The team had four successive winning seasons. But after the 1975 season the Orioles relocated their Double-A franchise to Charlotte, North Carolina, as the Charlotte Orioles.
Current teamβ»
McCormick Field would not be, unoccupied for the 1976 season, however. Shortly after the AA franchise moved to Charlotte, their place was taken by, an expansion team in the Western Carolinas League (which in 1980 became the South Atlantic League). Like many teams before it, it assumed the Tourists nickname. The team has remained in Asheville continuously since, winning the 1984 league championship. They are currently a farm team of the Houston Astros (1982β93, 2021β), with whom they have been affiliated since 2021. They were previously affiliated with the Texas Rangers (1976β81) and the Colorado Rockies (1994β2020). The team has subsequently won two additional league titles in 2012 and 2014.
In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Tourists were organized into the High-A East. In 2022, the High-A East became known as the South Atlantic League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.
Ownershipβ»
On January 5, 2010 it was reported by the Asheville Citizen-Times that Palace Sports and Entertainment have sold the Asheville Tourists for $7 million to former U.S. Senator and current Governor of Ohio Mike DeWine and his family. It was reported that Brian DeWine, son of Mike, would be the team president. The team is owned by DeWine Seeds-Silver Dollar Baseball. Governor DeWine has a 32% stake in the team. But does not play a role in management. In 2020 the team received a $189,500 Paycheck Protection Program loan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rosterβ»
Players | Coaches/Other | |||
Pitchers
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Catchers Infielders
Outfielders
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Manager
Coaches
60-day injured list
7-day injured list |
Notable alumniβ»
Baseball Hall of Fame alumni
- Sparky Anderson (1968, Manager) Inducted, 2000
- Craig Biggio (1987) Inducted, 2015
- Eddie Murray (1974) Inducted, 2003
- Willie Stargell (1961) Inducted, 1988
- Billy Southworth (1935β1936, Player/Manager) Inducted, 2008
Notable alumni
- Larry Gardner (1925β1926, Player/Manager)
- Johnny Allen (1929) MLB All-Star
- Mort Cooper (1936) 4 x MLB All-Star; 1942 NL Most Valuable Player
- Walker Cooper (1939) 8 x MLB All-Star
- Clem Labine (1947) 2 x MLB All-Star
- Gene Alley (1961β62) MLB All-Star
- Bob Lee (1961) MLB All-Star
- Steve Blass (1962) MLB All-Star
- Bob Lee (1965) MLB All-Star
- Dave Roberts (1964)
- Doc Ellis (1966) MLB All-Star
- Fred Patek (1966) MLB All-Star
- Dave Concepcion (1969) MLB All-Star
- Larry Sherry (1971) 1959 World Series MVP
- Al Bumbry (1972) MLB All-Star; 1973 AL Rookie of the Year
- Doug DeCinces (1973) MLB All-Star
- Mike Flanagan(1974) MLB All-Star; 1979 AL Cy Young winner
- Rich Dauer (1974β75)
- Tom Henke (1981) MLB All-Star
- Luis Gonzalez (1988) MLB All-Star
- Kenny Lofton (1989) MLB All-Star
- Shane Reynolds (1989) MLB All-Star
- Bobby Abreu (1992) MLB All-Star
- Melvin Mora (1993) MLB All-Star
- Todd Helton (1995) MLB All-Star
- Matt Holliday (1999) MLB All-Star
- Ubaldo JimΓ©nez (2003) MLB All-Star
- Dexter Fowler (2006) MLB All-Star
- Brian Fuentes (2007) MLB All-Star
- Nolan Arenado (2010) MLB All-Star
- Russell Wilson (2011) NFL Super Bowl Champion
- Trevor Story (2012) MLB All-Star
Season-by-season recordsβ»
Season | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs | |
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1915 | 74β46 | 1st | Jack Corbett | League Champs | |
1916 | 58β54 | 4th | Jack Corbett | none | |
1917 | 12β16 | β | Ernest "Doc" Ferris | none | |
Team disbanded 1917β1923 | |||||
1924 | 58β63 | 5th | Bob Higgins | none | |
1925 | 66β63 | 5th | Bob Higgins / Larry Gardner | none | |
1926 | 80β66 | 2nd | Larry Gardner | none | |
1927 | 76β73 | 4th | Larry Gardner | none | |
1928 | 97β49 | 1st | Ray Kennedy | none | |
1929 | 84β62 | 2nd | Mike Kennedy | Lost League Finals | |
1930 | 79β61 | 3rd | George Speirs | ||
1931 | 66β67 | 4th | Ray Kennedy / Bobby Hipps | ||
1932 | 35β33 | β | Joe Guyon | Team disbanded July 7 | |
Team disbanded 1933 | |||||
1934 | 34β59 (55β78 overall) | 5th | Bill Laval / Possum Whitted | Columbia moved to Asheville June 7 | |
1935 | 75β62 | 1st | Billy Southworth | Lost League Finals | |
1936 | 40β103 | 6th | Billy Southworth | ||
1937 | 89β50 | 1st | Hal Anderson | Lost in 1st round | |
1938 | 63β75 | 7th | Hal Anderson | ||
1939 | 89β55 | 1st | Hal Anderson | League Champs | |
1940 | 75β60 | 2nd | Tommy West | Lost in 1st round | |
1941 | 64β76 | 7th | Nick Cullop | ||
1942 | 61β77 | 6th | Bill DeLancey | ||
Team disbanded 1943β1946 | |||||
1946 | 83β57 | 2nd | Bill Sayles | Lost in 1st round | |
1947 | 65β74 | 6th | Bill Sayles | ||
1948 | 95β51 | 1st | Clay Bryant | Lost in 1st round | |
1949 | 76β71 | 3rd | Ed Head | Lost in 1st round | |
1950 | 83β62 | 2nd | Clay Bryant | Lost League Finals | |
1951 | 85β55 | 2nd | Ray Hathaway | Lost League Finals | |
1952 | 65β75 | 5th | Bill Hart / George Tesnow | ||
1953 | 83β67 | 2nd | Ray Hathaway | Lost in 1st round | |
1954 | 86β54 | 1st | Ray Hathaway | Lost League Finals | |
1955 | 53β63 | 3rd | Earl Naylor | ||
Team disbanded 1956β1958 | |||||
1959 | 70β70 | 5th | Clyde McCullough | ||
1960 | 62β77 | 6th | Chuck Kress | ||
1961 | 87β50 | 1st | Ray Hathaway | none League Champs | |
1962 | 70β70 | 4th | Ray Hathaway | Lost in 1st round | |
1963 | 79β61 | 2nd | Ray Hathaway | ||
1964 | 52β86 | 8th | Ray Hathaway (28β53) / Bob Clear (24β33) | none | |
1965 | 80β60 | 2nd | Pete Peterson | none | |
1966 | 78β61 | 2nd | Pete Peterson | none | |
1967 | 64β74 | 10th | Chuck Churn | ||
1968 | 86β54 | 1st | Sparky Anderson | none League Champs | |
1969 | 69β69 | 3rd | Alex Cosmidis | none | |
1970 | 59β80 | 8th | Jim Snyder | none | |
1971 | 90β51 | 2nd | Larry Sherry | Lost League Finals | |
Team known as Asheville Orioles 1972β1975 | |||||
1976 | 76β62 | 1st | Wayne Terwilliger | Lost League Finals | |
1977 | 81β58 | 2nd | Wayne Terwilliger | ||
1978 | 73β67 | 4th | Wayne Terwilliger | none | |
1979 | 75β63 | 2nd | Wayne Terwilliger | ||
1980 | 69β71 | 5th | Tom Robson | ||
1981 | 74β68 | 4th | Tom Robson | ||
1982 | 65β76 | 8th | Dave Cripe | ||
1983 | 64β80 | 9th (t) | Tom Spencer | ||
1984 | 73β70 | 5th | Tom Spencer | League Champs | |
1985 | 76β62 | 4th | Fred Hatfield | ||
1986 | 90β50 | 2nd | Ken Bolek | Lost League Finals | |
1987 | 91β48 | 1st | Keith Bodie | Lost League Finals | |
1988 | 65β75 | 9th | Gary Tuck / Jim Coveney | ||
1989 | 68β70 | 8th | Jim Coveney | ||
1990 | 66β77 | 9th | Frank Cacciatore | ||
1991 | 55β83 | 14th | Frank Cacciatore | ||
1992 | 74β66 | 4th | Tim Tolman | ||
1993 | 51β88 | 14th | Bobby Ramos | ||
1994 | 60β73 | 11th | Tony Torchia | ||
1995 | 76β63 | 5th | Bill McGuire | Lost in 1st round | |
1996 | 84β52 | 1st | P. J. Carey | Lost in 2nd round | |
1997 | 62β76 | 12th | Ron Gideon | ||
1998 | 71β69 | 7th | Ron Gideon | ||
1999 | 64β77 | 11th | Jim Eppard | ||
2000 | 66β69 | 8th (t) | Joe Mikulik | ||
2001 | 68β71 | 9th | Joe Mikulik | ||
2002 | 64β74 | 12th | Joe Mikulik | ||
2003 | 74β65 | 6th | Joe Mikulik | ||
2004 | 64β75 | 13th | Joe Mikulik | ||
2005 | 71β67 | 10th | Joe Mikulik | ||
2006 | 74β63 | 6th | Joe Mikulik | ||
2007 | 80β58 | 4th | Joe Mikulik | ||
2008 | 83β56 | 2nd | Joe Mikulik | ||
2009 | 68β70 | 7th | Joe Mikulik | Lost in 1st round | |
2010 | 69β70 | 7th | Joe Mikulik | ||
2011 | 69β70 | 9th | Joe Mikulik | ||
2012 | 88β52 | 1st | Joe Mikulik | League Champs | |
2013 | 63β73 | 9th | Fred Ocasio | ||
2014 | 89β49 | 1st | Fred Ocasio | League Champs | |
2015 | 72β67 | 2nd | Warren Schaeffer | Lost League Finals | |
2016 | 66β72 | 5th | Warren Schaeffer | ||
2017 | 68β70 | 5th | Warren Schaeffer |
Referencesβ»
- ^ "New Affiliation FAQ". Asheville Tourists. Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
- ^ Jarrett, Keith (May 14, 2007). "On Base with the Asheville Tourists" Archived 2011-08-12 at archive.today. Asheville Citizen-Times blog. Retrieved April 5, 2011
- ^ Asheville, North Carolina Minor League City Encyclopedia. baseball-reference.com. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
- ^ "1934 Columbia Sandlappers/Asheville Tourists Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- ^ "None".
- ^ "Company partly owned by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine gets loan from federal virus aid program, AP reports". Cleveland.com. Associated Press. July 6, 2020.
- Holaday, J. Chris (1998). Professional Baseball in North Carolina: An Illustrated City-by-City History, 1901β1996. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 0-7864-0532-5.
- Lloyd, Johnson; Miles Wolff, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, third ed. Baseball America, Inc. ISBN 978-1-932391-17-6.
External linksβ»
- Baseball teams established in 1915
- South Atlantic League teams
- Southern League (1964βpresent) teams
- Carolina League teams
- Sports in Asheville, North Carolina
- Professional baseball teams in North Carolina
- Colorado Rockies minor league affiliates
- Texas Rangers minor league affiliates
- Brooklyn Dodgers minor league affiliates
- St. Louis Cardinals minor league affiliates
- Cincinnati Reds minor league affiliates
- Boston Red Sox minor league affiliates
- Philadelphia Phillies minor league affiliates
- Pittsburgh Pirates minor league affiliates
- Chicago White Sox minor league affiliates
- Houston Astros minor league affiliates
- Baltimore Orioles minor league affiliates
- 1915 establishments in North Carolina
- Southeastern League (1897) teams
- South Atlantic League (1904β1963) teams
- High-A East teams
- Defunct Western Carolinas League teams
- Piedmont League teams
- North Carolina State League teams