Tucson Toros

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The Tucson Toros (1969-1997) were a minor league baseball team, based in Tucson, Arizona. For 28 years the Tucson Toros were an icon in the "Old Pueblo," bringing family fun to Hi Corbett Field. A Triple-A team in the Pacific Coast League, the Toros won the PCL Championship in 1991 and 1993.

Tucson Toros jerseys from the early 1990s
Tucson Toros jerseys from the early 1990s

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Early Days

Tucson had a number of baseball teams between 1915 and 1958, including the Tucson Old Pueblos, the Tucson Waddies, the Tucson Cowboys (several teams), the Tucson Missions and the Tucson Lizards. None of these were part of the Pacific Coast League, however. When the last iteration of the Cowboys folded in 1958, Tucson was left with no professional baseball until the advent of the Toros. Hiram "Hi" Corbett, a former Arizona state senator, helped to bring the Pacific Coast League to Tucson, in recognition of which the 1937 ballpark in midtown Tucson's Reid Park was eventually renamed Hi Corbett Field. The name Toros was suggested by name-the-team contest winner Clarence Dupnik, who went on to become the Sheriff of Pima County, Arizona.

From 1969 through 1972, the Tucson Toros were the AAA affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. During this period, the team managed no better than a fourth place finish for the season. The Toros did better as the AAA team of the Oakland Athletics (1973-1976), winning the PCL Eastern Division title in 1973 and finishing in second place in 1975. As the Texas Rangers farm team (1977-1979) they finished in third and fourth place, but with outstanding individual performances by outfielder Billy Sample (AAA Minor League Player of the Year, 1978) and others.

[edit] The Astros Era

In 1980 the Toros began a long association with the Houston Astros. Following the lead of the parent club (which was widely criticized for its 1980s uniforms), the Toros introduced what some consider the ugliest uniform in the history of organized baseball: orange pants with yellow and red stripes, and a jersey with a turquoise back, yellow raglan sleeves, and a front resplendent in yellow, avocado, red, pink, and lime green diagonal sections. The uniforms were little better in 1981 with an all-orange uniform.

In their first year of affiliation with the Astros, the Toros won the first half Southern Division title, but were quickly eliminated by the Albuquerque Dukes in the second half playoffs. The team spent most of the rest of the decade in third place for the season. In 1989, under new team owner Rick Holtzman, Mike Feder became the Toros' general manager, a post he would hold through the end of the Toros era of Tucson baseball. His family-friendly promotions brought immediate results. The club was named Promotional Club of the Year in 1990, and had its highest season attendance to date.

The following season, 1991, was the Toros' first championship season. The team overcame a series deficit of 0-2 to sweep Calgary in the remaining games of the best of five series. Third year Toros manager Bob Skinner was named PCL Manager of the Year, while series MVP Kenny Lofton led all of professional baseball with 17 triples for the season.

After a second place finish in 1992, the Toros had their second and final championship season in 1993 under new manager Rick Sweet, winning both halves of the season. First baseman Jim Lindeman led the league with a .362 batting average. Second baseman James Mouton, in his first season above the single-A level, was the PCL MVP with 92 RBI and 40 stolen bases.

The Toros had the PCL's second-best overall record in 1994, and Rick Sweet was named PCL Manager of the Year. In 1995 the team had the best record in the PCL (87-56), but was defeated by the champion Colorado Springs Sky Sox in the first round of the playoffs. 1996 proved to be the Toros' last year as a Houston affiliate. The team went 70-74, while "losing" a number of outstanding players, such as pitchers Donne Wall and Billy Wagner, to major league call-ups.

[edit] The Beginning of the End

1997 was the last year of the Tucson Toros, in more ways than one. The long affiliation with the Houston Astros was suddenly over, as Tucson signed a one year agreement with the Milwaukee Brewers. The one major league prospect with the Toros who was not part of the Brewers' organization was Travis Lee of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The new franchise did not yet have a AAA team of its own, so Lee was assigned to the nearby Tucson team for part of the season. Although Travis Lee personally had a good year, the transitional Toros only managed a 64-78 record. It was to be the Tucson team's last season at Hi Corbett Field, and the last season with the Toros name.

After the 1997 season, the Tucson club became the Triple-A club of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Because the Colorado Rockies used Hi Corbett Field for spring training, Tucson Electric Park was built to accommodate the Diamondbacks and the Chicago White Sox in the spring "Cactus League." TEP also became home to the newly-renamed Tucson Sidewinders in 1998. This ended minor league baseball history at Hi Corbett Field and seems to have broken a lot of hearts. Fans liked the idea of having a major league baseball team in Arizona, but the new stadium, new owner and new team name didn't sit well with many Toros fans, as evidenced by low attendance records.

[edit] Notable Players

Some notable players to don a Toros or Sidewinders uniform:

It should be noted, however, that at least a few of these were "Tucson" players only by virtue of being sent down to AAA for rehab after an injury.

[edit] The Venue: Hi Corbett Field

Hi Corbett Field (originally Randolph Field) was built in 1937, remodeled in 1972 and renovated in 1992, 1997 and 1999. It is part of a larger city park complex, Reid Park (which also includes the Reid Park Zoo) and Randolph Park, located between Broadway Boulevard and 22nd Street in midtown Tucson.

The Tucson Cowboys played at Hi Corbett in the 1930s to 1950s. It also served as the spring training home of the Cleveland Indians from 1945 through 1992. Parts of the 1989 movie Major League were filmed at Hi Corbett Field, using the University of Arizona baseball team as extras. In 1993 it became the Spring Training home of the expansion Colorado Rockies, the first major league team in the Mountain time zone.

Despite the 1998 opening of Tucson Electric Park, the Colorado Rockies have continued to train at Hi Corbett. USA Baseball was also headquartered at Hi Corbett from 1997-2003. In 2004 Hi Corbett became home to the Arizona Heat women's pro softball team, with a season from June to August.

[edit] Trivia

Hi Corbett dimensions: RF: 348 feet; CF: 392 feet; LF: 366 feet. The park had a "Green Monster" fence in Center Field.

Team Mascot: Tuffy the Toro.

Toros broadcasters Vince Cotroneo, Mario Impemba and Matt Vasgersian all went on to major league broadcast jobs.

Huey Lewis once wrote and performed a theme song for the Tucson Toros (circa 1993). Ray Charles also appeared in concert after a Tucson Toros game in the early 1990s.

Some popular Toros promotions included Turn Back the Clock Night, "bull bells" and a cow-milking contest on Arizona Dairy Night, and the annual Diamond Dig in the base paths.

The largest Toros crowd at Hi Corbett was 12,863 on May 17, 1981 against Salt Lake City.

A hapless team called the Tucson Toros was featured in an episode of Highway To Heaven, "Popcorn, Peanuts and Cracker Jacks." However, the episode was filmed in Los Angeles, not Tucson.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

Tucson Sidewinders

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