Lynn Sailors

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Lynn Sailors were a class AA American minor league baseball team affiliated with the Seattle Mariners and Pittsburgh Pirates. They were a member of the Eastern League and played at Fraser Field in Lynn, Massachusetts from 1980-1983.

After 30 years without pro baseball in Lynn, the Sailors began play in 1980 when Mike Agganis, nephew of former Red Sox player Harry Agganis, purchased the franchise. After 2 successful seasons, the attendance began to drop, despite improved play on the field. After the 1982 season, the Sailors moved to Burlington, Vermont. The franchise is now the Akron Aeros. [1] Future major leaguers Spike Owen, Harold Reynolds, and Bud Black all played for the Sailors.

In 1983 the Pirates moved their AA affiliation from the Southern League to the Eastern League and the newly formed Lynn Pirates began play. However, due to poor attendance, the club moved to Nashua, New Hampshire and in 1987 moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania as the Harrisburg Senators where the club remains today. The team's final game was a 3-0 playoff loss against the New Britain Red Sox in New Britain. The 3-hit, 10 strikeout, shutout was Roger Clemens' final minor league victory before joining Boston. All of the Pirates playoff games were played on the road due to poor home attendance.

Baseball did not return to Lynn until 1996 when the Massachusetts Mad Dogs of the Northeast League began play at Fraser Field.