Myrtle Beach Pelicans

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Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Founded in 1980
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Team Logo

Cap Insignia
Class-Level
  • Advanced-A (1999-present)
Minor League affiliations
Major League affiliations
Name
  • Myrtle Beach Pelicans (1999-present)
  • Danville 97s (1998)
  • Durham Bulls (1980-1997)
Ballpark
Minor League titles
League titles 1999*, 2000
Division titles 1999, 2000

*co-champions with Wilmington

Owner(s)/Operated by: Myrtle Beach Pelicans LP
Manager: Rocket Wheeler
General Manager: North Johnson

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a minor league baseball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. They are a Class A team in the Carolina League and the franchise has been a farm team of the Atlanta Braves since 1980. The Pelicans play home games at BB&T Coastal Field, which opened in 1999 and seats up to 6,000 fans. The Pelicans are the only team of the Atlanta Braves' affiliates that are not owned by the parent club.

Contents

[edit] Team history

Previously, this franchise was know as the Durham Bulls, which relocated following the 1997 season as a result of the expansion of the AAA International League into Durham, North Carolina and the assumption of the "Bulls" name by the new franchise. It spent the 1998 season in Danville, Virginia as the Old 97s while awaiting a move to Myrtle Beach as their new stadium, Coastal Federal Field, was still under construction.

In 1999, the team advanced to the 1999 Carolina League Mills Cup Championship series. The series, against the Wilmington Blue Rocks, was tied, 2-2, with Game 5 of 5 set for Myrtle Beach when the series was cancelled because of Hurricane Floyd.

The Pelicans play their home games at BB&T Coastal Field, a family friendly ballpark with a Speed Pitch, Obstacle Course, and Moon Bounce on the concourse. In 2004, Baseball America rated Coastal Federal Field as the #2 Class-A level ballpark in the United States. The current manager of the Pelicans is Rocket Wheeler.

In early 2006, Capitol Broadcasting Company announced plans to sell the Pelicans. The current owner is Myrtle Beach Pelicans LP, a group led by lawyer Chuck Greenberg.[1]

The Pelicans set a team record as they drew 11,000 fans on June 16-17 2007. They are the only Braves affiliate without the name "Braves", as well as the only Braves affiliate not owned by their Major League Baseball counterpart.

[edit] Notable former players

Former Pelicans include Rafael Furcal, Marcus Giles, Jeff Francouer, Brian McCann, Adam LaRoche, Ryan Langerhans, Jason Marquis, Wilson Betemit, Chuck James, Greg Miller, Adam Wainwright and Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

[edit] External links

[edit] References



Flag of South Carolina
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Sports teams based in South Carolina
Baseball

CL: Myrtle Beach Pelicans, SAL: Charleston RiverDogsGreenville Drive

Football AIFA: Carolina SandsharksFlorence Phantoms
Hockey ECHL: Columbia InfernoSouth Carolina Stingrays
Soccer USL-1: Charleston Battery
College athletics
(NCAA Division I)
Charleston SouthernClemsonCoastal CarolinaCollege of CharlestonFurmanPresbyterianSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina StateThe CitadelUSC UpstateWinthropWofford