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
Carolina League (1999-present) Southern Division
Major League affiliations
Atlanta Braves (1999-present)
Name
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (1999-present) Danville 97s (1998) Durham Bulls (1980-1997)
Ballpark
BB&T Coastal Field (1999-present) American Legion Field (1998) Durham Bulls Athletic Park (1995-1997) Durham Athletic Park (1980-1994)
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 1 Team history 2 Notable former players 3 External links 4 References

[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

• Myrtle Beach Pelicans official website

[edit] References

v • d • e Atlanta Braves franchise
AAA	AA	A	Rookie
Richmond Braves	Mississippi Braves	Myrtle Beach Pelicans Rome Braves	Gulf Coast Braves Danville Braves

v • d • e Carolina League Northern Division Frederick Keys • Lynchburg Hillcats • Potomac Nationals • Wilmington Blue Rocks Southern Division Kinston Indians • Myrtle Beach Pelicans • Salem Avalanche • Winston-Salem Warthogs

	This box: view • talk • edit Sports teams based in South Carolina
Baseball CL: Myrtle Beach Pelicans, SAL: Charleston RiverDogs • Greenville Drive
Football	AIFA: Carolina Sandsharks • Florence Phantoms
Hockey	ECHL: Columbia Inferno • South Carolina Stingrays
Soccer	USL-1: Charleston Battery
College athletics (NCAA Division I)	Charleston Southern • Clemson • Coastal Carolina • College of Charleston • Furman • Presbyterian • South Carolina • South Carolina State • The Citadel • USC Upstate • Winthrop • Wofford