Bellingham Dodgers

Bellingham Dodgers
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass A-Short Season
LeagueNorthwest League
Major league affiliations
Previous teamsLos Angeles Dodgers
Minor league titles
Division titles (1)1974
Team data
ColorsDodger blue, white
   
Previous parks
Joe Martin Field
ManagerBill Berrier

The Bellingham Dodgers were a Minor League Baseball team in the Class A-Short Season Northwest League, based in Bellingham, Washington. The franchise played four season as an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1973 to 1976. In 1977 the team would change names to Bellingham Mariners representative of their new parent club.

History

The franchise arrived in 1973 as the Bellingham Dodgers, affiliated with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After three seasons in Medford and one season in Spokane in 1972, the Dodgers moved their Northwest League affiliate to Bellingham for 1973. In their first season the Dodgers posted a record of 42–37. The Dodgers would build upon their initial success. Bellingham went 52–32 on the year to win the West Division title. In the best of three games league championship series, the Dodgers fell to the Eugene Emeralds.

The team gained unwanted national notoriety in 1975 when it opened the season with 25 straight losses;[1][2][3] they finished at 17–61 (.218). The Dodgers would again find themselves at the bottom of the league standings in 1976. Following the season the franchise signed a player development contract with the expansion Seattle Mariners. The Los Angeles Dodgers shifted their short season affiliation to Lethbridge, where they would play as the Lethbridge Dodgers of the Pioneer League.

Ballpark

The Bellingham franchise played at Joe Martin Field, a venue with a seating capacity near 1,600. The park is currently the home of the Bellingham Bells of the West Coast League.[4]

Season-by-season record

Season PDC Division Finish Wins Losses Win% Post-season Manager Attendance
Bellingham Dodgers
1973 LAD South 2nd 42 37 .638 Bill Berrier 38,396
1974 LAD West 1st 52 32 .619 Lost to Eugene in championship series 1-2 Bill Berrier 30,350
1975 LAD North 6th 17 61 .217 Bill Berrier 21,357
1976 LAD South 6th 30 42 .416 Bill Berrier 23,225
Division winner League champions

See also

References

  1. ^ Hopper, Betty (July 13, 1975). "Bellingham Dodgers: maybe you can lose 'em all..." Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. p. D1.
  2. ^ "Northwest League standings". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). July 13, 1975. p. D2.
  3. ^ "Bellingham ends string, starts over". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. July 14, 1975. p. 10.
  4. ^ "Joe Martin Field". Bellingham Bells. Archived from the original on September 1, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
Preceded by
Expansion franchise
 Northwest League franchise
1973-1976 		Succeeded by