Hagerstown Suns

Hagerstown Suns Founded in 1981 Hagerstown, Maryland
Team logo Cap insignia
Class-level
Single-A (1981-1988) (1993–present) Double-A (1989 -1992)
Minor league affiliations
South Atlantic League (1993–present) Northern Division Eastern League (1989-1992) Carolina League (1981-1988 )
Major league affiliations
Washington Nationals (2007–present) New York Mets (2005-2006) San Francisco Giants (2001-2004) Toronto Blue Jays (1993-2000) Baltimore Orioles (1981-1992)
Name
Hagerstown Suns
Colors
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Ballpark
Municipal Stadium
Minor league titles
League titles	1981
Division titles	1981, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2005
Owner(s)/Operated by: Hagerstown Baseball, LLC
Manager: Brian Daubach
General Manager: Bill Farley

The Hagerstown Suns are a Minor League Baseball team based in Hagerstown, Maryland, United States. They play in Municipal Stadium, which was opened in 1930 and seats 4,600 fans.

The team, which plays in the South Atlantic League, is a Class A affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

History

Baseball has been a staple in Hagerstown for the better part of the past century. In 1915, the Hagerstown Blues joined the Class D Blue Ridge League, where they remained for the next 16 seasons. Throughout this time, they won five pennants and donned four different names: the Blues, the Terriers, the Champs and the Hubs. One month into the 1931 season, the league disbanded and the Hubs moved to Parkersburg, West Virginia

Professional baseball returned to Hagerstown in 1941 when Owen Sterling moved his Detroit Tigers affiliate to town. The newly-named Hagerstown Owls (Owen, Win, Luck and Sterl ing) joined the Class B Interstate League. Gene Raney purchased the team from Sterling in 1950, and the renamed Hagerstown Braves became an affiliate of the Boston Braves.

The team moved to the Piedmont League in 1953 and once again had a name and affiliation change. The new Washington Senators affiliate, the Hagerstown Packets, competed until the league disbanded after the 1955 season.

Hagerstown was without a professional team until 1981 when Lou Eliopulos purchased the Rocky Mount Pines Class A Carolina League franchise, moved them north and signed an affiliation deal with the Baltimore Orioles. The newly named Hagerstown Suns proceeded to win the Carolina League championship in their inaugural season.

In 1989, Hagerstown moved up to the Double-A Eastern League, taking over the Pittsfield Cubs franchise and again affiliating with the Orioles. (The Carolina League franchise would relocate just down Interstate 70 as the Frederick Keys, maintaining the Orioles' Class A affiliation.) Hagerstown would not be able to maintain AA standing, though; after the Suns' and Keys' owners failed to claim an Eastern League expansion franchise for Bowie in 1993 (coinciding with the Florida Marlins' and Colorado Rockies' addition to the majors), they instead chose to move their existing franchise there as the Bowie BaySox.

Hagerstown would not go without, though; Winston Blenckstone immediately relocated his Myrtle Beach Hurricanes franchise in the South Atlantic League to Hagerstown after the 1992 season and promptly renamed them the Suns. The SAL Suns would be a Toronto Blue Jays affiliate until 2000, when a four-year partnership with the San Francisco Giants began under the new ownership of Andy Rayburn. Mandalay Entertainment Group purchased the team in 2002. Hagerstown once again changed affiliates in the 2005, having a two-year stint with the New York Mets before becoming a member of the Washington Nationals farm system in 2007.

A new ownership group with local ties, Hagerstown Baseball, LLC, purchased the Suns in September 2010. The group is led by Florida businessman and general manager of Polo Trace Country Club Bruce Quinn. Tony Dahbura, corporate vice president of Hub Labels in Hagerstown, Dr. Mitesh Kothari of Hagerstown, and Quinn's sister, Sheri, complete the group. Following the announcement of the new ownership, the Nationals renewed their affiliation with the Suns through 2012.

History of Municipal Stadium

The Hagerstown Suns Municipal Stadium boasts the honor of being one of the three oldest Minor League baseball stadiums in the country.

From 1915-1929, Hagerstown's minor league teams played at Willow Lane Park, where Bester Elementary School is now located. When the city made the decision to build the school, the need for a new stadium was urgent. The Field and Athletic Association was created to find land and build a stadium. The organization struck a deal with the city, leasing a tract of land for 99 years at $1 per year. Municipal Stadium was quickly built on the land in a mere six weeks, just in time for the first home game on May 8, 1930. Since then, the stadium has undergone two major renovations.

The first took place in 1981, when Minor League baseball returned to Hagerstown after a 26-year absence from the city. About $546,000 was put into the stadium overhaul, which included the installation of a public address system, stadium lights, underground electricity, and new seats and bleachers.

In 1995, $500,000 worth of improvements to the stadium were made, such as the installation of new seats, and upgrading the VIP section to include cup holders. The Sunset Grille and bar area was also added at this time.

The playing surface was renovated following the 2010 season. In addition, seating improvements and the installation of a state-of-the-art video board will enhance fans' experiences in 2011. It broke part way through the 2011 season, though; it has since been restored to working order, but the picture quality is poor.

Notable former players

• Brady Anderson
• Boof Bonser
• Matt Cain
• Mike Coolbaugh
• Steve Finley
• Jesús Flores
• Jay Gibbons
• Carlos Gomez
• Bryce Harper
• Brad Hennessey
• Clay Hensley
• Sam Horn
• Orlando Hudson
• César Izturis
• Reed Johnson
• Fred Lewis
• Francisco Liriano
• Felipe López
• Chris Marrero
• Justin Maxwell
• Mike Mussina
• Jim Palmer
• Arthur Rhodes
• Alex Ríos
• Shannon Stewart
• Vernon Wells
• Brian Wilson
• Michael Young

Rivals

The Suns have an in-state rivalry with the Delmarva Shorebirds, an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. This particular rivalry is also fueled by the regional rivalry between the two parent clubs.

Radio

All Hagerstown Suns Games are broadcast on WJEJ AM 1240. Hagerstown Suns Games preempt or cause rescheduling of all programing including CBS News.

Roster

Hagerstown Suns roster
Players				Coaches/Other
Pitchers 40 Dixon Anderson 21 Robert Benincasa 36 Brian Dupra 45 Pedro Encarnacion -- Wirkin Estevez 33 Bryan Harper 44 Travis Henke 48 Will Hudgkins 35 Brett Mooneyham 23 Ronald Pena 37 Ivan Pineyro -- Matt Purke * 27 Brian Rauh 31 Blake Schwartz -- Todd Simko -- Dean Weaver		Catchers -- Spencer Kieboom 14 Craig Manuel  6 Andruth Ramirez  4 Pedro Severino Infielders 18 Carlos Lopez 13 Mike McQuillan  8 Khayyan Norfolk 10 Stephen Perez  7 Tony Renda  2 Wes Schill Outfielders 12 J. R. Higley 22 Estarlin Martinez -- Narciso Mesa 20 Brandon Miller 29 Will Piwnica-Worms 26 Wander Ramos		Manager 17 Tripp Keister Coaches 11 Franklin Bravo (pitching) 41 Brian Rupp (hitting) 7-day disabled list * On Washington Nationals 40-man roster ∞ Reserve list § Suspended list ‡ Restricted list # Rehab assignment Roster updated April 13, 2013 Transactions → More MiLB rosters → Washington Nationals minor league players

See also

• South Atlantic League

External links

• Official web site
• Minor League Baseball site page