Lexington County Blowfish
Lexington County Blowfish | |
File:Lexington County Blowfish logo.jpg | |
Founded | 2006 |
Home Field | Lexington County Baseball Stadium |
Based in | Lexington, South Carolina |
Colors | Red, White and Blue |
League | Coastal Plain League |
League Titles | 2012 |
Head Coach | Jonathan Johnson |
CPL Organization of Year | 2006, 2015 |
The Lexington County Blowfish are a summer collegiate baseball team in the Coastal Plain League. The team plays its home games at the Lexington County Baseball Stadium in unincorporated Lexington County, South Carolina (with an address in the town of Lexington). The Blowfish first started competing in the CPL during the 2006 season and finished with a twenty-two win and thirty loss record in their first season. During their first year in existence, the Blowfish led the Coastal Plain League in attendance and was voted the Coastal Plain League Organization of the Year.
For the team's first three season the head coach was former Newberry College Coach Tim Medlin. In 2009 former major league pitcher Lee Gronkiewicz, a University of South Carolina alumnus took over the helm through 2011. In 2012 former MLB third baseman and USC Gamecock Brian Buscher was named Head Coach and led the Blowfish to their first Coastal Plain League Championship. Former Texas Rangers first-rounder Jonathan Johnson begins his fifth season in 2017 as head coach.
The Blowfish replaced the Capital City Bombers when professional baseball left Columbia after the 2004 season. The Blowfish moved from Columbia to Lexington County in 2014.[1] The team is named after popular South Carolina band Hootie and the Blowfish.
Columbia baseball history
Since 1892 Columbia has fielded teams in various minor leagues, including:
- Columbia Senators-1892-South Atlantic League
- Columbia Skyscrapers-1904-South Atlantic League
- Columbia Gamecocks-1905-1910-South Atlantic League
- Columbia Commies-1911-South Atlantic League
- Columbia Comers-1912, 1914-1917, 1919-1923, 1925-1930-South Atlantic League
- Columbia Sandlappers-1934-Piedmont League
- Columbia Senators-1936-1937-South Atlantic League
- Columbia Reds-1938-1941, 1946-1954, 1960-1961-South Atlantic League
- Columbia Gems-1955-1959-South Atlantic League
- Columbia Mets-1983-1992-South Atlantic League
- Capital City Bombers-1993-2004-South Atlantic League
- Columbia Fireflies- 2016–present-South Atlantic League
Summer college teams:
- Columbia Blowfish-2006-2014-Coastal Plain League
The Blowfish hosted the 2007 Coastal Plain League All-Star Game.
Notable Columbia Baseball Alumni
- Goose Goslin
- Lloyd Waner
- Ted Kluszewski
- Joe Adcock
- Frank Robinson
- Randy Myers
- Gregg Jeffries
- Dave Magadan
- Anthony Young
- Todd Hundley
- José Reyes
- David Wright
- Scott Kazmir
References
- ^ "The Blowfish Will Get a New Home". ABC Columbia. July 29, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
External links