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Coos Bay-North Bend A's

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Coos Bay–North Bend A's
Minor league affiliations
Previous classesClass A Short Season
LeagueNorthwest League
DivisionSouth
Major league affiliations
Previous teamsOakland Athletics
Minor league titles
League titles None
Division titles (1)1970
Team data
ColorsKelly green, athletic gold, white
     
BallparkNorth Bend Municipal Park
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Oregon Coast Baseball, Inc.
General managerCurly Leininger

The Coos Bay–North Bend A's were a minor league baseball team that represented Coos Bay, Oregon and North Bend, Oregon. From 1970 to 1972, the Coos Bay–North Bend A's played as members of the Class A Short Season level Northwest League. The Coos Bay–North Bend A's were an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics and hosted home games at the North Bend Municipal Park.

History

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Minor league baseball first came to the area when the Coos Bay–North Bend A's joined the Northwest League in 1970. The Northwest league expanded from a four–team league in 1969 to a six–team league in 1970 with the addition of Coos Bay–North Bend and the Bend Rainbows.[1]

The Oakland A's had a Northwest League farm team in Pasco, Washington where they played the 1969 season as the Tri-City A's. Davego Sports Inc., who owned the Tri-City franchise, declined renewing their working agreement with Oakland. Tri-City would sign on with the San Diego Padres. Oakland A's farm system director Phil Seghi wanted to keep a team in the Northwest League. Seghi and the league president narrowed down a list of possible destinations: Vancouver, British Columbia, Kalispell, Montana, Missoula, Montana and North Bend, Oregon. The Northwest League president, John Carbray, negotiated with Seghi to place a franchise in North Bend-Coos Bay and gained the support of local leaders. As an affiliate of the Athletics, the club adopted the A's moniker.[2][3][4][5] North Bend Municipal Park was expanded and upgraded to host the team. The A's games were broadcast locally on KBBR radio. The price of a 1970 a single-season ticket was $25 for the whole season. On opening night June 24, 1970, 813 were in attendance for the first game.[4][6]

The 1970 Coos Bay–North Bend A's finished with a 45–35 record, ahead of the Bend Rainbows (39–41), Lewis-Clark Broncs (43–37), Medford Dodgers (36–44), Tri-City Padres (38–42) and Walla Walla Phillies (39–41) in the Northwest League standings. Managed by Harry Bright, the A's finished 1st in the South Division. Playing at North Bend Municipal Park, the Coos Bay–North Bend A's had season attendance of 14,817, an average of 370 per game.[3][1][7]

In their second season, the 1971 Coos Bay–North Bend A's placed 2nd in the Northwest League South Division and 5th overall. The Coos Bay–North Bend A's finished the regular season with a record of 36–42, playing the season under managers Jim Reinhold and Warren Hacker. The A's had home attendance of 11,701 for the season.[8][9][1]

In their final season, the 1972 Coos Bay–North Bend A's finished 3rd in the Northwest League South Division and 5th overall. Managed by Grover Resinger, the A's finished 33–45. In their final season at North Bend Municipal Park, the Coos Bay–North Bend A's' season attendance was 10,220 an average of 262, last in the Northwest League.[10][11][1]

On August 21, 1972, the team scheduled a ceremonial Charlie O’ Finley day in honor of the Oakland A's and franchise owner. Finley didn't appear as planned. On August 30, the last home game of the season, there were 291 fans in attendance.[4]

Following the season, Oregon Coast Baseball terminated their affiliation with the Oakland Athletics. The Oakland Athletics moved their Northwest League farm team to Lewiston, Idaho, where they played the 1973 Northwest League season as the Lewiston Broncos.[4][6][12]

"The Bay Area was blessed," said Ed Keim, President of Oregon Coast Baseball, the Coos Bay–North Bend A's local sponsor group. "Even though it was a short amount of time, the people who were able to brave the weather got to see some great ballplayers who did some incredible things after the time they spent here."[6]

North Bend and Coos Bay have not hosted another minor league team.[12]

The ballpark

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The Coos Bay–North Bend A's were noted to have played home games at North Bend Municipal Park. Built in 1947, the ballpark had a capacity of 1,000 and field dimensions of (Left, Center, Right) 325–390–305 (1971). Today, the ballpark is known as "Clyde Allen Field" and is still in use by youth baseball teams and North Bend High School teams. The Clyde Allen Field address is 2222 Broadway Avenue, North Bend, Oregon.[13][14][15][6][16]

(2009) Aerial. North Bend, Oregon

Season-by-season record

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Season PDC Division Finish Wins Losses Win% Post-season Manager Attendance
Coos Bay–North Bend A's
1970 OAK South 1st 45 35 .562 NWL runner-up by virtue of record Harry Bright 14,817
1971 OAK South 2nd 36 42 .462 Jim Reinhold 11,701
1972 OAK South 3rd 33 45 .423 Grover Resinger 10,220
Division winner League champions

Notable alumni

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See also

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Coos Bay-North Bend A's players

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Lloyd Johnson; Miles Wolff, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  2. ^ "1969 Northwest League (NL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  3. ^ a b "1970 Northwest League (NL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. ^ a b c d "The Curiously Short Story of the North Bend/Coos Bay Athletics". February 28, 2020.
  5. ^ "Northwest League (Short-Season A) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. ^ a b c d World, GEORGE ARTSITAS The. "In 1970, the Oakland Athletics brought a minor league team to North Bend. Three years later, the Coos Bay-North Bend Athletics were gone". The Coos Bay World.
  7. ^ "1970 Northwest League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. ^ "1971 Coos Bay-North Bend A's Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  9. ^ "1971 Northwest League (NL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. ^ "1972 Coos Bay-North Bend A's Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. ^ "1972 Northwest League (NL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. ^ a b "Coos Bay, Oregon Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  13. ^ "Clyde Allen Baseball Park - North Bend Oregon - Former home of the North Bend - Coos Bay A's". digitalballparks.com.
  14. ^ "North Bend Municipal Park in Coos Bay, OR history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  15. ^ World, SAM BARBEE The. "Clyde Allen Field grandstands get new seating". The Coos Bay World.
  16. ^ "North Bend High School Fields & Directions". bulldogsports.org.
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