Evansville Triplets
Evansville Triplets | |||||
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Minor league affiliations | |||||
Class | Triple-A (1970–1984) | ||||
League | American Association (1970–1984) | ||||
Major league affiliations | |||||
Team |
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Minor league titles | |||||
Class titles (1) | 1975 | ||||
League titles (3) |
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Division titles (4) |
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Team data | |||||
Name | Evansville Triplets (1970–1984) | ||||
Ballpark | Bosse Field (1970–1984) |
The Evansville Triplets were a
The Triplets were established in 1970 as an
Over 15 seasons of play, Evansville played in 2,061 regular season games and compiled a win–loss record of 1,032–1,026–3 (.501). They reached the
History
Due to the 1969 Major League Baseball expansion, there was a need for two additional Triple-A teams in the American Association for the 1970 season.[1] One went to Wichita, Kansas, the other to Evansville, Indiana, which had previously hosted Minor League Baseball teams but never above the Double-A classification. A contest was held to select a name for the new franchise. "Evansville Triplets" was selected from over 3,000 entries. The fitting name refers to the team playing at the Triple-A level and that the team would represent not just Indiana, but the entire tri-state area, including Kentucky and Illinois. It was also a word play on the Minnesota Twins, Evansville's first major league affiliate. The new team would play at Bosse Field, which opened in 1915.
After spending their inaugural 1970 season affiliated with the Minnesota Twins, Evansville then spent the next three seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers. In 1972, the Triplets won their first American Association championship against their expansion partner, the Wichita Aeros, 3–0.[2] Lloyd Gladden won the 1972 American Association Most Valuable Pitcher Award having pitched to a 15–9 record with a 2.71 earned run average and 141 strikeouts.[3][4]
The Triplets enjoyed their greatest success as the top minor league affiliate of the
In July 1984, the team's owners arrived at terms to sell the Triplets for a reported sum of US$780,000 to the owners of the
Season-by-season results
Season | Regular season | Postseason | MLB affiliate | Ref. | ||||||
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Record | Win % | League | Division | GB | Record | Win % | Result | |||
1970 | 67–71 | .486 | 7th | 4th | 6 | — | — | — | Minnesota Twins | [8] |
1971 | 60–78–2 | .435 | 8th | 4th | 23+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Milwaukee Brewers | [9] |
1972 | 83–57 | .593 | 2nd | 1st | — | 3–0 | 1.000 | Won AA championship vs Wichita Aeros, 3–0[2] |
Milwaukee Brewers | [10] |
1973 | 66–70 | .485 | 5th | 3rd | 17 | — | — | — | Milwaukee Brewers | [11] |
1974 | 68–67 | .504 | 4th | 3rd | 10 | — | — | — | Detroit Tigers | [12] |
1975 | 77–59–1 | .566 | 2nd | 1st | — | 8–3 | .727 | Won Tidewater Tides, 4–1[5] |
Detroit Tigers | [13] |
1976 | 55–81 | .404 | 8th | 4th | 23 | — | — | — | Detroit Tigers | [14] |
1977 | 65–68 | .489 | 6th | 3rd | 10 | — | — | — | Detroit Tigers | [15] |
1978 | 78–58 | .574 | 2nd | 2nd | 1⁄2 | — | — | — | Detroit Tigers | [16] |
1979 | 78–58 | .574 | 1st | 1st | — | 4–2 | .667 | Won Oklahoma City 89ers, 4–2[2] |
Detroit Tigers | [17] |
1980 | 61–74 | .452 | 5th (tie) | 2nd | 13+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Detroit Tigers | [18] |
1981 | 73–63 | .537 | 3rd | 1st | — | 1–3 | .250 | Lost semi-finals vs Denver Bears, 3–1[19] |
Detroit Tigers | [20] |
1982 | 68–65 | .511 | 5th (tie) | 4th | 5+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Detroit Tigers | [21] |
1983 | 61–75 | .449 | 8th | 4th | 17+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Detroit Tigers | [22] |
1984 | 72–82 | .468 | 6th | 6th | 19 | — | — | — | Detroit Tigers | [23] |
Totals | 1,032–1,026–3 | .501 | — | — | — | 16–8 | .667 | 1 Class title, 3 League titles | — | — |
Notable alumni
- Bert Blyleven
- Del Crandall, manager (1970–71)
- Mark Fidrych
- Kirk Gibson
- Howard Johnson
- Ruppert Jones
- Gene Lamont
- Ron LeFlore
- Jim Leyland, manager (1979–1981)
- Aurelio López
- Jack Morris
- Lance Parrish
- Dan Petry
- Milt Wilcox
- Darrell Porter
- Early Wynn, interim manager (1970)
See also
- Sports in Evansville
References
- Specific
- ^ O'Neal 1991, p. 140.
- ^ a b c d e f "American Association Playoff Results". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "American Association Special Award Winners". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ "Lloyd Gladden Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ a b "Triple-A Baseball Interleague Post-Season Play Results". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
- ^ Bibb, John (July 12, 1984). "Big Leagues Next: Schmittou". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 1-F. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ISBN 1-886371-33-4.
- ^ "1970 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "1971 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "1972 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "1973 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "1974 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "1975 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "1976 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "1977 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "1978 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "1979 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "1980 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ O'Neal 1991, p. 362.
- ^ "1981 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "1982 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "1983 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "1984 American Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- General
- O'Neal, Bill (1991). The American Association: A Baseball History, 1902–1991. Eakin Press. ISBN 0-89015-812-6.