The Danville 97s were a minor league baseball

Minor league baseball

Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...

 team based in Danville, Virginia

Danville, Virginia

Danville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...

 for the 1998 season only. They were a baseball team that played in the Carolina League

Carolina League

The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...

 and were affiliated with the Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

 for their lone season. Prior to the 97s, the Durham Bulls

Durham Bulls

The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...

 were the Braves High-A affiliate from 1980-1997 which that team also played in the Carolina League. The 97s played home games at the American Legion Field. Following the 1998 season, the franchise relocated to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...

, to become the Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a minor league baseball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. They are a Class A Advanced team in the Carolina League and the franchise is currently the farm team of the Texas Rangers. From their inaugural season until 2010, the Pelicans were an affiliate of the...

.

Previously, Danville has also been the home of various minor league teams known as the Danville Leafs

Danville Leafs

The Danville Leafs were a professional minor league baseball team that played in the city of Danville, Virginia.Professional baseball first made its appearance in Danville in 1905 when the town fielded a team, the Tobacconists, in the short-lived Virginia-North Carolina League...

, and it is currently home to the Danville Braves

Danville Braves

The Danville Braves are a minor league baseball team in Danville, Virginia, USA. They are an Advanced Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League and have been a farm team of the Atlanta Braves since 1993. The Braves play home games at American Legion Post 325 Field...

 of the Advanced Rookie-Level Appalachian League

Appalachian League

The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...

.

History

After Durham

Durham, North Carolina

Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...

 was added to the expansion of Triple-A baseball, the Durham Bulls then joined the International League

International League

The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...

 as an expansion franchise and switch affiliates to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, acquiring the Devil Rays’ new Triple-A squad. The Atlanta Braves Carolina League squad which was part of the Durham Bulls franchise from 1980-1997 would relocate to form a new franchise. However, the new franchise would not be granted as an expansion franchise. The location of the Braves’ new Carolina League affiliate would need to be determined. The two strongest contenders were Myrtle Beach and Williamsburg, Virginia

Williamsburg, Virginia

Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...

. As a result of Williamsburg not having a facility ready for the 1998 season, Danville developed a plan to house the team temporarily while the stadium was completed.

By October 1997, the league gave the Bulls permission to let go of the Carolina League squad and relocate them to Myrtle Beach to form a new franchise. However at this time, Myrtle Beach would not have a new stadium complete in time for the 1998 season. After an agreement was reached with Appalachian League

Appalachian League

The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...

, as the team would share the same stadium with the Danville Braves

Danville Braves

The Danville Braves are a minor league baseball team in Danville, Virginia, USA. They are an Advanced Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League and have been a farm team of the Atlanta Braves since 1993. The Braves play home games at American Legion Post 325 Field...

 for a portion of the season, Danville was selected as the temporary home for the new franchise. The city was selected due to its previously developed plan as well as the Braves' organization's familiarity with the community. For their lone season, the team was owned by the Capitol Broadcasting Company of Raleigh

Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...

 and managed by the Danville Braves, Inc.

On October 21, 1997, the team name "Danville 97s" was announced. The name pays tribute to the victims of the infamous Wreck of the Old 97

Wreck of the Old 97

Old 97 was a Southern Railway train officially known as the Fast Mail. It ran from Washington DC to Atlanta, Georgia. On September 27, 1903 while en route from Monroe, Virginia, to Spencer, North Carolina, the train derailed at Stillhouse Trestle near Danville, Virginia...

, which had the reputation as the fastest regularly scheduled train in the world at the time of its fatal wreck in 1903. The team would finish last in the Carolina League during their lone season in 1998, when Jason Marquis

Jason Marquis

Jason Scott Marquis is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously pitched for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks....

 began the season as the youngest pitcher in the Carolina League, but won only 2 of 22 starts for Danville,as he went 2-12 and struck out 135 in 114.2 innings, while walking only 41. The team completed its move to Myrtle Beach to become the Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a minor league baseball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. They are a Class A Advanced team in the Carolina League and the franchise is currently the farm team of the Texas Rangers. From their inaugural season until 2010, the Pelicans were an affiliate of the...

 in time for the 1999 season.

Season-by-season results

Year	Name	League	Level	Affiliation	Record	Manager	Playoffs
	97s	Carolina	High-A	Atlanta Braves	58-82	Paul Runge Paul Runge (infielder) Paul William Runge is a former professional baseball player. He played all or part of eight seasons in Major League Baseball for the Atlanta Braves from until...