Greenville Drive
Encyclopedia
The Greenville Drive is a minor league
baseball
team that plays in Greenville, South Carolina
. They are a Class A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox
and a member of the South Atlantic League
. Prior to the 2005 SAL season, the team played in Columbia, South Carolina
, was affiliated with the New York Mets
, and was known as the Capital City Bombers. Their mascot is a frog
named Reedy Rip'it.
, as the Shelby Reds. In 1983, the team moved to Columbia, which had lacked a minor league team since the departure of the Columbia Reds in 1961. The team was originally known as the Columbia Mets
and made their home at Capital City Stadium. In 1993, the team changed its name to the Bombers to honor members of the Doolittle Raid
ers, who had conducted their initial training in Columbia.
Following the 2004 season, the Bombers changed affiliations and became the affiliate of the Boston Red Sox
, who had previously been affiliated with the Augusta GreenJackets
, also of the South Atlantic League. On February 11, 2005, Minor League Baseball announced that the Bombers had been granted permission to move to Greenville, where a new park opened in 2006. The Bombers would play in Greenville Municipal Stadium
in 2005.
On October 27, 2005, the Bombers announced the team's name would change to the Drive. The name was chosen due to the presence of BMW US Manufacturing and Michelin in the area and, more generally, due to Greenville's rich automotive past. Residents have criticized the new name for its lack of historical relevance and failure to reflect community traditions. In fact, team owners reportedly wanted to call the team the "Joes," after Greenville County native Shoeless Joe Jackson
. But Jackson is on Major League Baseball
's permanent ineligibility list due to his role in the Black Sox Scandal
in 1919.
The Bombers won the South Atlantic League championship in 1986, 1991, and 1998.
In , outfielder Che-Hsuan Lin
became the first Drive player to be selected to the annual All-Star Futures Game, which took place on July 13 at Yankee Stadium
. Lin hit a two-run home run
on the first pitch he saw that helped the World team beat the US Team, 3–0. He finished 2-for-2 and was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Former pitcher Clay Buchholz
participated in the 2007 edition, a season after playing for the Drive.http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3668382
In 2009, Ryan Lavarnway
played for the Drive, hitting 21 home runs and a .540 slugging percentage (both tops for Red Sox minor leaguers) and 87 RBIs in 404 at bats.
Capital City Stadium
in downtown Columbia, was the home of the Bombers. The stadium was originally built in 1927, but was completely rebuilt in 1991
. Capital City Stadium has a seating capacity
for 6,000 spectators, has a grass surface and features the following fence dimensions: (LF
) 330 ft., CF
400 ft., RF
320 ft.
The stadium often proved inadequate for baseball due to poor field conditions. Situated in a low-lying area, Capital City Stadium features poor drainage and heavy rains often resulted in a flooded infield.
The Bombers had sought assistance from the City of Columbia in building a new stadium located in the Congaree Vista
area of Columbia. Efforts to construct a stadium to be shared with the University of South Carolina's baseball team fell through when the University demanded the Bombers pay $6 million in fees upfront. Following this, Bombers owner Rich Mozingo sought to relocate the team.
Mozingo's efforts paid off when, in 2005, the Bombers relocated to Greenville, South Carolina, (see above). Following the move, the Bombers played their home contests in Greenville Municipal Stadium
in Greenville, then moved to Fluor Field at the West End, in the heart of downtown Greenville. The stadium was named "Ballpark of the Year" for the 2006 season by Baseballparks.com, beating out such stadiums as St. Louis's Busch Stadium and Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in State College, Pa.
The stadium shares the dimensions of their parent club's major league park, Fenway Park, and boasts its own "Green Monster" complete with manual scoreboard and "Pesky's Pole" in right field.
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...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team that plays in Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
. They are a Class A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and a member of the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
. Prior to the 2005 SAL season, the team played in Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, was affiliated with the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, and was known as the Capital City Bombers. Their mascot is a frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
named Reedy Rip'it.
History
The Drive began their history in 1960 in Shelby, North CarolinaShelby, North Carolina
Shelby is a city in Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 19,477 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cleveland County.-Geography:Shelby is located at ....
, as the Shelby Reds. In 1983, the team moved to Columbia, which had lacked a minor league team since the departure of the Columbia Reds in 1961. The team was originally known as the Columbia Mets
Columbia Mets
Located in Columbia, South Carolina, the Columbia Mets were affiliated with the New York Mets from 1983 to 1992. A member of the South Atlantic League, they became the Capital City Bombers in 1993. They played in Capital City Stadium.-Year by Year Record:...
and made their home at Capital City Stadium. In 1993, the team changed its name to the Bombers to honor members of the Doolittle Raid
Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...
ers, who had conducted their initial training in Columbia.
Following the 2004 season, the Bombers changed affiliations and became the affiliate of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, who had previously been affiliated with the Augusta GreenJackets
Augusta GreenJackets
The Augusta GreenJackets are a minor league baseball team that plays in Augusta, Georgia, as a Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Lake Olmstead Stadium has been the home of the GreenJackets since the 1995 season, although Augusta has fielded a team in the South Atlantic League since 1988...
, also of the South Atlantic League. On February 11, 2005, Minor League Baseball announced that the Bombers had been granted permission to move to Greenville, where a new park opened in 2006. The Bombers would play in Greenville Municipal Stadium
Greenville Municipal Stadium
Greenville Municipal Stadium is a stadium in Greenville, South Carolina that was built in 1984 and holds 7,048 people. It is primarily used for baseball, and was the home field of the Greenville Bombers minor league baseball team prior to West End Field opening in 2006. It was also home to the...
in 2005.
On October 27, 2005, the Bombers announced the team's name would change to the Drive. The name was chosen due to the presence of BMW US Manufacturing and Michelin in the area and, more generally, due to Greenville's rich automotive past. Residents have criticized the new name for its lack of historical relevance and failure to reflect community traditions. In fact, team owners reportedly wanted to call the team the "Joes," after Greenville County native Shoeless Joe Jackson
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Joseph Jefferson Jackson , nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American baseball player who played Major League Baseball in the early part of the 20th century...
. But Jackson is on Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's permanent ineligibility list due to his role in the Black Sox Scandal
Black Sox Scandal
The Black Sox Scandal took place around and during the play of the American baseball 1919 World Series. Eight members of the Chicago White Sox were banned for life from baseball for intentionally losing games, which allowed the Cincinnati Reds to win the World Series...
in 1919.
The Bombers won the South Atlantic League championship in 1986, 1991, and 1998.
In , outfielder Che-Hsuan Lin
Che-Hsuan Lin
Che-Hsuan Lin [Chay shoo-ahn Lin] is a Taiwanese outfielder in the Boston Red Sox minor league system. Lin was born in Hualien, Taiwan.-Career:Lin helped his 12-and-under Bronco League team to the World Championship with a grand slam...
became the first Drive player to be selected to the annual All-Star Futures Game, which took place on July 13 at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
. Lin hit a two-run home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
on the first pitch he saw that helped the World team beat the US Team, 3–0. He finished 2-for-2 and was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Former pitcher Clay Buchholz
Clay Buchholz
Clay Daniel Buchholz pitches for the Boston Red Sox of major league baseball. On September 1, 2007, in just his second major league start, he recorded a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles, becoming the third MLB pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-hitter in his first or second start...
participated in the 2007 edition, a season after playing for the Drive.http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3668382
In 2009, Ryan Lavarnway
Ryan Lavarnway
Ryan Cole Lavarnway is an American professional baseball catcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball....
played for the Drive, hitting 21 home runs and a .540 slugging percentage (both tops for Red Sox minor leaguers) and 87 RBIs in 404 at bats.
Stadium
Capital City Stadium
Capital City Stadium is a stadium in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Originally built in 1927, it is primarily used for baseball and was the home for more than 20 years of the Capital City Bombers...
in downtown Columbia, was the home of the Bombers. The stadium was originally built in 1927, but was completely rebuilt in 1991
1991 in sports
1991 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Petra Kronberger, Austria-American football:...
. Capital City Stadium has a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
for 6,000 spectators, has a grass surface and features the following fence dimensions: (LF
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
) 330 ft., CF
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
400 ft., RF
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
320 ft.
The stadium often proved inadequate for baseball due to poor field conditions. Situated in a low-lying area, Capital City Stadium features poor drainage and heavy rains often resulted in a flooded infield.
The Bombers had sought assistance from the City of Columbia in building a new stadium located in the Congaree Vista
Congaree Vista
Congaree Vista is a cosmopolitan section of Columbia, South Carolina, near the banks of the Congaree River, which was revitalized during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The section includes many small, high-class shops and restaurants, often in renovated warehouse buildings...
area of Columbia. Efforts to construct a stadium to be shared with the University of South Carolina's baseball team fell through when the University demanded the Bombers pay $6 million in fees upfront. Following this, Bombers owner Rich Mozingo sought to relocate the team.
Mozingo's efforts paid off when, in 2005, the Bombers relocated to Greenville, South Carolina, (see above). Following the move, the Bombers played their home contests in Greenville Municipal Stadium
Greenville Municipal Stadium
Greenville Municipal Stadium is a stadium in Greenville, South Carolina that was built in 1984 and holds 7,048 people. It is primarily used for baseball, and was the home field of the Greenville Bombers minor league baseball team prior to West End Field opening in 2006. It was also home to the...
in Greenville, then moved to Fluor Field at the West End, in the heart of downtown Greenville. The stadium was named "Ballpark of the Year" for the 2006 season by Baseballparks.com, beating out such stadiums as St. Louis's Busch Stadium and Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in State College, Pa.
The stadium shares the dimensions of their parent club's major league park, Fenway Park, and boasts its own "Green Monster" complete with manual scoreboard and "Pesky's Pole" in right field.
Season-by-season records
The following is a list of the Greenville Drive's record for each season.| Year | Team Name | Wins | Losses | W-L % | Manager |
| 2005 | Greenville Bombers | 72 | 66 | 0.453% | Chad Epperson |
| 2006 | Greenville Drive | 67 | 73 | 0.479% | Luis Alicea Luis Alicea Luis René Alicea de Jesús is a former Major League Baseball second baseman.Alicea played for the Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Anaheim Angels, St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox... |
| 2007 | Greenville Drive | 58 | 81 | 0.417% | Gabe Kapler Gabe Kapler Gabriel "Gabe" Stefan Kapler is an American Major League Baseball outfielder.He has played portions of 13 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and the Tampa Bay Rays... |
| 2008 | Greenville Drive | 70 | 69 | 0.504% | Kevin Boles Kevin Boles Kevin Patrick Boles is an American minor league baseball manager. On December 22, 2010, he was named the manager of the Portland Sea Dogs, Double-A Eastern League affiliate of the Boston Red Sox... |
| 2009 | Greenville Drive | 73 | 65 | 0.529% | Kevin Boles Kevin Boles Kevin Patrick Boles is an American minor league baseball manager. On December 22, 2010, he was named the manager of the Portland Sea Dogs, Double-A Eastern League affiliate of the Boston Red Sox... |
| 2010 | Greenville Drive | 77 | 62 | .554 | Billy McMillon Billy McMillon William Edward McMillon is a former professional baseball player who played outfielder in the Major Leagues from -. He attended Clemson University.... |
External links
- http://www.ballparkdigest.com/visits/greenville.htm - Ballpark Digest visit to West End Field
- http://www.greenvilledrive.com - Official website of the Greenville Drive
- http://news.greenvilleonline.com/blogs/bwright/archives/2005_11.html - Bart Wright's criticism of name change to "Greenville Drive."
- Over The Monster :: A Boston Red Sox Blog