Bluefield Blue Jays Founded in 1946 Bluefield, Virginia
Team logo Cap insignia
Class-level
Advanced Rookie
Minor league affiliations
Appalachian League (1946–1955, 1957–present) East Division
Major league affiliations
Toronto Blue Jays (2011–present) Baltimore Orioles (1958–2010) Brooklyn Dodgers (1957) Boston Red Sox (1954–1955) Washington Senators (1953) Boston Braves (1946–1951)
Name
Bluefield Blue Jays (2011-present) Bluefield Orioles (1958–2010) Bluefield Dodgers (1957) Bluefield Blue-Grays (1946–1955 Colors= Blue, White
Colors
{{{colors}}}
Ballpark
Bowen Field (1946–1955, 1957–present)
Minor league titles
League titles	14 (1949, 1950, 1954, 1957, 1962, 1963, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1982, 1992, 1996, 1997, 2001)
Division titles	11 (1971, 1974, 1976, 1982, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2011)
Owner(s)/Operated by: Bluefield Baseball Club, Inc.
Manager: Dennis Holmberg
General Manager: George McGonagle

The Bluefield Blue Jays are a minor league baseball team of the Rookie Appalachian League representing the twin cities of Bluefield, West Virginia, and Bluefield, Virginia, affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays.^[1] The team plays their home games at Bowen Field, a historic stadium (opened in 1939) in Bluefield's city park. The park, which straddles the West Virginia–Virginia state line, is operated by the West Virginia city; however, Bowen Field lies entirely within Virginia.

History [edit]

On August 28, 2010, Andy MacPhail, president of baseball operations for the Baltimore Orioles announced that Baltimore was ending their affiliation with Bluefield and the Appalachian League, effective at the end of the 2010 Appalachian League season.^[2][3] Bluefield's fifty-three season affiliation with the Orioles, which lasted from 1958 to 2010, is the oldest continuous affiliation with the same major league franchise in Minor League Baseball.^[3]

The Orioles were sometimes known as the "Baby Birds" or the "Baby O's," a reference to their major league parent club. One of the best known players to have played in Bluefield is Cal Ripken, Jr., who played with Bluefield in 1978 when he was 17 years old. Another famous former Baby Bird is Boog Powell, who played there in 1959, also as a 17-year-old.

Roster [edit]

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Official Site of Minor League Baseball - Bluefield Blue Jays Homepage
• Bluefield Blue Jays at Appalachian League site
• Announcement of Blue Jays replacing the Orioles

v t e Sports teams based in Virginia Baseball IL Norfolk Tides EL Richmond Flying Squirrels CL Lynchburg Hillcats Potomac Nationals Salem Red Sox ApL Bluefield Blue Jays Bristol White Sox Danville Braves Pulaski Mariners ALPB Loudoun Hounds CPL Martinsville Mustangs Peninsula Pilots Petersburg Generals Basketball ACPBL Beltway Bombers Tru Hope Trailblazers ABA Lynchburg Legends Norfolk Sharks Portsmouth Cavaliers Richmond Elite EBA NoVA Hawks Old Dominion Mustangs Virginia Wolverines Winchester Storm Football UFL Virginia Destroyers PIFL Richmond Raiders AIF Virginia Badgers Ice hockey AHL Norfolk Admirals Roller derby WFTDA Charlottesville Derby Dames Dominion Derby Girls NRV Rollergirls River City Rollergirls Rocktown Rollers Rugby league AMNRL Fairfax Eagles Soccer NASL Virginia Cavalry FC USL Pro Richmond Kickers PDL Fredericksburg Gunners Hampton Roads Piranhas Northern Virginia Royals Fredericksburg Hotspur WL Hampton Roads Piranhas Northern Virginia Majestics College Athletics (NCAA Division I) George Mason Hampton James Madison Liberty Longwood Norfolk State Old Dominion Radford Richmond Virginia Virginia Commonwealth Virginia Tech VMI William & Mary

v t e Sports teams based in West Virginia Baseball SAL West Virginia Power ApL Bluefield Blue Jays Princeton Rays PL West Virginia Miners Football WSFL West Virginia Wildfire Hockey ECHL Wheeling Nailers Soccer PDL West Virginia Chaos Southern West Virginia King's Warriors College athletics (NCAA Division I) Marshall West Virginia