- Bristol Red Sox
The Bristol Red Sox, based in
Bristol, Connecticut , were the Double-A Eastern Leaguefarm system affiliate of theBoston Red Sox for ten seasons, 1973 through 1982. They played atMuzzy Field .The team was created during the 1972-73 offseason, when the parent Red Sox decided to move their Triple-A franchise, the
Louisville Colonels , toPawtucket, Rhode Island , home of the Sox' Eastern League farm team, thePawtucket Red Sox , since 1970. The Double-A PawSox' owner,Joe Buzas , selected Bristol as the site for his relocated EL franchise. Despite the presence of future Boston starsJim Rice andFred Lynn on the 1973 squad, the maiden season of the Bristol Red Sox was a losing one — but the next nine editions of the club sported over .500 records and won Eastern League titles in 1975, 1978 and 1981. Other future MLB or Red Sox stars who played in Bristol includedDon Aase ,Marty Barrett ,Wade Boggs ,Oil Can Boyd ,Bo Diaz ,Rich Gedman ,Butch Hobson ,Bruce Hurst , Steve Lyons,Al Nipper ,Bob Stanley ,Dave Stapleton , John Tudor andErnie Whitt .Managers included former major league players Stan Williams,
Dick McAuliffe and John Kennedy, but the most successful Bristol skipper wasTony Torchia , who piloted the club for its final five seasons, winning two championships.The franchise shifted to
New Britain, Connecticut , in 1983 and still operates as the Rock Cats, Double-A affiliate of theMinnesota Twins since 1995.External links
* [http://www.bristolredsox.com/ Unofficial web site]
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