Norfolk Tides

Norfolk Tides
Founded in 1961
Norfolk, Virginia
Team logoCap insignia
Class-level
Current Triple-A (1969–present)
Previous High-A (1961–1968)
Minor league affiliations
League International League
Division South Division
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Current Baltimore Orioles (2007–present)
Previous
Minor league titles
Class titles (1) 1983
League titles (5)
  • 1972
  • 1975
  • 1982
  • 1983
  • 1985
Division titles (8)
  • 1969
  • 1975
  • 1987
  • 1988
  • 1995
  • 2001
  • 2005
  • 2015
Team data
Nickname Norfolk Tides (1993–present)
Previous names

Tidewater Tides (1963–1992)

  • Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides (1961–1962)
Colors

Green, black, orange, gray, sea foam

                        
Ballpark Harbor Park (1993–present)
Previous parks
  • Met Park (1969–1992)
  • Frank D. Lawrence Stadium (1961–1968)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
 Maryland Baseball Holding, LLC
Manager Ron Johnson
General Manager Joe Gregory

The Norfolk Tides are a minor league baseball team in the Triple-A International League. They play at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia. Since 2007 they have been a farm team of the Baltimore Orioles; prior to that, they had a 38-year affiliation with the New York Mets.

Franchise history

The franchise began its history in the South Atlantic League in 1961 as the Tidewater Tides, playing at Lawrence Stadium in Portsmouth. The main newspaper of South Hampton Roads, The Virginian-Pilot, ran a contest to determine the team name. Although the chosen name was "Mariners", the Pilot′s editor overruled the contest, deciding he liked the alliteration of "Tidewater Tides."

The Tides spent their first year as an "independent" team with no direct major-league affiliation, but became a St. Louis Cardinals affiliate the following season. However, the South Atlantic League decided to pull out of Virginia in 1963, threatening the future of minor-league baseball in the Hampton Roads area. A local group was able to convince the Carolina League to expand by two teams, one of them being the Tides.

Rip Tide, the mascot of the Norfolk Tides

In 1969, the New York Mets moved their Triple-A International League affiliate, then known as the Jacksonville Suns, from Jacksonville, Florida to Portsmouth. The team took up the Tides name and the previous owners continued to run the team under the Mets' ownership. Their first year in Triple-A ended with a pennant. At the same time, the Mets and the city of Norfolk cooperated to build the team's next home, Met Park.

The Tides won the Governors' Cup, the International League championship, in 1972, 1975, 1982, 1983, and 1985. They also had the league's best regular-season record in 1987, but lost in the playoffs. In 1992, ground was broken on the club's current home of Harbor Park, and the Tides moved into the new facility in 1993. This period was a time of change in several other ways. First, in 1992, the Mets sold the franchise to a group led by Tampa businessman Ken Young. At the time the Tides moved into Harbor Park, the team also replaced the "Tidewater" in its name with that of Norfolk, partly for marketing reasons and partly for political considerations, as the city of Norfolk had facilitated the financing and building of Harbor Park. Also in 1993, The Tides introduced their mascot Rip Tide.

The Mets and Tides ended their affiliation after the 2006 season. At the time, their 38-year association was the second longest in Triple-A, behind the Atlanta–Richmond partnership, which dated to 1966 (The Braves have since moved the Richmond club to Gwinnett County). The Baltimore Orioles signed a Player Development Contract with the Tides on September 25, 2006.[1] Maryland Baseball Holding LLC, which owns the Tides,[2] also owns two other Orioles-affiliated minor-league clubs, the Bowie Baysox and the Frederick Keys.[3]

Titles

The Norfolk Tides take on the Columbus Clippers at Harbor Park

The Tides have won the Governors' Cup, the championship of the International League, 5 times, and played in the championship series 9 times.

Seasons

Regular Season
Champions		 League
champions		 Division
champions		 Wild Card
birth
Season League Division Affiliate Manager Regular Season Postseason Attendance
Division
Finish		 W L Win% GB
Tidewater Tides
1969 IL — New York (NL) Clyde McCullough 1st 76 59 .563 – Lost First Round vs. Columbus, 1–3 n/a
1970 IL — New York (NL) Chuck Hiller 4th 74 66 .529 10.0 Lost First Round vs. Syracuse, 0–3 n/a
1971 IL — New York (NL) Hank Bauer 2nd 79 61 .564 7.0 Won First Round vs. Charleston, 3–0
Lost Governors' Cup Final vs. Rochester, 2–3		 n/a
1972 IL — New York (NL) Hank Bauer 3rd 76 68 .545 2.5 Won First Round vs. Charleston, 2–1
Won Governors' Cup Final vs. Louisville, 3–2		 n/a
1973 IL National New York (NL) Johnny Antonelli 2nd 75 70 .493 10.0 Lost First Round vs. Pawtucket, 2–3 n/a
1974 IL Southern New York (NL) Johnny Antonelli 4th 57 82 .410 28.5 Did not qualify n/a
1975 IL — New York (NL) Joe Frazier 1st 86 55 .610 – Won First Round vs. Charleston, 3–0
Won Governors' Cup Final vs. Syracuse, 3–1		 n/a
1976 IL – New York (NL) Tom Burgess 7th 60 78 .435 28.0 Did not qualify n/a
1977 IL – New York (NL) Frank Verdi 3rd 73 67 .521 7.0 Lost First Round vs. Charleston, 1–3 n/a
1978 IL – New York (NL) Frank Verdi 5th 69 71 .493 16.0 Did not qualify n/a
1979 IL – New York (NL) Frank Verdi 4th 73 67 .521 12.5 Lost First Round vs. Columbus, 1–3 n/a
1980 IL – New York (NL) Frank Verdi 6th 67 72 .482 15.5 Did not qualify n/a
1981 IL – New York (NL) Jack Aker 3rd 70 68 .507 17.5 Lost First Round vs. Richmond, 2–3 n/a
1982 IL — New York (NL) Jack Aker 3rd 74 63 .540 7.0 Won First Round vs. Columbus, 3–0
Won Governors' Cup Final vs. Rochester, 3–0		 n/a
1983 IL — New York (NL) Davey Johnson 4th 71 68 .511 11.5 Won First Round vs. Columbus, 3–2
Won Governors' Cup Final vs. Richmond, 3–1
Won Triple-A World Series vs. Portland (PCL) and Denver (AA)		 n/a
1984 IL – New York (NL) Bob Schaefer 5th 71 69 .507 11.5 Did not qualify n/a
1985 IL — New York (NL) Bob Schaefer 3rd 75 64 .540 3.5 Won First Round vs. Maine, 3–2
Won Governors' Cup Final vs. Columbus, 3–1		 n/a
1986 IL – New York (NL) Sam Perlozzo 4th 74 66 .529 6.0 Lost First Round vs. Richmond, 0–3 n/a
1987 IL — New York (NL) Mike Cubbage 1st 81 59 .579 – Won First Round vs. Pawtucket, 3–1
Lost Governors' Cup Final vs. Columbus, 0–3		 n/a
1988 IL West New York (NL) Mike Cubbage 1st 77 64 .546 – Lost Governors' Cup Final vs. Rochester, 1–3 n/a
1989 IL West New York (NL) Mike Cubbage 2nd 77 69 .527 4.0 Did not qualify n/a
1991 IL West New York (NL) Steve Swisher 2nd 77 65 .542 8.0 Did not qualify n/a
1992 IL West New York (NL) Steve Swisher 2nd 79 67 .541 8.0 Did not qualify n/a
1993 IL West New York (NL) Clint Hurdle 4th 56 86 .394 39.0 Did not qualify n/a
Norfolk Tides
1993 IL West New York (NL) Clint Hurdle 4th 70 71 .496 16.0 Did not qualify n/a
1994 IL West New York (NL) Clint Hurdle 4th 67 75 .606 — Did not qualify n/a
1995 IL West New York (NL) Toby Harrah 1st 86 56 .496 – Won Semifinals vs. Richmond, 3–2
Lost Governors' Cup Final vs. Ottawa, 1–3		 n/a
1996 IL West New York (NL) Bobby Valentine
Bruce Benedict		 2nd 82 59 .582 2.5 Lost Semifinals vs. Columbus, 0–3 n/a
1997 IL West New York (NL) Rick Dempsey 3rd 75 67 .528 4.0 Did not qualify n/a
1998 IL South New York (NL) Rick Dempsey 2nd 70 72 .493 9.0 Did not qualify n/a
1999 IL South New York (NL) John Gibbons 3rd 77 63 .550 4.5 Did not qualify n/a
2000 IL South New York (NL) John Gibbons 3rd 65 79 .451 16.5 Did not qualify n/a
2001 IL South New York (NL) John Gibbons 1st 85 57 .599 – Lost Semifinals vs. Louisville, 2–3 n/a
2002 IL South New York (NL) Bobby Floyd 3rd 70 73 .490 9.5 Did not qualify n/a
2003 IL South New York (NL) Bobby Floyd 3rd 67 76 .469 7.5 Did not qualify 480,963
2004 IL South New York (NL) John Stearns 3rd 72 72 .500 8.5 Did not qualify n/a
2005 IL South New York (NL) Ken Oberkfell 1st 79 65 .549 – Lost Semifinals vs. Toledo, 2–3 502,502
2006 IL South New York (NL) Ken Oberkfell 3rd 57 84 .404 22.0 Did not qualify 463,769
2007 IL South Baltimore Gary Allenson 3rd 69 74 .483 11.0 Did not qualify 464,034
2008 IL South Baltimore Gary Allenson 2nd 64 78 .451 9.0 Did not qualify 433,767
2009 IL South Baltimore Gary Allenson 3rd 71 71 .500 11.0 Did not qualify 387,153
2010 IL South Baltimore Gary Allenson
Bobby Dickerson		 3rd 67 77 .465 21.5 Did not qualify 392,752
2011 IL South Baltimore Gary Allenson 4th 56 87 .395 24.5 Did not qualify 397,889
2012 IL South Baltimore Gary Allenson 2nd 74 70 .514 9.0 Did not qualify 389,188
2013 IL South Baltimore Ron Johnson 2nd 77 67 .535 10.0 Did not qualify 382,195
2014 IL South Baltimore Ron Johnson 3rd 65 79 .451 10.0 Did not qualify 358,147
2015 IL South Baltimore Ron Johnson 1st 78 66 .542 – Lost Semifinals vs. Columbus, 2-3 386,402

Alumni

The Tides at bat

Notable former broadcasters

Current roster

Norfolk Tides roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Manager

Coaches


7-day disabled list
* On Baltimore Orioles 40-man roster
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporary inactive list
Roster updated September 1, 2015
Transactions
→ More MiLB rosters
→ Baltimore Orioles minor league players

Notes

  1. ↑ "Tides sign affiliation agreement with Baltimore Orioles," Baltimore Orioles press release, Monday, September 25, 2006.
  2. ↑ http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=59070
  3. ↑ Goldberg, Stan (2007-04-17). "Young is a hands-on owner". The Frederick News-Post. Retrieved 2008-08-09.

External links

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