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The Pittsfield Cubs, located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, were a minor league baseball team that played in the Eastern League from 1985 to 1988. They played their home games at Wahconah Park and were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs.
| Pittsfield Cubs | |
|---|---|
|
| |
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Previous classes | Class AA |
| League | Eastern League |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Previous teams | Chicago Cubs (1985-1988) |
| Team data | |
Previous names | Pittsfield Cubs (1985-1988) |
Previous parks | Wahconah Park (1985-1988) |
The Cubs were founded in 1985 after an investment group acquired the Double-A franchise rights for $350,000 from the Buffalo Bisons.[1]
On the field, the Cubs were successful, making the playoffs in three of four years. In 1987, the team finished first during the regular season, although they failed to win the championship. In addition to Eastern League all-star selections, the team had two Eastern League Most Valuable Players, Rafael Palmeiro in 1986 and Mark Grace in 1987. The team also had two no-hitters during their existence. On August 1, 1985, Johnny Abrego threw a no-hitter against the Nashua Pirates winning by a 1-0 score. On July 18, 1988, Kris Roth pitched a no-hitter against the Harrisburg Senators, winning by a 3-0 score.
Off the field, the Cubs were plagued by attendance problems. They finished last or next to last in Eastern league attendance during each of their four years of existence.
| Season | Class | League | Affiliation | Manager | Record | Finish | Attendance | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | AA | Eastern | Chicago Cubs | Tom Spenser | 59-79 | 7th | 60,585 | - |
| 1986 | AA | Eastern | Chicago Cubs | Tom Spenser | 76-64 | 3rd | 47,709 | Lost to Vermont in first round 3-2 |
| 1987 | AA | Eastern | Chicago Cubs | Jim Essian | 87-51 | 1st | 51,551 | Lost to Vermont in first round 3-1 |
| 1988 | AA | Eastern | Chicago Cubs | Jim Essian | 75-63 | 3rd | 53,121 | Lost to Vermont in first round 3-1 |
The Pittsfield Cubs moved to Williamsport, Pennsylvania after the 1988 season, becoming the Williamsport Bills and affiliating with the Seattle Mariners. The community of Pittsfield gained the Pittsfield Mets for the 1989 season. The Chicago Cubs transferred their AA level affiliation to the Charlotte Knights.[2]
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