The Boise Athletics were a minor league baseball team located in Boise, Idaho . They were members of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League for two seasons (1975, 1976) and were affiliated with the Oakland Athletics .
35-571: The Boise Hawks are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League , which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. Home games are played at Memorial Stadium in unincorporated Ada County , Idaho , near Boise . From their establishment in 1987 through 2020, the Hawks were members of the Class A Short Season Northwest League . In conjunction with
70-664: A contraction of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the team shifted to the Pioneer League, which was converted from an MLB-affiliated rookie league to an independent baseball league and granted status as an MLB Partner League. Prior to moving to the Boise area, the team was the Tri-Cities Triplets , who played in Richland, Washington , for four seasons after moving over from Walla Walla in 1983. An affiliate of
105-526: A franchise affiliated with a major league organization. The franchise announced they will continue as members of the independent Pioneer League , an MLB Partner League. Prior to the cancelation of the 2020 season and subsequent minor league reorganization, the team was slated to appear as the "Boise Papas Fritas" in six 2020 home games as part of the "Copa de Diversion" program. The Hawks play their home games at Memorial Stadium in Garden City, north of
140-767: A half mile (0.8 km) east of Bronco Stadium , in Municipal Park in east Boise, now the site of the headquarters of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game . The Boise Hawks are owned by Agon Sports & Entertainment LLC, and the company president is Jeff Eisemann. Pitchers Catchers Infielders Outfielders Manager Coaches [REDACTED] Disabled list ‡ Inactive list § Suspended list Roster updated June 16, 2024 Transactions World Series champions Pioneer League (baseball) The Pioneer Baseball League (also known as simply
175-583: A league champion. Boise A%27s In 1974, the Northwest League awarded Boise a new franchise to begin play in 1975. However, by the close of the season, the league's expansion plans were thwarted by the termination of operations by the Lewiston Broncs and Tri-City Atoms . The New Westminster Frasers sought a new home after enduring a season of poor attendance, and relocated to Boise. This was Boise's first entry in
210-802: A longtime member of the Pioneer League , then in Class C . The teams were originally known as the Pilots , then as the Yankees (1952, 1953). The club reverted to the Pilots moniker in 1954. Upon signing a player development contract with the Milwaukee Braves , Boise became the Braves and continued the relationship until 1963. Renowned broadcaster Bob Uecker played catcher for the league champion Boise Braves in 1956 and 1958. The Pioneer League teams played at Airway Park , later known as Braves Field, about
245-463: A new ballpark that could also be used by a minor-league soccer team, was announced by the Hawks ownership group in 2017. The original proposed site for the stadium drew opposition from local residents and was replaced by a new location in the West End neighborhood. In 2018, Boise voters approved an ordinance that would require a citywide election on any sports stadium with public funding, which included
280-730: The California Angels organization in 1990 ; the Angels were previously affiliated with the Bend Bucks for two seasons. The Hawks made the playoffs that first season under the Angels and then won the league title four times in the next five years. After eleven seasons with the Angels, the Hawks moved their affiliation in 2001 to the Chicago Cubs , who were with the Eugene Emeralds for the two previous seasons. Under
315-587: The Northwest League . The Pioneer League announced a five-year naming rights deal between the league and ticket vendor TicketSmarter that would have the league go as The Pioneer Baseball League presented by TicketSmarter starting in time for the 2022 season. On April 10, 2024, Kelsie Whitmore signed with the Oakland Ballers of the Pioneer League. She became the first woman to play for that league later that year. On June 6, 2024, she became
350-620: The Pacific Coast League . By the time it was reclassified as a Rookie league in 1964, only four teams in Idaho remained. Gradually, it returned to Montana and Utah, and expanded into Colorado and the Canadian province of Alberta by 1974, and since then has consistently had eight or more teams competing. In 2021, the league became independent, and ceased all MLB team affiliations, reorganizing as an MLB Partner League representing
385-629: The Pioneer League ) is a professional baseball league based in the Western United States . It operates as one of four Major League Baseball (MLB) Partner Leagues in the American independent baseball league system without MLB team affiliations. The league is contested by twelve teams from the Northern California and Rocky Mountains regions, who play a regular season split into two halves. The top two teams at
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#1732781030425420-648: The Texas Rangers for the first two seasons in Richland, they operated as an independent in 1985 and 1986. The Triplets were sold in the fall of 1986 to Diamond Sports and moved to Idaho for the 1987 season. Diamond Sports was headed by the Triplets' general manager Mal Fichman . Their debut game was on the road and drew over 7,100 at Spokane , aided by the appearance of Hank Aaron . Continuing as an independent for their first three seasons in Boise, they joined
455-667: The University of Houston in 1970 and his JD from the University of Texas School of Law in 1974. He mediated the restructure of Minor League Baseball's governing structure in 1992 and was an inaugural member of the MiLB board of trustees from 1992 to 1994. In 1993, he was appointed by the president of MiLB to serve on the Professional Baseball Executive Council. McCurdy was elevated to the position of league president in 1994, replacing Ralph Nelles who
490-590: The Western Idaho Fairgrounds . The facility on the banks of the Boise River has a seating capacity of 3,500; it opened in 1989 for the Hawks' third season, its last without an affiliation. The stadium was privately built by an investor group led by Bill Pereira and son Cord Pereira. For their first two seasons, the Hawks played their home games at Bill Wigle Field on the campus of Borah High School . A proposal to build Boise Sports Park,
525-508: The Boise franchise was departing the City of Trees for Medicine Hat as a member of the Pioneer League . Boise took a one-year hiatus from baseball, with the unaffiliated Buckskins beginning (and ending) play in 1978; the Hawks' first season was nine years later. Home games of the Boise A's were played at Borah Field (now Bill Wigle Field) on the campus of Borah High School . Also the home of
560-721: The Cubs, the Hawks won two league titles and were runners-up three times. After fourteen years with Chicago, the Hawks switched in 2015 to the Rockies , who were previously affiliated with the Tri-City Dust Devils in Pasco for fourteen seasons. The Boise Hawks had the “Dream Team” in 2012. This team had future big leaguers: Dan Vogelbach, Willson Contreras, Albert Almora Jr., Feliz Pena, Stephen Bruno, Marco Hernández, Trey Martin, Yasiel Balancourt, and Pierce Johnson. They also had
595-559: The MILB Nickname Champ: Rock Shoulders Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire 2020 season for the minor leagues was cancelled. The following winter, as part the reorganization of minor league baseball, the Northwest League was elevated to the classification of High Single-A and renamed High-A West . The league was contracted to six teams and the Hawks were not extended an invitation to continue as
630-488: The Northwest League. The Oakland Athletics , who had been partnered with Lewiston, signed a player development contract with Boise. The club adopted their parent club's name to become the Boise Athletics; the parent club had won a third consecutive World Series in 1974 . On June 18, 1975, Boise hosted its first professional baseball game since 1963 with 1,814 in attendance. Tom Trebelhorn , who played
665-657: The PCL's Hollywood Stars in 1958, the Stars relocated and became the "new" Salt Lake City Bees, remaining in the PCL and taking away the Pioneer League's largest market. By 1959, the Pioneer League was down to six teams; Billings and Great Falls along with the Boise Braves , Idaho Falls Russets , Missoula Timberjacks , and Pocatello Athletics . The league operated at the Class A level for one year (1963), before changing to Rookie league in 1964, when there were only four teams in
700-491: The Pioneer League's formation in 1939. There were postseason playoffs when the league operated as Class C (1939–1962), except for 1939 and 1956, and for the three years during World War II when the league did not operate. In the league's one year as Class A (1963), there were also postseason playoffs. After becoming a Rookie league in 1964, the league champions were simply the regular season pennant winners through 1977. Since 1978, postseason playoffs have again been held to determine
735-649: The Sports Park proposal. The ordinance and other financial issues led to the project being shelved in December 2019. Prior to the Hawks, Boise hosted two Northwest League franchises in the 1970s. The Boise A's played two seasons (1975, 1976), then relocated to Canada at Medicine Hat , Alberta . In 1978, the Boise Buckskins played just one season, went bankrupt, and ceased operations. Both clubs played at Borah Field (now Bill Wigle Field). Boise had been
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#1732781030425770-622: The Western United States market. An expansion into California followed in 2024. As of the 2024 season , four teams from Montana, three from Colorado, two from California and Idaho each, and one from Utah compete in the Pioneer League. Nineteen franchises have competed in the league across its 85-year history, with the Missoula PaddleHeads , a current team that joined as the Pocatello Cardinals in
805-601: The amateur draft) to early September. After the 2018 season, the Helena Brewers relocated to Colorado Springs, Colorado , where they now play as the Rocky Mountain Vibes . As the start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic before being cancelled on June 30, making the 2019 season the league's last as an MLB-affiliated league of Minor League Baseball. In conjunction with
840-459: The end of each half qualify for a postseason tournament that determines the overall champion. The Pioneer League was established in 1939 as a Class C minor league consisting of six teams from Idaho and Utah . It later expanded to Montana as part of a failed effort in the 1950s to become a third major league rivalling the American and National leagues, complicated by competition with
875-482: The first female player to start a Pioneer League game. In that game she struck out one batter. Mike Shapiro is the current president of the Pioneer Baseball League, having been a senior executive in a wide range of professional sports including baseball, golf, basketball and hockey. Jim McCurdy is the commissioner and a past president of the Pioneer Baseball League. McCurdy received his BBA from
910-739: The inaugural season, being the longest-tenured. The Ogden Raptors are the current champions, while the Billings Mustangs , also a current team, have won the most championships (15). The Pioneer League began in 1939 with six teams in Idaho and Utah , operating at the Class C level. The original six teams were the Boise Pilots , Lewiston Indians , Ogden Reds , Pocatello Cardinals , Salt Lake City Bees , and Twin Falls Cowboys . With players in short supply due to World War II ,
945-470: The league since then. In 2016, total league attendance was 616,686, down slightly from the 2015 total of 633,622. In its final years as an MLB-affiliated league, the Pioneer League was one of two "Rookie Advanced" minor leagues along with the Appalachian League . As such, it occupied the second-lowest rung in the minor league ladder. Although classified as a Rookie league, the level of play
980-545: The league suspended operations for the 1943 through 1945 seasons. In 1948, the league expanded by adding two teams in Montana ; the Billings Mustangs and Great Falls Electrics . In these early years, teams in the league either operated independently or were affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) or Pacific Coast League (PCL) parent clubs, as the PCL was attempting to grow into a third major league (a bid that ultimately failed). When MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers displaced
1015-570: The league; the Idaho Falls Angels , Magic Valley Cowboys , Pocatello Chiefs , and Treasure Valley Cubs . By 1978, the league had again grown to eight teams — Billings and Idaho Falls along with the Butte Copper Kings , Calgary Cardinals , Great Falls Giants , Helena Phillies , Lethbridge Dodgers , and Medicine Hat Blue Jays . With the exception of 1986 (when there were six teams), there have been at least eight teams in
1050-504: The most intriguing player on Boise's roster was Rickey Henderson , fresh out of high school. The future hall of famer played in 46 games for Boise and hit .336 as a 17-year-old. Even with the exciting Henderson, attendance had fallen dramatically in the A's second season. With only 181 in attendance, the A's closed out the season in a losing effort against the Walla Walla Padres in what became their final game; and finished
1085-517: The previous season in the Oakland farm system at Lewiston, served as manager. The A's finished the season at an even 38–38 (.500), but Boise struggled financially, which was attributed to the absence of beer sales. Their home field was located on a high school campus and the school board denied the sale of beer. Despite the lack of beer revenue, they were third in home attendance in the six-team league. Trebelhorn returned as manager in 1976 and
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1120-573: The reorganization of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Pioneer League was converted to an independent baseball league and was granted status as an MLB Partner League. The reconfigured league continued with the same franchises using the same identities, with the exception of the Orem Owlz who relocated to Windsor, Colorado , as the Northern Colorado Owlz . The Boise Hawks also joined the Pioneer League in 2021 after moving from
1155-654: The season at 33–38 (.465). Following the season, it was reported by the Medicine Hat News in Alberta that an executive of the Boise A’s Northwest League baseball team said he has talked to municipal officials and businessmen in Medicine Hat about the possibility of moving the club into the city and into the Pioneer League . A little more than a month later, it was confirmed that
1190-543: Was slightly higher than that of the two "complex" Rookie leagues, the Gulf Coast League and Arizona League . Unlike the complex leagues, Pioneer League teams charged admission and sold concessions. It was almost exclusively the first fully professional league in which many players competed; most of the players had just been signed out of high school. It was a short-season league that competed from late June (when Major League teams signed players whom they selected in
1225-1163: Was the president from 1975 to 1993. McCurdy also teaches sports law courses at Gonzaga University School of Law and the University of San Diego School of Law . His publications include: Sports Law: Cases & Materials (with Ray Yasser, C. Peter Goplerud, and Maureen Weston) (7th ed. LexisNexis 2011), Thunder on the Road from Seattle to Oklahoma City: Going from NOPA to ZOPA in the NBA, in Legal Issues in American Basketball ch. IV (Lewis Kurlantzick ed., Academica Press 2011), and, The Fundamental Nature of Professional Sports Leagues, Constituent Clubs, & Mutual Duties to Protect Market Opportunities: Organized Baseball Case Study, in Legal Issues in Professional Baseball ch. IV (Lewis Kurlantzick ed., Academica Press 2005). Timeline of franchises (1939–present) League champions have been determined by different means since
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