Denver Bears (Western League) Explained

Denver Bears
Firstseason:1885
Lastseason:1954
Allyears:1885–1891, 1895–1896, 1898, 1900–1917, 1922–1932, 1941, 1947–1954
City:Denver, Colorado
Past Class Level:Class-A (1947–1954)
Class-D (1941)
Class-A (1901–1917, 1922–1932)
Class- B (1895, 1900)
Past League:Western League (1901–1917, 1922–1932, 1941, 1947–1954)
Western League (1900)
Colorado State League (1896, 1898)
Western Association (1890–1891, 1895)
Colorado State League (1889)
Western Association (1889)
Western League (1886–1888)
Colorado State League (1885)
Pastmajorleague:Pittsburgh Pirates (1952–1954)
Boston Braves (1949–1951)
New York Yankees (1947)
St. Louis Cardinals (1932)
Pastnames:
  • Denver Bears (1913–1917, 1922–1932, 1941, 1947–1954)
  • Denver Grizzlies (1898, 1900–1912)
  • Denver Gulfs (1896)
  • Denver (1895)
  • Denver Mountaineers (1890–1891)
  • Denver Grizzlies (1889–1890)
  • Denver Solis (1889)
  • Denver Mountaineers (1888–1889)
  • Denver Mountain Lions (1886–1888)
  • Denver (1885)
Classchamps:1900, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1952

The Denver Bears (also periodically known as the Grizzlies, Mountaineers or Mountain Lions) were a minor league baseball team from Denver, Colorado, that played primarily in the Western League. They were founded in 1885 and played in the Colorado State League before moving to the Western League a year later and also adopting a team name. The franchise began playing at Larimer Street Baseball Park and played at a few other ballparks before ultimately moving to Mile High Stadium. The 1911 Grizzlies were recognized as one of the 100 greatest minor league teams of all time.[1] The Bears were affiliated with four MLB teams from 1932 to 1954 before being replaced in 1955 by an American Association team of the same name that would eventually relocate to New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1993.

Notable alumni

Billy Martin - Manager

Greg Nettles

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Top 100 Teams . MiLB.com . 2001 . May 9, 2017.