Bisbee–Douglas Copper Kings
Minor league team with a record-setting home run game.
The Bisbee–Douglas Copper Kings was a primary moniker for minor league baseball teams based in Bisbee, Arizona and Douglas, Arizona that operated intermittently between 1947 and 2003. The team played in the Arizona–Texas League, Southwest International League, and Arizona–Mexico League, and was affiliated with the New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Pittsburgh Pirates at various times. The 2003 iteration was an independent professional league club that gained national attention for its unusual promotions.
Quick Facts
- City
- Bisbee, Arizona
- Past class level
- Class C (1947–1958)
- League
- Arizona–Mexico League (1955–1958, 2003)
- Past league
- Arizona–Texas League (1952–1954)
- Southwest International League (1951)
- Arizona–Texas League (1947–1950)
- Pastmajorleague
- Pittsburgh Pirates (1956–1958)
- Brooklyn Dodgers (1950–1951)
- New York Yankees (1947–1948)
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- Warren Ballpark, built in 1909 with adobe and steel, is the oldest ballpark in the United States.
- Former National League base-stealing champion Chuck Carr played center field for the 2003 Copper Kings.
History
The Bisbee–Douglas Copper Kings played in the Arizona–Mexico League, which ran from 1955 to 1958 and replaced the Arizona–Texas League. After the 1955 season, the team relocated to Douglas for the next three seasons. The original roster included future major leaguers Clint Courtney, Johnny Keane, Jim Tobin, and Earl Wilson. On August 19, 1958, the Copper Kings made history when every player in their starting lineup hit a home run in a single game, setting a baseball record. In 2003, the team was revived in an independent league also called the Arizona–Mexico League, but that league shut down three weeks into the season. The 2003 Copper Kings played under manager Butch Hammett, with John Guy as general manager and local baseball historian David Skinner as a minority owner. They finished 9–7, tied for second place. That season drew national attention for promotions like Ted Williams Night, where free popsicles were given out, referencing Williams’ cryogenic preservation in Scottsdale, Arizona. The club also signed former National League stolen base champion Chuck Carr, who played center field, and former Richmond Braves shortstop Jose Mateo.
More in Defunct Independent Baseball League Teams
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