Ryan Johnson

Lore & Background

The Miami Marlins began as a Class D affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1961–1962 offseason. They were named after the original Triple-A International League Marlins. The team became a Baltimore Orioles affiliate in 1966 and was renamed the Miami Orioles from 1971 to 1981. After the Orioles severed their affiliation following the 1981 season, the franchise reverted to the Marlins name and played as an independent entry in 1982. They later affiliated with the San Diego Padres (1983–1984) and were without a parent club in 1985 and 1988. In 1988, the team moved mid-season to Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School field. On February 22, 1989, the franchise was purchased by the South Florida Baseball Club Limited Partnership and renamed the Miami Miracle, moving to Florida International University's University Park. The team was sold again a year later to the Marv Goldklang Group. In 1992, the Miracle relocated to Fort Myers and became a co-op club with the Minnesota Twins, becoming a full Twins affiliate in 1993. In December 2019, the franchise announced it would be rebranded as the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels for the 2020 season.

In Their Own Story

The sun was setting over the stadium, painting the outfield fence in shades of amber and rust. The score was tied, the bases were loaded, and the batter in the box was a lefty with a patient eye. The manager walked to the mound, pointed to the bullpen, and the lefty came in. The crowd noise was a low, sustained hum—the kind that means everyone is holding their breath. He set his feet, wound up, and let it go. The ball snapped through the strike zone, and the lefty swung late, the bat trailing the ball into the dirt. The umpire called it. The hum turned to a roar, brief and sharp, and then the next batter came up and the moment passed. The lefty walked back to the bullpen, already resetting, already ready for the next time the manager pointed his finger. That's the job. That's the Marlins way.

Reader's Guide

The Miami Marlins played at Bobby Maduro Miami Stadium for most of their time in South Florida, moving to Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School field in 1988. The team had per-game attendance of approximately 100 fans in 1988. After the 1988 season, the franchise was sold and moved to Florida International University's University Park for the 1989 season, with some games at Key West High School. The team later moved to Pompano Beach Municipal Stadium in 1990, then to Fort Myers in 1992, where they played at the Lee County Sports Complex at Hammond Stadium (capacity 9,300, opened 1991).

Did You Know?

• The Miami Marlins were named after the original Triple-A International League Marlins that moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico after the 1960 season.
• In 1985, the Marlins filled their roster with ten former major leaguers, including Derrel Thomas, who returned to MLB later that season with the Philadelphia Phillies.
• The franchise was owned by the Baltimore Orioles until it was sold to an investment group led by Joe Ryan on January 30, 1976.
• The Miami Miracle won the Florida State League championship in 2014, defeating the Daytona Cubs in a five-game series.