Lexington Legends

2001-Apr-09 Lexington, Kentucky

Inaugural game

The Lexington Legends are a class A minor league team in the South Atlantic League, playing at Whitaker Bank Ballpark, Lexington, Kentucky

The Houston Astros moved their affiliate the Kissimmee Cobras to Lexington in 2000, the team was christened the Lexington Legends.  2013 the team changed their affiliation to the Kansas City Royals

Wilmington Blue Rocks - 1993

Wilmington Blue Rocks Inaugural Season - 1993

Advert in the Journal of Sports Philately March 1994, published by Sports Philatelists International for the 1994 Wilmington Blue Rocks pictorial commemorative postmark

The Blue Rocks began their history as the Peninsula Pilots ( Hampton, Va) and moved to Delaware. The team plays at Judy Johnson Field, Daniel S Frawley Stadium

Passport stamp from Frawley Stadium, scan from Hartriono Sastrowardoyo

Los Angeles Dodgers v San Francisco Giants : 1958

1958-April-15 Seals Stadium - San Francisco, Ca

A beautiful internet find, a 1958 cover commemorating the inaugural game on the Pacific Coast between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants at Seals Stadium

The Giants and Dodgers, arch-rivals for 68 years in New York, faced each other on the opening day April 15 of the 1958 season. The Giants blanked the Dodgers 8-0 behind Ruben Gomez' complete game, six-hit shutout. Gomez struck out 6, with no walks.

Daryl Spencer hit the first home run for the San Francisco team, followed by rookie Orlando Cepeda. Willie Mays had 2 RBIs. 

Don Drysdale took the loss for the Dodgers.

Attendance at the minor league stadium was 23,448

The Giants were approached by Dan Francisco mayor George Christopher to move the franchise to the Pacific Coast, around the same time the Dodgers' owner Walter O'Malley was approached to move to Los Angeles. The National League determined that the Dodgers could not re-locate unless another team also moved to the Pacific Coast. By the Summer of 1957 the Dodgers and the Giants would leave New York City.

Boston-Milwaukee-Atlanta Braves

1947 Boston Braves meter slogan

1953 Milwaukee Braves meter slogan

1954 Milwaukee Braves meter (used by Braves corporate sponsors)

1957 Milwaukee Braves champions meter

The Milwaukee Braves would win the 1957 World Series defeating the New York Yankees in seven games. Braves' pitcher Lew burette was named Most Valuable Player, winning three games, including the seventh game played in Yankee Stadium

August 21, 1982

1957 World Series Anniversary

The Braves would defer the New York mets 6-5 on this day

1983 Atlanta Braves - Dekalb Stamp Club, Decatur, Ga.

Dekapex 83

Aug 16, 1986 Lancaster, Pa

Joypex 86 honors Gene Garber

Colorano silk cachet

Garber, a right handed pitcher, was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1965.

Had a career 96-113 record pitching for the Pirates, KC Royals, Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves

April 12, 1991 Atlanta Braves - 25th Anniversary

April 12, 1966 the Braves lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 in their first home opener in Atlanta

April 4, 1997 Atlanta, Ga

Opening of Turner Field

Braves opened Turner Field with a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

-- -- -- 

various versions of Braves business envelopes

1934

1941

1947

 1953

1960

1962

1973 (Braves Mean Baseball meter)

1980 (schedule meter)

 2011

2018

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks were awarded a franchise in 1995 to begin playing in the National League in 1998. The Diamondbacks played their inaugural game on March 31, 1998 at Bank One Ballpark, Phoenix, Arizona against the Colorado Rockies.

The Rockies would win the match  9-2, powered by 2 home runs from Vinny Castilla, who collected 5 RBI. Darryl Kile earned the victory.
For the Diamondbacks, Andy Benes would take the loss. Travis Lee and Karim Garcis would both hit home runs.

The Diamondbacks became the fastest expansion team in the major leagues to win a World Series, when they captured the title in 2001, their fourth year in exsistance.

Colorado Rockies

The 1992 Expansion Draft allowed the Rockies and the Florida Marlins to select unprotected players from other major league teams. The first player selected by the Rockies was pitcher David Nied from the Atlanta Braves. Charlie Hayes was selected second from the NY Yankees.

April 5, 1993 Shea Stadium, Flushing, NY

Colorado Rockies 0-3 New York Mets

Mets RBI: Tony Fernandez, Eddie Murray, Bobby Bonilla (HR)

Mets pitching: Dwight Gooden - complete game win

Rockies pitching: David Nied - starter, loss

April 9, 1993 Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado

Inaugural home game

Montreal Expos 4-11 Colorado Rockies

Expos RBI: Mike Lansing (HR), Tim Spehr

Rockies RBI: Charlie Hayes 2 (HR), Eric Young 2 (HR), Andres Galarraga 2, Dante Bichette 2, Dale Murphy, Freddie Benavides

Expos pitching: Kent Bottenfield - starter, loss

Rockies pitching: Bryn Smith - starter, win

April 26, 1995 Coors Field, Colorado

New York Mets 9-11 Colorado Rockies

Mets RBI: Todd Hundley 4 (HR), Bobby Bonilla 2, Rico Brogna (HR), Jose Vizcaino, Joe Orsulak

Rockies RBI: Dante Bichette 4 (HR), Larry Walker 3, Eric Young Sr, Andres Galarraga, Jim tatum, Joe Girardi

Mets pitching: Bobby Jones - starter, Mike Remlinger - loss

Rockies pitching: Bill Swift - starter, Mark Thompson - win

Kansas City Royals

April 8, 1969 Kansas City, Mo  UPCS cachet

The Royals played their inaugural game at Municipal Stadium against the Minnesota Twins, taking the victory 4-3.

The winning pitcher was Moe Drabowsky, who pitched in the ninth as the Royals scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

The Royals RBIs came from Jerry Adair, Lou Piniella, Joe Keogh and Jim Campania.

Joe Grenada took the loss for the Twins, who received RBIs from Harmon Killebrew, Graig Nettles and Rich Reese. Graig Nettles homered for the Twins

1968

Super Summer logo - 1977 meter cancel

Catch Royalmania - 1978 meter cancel

April 7, 1998 Opening Day
The Royals opened up at home after going 3-4 on the road against the Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles started their season at 6-1, continued to dominate defeating the Royals 11-7.
Scott Ericsson earned the victory for the Orioles, while Glendon Rusch took the loss.
Orioles runs came from RBIs by Joe Cater (4), Eric Davis (3), Rafael Palmer (2), Lenny Webster and Jeffrey Hammonds.
HomeRuns from Lenny Webster and Eric Davis
Royals RBIs came from Jeff King (3), Jose Offerman (2), Dean Palmer and Johnny Damon
Home Runs from Jeff King and Dean Palmer

2015

Florida/Miami Marlins

July 21, 1993 Ft Lauderdale, Fla (inaugural season)

Florida Marlins business envelope with beautiful graphics and a meter cancel

on the day rookie Pat Rapp singled home 2-runs and pitched six innings for his first major league victory as the Marlins defeated the Colorado Rockies 6-4.

Marlins rookie Jeff Conine had a single in the fifth, making him the first Marlin to reach 100 hits

April 5, 1993 Miami, Fl - Opening Day - Inaugural Game

The Miami Marlins defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-3

Bret Barberie records the first Marlins' hit. Barberie would get 2 hits in 4 at-bats in the game

Marlins RBI: Walt Weiss (2), Scott Pose, Benito Santiago

Winning Pitcher: Charlie Hough

Dodgers RBI: Jody Reed, Jose Offerman, Tim Wallach

Dodger HR: Tim Wallach

Losing Pitcher: Orel Hershiser

October 26, 1997 Miami, Florida

Marlins Win the World Series

The Marlins finished the 1997 season with a record of 92-70 to come in 2nd in the NL East earning the NL Wild Card berth. The Marlins would defeat the San Francisco Giants and then the Atlanta Braves for the NL Championship.

The Marlins would go on to defeat the Cleveland Indians 4 games to 3 for the World Championship title...

April 3, 1998 Ft Lauderdale, Fl - Metroexpo station

Commemorating the 1997 Championship

April 3, the Marlins were already 1-3, before losing their fourth game of the season to the Milwaukee Brewers 7-1, behind 3 home runs from Jose Valentin

The Florida Marlins would finish the 1998 season 5th in the NL East with a record of 58-104...