There have been numerous professional baseball teams in Connecticut since the late 1800s. Most have been minor league teams, however, some early major league teams played in Connecticut. The last major league team was the Hartford Dark Blues, which played its final season in Hartford as a charter member of the newly-established modern National League in 1876.

History

New Britain/Bristol Minor League Baseball in New Britain has had a wide variety of teams and notable players, famous players such as Roger Clemens, David Ortiz and Curt Schilling have played for New Britain; The individual considered the fastest pitcher in professional baseball, Steve Dalkowski, also grew up in New Britain. The Boston Red Sox former AA Pawtucket Red Sox moved to Bristol in 1973, and then to New Britain in 1983. In 1995 the New Britain Red Sox became the Minnesota Twins affiliate and changed their name to the Rock Cats. The team switched its affiliation to the Colorado Rockies prior to the 2015 season and left New Britain in favor of Hartford at the end of the 2015 season, but was replaced by the Independent New Britain Bees of the Atlantic League.

At the end of the 2019 season, the New Britain Bees announced the franchise was leaving the Atlantic League, and reorganizing as an amateur team in the New England–based Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL). The nearby Bristol Blues transferred from the FCBL to the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) at the end of 2019, creating a vacancy in the league for the Bees.

Hartford Hartford had nearly continuous baseball from 1874 to 1952, including early major league baseball teams from 1874 to 1877. Notable events include five league titles by the Hartford Senators. In 2016, the former minor league club from New Britain began play as the Hartford Yard Goats, but did not play a home game in Hartford until 2017.

Waterbury Several different Minor League Baseball teams have been located in the city of Waterbury, Connecticut since 1884. These include 1884–1888, 1891, 1894–1895, 1897–1902, 1906–1914, 1918–1928, 1947–1950, 1966–1971, and 1973–1986. Teams won their respective league championships three times in 1924, 1925, and 1970.

The earliest Waterbury teams played in the Connecticut State League between 1884 and 1912. These teams went by several different nicknames during this period, including the Brassmen, Brass City, Indians, Pirates, Rough Riders, Authors, Invisibles, Finnegans, Champs and Spuds. The Waterbury Brasscos (also called the Nattatucks) played in the old Eastern League from 1918–1928. They won two league titles in 1924 and 1925. The Waterbury Timers played in the Colonial League between 1947 and 1950.

Waterbury became home to professional baseball again in 1966 when the Waterbury Giants, an affiliate of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants came to town. From 1966 to 1986 (with the exception of 1972), the Waterbury team played in the Eastern League as an affiliate of the Giants, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Cincinnati Reds and California Angels. The team name changed every time the affiliation agreement changed hands. Waterbury did not have an Eastern League team at the start of the 1972 season. However, in the middle of the season, flooding made the ballpark in Elmira, New York unusable, and so the Elmira Pioneers played their "home games" in the second half of the 1972 season in Waterbury.

The Independent Northeast League chose to place a team in Waterbury in 1997 as the Waterbury Spirit, but they moved after the 2000 season to become the North Shore Spirit.

Summary of franchises by city

Bridgeport

Former Bridgeport teams Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venueBridgeport Bluefish 1997–2017 N/A Atlantic League(Independent of MLB) N/A Harbor Yard, Bridgeport Bridgeport Bees 1947–1950 B Colonial League N/A Candlelite Stadium, Bridgeport

Hartford

Hartford Yard Goats (active) Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venueHartford Yard Goats Since 2016Bristol/New Britain since 1973 AA Eastern League Colorado Rockies Dunkin' Donuts Park, Hartford (from 2017)Dodd Stadium early 2016

Former Hartford teams Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venue Hartford Dark BluesHartfords of Brooklyn (1877)1874–1877 MLB National Association (1874–75)National League (1876–1877) -- Hartford Ball Club GroundsNew Bedford/New Haven/Hartford 1878 N/A International Association -- --Hartford Babies (1885)/Hartford (1884)1884–1885 N/A Connecticut State League (1884–1885)Southern New England League (1885)----Hartford Dark Blues1885–1886N/AEastern League (original)----Hartford 1889–1890 N/A Atlantic Association -- --Hartford 1891 E Connecticut State League -- -- Hartford Cooperatives (1898)Hartford Bluebirds (1895–1897) 1895–1898 B (1897–1898) Atlantic League (1896–1899)Connecticut State League (1895) -- --Hartford Indians/Wooden Nutmegs1899–1901AEastern League (original)----Hartford Senators1902–1945 (also known as the Bees

and the Laurels)A (1919–1933)B (1905–1918, 1934)*variesEastern League (1916–1933)Northeastern League (1934)Colonial League (1915)Eastern Association (1913–1914)Connecticut State League (1902–1912)-- Brooklyn Dodgers (1932) -- Boston Bees (1938-1940)

-- Boston Braves (1941-1945)Morgan G. Bulkeley StadiumHartford Chiefs (1946–52)Hartford Bees (1939–45)Hartford Laurels (1938,1944)1938–1952AEastern League-- Morgan G. Bulkeley Stadium

New Britain/Bristol

Active former professional teams

Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venueNew Britain Bees* Since 2016 N/A Futures Collegiate Baseball League (Amateur)Atlantic League 2016-2019(Independent of MLB) N/A New Britain Stadium

Former New Britain teams Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venueNew Britain Rock Cats (1997–2015)*/New Britain Red Sox (1983–94)/Bristol Red Sox (1973–82) 1983–2015 (New Britain)1973-1982 (Bristol) AA EL Colorado Rockies (2015–2017)*Minnesota Twins (1995–2014)Boston Red Sox-AL (1973–94) New Britain Stadium (1995–2015)Beehive Field 1983-94(Both at Willow Brook Park)Muzzy Field, Bristol (1973–82)New Britain Sinks1908–1914BEastern AssociationNew Britain Brass City1891EConnecticut State LeagueNew Britain1884–1885N/ASouthern New England League

Former Bristol teams

Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venueBristol Owls 1949-1950 B Colonial League N/A Muzzy Field

Middletown Former Middletown teams Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venueMiddletown MansfieldsMiddletown Mansfields 1866-1872 1872 MLB National Association N/A Mansfield Club Grounds

Norwich

Norwich Sea Unicorns (active) Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venueConnecticut Tigers (2010-2019)/Norwich Sea Unicorns (2020–Present) Since 2010 A-Short Season (2010-2020) New York-Penn League (2010-2020) Futures Collegiate Baseball League (2021-Present) Detroit Tigers 2010-2020 Dodd Stadium

Former Norwich teams Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venueNorwich Navigators (1995–05)/Connecticut Defenders (2006–09) 1995–2009 AA EL New York Yankees-AL (1995-02)San Francisco Giants-NL (2003–09) Dodd Stadium

New Haven

Former New Haven and metro area teams Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venueNew Haven County Cutters 2004–2007 N/A Can-Am League (independent) N/A Yale FieldNew Haven Ravens 1994–2003 AA EL St. Louis Cardinals (2001–2002)Seattle Mariners (1999–2000)Colorado Rockies (1994–1998) Yale FieldWest Haven Yankees (1972–80) West Haven White Caps (1980) West Haven A's (1981–82) 1972–1982 AA EL New York Yankees (1972-1980)Oakland Athletics (1980-1982) Quigley StadiumNew Haven Elm Citys1875MLBNational AssociationN/AHoward Avenue Field

Waterbury

Former Waterbury teams Franchise name Years active Level League MLB affiliate Home venueWaterbury Spirit1997–2000Northeast League (1997–1998) Northern League East (1999–2000)IndependentMunicipal StadiumWaterbury Indians 1985–1986Class AA (1966–1986)Eastern League (1966–1986)Cleveland Indians (1985–1986)Municipal Stadium

Waterbury Angels1984California Angels (1984)Municipal StadiumWaterbury Reds1980–1983Cincinnati Reds (1980–1983)Municipal StadiumWaterbury A's1979Oakland Athletics (1979)Municipal StadiumWaterbury Giants1977–1978San Francisco Giants (1977–1978)Municipal StadiumWaterbury Dodgers1973–1976Los Angeles Dodgers (1973–1976)Municipal StadiumWaterbury Pirates1970–1971Pittsburgh Pirates (1970–1971)Municipal StadiumWaterbury Indians1968–1969Cleveland Indians (1968–1969)Municipal StadiumWaterbury Giants1966–1967San Francisco Giants (1966–1967)Municipal StadiumWaterbury Timers1947–1950Class B (1947–1950)Colonial League (1947–1950)Municipal StadiumWaterbury Brasscos1920–1928Class A (1919–1928)Eastern League (1918–1928)Municipal StadiumWaterbury Nattatucks1918–1919Municipal StadiumClass B (1906–1914, 1918)Waterbury Contenders1913–1914Eastern Association (1913–1914)Municipal StadiumWaterbury Spuds1912Connecticut State League (1900–1902, 1906–1912)Municipal StadiumWaterbury Champs1911Municipal StadiumWaterbury Finnegans1910Municipal StadiumWaterbury Invincibles1909Municipal StadiumWaterbury Authors1906–1908Municipal StadiumWaterbury Rough Riders1899–1902Class D (1902)Connecticut League (1899)Municipal StadiumClass F (1897–1901)Connecticut State League (1888, 1891, 1894–1898)Waterbury Pirates1898Municipal StadiumWaterbury Indians1897Municipal StadiumWaterbury Brassmen1895Class B (1894)Municipal StadiumWaterbury 1888, 1891, 1894Class E (1891)Municipal StadiumWaterbury Brass City1887Eastern League (1885–1887)Municipal StadiumWaterbury Brassmen1886Municipal StadiumWaterbury 1884–1885Southern New England League (1885)Municipal StadiumConnecticut State League (1884–1885)

References

Baseball Reference

External links Baseball Reference Baseball Waterbury heritage