The Reno Silver Sox were a minor league baseball team that existed on and off from 1947 to 1992. The team name is derived from the nickname of Nevada, the "Silver State". There was another baseball team known as the Reno Silver Sox who played in the Golden Baseball League. From part of the 1955 season to 1992, they played their home games at Moana Stadium. The 1961 Silver Sox were recognized as one of the 100 greatest minor league teams of all time.[1]

Reno Silver Sox
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes
  • Class-C (1947–1951)
  • Class-A (1955–1992)
LeagueCalifornia League (1955–1992)
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles
  • SL – 1948
  • CL – 1960, 1961, 1975, 1976
Team data
Previous names
  • Reno Silver Sox (1955–1980, 1989–1992)
  • Reno Padres (1981–1988)
  • Channel Cities Oilers (1955)
Colors(1981-1985)
  Brown
  Gold
  White

(1986-1987)
  Brown
  Orange
  White

(1988-1992)
  Blue
  Silver
  White
BallparkMoana Stadium

History

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After Reno first hosted a team in the 1907 Nevada State League, the Reno Silver Sox became members of the 1947 Sunset League and continued in the league from 1947 to 1949. They were affiliated with the New York Giants during their time in the Sunset League. From 1950 to 1951, they were unaffiliated and played in the Far West League. Starting in 1955, they played in the California League, when the Channel Cities Oilers moved to Reno to become the second incarnation of the Reno Silver Sox. They became affiliated with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956 and stayed affiliated with them until the Dodgers' move in 1957. They were then affiliated with the Los Angeles Dodgers until 1962. From 1963 to 1964, they were affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates. They did not organize in 1965, and therefore did not play ball. They came back in 1966 and lasted until 1981. From 1966 to 1974, they were affiliated with the Cleveland Indians. From 1975 to 1976 they were affiliated with both the Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres. From 1977 to 1981, they were affiliated with just the Padres. After the 1981 season, the team was renamed the Reno Padres and baseball was not played under the "Reno Silver Sox" name again until 1988. Still in the California League, they were unaffiliated from 1988 to 1991. In 1992 – the last season in which a "Silver Sox" team played in an affiliated league – they were affiliated with the Oakland Athletics. Following the 1992 season, the team left Reno and move to Riverside to become the Riverside Pilots. In 1996, they moved to Lancaster and became the Lancaster JetHawks.[2]

Championships

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The Reno Silver Sox were league champions in 1948, 1960, 1961, 1975, and 1976. They are the only team in California League history to win back-to-back championships twice.[3]

Notable Reno alumni

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Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Other notable alumni

Year-by-year record

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Year League Record Finish Manager Playoffs/Notes
1947 Sunset League 69-69 4th Thomas Lloyd
1948 Sunset League 77-63 3rd Thomas Lloyd League Champs
1949 Sunset League 49-75 7th Lilio Marcucci none
1950 Far West League 75-63 3rd Joe Borich Lost in 1st round
1951 Far West League 52-65 3rd Cotton Pippen
1955 California League 40-106 overall 8th Leonard Noren Channel Cities moved to Reno July 1
1956 California League 73-67 4th Ray Perry Lost in 1st round
1957 California League 79-59 2nd Ray Perry Lost League Finals
1958 California League 68-69 6th Ray Perry
1959 California League 81-58 2nd Ray Perry
1960 California League 89-51 1st Tom Saffell League Champs
1961 California League 97-43 1st Roy Smalley League Champs
1962 California League 70-68 4th Roy Smalley Lost League Finals
1963 California League 71-69 5th Tom Saffell
1964 California League 66-71 6th Tom Saffell / Harvey Koepf none
1966 California League 69-71 4th (t) Phil Cavarretta
1967 California League 56-82 8th Phil Cavarretta
1968 California League 67-72 5th Clay Bryant
1969 California League 72-68 3rd (t) Ken Aspromonte
1970 California League 79-61 2nd Pinky May none
1971 California League 64-75 7th Pinky May
1972 California League 50-88 8th Lou Klimchock
1973 California League 70-70 4th (t) Lou Klimchock
1974 California League 61-79 6th (t) Joe Azcue / interim (June 29-July 3) / Del Youngblood
1975 California League 86-54 1st Harry Warner League Champs
1976 California League 75-62 3rd Johnny Goryl League Champs
1977 California League 59-81 5th Glenn Ezell
1978 California League 62-78 5th Eddie Watt
1979 California League 74-67 3rd Eddie Watt
1980 California League 75-66 2nd (t) Jack Maloof
1981 California League 81-58 2nd Jack Maloof Lost in 1st round
1988 California League 39-103 10th Nate Oliver
1989 California League 68-74 6th Eli Grba
1990 California League 71-68 6th Mike Brown
1991 California League 59-77 7th Mal Fichman
1992 California League 65-71 8th Gary Jones

[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Top 100 Teams". MiLB.com. 2001. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  2. ^ "Reno, Nevada Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. ^ a b Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
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