The roots of the present-day Salt Lake Bees stretch back to the late 1970s in Portland. The Pacific Coast League’s Portland Beavers exited from 1978 through 1993 before moving to Salt Lake City. Initially, the team was known as the Salt Lake City Buzz, a moniker that lasted between 1994 and 2000. The team had another bee-inspired nickname, the Stingers, between 2001 and 2005. The club’s been known as the Bees since 2006. The current name honors a franchise by the same name that played in the PCL between 1915 and 1926. The Bees have been affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim since 2001. Before that, they had a partnership with the Minnesota Twins dating back to 1994.Ballpark
The Bees play the home games on their schedule at Spring Mobile Ballpark, which opened in 1994. The park has an official capacity of 15,411 and provides an impressive view of the Wasatch Mountains beyond the fence in left and center field. Spring Mobile Park is also the home of the University of Utah Utes baseball team.
No Pacific Coast League Championships
The Salt Lake franchise hasn’t won the PCL title yet, but has managed to win conference titles in each decade since moving to Utah. The club claimed its conference in 1995, in just its second year in the league. Subsequent conference titles came in, 2000, 2002 and 2013. The Bees have also won eight division titles, including making baseball news headlines by winning three straight between 2006 and 2008.
Salt Lake Bees Roster
Many current or past Major League Baseball stars appeared on the Bees roster on their road to stardom. These players include Mike Trout, Chone Figgins, David Ortiz, Kendry Morales, Jered Weaver, Howie Kendrick, LaTroy Hawkins and John Lackey.
Spring Training
During Spring Training, members of the Bees share Tempe Diablo Stadium with other players from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim system. The park opened in 1968 and has an official capacity of 9,558. It went through a major upgrade in 2002, making modern changes to the dugout and concourse. The park was the longtime home of the Phoenix Giants and Phoenix Firebirds of the Pacific Coast League.
The Ballpark Guide hasn’t visited the Salt Lake Bees yet, but hopes to in the near future. If you’re excited to read a fan guide to Spring Mobile Ballpark, check out the many ways you can support The Ballpark Guide on future baseball road trips.
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