186:. The team's moniker came from the combination of the city's tradition of being called the Port City, owing to it being the state's largest seaport, and for the team's arrival being heralded as an awaking to professional baseball as well as for the uniqueness of the name—no other team was known as the Roosters.
226:, for two seasons while the team sought a permanent location. In order to accommodate a second team at Greer Stadium, the Xpress' home games were scheduled during the Sounds' road trips and vice versa.
233:, where they would play in a new stadium scheduled to open in 1997. In the intervening two seasons, the franchise would play in Wilmington. The Roosters were operated by Steve Bryant, owner of the
806:
264:
In 1995, the
Roosters finished with an overall record of 62–80, finishing fourth in the five-team East Division. During their first season, 110,233 people attended Roosters games.
821:
240:
The team never made it to
Springfield after the city was unable to secure federal funding for a ballpark. Bastien made an attempt to place the team in the Springfield suburb of
826:
816:
635:
244:, but residents voted down a sales tax increase to pay for a stadium. He subsequently sold the forlorn franchise to sports investor Eric Margenau, who moved the team to
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The 1996 squad finished with an overall record of 56–84, finishing last in their division. During their second and final season, the
Roosters drew 68,463 fans.
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687:
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The
Roosters were designed to play in Wilmington only on an interim basis for two seasons. After the 1992 baseball season,
553:
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789:
Carree, Chuck. (June 26, 1997). "Baseball a Bust in the Port City, Mobile Finds Fans Where
Wilmington Could Not."
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In
January 1995, the team's owner, Dennis Bastien, arrived at terms to move the franchise to
210:, leaving the Southern League franchise in need of a new home. The team temporarily moved to
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Among the better-known future major leaguers who wore the
Roosters' uniform were
636:"Council Approves Braves Baseball Agreement, Opens Stage for 6,200 Seat Stadium"
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368:. Nashville, North Carolina. February 15, 1995. p. 1-B
560:. Springfield, Missouri. November 17, 1995. p. 1C
504:. Springfield, Missouri. February 4, 1995. p. 1C
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688:"Kelly Comes by His Love for Sports Naturally"
280:The Roosters' games were broadcast locally on
822:Professional baseball teams in North Carolina
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580:"Southern Ball back in Mobile After 27 Years"
548:
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8:
807:Defunct Southern League (1964–present) teams
214:for the 1993 and 1994 seasons, becoming the
586:. Selma, Alabama. April 15, 1997. p. 8
554:"Margenau Says He's Buying Bastien's Team"
385:
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397:. Nashville. February 8, 1995. p. 2C
827:Seattle Mariners minor league affiliates
817:1996 disestablishments in North Carolina
777:. Wilmington, North Carolina. p. 1C
694:. Wilmington, North Carolina. p. 1C
174:from 1995 to 1996. They were located in
498:"Minor League Tickets Go On Sale Today"
350:
184:University of North Carolina Wilmington
525:"Park Authority to Watch Developments"
472:"Play Ball! Springfield Scores a Team"
445:"Xpress Proposes a One-of-a-kind Move"
18:
837:Baseball teams disestablished in 1996
812:1995 establishments in North Carolina
7:
842:Sports in Wilmington, North Carolina
740:"1996 Port City Roosters Statistics"
714:"1995 Port City Roosters Statistics"
531:. Springfield, Missouri. p. 3B
478:. Springfield, Missouri. p. 1A
470:Puryear, Scott (January 19, 1995).
443:Coleman, Anthony (August 6, 1994).
418:"AAA Vote Still Isn't a Sure Thing"
832:Baseball teams established in 1995
523:Skalicky, Francis (June 7, 1995).
14:
634:Brown, Ben (September 19, 2012).
178:, and played their home games at
769:Boaz, Mike (September 3, 1996).
686:Carree, Chuck (March 10, 1995).
416:Olson, Stan (December 5, 1991).
198:, home of the Southern League's
116:Port City Roosters (1995–1996)
1:
793:. Wilmington, North Carolina.
594:– via Newspapers.com.
568:– via Newspapers.com.
558:The Springfield News-Leader
539:– via Newspapers.com.
529:The Springfield News-Leader
512:– via Newspapers.com.
502:The Springfield News-Leader
486:– via Newspapers.com.
476:The Springfield News-Leader
459:– via Newspapers.com.
432:– via Newspapers.com.
405:– via Newspapers.com.
376:– via Newspapers.com.
362:"Wilmington Names New Team"
248:, where they began play at
858:
176:Wilmington, North Carolina
47:Wilmington, North Carolina
16:Minor league baseball team
196:Charlotte, North Carolina
124:Purple, green, red, white
92:Major league affiliations
66:Minor league affiliations
56:
26:
785:– via Google News.
754:– via Google News.
584:The Selma Times-Journal
451:. Nashville. p. 2C
424:. Charlotte. p. 8B
218:. The Xpress played at
661:"1996 Southern League"
606:"1995 Southern League"
422:The Charlotte Observer
391:"Wilmington Gets Team"
292:did the play-by-play.
220:Herschel Greer Stadium
206:expansion team in the
366:The Nashville Graphic
231:Springfield, Missouri
182:on the campus of the
160:Minor League Baseball
212:Nashville, Tennessee
208:International League
74:Double-A (1995–1996)
771:"So Long, Roosters"
746:. Sports Reference
744:Baseball-Reference
720:. Sports Reference
718:Baseball-Reference
667:. Sports Reference
665:Baseball-Reference
612:. Sports Reference
610:Baseball-Reference
250:Hank Aaron Stadium
156:Port City Roosters
22:Port City Roosters
200:Charlotte Knights
170:affiliate of the
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224:Nashville Sounds
216:Nashville Xpress
172:Seattle Mariners
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101:Seattle Mariners
80:Previous leagues
71:Previous classes
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85:Southern League
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395:The Tennessean
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97:Previous teams
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305:Jason Varitek
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791:Morning Star
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781:February 25,
779:. Retrieved
775:Morning Star
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750:February 25,
748:. Retrieved
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724:February 25,
722:. Retrieved
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698:February 25,
696:. Retrieved
692:Morning Star
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671:February 25,
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645:February 25,
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616:February 25,
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535:February 19,
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480:. Retrieved
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455:February 19,
453:. Retrieved
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428:February 21,
426:. Retrieved
421:
411:
401:February 19,
399:. Retrieved
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372:February 19,
370:. Retrieved
365:
299:
290:Mike Ferreri
279:
271:
263:
239:
228:
193:
180:Brooks Field
162:team of the
155:
153:
146:Brooks Field
45:
38:
35:
30:
334:Raúl Ibañez
327:outfielders
286:David Kelly
268:1996 season
260:1995 season
148:(1995–1996)
103:(1995–1996)
87:(1995–1996)
801:Categories
340:References
312:Derek Lowe
320:shortstop
256:in 1997.
108:Team data
345:Specific
309:pitchers
204:Triple-A
168:Double-A
166:and the
142:Ballpark
763:General
302:catcher
296:Players
252:as the
190:History
158:were a
36:–
325:, and
136:
133:
130:
127:
121:Colors
284:980.
276:Radio
242:Ozark
783:2020
752:2020
726:2020
700:2020
673:2020
647:2020
618:2020
592:2020
566:2020
537:2020
510:2020
484:2020
457:2020
430:2020
403:2020
374:2020
332:and
314:and
288:and
282:WAAV
154:The
113:Name
40:1996
32:1995
803::
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626:^
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382:^
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336:.
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