Vancouver Canadians (PCL)

Vancouver Canadians
Vancouver Canadians
1978–1999; Vancouver, British Columbia ;
Minor league affiliations
Class	Triple-A (1978–1999)
League	Pacific Coast League (1978–1999)
Major league affiliations
Team	Oakland Athletics (1999); California/Anaheim Angels (1993–1998); Chicago White Sox (1988–1992); Pittsburgh Pirates (1987); Milwaukee Brewers (1979–1986); Oakland Athletics (1978);
Minor league titles
Class titles (1)	1999
League titles (3)	1985; 1989; 1999;
Conference titles (1)	1999
Division titles (7)	1985; 1986; 1988; 1989; 1992; 1994; 1999;
Team data
Name	Vancouver Canadians (1978–1999)
Colors	Blue, red, white; (1978–1992); Navy blue, red, white; (1993–1999)
Ballpark	Nat Bailey Stadium (1978–1999)

The Vancouver Canadians were a Minor League Baseball team of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League from 1978 to 1999. They were located in Vancouver, British Columbia and played their home games at Nat Bailey Stadium.

History

Vancouver, a city with storied baseball history, had been without a professional team since the departure of the Vancouver Mounties in 1969. Harry Ornest secured the rights to a Triple-A Pacific Coast League franchise for the city called the Vancouver Canadians; they began play in 1978 as an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.

The Canadians went 74–65 in their inaugural campaign, but missed the postseason two and a half games behind the Portland Beavers. Entering the 1979 season, the Canadians shifted their affiliation to the Milwaukee Brewers. Vancouver finished at the top of the North Division standings with a record of 79–68. The Canadians faced the Hawaii Islanders in the division series but lost in three games. The following year, they returned to the postseason but suffered the same fate, losing to Hawaii in the division series.

Vancouver returned to the postseason in 1985. The Canadians swept the Calgary Cannons in the division series and the Phoenix Giants in the finals to claim their first Pacific Coast League championship. In an effort to repeat as champions, Vancouver finished with the PCL's best regular-season record at 85–53. The Canadians defeated the Tacoma Tigers to win the division title, but lost the championship round to the Las Vegas Stars in a full five games.

In 1987, the Canadians shifted their affiliation to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The relationship lasted only one year after which the club signed a player development contract with the Chicago White Sox. In their first season with Chicago, the team returned to the postseason. Vancouver swept Portland in the division series. Facing Las Vegas, the Canadians lost the championship series in five games. In 1989, the Canadians earned a playoff entry and defeated Calgary to win the North Division title. Vancouver defeated the Albuquerque Dukes in the championship series to close out the decade as Pacific Coast League champions. In 1992, they won their fifth division title outlasting the Portland Beavers. The south division winner, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, outlasted Vancouver for the league championship in a series that went the full five games. Following the season, the White Sox transferred their Triple-A affiliation to Nashville.

Vancouver entered into a new player development contract with the California Angels in 1993. In their second year linked with the Angels, they won the division title besting the Salt Lake Gulls. The Canadians faced the Albuquerque Dukes in the championship series, but were denied, losing 3–2. The club made postseason appearances in 1995 and 1997, but lost 3 games to 1 in both series to Salt Lake and the Edmonton Trappers, respectively. After the 1998 season, the Angels ended their relationship with Vancouver and signed on with Salt Lake.

In the winter of 1998, Art Savage purchased the franchise and announced his intention to relocate the team.^[1] Moreover, the Canadians and the Oakland Athletics, who had were the club's first affiliate in 1978, signed a new agreement. The season would be of significance for baseball in Vancouver. The club posted an 84–58 record to win the west division. Vancouver defeated Salt Lake to earn the Pacific Conference title. The Canadians advanced to the championship series to face the Oklahoma RedHawks. Vancouver took the series in four games to claim the club's third Pacific Coast League championship.^[2] Resurrected in 1998, the Triple-A World Series pitted the Pacific Coast League's Canadians against their International League counterpart Charlotte Knights. With a young roster that included Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, and Mark Mulder, the Canadians and Knights traded wins through the first four games of the series. In the rubber match, Vancouver routed the Knights 16–2 to win the Triple-A World Series crown.^[3] Terrance Long earned the series Most Valuable Player Award with a slash line of .429, 9 hits, and 10 runs batted in.

Despite a banner year, it would be Vancouver's last at the Triple-A level. After 22 seasons, the franchise moved south to Sacramento, California, where a new US$40 million ballpark awaited. Upon relocating to California's capital city, the team became the Sacramento River Cats. Vancouver would not be without baseball as the Southern Oregon Timberjacks of the Northwest League announced relocation to fill the void in Vancouver.^[4] The Canadians name resumed as members of the Class A Short Season Northwest League and then in 2021 became part of the High-A West of Minor League Baseball MiLB affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays of the Major League Baseball MLB.

Ballpark

The Canadians played their home games at Nat Bailey Stadium.

Season-by-season record

Season	PDC	Division	Finish	Wins	Losses	Win%	Post-season	Manager	Attendance
Vancouver Canadians
1978	OAK	West	3rd	74	65	.532		Jim Marshall	123,466
1979	MIL	North	1st	79	68	.537	Lost to Hawaii in division series 2–1	John Felske	131,367
1980	MIL	North	1st	79	60	.568	Lost to Hawaii in division series 2–1	Bob Didier	150,758
1981	MIL	North	5th	56	76	.424		Lee Sigman	127,161
1982	MIL	North	3rd	72	72	.500		Dick Phillips	158,767
1983	MIL	North	5th	60	80	.429		Dick Phillips	179,337
1984	MIL	North	2nd	71	71	.500		Tony Muser	147,599
1985	MIL	North	1st	79	64	.552	Defeated Albuquerque in division series 3–0 Defeated Phoenix in championship series 3–0	Tom Trebelhorn	199,781
1986	MIL	North	1st	85	53	.616	Defeated Tacoma in division series 3–0 Lost to Las Vegas in championship series 3–2	Terry Bevington	231,819
1987	PIT	North	3rd	72	72	.500		Rocky Bridges	338,614
1988	CHW	North	1st	85	57	.599	Defeated Portland in division series 3–0 Lost to Las Vegas in championship series 3–1	Terry Bevington	386,220
1989	CHW	North	2nd	73	69	.514	Defeated Calgary in division series 3–0 Defeated Albuquerque in championship series 3–1	Terry Bevington	281,812
1990	CHW	North	3rd	74	67	.525		Marv Foley	281,540
1991	CHW	North	5th	49	86	.363		Rick Renick	288,978
1992	CHW	North	2nd	81	61	.570	Defeated Portland in division series 3–2 Lost to Colorado Springs in championship series 3–2	Rick Renick	333,564
1993	CAL	North	2nd	72	68	.514		Max Oliveras	349,726
1994	CAL	North	1st	77	65	.542	Defeated Salt Lake in division series 3–2 Lost to Albuquerque in championship series 3–2	Don Long	320,863
1995	CAL	North	1st	81	60	.574	Lost to Salt Lake in division series 3–1	Don Long	305,739
1996	CAL	North	1st	68	70	.493		Don Long	334,800
Vancouver Canadians
1997	ANA	North	3rd	75	68	.524	Lost to Edmonton in division series 3–1	Don Long	303,148
1998	ANA	West	4th	53	90	.371		Mitch Seoane	284,935
1999	OAK	West	1st	84	58	.592	Defeated Salt Lake in conference series 3–2 Defeated Oklahoma in championship series 3–1 Defeated Charlotte in Triple-A World Series 3–2	Mike Quade	241,461

Division winner	Conference champions	League champions	Class champions

References

^ Johnson, Kelly. "Who's on first? Baseball war heats up after team purchased". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
^ "The Vancouver Canadians celebrate Pacific Coast League title beating Oklahoma 5-3". UPI. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
^ Pearlman, Jeff. "Something Old, Something New At the Triple A series, Vancouver's youth was too much for Charlotte's veterans". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
^ "Timberjacks will make move to Vancouver, B.C." Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. October 27, 1999. p. 6F.

External links

Statistics from Stats Crew

Preceded by Expansion franchise	Pacific Coast League franchise 1978–1999	Succeeded by Sacramento River Cats

[1] Johnson, Kelly. "Who's on first? Baseball war heats up after team purchased". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2020-09-20.

[2] "The Vancouver Canadians celebrate Pacific Coast League title beating Oklahoma 5-3". UPI. Retrieved 2020-09-20.

[3] Pearlman, Jeff. "Something Old, Something New At the Triple A series, Vancouver's youth was too much for Charlotte's veterans". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2020-09-20.

[twmtvbc-4] "Timberjacks will make move to Vancouver, B.C." Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. October 27, 1999. p. 6F.

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