Getting to Know the Tacoma Rainiers

There is no Triple-A team closer to their Major League affiliate than the Tacoma Rainiers.

Based only 32 minutes south of Seattle, the Rainiers continue a long standing baseball tradition in Tacoma, Washington where a PCL team has been hosted every year since 1960, the longest current active streak of membership in the league.

Cheney Stadium, which is located about 30 miles to the south of the Seattle Mariners Safeco Field, hosted the baseball portion of the 1990 Goodwill Games, and has been home to minor league baseball in Tacoma since 1960.

Named after local businessman Ben Cheney, who worked hard to bring baseball to Tacoma, the stadium was constructed in an astonishing 42 working days after the San Francisco Giants committed to moving their Triple-A affiliate from Phoenix on the condition that the stadium would be ready for the start of the 1960 season.

The stadium, which was originally built for $940,000 in 1960, approved $30 million in renovations in 2009. The renovation, done by the same architects responsible for El Paso's new Southwest University Park, Populous, added 16 luxury suites, a kids area, more restrooms, more concession stands, and a new restaurant.

The 54 years of continuous Triple-A play in Tacoma has seen numerous affiliations, name changes, and Major League greats come through Cheney Stadium.

The Tacoma Giants (1960-1965), the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, began play in the brand new Cheney Field in 1960. Future Hall-of-Famer Juan Marchial threw a shut-out in the Giants first win in their new home and the 1961 squad, led by manager Red Davis, went 97-57 behind a starting rotation that included Gaylord Perry, Ron Herbel, and Eddie Fisher and bring Tacoma their first championship; Dick Phillips would win the franchise's only MVP award that season.

When the Giants owner, Horace Stoneham, decided to move the affiliate to Phoenix in 1966, the Chicago Cubs stepped in and brought their Triple-A franchise to Tacoma for the 1966 season.

The Tacoma Cubs (1966-1971) would win the 1969 PCL Championship under Manager Whitey Lockman, who was on base in 1951 when New York Giants outfielder Bobby Thomson hit the "Shot Heard Round The World" against the Brooklyn Dodgers at the Polo Grounds to win the National League Pennant.

Lockman would be Tacoma's winningest manager until his record was broken in 2000 by Dave Myers.

From 1972-1977 Tacoma's affiliation would be with the Minnesota Twins, again adopting their Major League Affiliates name and becoming the Tacoma Twins, as local businessmen Stan Naccarato and Clay Huntington put together a group of local investors to ensure that baseball would continue in Tacoma.

While the team failed to bring a championship to Tacoma, there were several players that took Cheney Field for numerous season and accumulated several records that still stand today.

Rick Renick's 72 home runs over four seasons has him atop the all-time career home run list for Tacoma players, and Randy Bass hit four home runs in a single game on June 9, 1977 at Phoenix.

For one season in 1978 the Tacoma squad engaged in a geographically inappropriate affiliation with the New York Yankees, becoming the Tacoma Yankees, and finished the season 80-57 becoming co-champions with Albuquerque.

The entire Championship Series that was to follow was cancelled due to rain.

In 1979 the Tacoma franchise would engage in what would become a two year affiliation with the Cleveland Indians, and for the first time since the team took Cheney Field, they would not adopt their Major League affiliate's nickname.

They would opt for the Tacoma Tugs, but after one season they re-branded themselves the Tacoma Tigers.

"Tigers" was the traditional team name used for teams that played in Tacoma under lower classifications regardless of what their Major League affiliation was.

The team would keep the Tigers moniker from 1981-1994 as they launched an affiliation with the Oakland Athletics that would last for 13 seasons. While this team did not bring a championship to Tacoma, fans were graced with the privilege of watching future Major League stars, and several Rookie of the Year winners, in Walt Weiss, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Jason Giambi, and Scott Brosius.

1995 saw the Rainiers finally become the affiliate to the Seattle Mariners, and the nickname Rainiers bestowed upon the franchise. Nearly all of Seattle's homegrown stars have since passed through Tacoma on their way to the big leagues. The list of players includes, but is not limited to, Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., Jay Buhner, Raul Ibanez, and Felix Hernandez.

Tacoma would win a share of the PCL Championship in 2001, they were declared co-champions with New Orleans when the series was called off due to the terrorist attacks of September 11, and they would advance to the PCL Championship series in 2005.

In 2010 the Rainiers would win the PCL Championship after playing all of their games on the road due to the stadium's largest renovation in it's history.

Since 1995 fans have seen many players come and go through the Tacoma franchise, but there is one Rainier that has remained a fixture since the teams affiliation with the Mariners began.

Rhubarb the Reindeer is one of the longest tenured mascots in the Pacific Coast League and has been a familiar face at Cheney Field since 1995.

One of the Mariner Moose's best friends, Rhubarb has been inviting fans to "Run with Rhubarb" for nearly two decades as the Rainiers have continued to provide family-friendly entertainment and experiences for all of their fans.

Currently owned by Schlegel Sports Group, former pop star Nick Lachey currently holds a one-third stake in the team.

The Rainiers will visit Southwest University Park on Friday May 31, 2014 for the first time and currently sit 22-31 on the season.

The season series is in favor of the Chihuahuas with El Paso having a 6-2 series edge.

The Rainiers are led by Chris Taylor and Nick Franklin, one of Triple-A's strongest offensive middle-infield-pairs, and they will back up a probably starting rotation of Andrew Carraway, Jordan Pries, and two starters yet to be determined.

Don't miss your opportunity to see the Rainiers for the first time, and if you can't make it out to Southwest University Park, make sure to catch Tim Hagerty with the call on ESPN 600!