The Berkshire Black Bears were a minor league

baseball team Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding te ...

in the independent

Northeast League The Northeast League was a professional independent baseball league that operated in the Northeastern United States from 1995 until 1998 and from 2003 until 2004. Between 1999 and 2002, the league was part of the Northern League after the two leag ...

. The Berkshire Black Bears were one of many historical teams to have played in

Wahconah Park Wahconah Park is a city-owned baseball park located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and nestled in a working-class neighborhood. One of the last remaining ballparks in the United States with a wooden grandstand, it was constructed in 1919 and seats ...

, starting with the Pittsfield Electrics (1913–14) and later, the Pittsfield Hillies (1919–30), the Pittsfield Electrics (1941–48), Pittsfield Indians (1949–50), and Pittsfield Phillies (1951). After a 14 year hiatus, Pittsfield gained the Pittsfield Red Sox (1965–69), Pittsfield Senators (1970–71), Pittsfield Rangers (1972–75) and Berkshire Brewers (1976). After another nine year hiatus, the Pittsfield Cubs (1985–88), Pittsfield Mets (1989–2000) and Pittsfield Astros (2001) came to be. Soon after, they became the Berkshire Black Bears in 2002.

History

In the First Half of the season for the North Division, they finished last with a record of 14-31, tying the

Allentown Ambassadors The Allentown Ambassadors were an independent baseball team that competed in the Northeast League and the Northern League from 1997 until 2003. They played their home games at Bicentennial Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania. History In 1996, Al ...

for the worst record in the first half. In the Second Half, they finished last in their division again with a 10-34, which was also the worst record across the league for the second half. In 43 home games, they drew 56,295 fans for an average of 1,309 per game, both numbers ranking near the bottom of the league. After this poor performance, manager George Scott was to be replaced, and the team later announced his replacement for 2003 was

Darren Bush Darren James Bush (born January 18, 1974) is an American professional baseball former player and current coach. He is the bench coach for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB) Bush has two kids, Wyatt and Maggie. Career Bush atte ...

. Following this, they also hired

Jim Dedrick James Michael Dedrick (born April 4, 1968) is an American former professional baseball player. A pitcher, Dedrick played for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB) in . Dedrick was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 33rd round ...

as their pitching coach. After these additions, they went 41-51 during the season, marking an improvement from their previous season, but in comparison to the rest of the league they performed second worst. As well, their attendance went down to just 43,846 fans for an average of 946 per day, which similarly measured poorly compared to the rest of the league.

Demise

At the end of the 2003 season, the Berkshire Black Bears did not renew their lease. Jonathan Fleisig, still pursuing a career in independent baseball, moved the team to New Haven, Connecticut where it became the

New Haven County Cutters The New Haven County Cutters were an independent baseball team based in New Haven, Connecticut. From 2004 through 2007, it played in the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball (the "Can-Am League," formerly known as the Northeast ...

References

{{reflist Sports in Pittsfield, Massachusetts Professional baseball teams in Massachusetts Defunct baseball teams in Massachusetts Defunct independent baseball league teams Sports clubs established in 2002 Sports clubs disestablished in 2003 Baseball teams disestablished in 2003 Baseball teams established in 2002