The Yakima Bears were a

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nor ...

baseball 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 tea ...

team in the

northwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...

United States, located in

Yakima, Washington Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's 11th-largest city by population. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The uninco ...

. The Bears competed at the

Class A Short Season Class A Short Season (officially Short-Season A) was a level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States from 1965 through 2020. In the hierarchy of minor league classifications, it was below Triple-A, Double-A, Class A-Advanced (cre ...

level as members of the

Northwest League The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Pacific Northwest, Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Maj ...

from 1990 to 2012. Following the 2012 season, the franchise relocated to

Hillsboro, Oregon Hillsboro ( ) is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Situated in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city hosts many high-technology companies, ...

, and became

Hillsboro Hops The Hillsboro Hops are a Minor League Baseball team in the northwest United States, located in Hillsboro, Oregon, a city in the Portland metropolitan area. The Hops are members of the Northwest League as an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. ...

History

After 23 summers without minor league baseball, Yakima returned to the Northwest League in 1990. The

Salem Dodgers Salem may refer to: Places Canada Ontario * Bruce County ** Salem, Arran–Elderslie, Ontario, in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie ** Salem, South Bruce, Ontario, in the municipality of South Bruce * Salem, Dufferin County, Ontario, par ...

moved from Salem after the 1989 season, bringing with them their affiliation with the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...

. In 2001, the Bears changed their affiliation to the

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...

Relocation to Hillsboro

The Yakima Bears had been frustrated by the lack of progress on a new stadium that would meet minor league standards, and a declining local economy. The Triple-A

Portland Beavers The Portland Beavers was the name of separate minor league baseball teams, which represented Portland, Oregon, in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). The team was established in 1903, the first year of the PCL. Franchise history Many baseball teams ...

of the

Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...

had departed for

Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

after the 2010 season, so the

Portland metropolitan area The Portland metropolitan area is a metro area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered on the principal city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) identifies it as the Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro, ...

was without minor league baseball. In 2011, the city of

Vancouver, Washington Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington, located in Clark County. Incorporated in 1857, Vancouver has a population of 190,915 as of the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Was ...

, presented a proposal on May 13 for a new ballpark to be built on the

Clark College Clark College is a public community college in Vancouver, Washington. With 11,500 students, Clark College is the largest institution of higher education in southwest Washington. Founded in 1933 as a private two-year junior college, Clark Colleg ...

campus, ready to host the Yakima Bears franchise for the 2012 season. After that deal fell through, the team received an offer sheet from Hillsboro, a suburb west of Portland, in June 2012 with plans to start play there in a new ballpark in 2013. Four months later on October 16, the team announced its upcoming move to Hillsboro and was renamed the

for the 2013 season. The Hops proceeded to win the 2014 and 2015

championships.

Early Yakima Baseball

The history of baseball in Yakima stretches back to 1920 with the short-lived Yakima Indians in the Class B

Pacific Coast International League The Pacific Coast International League was a minor league baseball league that played between 1918 and 1922. The Class B level league franchises were based in the Northwest United States and British Columbia. History The Pacific Coast Internati ...

. The Indians lasted only two seasons, closing in 1921 as the league became the

Western International League The Western International League was a mid- to higher-level minor league baseball circuit in the Pacific Northwest United States and western Canada that operated in 1922, 1937 to 1942 and 1946 to 1954. In 1955, the Western International League ev ...

in 1922. Yakima entered the WIL in 1937 as the

Yakima Pippins Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's 11th-largest city by population. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The uninco ...

, reflecting the local area's

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

-growing heritage, lasting until the 1941 season due to World War II. In 1946, as the WIL resumed play, Yakima again fielded a team, this time named the

Yakima Stars Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's 11th-largest city by population. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The uninco ...

, with their own team airplane. Renaming themselves the

Yakima Packers Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's 11th-largest city by population. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The uninco ...

for the 1948 season, the team finally settled on the

Yakima Bears The Yakima Bears were a minor league baseball team in the northwest United States, located in Yakima, Washington. The Bears competed at the Class A Short Season level as members of the Northwest League from 1990 to 2012. Following the 2012 season, ...

in 1949, lasting through the reformation of the WIL into the

, as the Bears became a charter member of the seven-team Class B NWL in the 1955 season. The team played at

Parker Field Parker Field is a 2,500-seat baseball stadium in the northwest United States, located in Yakima, Washington. Opened in 1937 for the Yakima Pippins of the Western International League, it hosted various professional and amateur teams in the ...

, constructed in 1937 for the Pippins. The Bears' time in the early years of the NWL were fruitful, as they won six league titles in nine years (1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, and 1964). A fire in March 1962 destroyed the wooden grandstand at Parker Field, which was quickly rebuilt. In April 1964, the team was renamed the Yakima Braves, due to an agreement with the

Milwaukee Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bost ...

, their parent club since 1958. The team played as the Braves for three seasons, through 1966. The 1966 season was the first for the NWL as a short season league.

Ballparks

The Bears played at

Yakima County Stadium Yakima County Stadium is a baseball park in the northwest United States, located in Yakima, Washington. Opened in 1993, it succeeded Parker Field and was the home field of the Yakima Bears minor league team for twenty seasons. It is the cur ...

. The park still is in use today, located at 1220 Pacific Avenue, Yakima, Washington. The stadium remains in use today and is the current home of the

of the West Coast League. Prior to 1993 the Bears played at

, located at 1000 S. 12th Avenue.

Season-by-season record

Notable ex-Bears

Pedro Astacio Pedro Julio Astacio (born November 28, 1968) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He has played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1992–1997), Colorado Rockies (1997–2001), Houston Astros (2001), New York Mets (2002–2003), Boston Red Sox (20 ...

– 14-year MLB pitcher * Dick Barrett - MLB pitcher, member of

Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

Peter Bergeron Peter Francis Bergeron (born November 9, 1977) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and current Major League Baseball (MLB) scout. Bergeron appeared in 308 MLB games, all of which were played with the Montreal Expos over five ...

– outfielder for Montreal Expos *

Pete Coscarart Peter Joseph Coscarart (June 16, 1913 – July 24, 2002) was a second baseman and shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from 1938 through 1946 for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates. Listed at 5' 11" , 175 lb. , Coscarart batte ...

– infielder for Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates, 1941 All-Star, 1941 World Series, Brooklyn Dodgers HOF * Matt Davidson - third baseman with Chicago White Sox * Ryan Doherty - beach volleyball professional who played three seasons of minor league baseball in Diamondbacks system *

Wayne Franklin Gary Wayne Franklin (born March 9, 1974) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played seven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros (2000-2001), Milwaukee Brewers (2002-2003), San Francisco Giants (2004), ...

- MLB pitcher 2000-06 * Carlos Gonzalez – Colorado Rockies outfielder, 2010 NL batting champion, 3-time All-Star *

Matt Herges Matthew Tyler Herges (born April 1, 1970) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1999 to 2009, and is the former pitching coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Herges played in ML ...

– 10-year MLB pitcher *

Koyie Hill Koyie Dolan Hill (pronounced 'Koy') (born March 9, 1979) is an Americans, American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins, and ...

– MLB catcher 2003-14 *

Todd Hollandsworth Todd Mathew Hollandsworth (born April 20, 1973) is an American former professional baseball outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). In , he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award, setting a record as the fifth consecutive Los Angeles ...

– Rookie of the Year outfielder for Los Angeles Dodgers *

Ender Inciarte Ender David Inciarte Montiel (born October 29, 1990) is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. He made his MLB deb ...

- All-Star outfielder for Atlanta Braves *

Conor Jackson Conor Sims Jackson (born May 7, 1982) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 2005 and 2011 for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Oakland Athletics, and Boston Red Sox. H ...

– Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman *

Paul Konerko Paul Henry Konerko (; born March 5, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman from 1997 to 2014, most prominently as a member of the Chicago White Sox, where he was a si ...

– Chicago White Sox first baseman, 6-time All-Star, 2005 World Series champion *

Ted Lilly Theodore Roosevelt Lilly III (born January 4, 1976) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Lilly attended Yosemite High School in Oakhurst, California, and Fresno City College. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Mont ...

– 14-year MLB pitcher, 2-time All-Star *

Wade Miley Wade Allen Miley (born November 13, 1986) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Miley in the first round of the 2008 MLB draft. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the ...

– Baltimore Orioles pitcher *

Scott Proctor Scott Christopher Proctor (born January 2, 1977) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 2004 and 2011 for the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves. In 2012, he p ...

– pitcher for three MLB teams *

Jason Repko Jason Edward Repko (born December 27, 1980) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox. High school years Repko attended Hanfo ...

– outfielder for three MLB teams * Mark Reynolds – first baseman for Colorado Rockies *

Damian Rolls Damian Michael Rolls (born September 15, 1977) is a former Major League Baseball player. He was the hitting coach for the Kansas City T-Bones. Rolls was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers as the 23rd pick in the 1st round in 1996, but was claime ...

– MLB third baseman drafted by Los Angeles Dodgers * David Ross - World Series Champion with Chicago Cubs and Boston Redsox *

Chad Tracy Chad Austin Tracy (born May 22, 1980) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2004 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2013 for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Florida Marlins, ...

– 10-year MLB third baseman *

Dan Uggla Daniel Cooley Uggla (born March 11, 1980) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, and Washington Nationals. In 2010, Uggl ...

– MLB second baseman 2006-15, three-time All-Star *

Shane Victorino Shane Patrick Victorino (born November 30, 1980), nicknamed "The Flyin' Hawaiian", is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodger ...

– MLB outfielder 2003-15, two-time World Series champion

References

External links

Hillsboro Hops
– Yakima Bears history
Baseball Reference
– Yakima teams
FutureBacks.com: In-Depth coverage of the Yakima Bears
{{s-end Baseball teams established in 1990 Baseball teams disestablished in 2012 Defunct Northwest League teams Arizona Diamondbacks minor league affiliates Los Angeles Dodgers minor league affiliates Professional baseball teams in Washington (state) 1990 establishments in Washington (state) 2012 disestablishments in Washington (state)