Long Beach Armada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Long Beach Armada |
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| Information | |||||
| League | Arizona Summer League (2010–11) Arizona Winter League (2011) |
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| Location | Long Beach, California | ||||
| Ballpark | Blair Field (Long Beach, California) | ||||
| Year founded | 2005 | ||||
| Year disbanded | 2012 | ||||
| League championships | 0 | ||||
| Division championships | 1 (2007) | ||||
| Former league(s) |
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| Colors | Navy blue, brown, red, white |
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| Ownership | Diamond Sports & Entertainment | ||||
The Long Beach Armada was a professional baseball team. They were based in Long Beach, California, in the United States. This team was "independent," meaning they were not part of Major League Baseball (MLB) or Minor League Baseball.
The Armada played in the Golden Baseball League (GBL) from 2005 to 2009. Their home games were held at Blair Field. After the GBL, the team also played in the Arizona Summer League in 2010. They also joined the Arizona Winter League in 2011.
Over their time, 13 players from the Long Beach Armada later played in Major League Baseball. Also, 21 players had their contracts bought by MLB teams. This shows how talented some of their players were!
Team History
The Long Beach Armada was one of the first eight teams in the Golden Baseball League. They started playing in May 2005. This was a few years after another Long Beach team, the Long Beach Breakers, stopped playing. The Breakers had won a championship in 2001. That team was managed by Steve Yeager, who later managed the Armada.
Playing at Blair Field
In 2009, the Long Beach Armada had some problems with the City of Long Beach. The city wanted to let Long Beach State University take over Blair Field. This would mean the Armada could not play there anymore. The team had a permit to play at the field for three more years.
Because of this issue, the Armada stopped playing in the Golden Baseball League after the 2009 season. They needed to protect their right to use the field.
Playing in Arizona
Even though they stopped playing in the GBL, the Armada still played baseball. In June 2010, they joined the Arizona Summer League. They played against teams like the Bisbee Miners and San Diego Surf Dawgs.
Then, in January 2011, the Armada joined the Arizona Winter League. They were one of the few teams to play in all three leagues connected to the GBL system.
Famous Players
Many interesting players were part of the Long Beach Armada. Some of them were well-known from Major League Baseball.
- José Canseco: A famous former MLB star.
- Hideki Irabu: A former pitcher for the New York Yankees.
- Josh Womack: An outfielder who became famous online for his "spinning bat trick" video.
- José Lima: A former pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was on the team when he passed away in 2010.
Other players who had played in Major League Baseball also joined the Armada. These included Tony Torcato, Jerome Williams, Bud Smith, and Mark Quinn. It was exciting for fans to see these players on the field.
Team Records
The Long Beach Armada had different results each season. Here's a quick look at how they did:
- Golden Baseball League (2005–2009):
* In 2005, they won 49 games and lost 41. They made it to the Wild Card playoff round. * In 2007, they had a great season, winning 48 games and losing only 28. They made it to the GBL Championship Series but lost. * In 2008, they won their division's second-half title.
- Arizona Summer League (2010):
* In 2010, they won 4 games and lost 8. There were no playoffs in this league.
