The team first played in 1955, and then from 1957 to 1967, in the Appalachian League, initially at the now-defunct Class D level and then at the Rookie level starting in 1963. From 1968 through 2020, the team competed in the Carolina League, initially Class A and then Class A-Advanced starting in 1990.
Prior to adopting the Red Sox name in 2009, the team was known as the Salem Avalanche from 1995 through 2008, when it was affiliated with the Colorado Rockies (1995–2002) and Houston Astros (2003–2008). Prior to 1995, the franchise played under several other names and affiliations.
The franchise debuted in 1955 and was initially known as the Salem Rebels, an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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The franchise was owned from 1986 until 2006 by Kelvin Bowles, a cable television executive and scout in Major League Baseball. Bowles, who scouted for the Boston Red Sox from 2002 to 2005, bought the team when it was in danger of moving from Salem. In 2006, the team was sold to a pair of businessmen from Atlanta who also owned the Fort Wayne Wizards. In December 2007, this group sold the team to Fenway Sports Group, a subsidiary of the Boston Red Sox ownership group, preparing the team for an affiliation change after its Player Development Contract with the Houston Astros ended in 2008. As such, the Salem Red Sox are owned by the same parent company that manages Liverpool F.C. and the Boston Red Sox.
Since switching affiliation to Boston in 2009, the team has claimed four division titles (2009, 2013, 2016, 2019), has made five playoff appearances (each division title season, plus 2014 as a wild card), and has won one league championship (2013). League and divisional titles are commemorated on the press box and sky boxes overlooking the Carilion Clinic Field Grandstand.
In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the team moved from being the Red Sox' Class A-Advanced affiliate to being their Low-A affiliate, and became a member of the Low-A East league; in a corresponding move, the Greenville Drive moved from Class A to High-A.[4][5] At the time of the restructuring, the website Ballpark Digest speculated that the Red Sox could look to move the Salem franchise to Lowell, Massachusetts in time for the 2022 season.[6] In May 2021, Rick White, president of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, announced that Salem, along with Staten Island, New York, was "on board for 2022" as an expansion franchise location, further fueling speculation that Salem would lose their affiliation status to Lowell.[7][8] In 2022, the Low-A East became known as the Carolina League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.[9]
While the team is located in a relatively small city (population circa 25,000) when compared to other teams of its classification, the Red Sox are strongly identified with the Roanoke Valley as a whole, drawing fans from neighboring cities and counties within the roughly 300,000-person metropolitan area. The connection with neighboring Roanoke was emphasized during the 2017 Carolina League All-Star Classic, hosted by Salem, that was represented by a logo featuring the iconic Mill Mountain Star. Salem is also located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are featured prominently on the team's logo and are clearly visible over Carilion Clinic Field's outfield walls. This mountain view includes the aforementioned star, visible on clear nights over the left field wall.
Carilion Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark is located roughly 2 miles (3.2 km) from downtown Salem and is part of the James E. Taliaferro Sports and Entertainment Complex, which also includes the Salem Civic Center and Salem Football Stadium (former location of the annual Stagg Bowl). The Red Sox share their stadium with the NCAA Division IIIRoanoke Maroons and have previously hosted the "Hokie-Smokey Classic" baseball series between the Tennessee Volunteers and the nearby Virginia Tech Hokies.
Given the teams' close proximity, their long-time histories in the league, and both competing in the Carolina League's North Division, Salem's chief rival is the Lynchburg Hillcats. The regular matchups of these teams, known as the "460 Series", named for U.S. Route 460 which connects the cities, has occasionally feature day/night doubleheaders during which two games will be split between the two cities over the course of the same day.
Season-by-season records
Salem has competed in two different leagues and at four different classification levels:
Note that while records in the below table are for entire seasons, the Carolina League has played a split-season schedule since 1970, except for 2020, when minor-league seasons were canceled, and 2021, when it operated as Low-A East. In years when a split-season was played, a team may have earned a division title by finishing first in either half of the season, despite not having the best overall record for the entire season. Alternately, a team may have had the best overall record for the entire season, but did not finish first in either half of the season, thus did not earn a division title.
Tim Murtaugh was a player, manager, and player-manager for Salem; he played 38 games for the 1965 Rebels, he managed the 1971 Rebels, and he appeared in 10 games while managing the 1972 Pirates.[89]
Daisuke Matsuzaka made a rehabilitation start for Salem in September 2009, in a Carolina League playoff game against the Winston-Salem Dash,[91] and later made a regular-season rehabilitation start for Salem in 2012.[92]
For notable players who made appearances with Salem, see:
Lefty and Righty, the team's newest mascots; two person-sized red socks, each wearing a Boston Red Sox hat; one has an "L" on its back, the other has an "R".
Mugsy, a St. Bernard mascot who made his rookie debut in professional baseball in 1997 with the Avalanche. According to the team's website, Mugsy descended from the passing Hale-Bopp comet that raced across the Roanoke Valley sky on April 4, 1997.
Misty, a female saint bernard mascot who joined the team in 2005.
Big Mo, the Salem Avalanche's Kid's Club mascot; a giant abominable snowman.
The Baseball Nut, the Avalanche's first mascot, which resembled an almond. While the idea was original, the Baseball Nut proved to be unpopular. Lacking a cute or friendly appearance, the mascot intimidated children and was an object of derision by adult fans. Mugsy was developed as a replacement.
^Salem is 677 miles (1,090 km) from Fenway Park in Boston.[3]
^In 1955, Salem and the Johnson City Cardinals were declared league co-champions when the final playoff series was canceled due to rain.[10][11]: 485
^In 1972, Salem finished first in the 2nd half of the split-season.[11]: 558
^In 1974, Salem finished first in both halves of the split-season.[11]: 566
^In 1981, Salem finished first in the 2nd half of the split-season.[11]: 596
^In 1987, Salem finished first in the 2nd half of the split-season.[11]: 620
^In 1988, Salem finished first in the 1st half of the split-season.[11]: 624
^In 2001, the Kinston Indians finished first in both halves of the split-season; Salem qualified as a wild card by finishing second in the 2nd half of the split-season.[58]
^In 2003, Salem did not win either half of the split-season, despite finishing with the best overall record in their division.[11]: 707
^In 2006, Salem finished first in the 2nd half of the split-season.[11]: 725
^In 2007, the Kinston Indians finished first in both halves of the split-season; Salem qualified as a wild card by finishing second in the 2nd half of the split-season.[65]
^In 2009, the Winston-Salem Dash won the 1st half of the split-season, while for the 2nd half of the split-season, Salem and Winston-Salem tied for first place; both teams advanced to the playoffs.[68]
^In 2013, Salem finished first in the 2nd half of the split-season.[73]
^In 2014, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans finished first in both halves of the split-season; Salem qualified as a wild card by finishing second in the 2nd half of the split-season.[75]
^In 2016, Salem finished first in the 1st half of the split-season.[78][79]
^In 2019, Salem finished first in the 2nd half of the split-season.[83]
^In 2021, Salem finished first in their division, but did not qualify for the postseason. The league did not play a split season, and only the top two teams with the best overall records, regardless of division, advanced to the playoffs.
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