Medford Dodgers

{{Infobox Minor League Baseball

| name = Medford Dodgers

| firstseason = 1969

| lastseason = 1971

| allyears =

| city = Medford, Oregon

| logo =

| caplogo =

| class level = Class A-Short Season

| league = Northwest League

| conference =

| division =

| past league =

| pastmajorleague = Los Angeles Dodgers

| pastnames = Rogue Valley Dodgers (1969)

| ballpark = Miles Field

| classchamps =

| leaguenum = 1

| leaguechamps = 1969

| conferencechamps =

| divisionchamps =

| colors = Dodger blue, white
{{color box|#005A9C}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}}

}}

The Medford Dodgers were a minor league baseball team based in Medford, Oregon, that played in the Class A-Short Season Northwest League from 1969-1971. Prior to 1970, the club played as the Rouge Valley Dodgers.

History

Rogue Valley Baseball, Inc. was awarded a Northwest League franchise to play in Medford. The club affiliated with the San Francisco Giants. Utilizing their parent club's namesake, the Medford Giants played for two season from 1967-1968. The club changed affiliations to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1969 and became the Rogue Valley Dodgers for a season. In late July 1969 the franchise was sold to Ashland businessman Cleatis Mitchell.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=1969-07-28|title=Medford Dodgers Said Purchased|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/384139386/?terms=medford%20dodgers&match=1|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-26|website=Newspapers.com|language=en}} The Dodgers finished the season with a record of 50-29 to claim the Northwest League championship. Following the season the Rouge Valley name was dropped in favor of Medford. Half way into the 1971 season the club was in financial trouble. Owner Cleatis Mitchell sought financial assistance for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the amount of $6000. Without additional funding the club would cease operations.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=1971-07-18|title=Medford Recovers|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/571597397/?terms=medford%20dodgers&match=1|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-26|website=Newspapers.com|language=en}} The Dodgers received the necessary funding played in Medford through the 1971 season.

The Dodgers moved their Northwest League affiliate to Spokane in 1972, which had been their AAA team in the Pacific Coast League since 1958, when they moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SxtOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=guwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5579%2C5536299 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |title=Baseball set for Spokane |last=Missildine |first=Harry |date=December 13, 1971 |page=1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=e9kvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Su0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7052%2C746087 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |title=Ken Merkel heads club |last=Lynch |first=Mike |date=February 3, 1972 |page=15 }}

Spokane returned to the Pacific Coast League in 1973 as the Texas Rangers affiliate and the Dodgers moved their Northwest League affiliation west to Bellingham.

The Northwest League returned to Medford and Miles Field in 1979 when the Bend Timber Hawks moved south after one season in central Oregon and became the Medford A's.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=T1FYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DfcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2830%2C2880356 |newspaper=The Bulletin |location=Bend, Oregon |title=Emmans clears final hurdle in Medford |date=February 15, 1979 |page=14}}

Season-by-season record

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"
scope="col"\|Season !scope="col"\|PDC !scope="col"\|Division !scope="col"\|Finish !scope="col"\|Wins !scope="col"\|Losses !scope="col"\|Win% !scope="col"\|Post-season !scope="col"\|Manager !scope="col"\|Attendance
align="center" colspan="11" style="background:#005A9C; color: white; border:2px solid#FFFFFF"\|Rogue Valley Dodgers
1969 \|LAD \| \|1st \|50 \|29 \|.633 \|bgcolor="#EEDC82"\|Northwest League champion by virtue of record \|Bill Berrier \|23,696
align="center" colspan="11" style="background:#005A9C; color: white; border:2px solid#FFFFFF"\|Medford Dodgers
1970 \|LAD \|South \|3rd \|36 \|44 \|.450 \| \|Bill Berrier \|19,687
1971 \|LAD \|South \|3rd \|34 \|46 \|.425 \| \|Bill Berrier \|12,930

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"

scope="col"|Season

!scope="col"|PDC

!scope="col"|Division

!scope="col"|Finish

!scope="col"|Wins

!scope="col"|Losses

!scope="col"|Win%

!scope="col"|Post-season

!scope="col"|Manager

!scope="col"|Attendance

align="center" colspan="11" style="background:#005A9C; color: white; border:2px solid#FFFFFF"|Rogue Valley Dodgers