The Triple-Cities Triplets 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 Nort ...

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

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— ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, located in

Richland, Washington Richland () is a city in Benton County, Washington, United States. It is located in southeastern Washington at the confluence of the Yakima River, Yakima and the Columbia River, Columbia Rivers. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was ...

, one of the Tri-Cities. The Triplets were members of the Class A short-season

Northwest League The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the 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 Major League Baseba ...

for four seasons, from 1983 through 1986.

History

After an eight year absence, professional baseball returned to the Tri-Cities area as New Jersey–based Big Six Sports purchased the Walla Walla Padres franchise following the 1982 season. Seeking a larger market and improved facilities, the new ownership group promptly moved the club west to Richland, and took the outfield fence with them. The team adopted the unique name, Tri-Cities Triplets, and were an affiliate of the Texas Rangers. In their inaugural season in 1983, the team compiled a record, third in the Washington Division, jockeying with the

Blue Mountain Bears The Blue Mountain Bears were a minor league baseball team located in Walla Walla, Washington. They were members of the Class A Short Season Northwest League for a single season in 1983. The franchise was then purchased by Bob and Margaret Bavasi, ...

down the stretch for the runner-up position. The team's home attendance was just shy of forty-nine thousand and they hosted the Northwest League All-Star Game. Tri-Cities continued their affiliation with the Rangers in

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

, and posted a league-best record of to win the Washington Division title. The Triplets hosted the

Medford A's __NOTOC__ Medford may refer to: *Medford (surname) Places Canada *Medford, Nova Scotia United States *Medford, Indiana, an unincorporated community *Medford, Maine, a town *Medford, Massachusetts, a city *Medford, Minnesota, a city *Medford ...

in the championship game on Labor Day. In a game with 34 hits, the Triplets had eighteen and outscored the A's 17–8 to claim the Northwest League crown. Coinciding with their on field success, home attendance exceeded fifty-two thousand. Coming off a league championship, the club witnessed substantial changes, as Southern California–based attorney Richard Leavitt led a group that purchased the franchise. The new owners hoped to build on the success of the previous season, but that proved to be difficult in 1985 as the Texas Rangers declined extending their player development contract. Tri-Cities was left to play as an independent club and finished last in their division with a record of . The franchise again changed hands entering 1986 as Tri-Cities Baseball Inc., composed of Brett family members (including

George Brett George Howard Brett (born May 15, 1953) is an American former professional baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hit ( ...

), purchased the club. The new owners identified the need for a facility renovations or a new stadium as being necessary for long term viability. Again without a major league affiliation, the Triplets stayed at the bottom of the division at . Following two consecutive last place finishes and no prospect of improved facilities, the relocation of the team was imminent. The Brett group, who also owned the

Spokane Indians The Spokane Indians are a Minor League Baseball team located in Spokane Valley, the city immediately east of Spokane, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest. The Indians are members of the High-A Northwest League (NWL) as an affiliate of the Co ...

, sold the team. Diamond Sports took control of the franchise with approval to relocate, and moved to

Boise, Idaho Boise ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Idaho, most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, there were 235,685 people residing in the city. Loca ...

, for the 1987 season and became the

Boise Hawks The Boise Hawks are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. Home games are played at Memorial Stadium in unincorporated Ada County, Idaho, near ...

. The franchise remains there, but switched to the Pioneer League in 2021.

Ballpark

The Triplets played at the Richland Bomber Bowl, now known as Fran Rish Stadium, located at 1350 Lee Boulevard in Richland. The stadium is still in use today, serving as a football-only facility for Richland High School.

Season-by-season record

References

External links

Stats Crew
Tri-Cities Triplets 1984
Baseball Reference
Triplets 1984
Minor League Geek
City Clusters {{coord, 46.276, -119.286, type:event, display=title Defunct Northwest League teams Texas Rangers minor league affiliates Professional baseball teams in Washington (state) Defunct baseball teams in Washington (state) Richland, Washington Baseball teams established in 1983 Baseball teams disestablished in 1986

Triplets A multiple birth is the culmination of a multiple pregnancy, wherein the mother gives birth to two or more babies. A term most applicable to vertebrate species, multiple births occur in most kinds of mammals, with varying frequencies. Such births ...