Memphis Blues (baseball)

Memphis Blues 1968–1976 Memphis, Tennessee
Team Logo Cap Insignia
Class-level
AAA AA
Minor league affiliations
International League (1974-1976) Texas League (1968-1973)
Major league affiliations
Houston Astros (1976) Montreal Expos (1974-1975) New York Mets (1968-1973)
Name
Ballpark
Tim McCarver Stadium
Minor league titles
League titles	1969, 1973
Division titles	1974

The Memphis Blues were a minor league baseball team from Memphis, Tennessee that played from 1968 to 1976. From 1968 to 1973, they were affiliated with the New York Mets and they played in the Texas League. From 1974 to 1975, they were affiliated with the Montreal Expos and they played in the International League. They were affiliated with the Houston Astros in 1976 and they played in the International League then as well. They played their home games at Tim McCarver Stadium.^[1] After the completion of the 1976 season the Blues franchise was forfeited back to the International League due to financial difficulties. The league awarded the franchise to Charleston, West Virginia, whose team had been purchased and moved to Columbus, Ohio. The new Charleston franchise continued to use the Charleston Charlies name.

When they joined the Texas League in 1968, they became the first Memphis, Tennessee-based minor league team in eight years.^[2]

The Blues won Texas League playoff championships in 1969 and 1973. In their maiden IL season, they won 87 games and a division title, led by catcher Gary Carter, a future member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. After the Blues moved to Charleston for 1977, Memphis was without baseball for a season before the successful revival of the Memphis Chicks, a Double-A team that played through 1997. Triple-A baseball returned to the city in 1998 with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds.

Year-by-year record

(from Baseball Reference Bullpen)

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs
1968	67-69	5th	Roy Sievers
1969	66-65	4th	Pete Pavlick / John Antonelli / Roy McMillan	League Champs
1970	69-67	3rd	John Antonelli	Lost League Finals
1971	69-70	4th	John Antonelli
1972	75-64	3rd	John Antonelli
1973	77-61	2nd	Joe Frazier	League Champs
1974	87-55	1st	Karl Kuehl	Lost in 1st round
1975	65-75	5th	Karl Kuehl
1976	69-69	3rd	Jim Beauchamp	Lost in 1st round

Notes

1. ^ Digital Ballparks
2. ^ Baseball Reference Bullpen

References

• Lloyd Johnson and Miles Wolff, editors. The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 1997 edition. Durham, N.C.: Baseball America.