| Elizabethton River Riders | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| League | Appalachian League |
| Location | Elizabethton, Tennessee |
| Ballpark | Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark |
| Founded | 2021 |
| Colors | Navy, light blue, gold, green, white |
| Ownership | Boyd Sports, LLC |
| General Manager | Kiva Fuller[1] |
| Website | Official website |
The Elizabethton River Riders are a summer collegiate baseball team of the Appalachian League. They are located in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and play their home games at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark.
History[edit]
Previous Elizabethton teams[edit]
Professional baseball was first played in Elizabethton, Tennessee, by the Elizabethton Betsy Red Sox in the Appalachian League in 1937.[2] They remained in the league through 1942.[2] The city's Appalachian League entry from 1945 to 1948 was called the Elizabethton Betsy Cubs.[2] They were followed by the Elizabethton Betsy Local from 1949 to 1950 and the Elizabethton Phils in 1951.[2] Thirty-six years later, the Minnesota Twins placed the Elizabethton Twins in the Appalachian League as a Rookie-level affiliate in 1974.[2][3]
Collegiate summer team[edit]
In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball beginning with the 2021 season, the Appalachian League was reorganized as a collegiate summer baseball league, and the Elizabethton Twins were replaced by a new franchise in the revamped league designed for rising college freshmen and sophomores.[4] The new team became known as the Elizabethton River Riders.[5] The nickname is in reference to the Watauga River, which runs just behind their stadium, Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ "Elizabethton Front Office". Elizabethton River Riders. Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Elizabethton, Tennessee Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
- ^ "1974 Appalachian League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
- ^ "MLB, USA Baseball Announce New Format for Appalachian League". Major League Baseball. September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
- ^ "New for 2021: Elizabethton River Riders". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ Avento, Joe (February 3, 2021). "River Riders New Appy League Team in Elizabethton". Johnson City Press. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
External links[edit]
Sports teams based in Tennessee | ||
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| Baseball |
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| Basketball | ||
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| Hockey | ||
| Roller derby | ||
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| College athletics (NCAA Division I) | ||