Helena Brewers
Minor league baseball team
Helena Brewers Previous classes Rookie (1978–2000, 2003–2018) Previous leagues
Pioneer League (1978–2000, 2003–2018)Previous teams League titles (4) Division titles (10) 1979 1984 1987 1993 1994 1995 1996 2005 2010 2013 Previous names
Helena Brewers (1987–2000, 2003–2018)
Helena Gold Sox (1984–1986)
Helena Phillies (1978–1983)
Colors Navy blue, gold, white Mascot Wally the Mammoth (2015–2018) Lewis the Lion and Clark the Cougar (2003–2015)[ 1] Brewinkle (1996-2000) Previous parks
Kindrick Legion Field (1978–2000, 2003–2018)
The Helena Brewers were a Minor League Baseball team in the Pioneer League located in Helena, Montana , from 1978 to 2018. The team played their home games at Kindrick Legion Field , which was built in 1939. They were affiliated with the Milwaukee Brewers (1985–2000, 2003–2018) and Philadelphia Phillies (1978–1983).
Among the best-known players to play in Helena are Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg , who started his career with the Phillies in Helena, Gary Sheffield , who started his career with the Helena Gold Sox in 1986, Jeff Cirillo and Mark Loretta who began their careers with the 1991 and 1993 Helena Brewers, respectively; and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun .
History
The Helena Phillies joined the Pioneer League in 1978, giving Helena a professional baseball team for the first time in 64 years. In 1984, the Helena Gold Sox won the Pioneer League Championship, a rarity for an independent club. The team hooked on with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1985 and changed its name to the Helena Brewers in 1987. Helena won the league championship in back-to-back seasons in 1995 and 1996. The franchise moved to Provo, Utah , as the Provo Angels after the 2000 season. In 2003, the Medicine Hat Blue Jays moved to Helena, and the team once again became a Brewers affiliate.
The franchise left Helena for Colorado Springs, Colorado , after the 2018 season, where it would play as the Rocky Mountain Vibes .[ 2]
Season-by-season record
Helena Brewers
Year
Regular Season
Post-season
Record
Win %
Finish*
Record
Win %
Result
1978
30–38
.441
6th
—
—
—
1979
43–26
.623
2nd
0–2
.000
Lost PL Championship vs Lethbridge Dodgers , 0–2
1980
32–38
.457
3rd
—
—
—
1981
22–44
.371
4th
—
—
—
1982
29–41
.414
4th
—
—
—
1983
16–54
.229
4th
—
—
—
1984
44–24
.647
1st
3–1
.750
Won PL Championship vs Billings Mustangs , 3–1
1985
42–26
.618
2nd
—
—
—
1986
38–32
.543
3rd
—
—
—
1987
46–24
.657
1st
1–3
.250
Lost PL Championship vs Salt Lake City Trappers , 1–3
1988
41–29
.586
2nd
—
—
—
1989
38–30
.559
2nd
—
—
—
1990
37–28
.569
3rd
—
—
—
1991
44–26
.629
2nd
—
—
—
1992
50–26
.658
2nd
—
—
—
1993
43–30
.589
1st
1–2
.333
Lost PL Championship vs Billings Mustangs , 1–2
1994
44–28
.611
1st
2–3
.400
Lost PL Championship vs Billings Mustangs , 2–3
1995
49–22
.690
1st
4–1
.800
Won Northern Division Championship vs Idaho Falls Braves , 2–1 Won PL Championship vs Medicine Hat Blue Jays , 2–0
1996
43–29
.597
2nd
4–1
.800
Won Northern Division Championship vs Lethbridge Black Diamonds , 2–1 Won PL Championship vs Ogden Raptors , 2–0
1997
37–34
.521
5th
—
—
—
1998
21–55
.276
4th
—
—
—
1999
47–28
.627
1st
0–2
.000
Lost Northern Division Championship vs Missoula Osprey , 0–2
2000
26–50
.342
4th
—
—
—
2003
48–28
.632
2nd
1–2
.333
Lost Northern Division Championship vs Billings Mustangs , 1–2
2004
39–37
.513
2nd
—
—
—
2005
46–30
.605
1st
2–2
.500
Won Northern Division Championship vs Billings Mustangs , 2–0 Lost PL Championship vs Orem Owlz , 0–2
2006
34–42
.447
3rd
—
—
—
2007
48–28
.632
2nd
1–2
.333
Lost Northern Division Championship vs Great Falls White Sox , 1–2
2008
35–41
.461
6th
—
—
—
2009
32–44
.421
6th
—
—
—
2010
41–34
.421
3rd
4–1
.800
Won North Division Championship vs Great Falls Voyagers , 2–1 Won PL Championship vs Ogden Raptors , 2–0
2011
30–46
.395
7th
—
—
—
2012
24–52
.316
8th
—
—
—
2013
43–33
.566
2nd
3-2
.600
Won North Division Championship vs Great Falls Voyagers , 2–0 Lost PL Championship vs Idaho Falls Chukars , 1–2
2014
27–49
.355
8th
—
—
—
2015
32–42
.432
8th
–
–
—
2016
28–46
.378
8th
–
–
—
2017
28–48
.368
8th
–
–
—
2018
36–40
.474
6th
–
–
—
Totals
1,433–1,402
.505
–
29–26
.509
4 League Championships
Note: * Finish denotes overall position in the league standings.
Major leaguers
The following is a list of Helena players by year that later played in Major League Baseball :
1978: George Bell , Carmelo Castillo , Wil Culmer , Bob Dernier , Ed Hearn , Alejandro Sánchez , Ryne Sandberg
1979: Jay Baller , Roy Smith
1980: Rocky Childress , Darren Daulton , Marty Decker , Ken Dowell , Tony Ghelfi
1981: Johnny Abrego , Charles Hudson , Jim Olander , Jose Segura
1982: Ken Jackson , Lance McCullers , Johnny Paredes , Wilfredo Tejada
1983: Ricky Jordan , Tom Magrann , Tom Newell
1984: Jack Daugherty , John Trautwein
1985: John Jaha , Russ McGinnis , Randy Veres
1986: George Canale , Brian Drahman , Darryl Hamilton , Gary Sheffield , Greg Vaughn
1987: Frank Bolick , Oreste Marrero , Ángel Miranda , Charlie Montoyo , Jaime Navarro , Dave Nilsson , Troy O'Leary , Steve Sparks , Bill Spiers
1988: Bert Heffernan , Mike Ignasiak , Mark Kiefer
1991: Jeff Cirillo , Mike Matheny , Marshall Boze
1992: Bobby Hughes , Danny Perez , Tim Unroe ; Danan Hughes played minor league baseball for the 1992 and 1993 seasons in the Pioneer League for the Helena Brewers. He decided to make football his full-time profession when the Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the 7th round of the 1993 NFL Draft. Hughes played for the Chiefs from 1993 to 1998 as a wide receiver and special teams player.
1993: Brian Banks , Todd Dunn , Danny Klassen , Mark Loretta , Sean Maloney , Greg Martinez
1994: Antone Williamson , Kelly Wunsch
1995: Robinson Cancel , Geoff Jenkins , Mike Kinkade , Mickey Lopez , Greg Mullins
1996: Allen Levrault , Mark Watson
1997: Jason Childers , Brian Mallette
1998: Matt Childers , Bill Hall , Luis Martinez
2003: Drew Anderson , Carlos Corporán , Tim Dillard , Dana Eveland , Vinny Rottino , Mitch Stetter , Ty Taubenheim
2004: Alcides Escobar
2005: Michael Brantley , Ryan Braun , Lorenzo Cain , Darren Ford , Matt Gamel , Ángel Salomé , Joe Thatcher
2006: Zach Braddock , Cole Gillespie , Taylor Green , Mike McClendon
2007: Dane De La Rosa , Eric Farris , Eric Fryer , Caleb Gindl , Donovan Hand , Matt LaPorta , Jonathan Lucroy , Zelous Wheeler
2008: Erik Komatsu , Lucas Luetge , Wily Peralta , Logan Schafer , Rob Wooten
2009: Chris Capuano , Khristopher Davis , Michael Fiers , Sean Halton , Jake Odorizzi , Josh Prince
2010: Hiram Burgos , Jimmy Nelson , Caleb Thielbar , Tyler Thornburg
2011: Tyler Cravy , David Goforth , Yadiel Rivera , Jason Rodgers
2012: Michael Reed , Tyler Wagner
2018: Max Lazar
References
External links