Oak Ridge Bombers

Oak Ridge Bombers
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D
LeagueMountain States League
Major league affiliations
TeamUnaffiliated
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Team data
BallparkRidgeview Park

The Oak Ridge Bombers were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Class D Mountain States League in 1948.[1] The Bombers were located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and were named for the city's association with the Manhattan Project and the development of the first atomic bomb.[1][2] They played their home games at Ridgeview Park.[1]

Poor fan support caused the Bombers to operate at a loss from Opening Day.[3] By the second week of June, the team had the league's lowest attendance despite having the league's best record.[4] On June 10, in first place with a 24–11 (.686) record, owner Bob Broome relocated the team to Hazard, Kentucky, where they became the Hazard Bombers.[1][5]

Across both Oak Ridge and Hazard, the Bombers accumulated a 65–43 (.602) record, placing second.[6] They defeated the Pennington Gap Miners in the semifinals, three games to none, but lost the playoff championship finals to the Morristown Red Sox, three games to two.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "1948 Oak Ridge/Hazard Bombers Roster". Stats Crew. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  2. ^ "Oak Ridge, Tennessee". Atomic Heritage Foundation. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  3. ^ "Oak Ridge No Go—Broome Seeks Kentucky Site". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. Knoxville. June 8, 1948. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Oak Ridge's Franchise Is On the Block". The Bristol Herald Courier. Bristol. June 9, 1948. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Oak Ridge Bombers Move to Hazard". Kingsport Times. Kingsport. June 11, 1948. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "1948 Oak Ridge/Hazard Bombers Roster". Stats Crew. Retrieved May 22, 2020.