The York Revolution
is an American professional baseball team based in York, . They are a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From the 2007 season to the present, the Revolution has played its home games at Sovereign Bank Stadium, located in the Arch Street neighborhood.
Before the Revolution's inaugural season, baseball fans in York had waited 38 years for the return of the sport since the York White Roses folded after the 1969 season. In 2006, Yorkers chose the name "Revolution" in a team-sponsored fan ballot. [1] The name refers to the city’s colonial past, when the Continental Congress met in York and passed the Articles of Confederation during the Revolutionary War. During the American Revolution, York was one of the first capitals of the United States. [2] Many Yorkers also see the Revolution name as a symbol of the city's renaissance efforts. [3]
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YORK REVOLUTION TICKETS
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History of York baseball
York White Roses
The York White Roses, also known as the York Pirates in their last two seasons of existence, played from 1884 to 1969. The White Roses were bitter rivals of the
Red Roses of the nearby city of
Lancaster. Both teams were named after the two factions of England's historic
Wars of the Roses.
A Revolution
York tried for ten years to bring professional baseball back to the city. The process looked promising in 2003, until politics halted the project. The new baseball stadium was to be located at Small Athletic Field, on York City School District property, but the district's board voted negatively as they did not believe the ballpark would be the best use of district money and land. For three years, political and financial discussions continued to delay the project. A new site for the stadium was agreed upon in the Arch Street neighborhood, with all of the pieces falling into place. Other sites that were considered but did not come to fruition were Hoffman Field and the Ohio Blenders of PA, Inc.
In April 2006, the
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball formally announced an expansion team for the city of York.
[4] One of the prominent members of the team's
ownership group is
Brooks Robinson, who played with the York White Roses and later with the
Baltimore Orioles from 1955 to 1977. The entrance to the team's stadium is called Brooks Robinson Plaza in his honor.
[5]
The Revolution's inaugural season was dismal, as they had a .469 winning percentage and placed third in the former South Division. The team also lost the War of the Roses series to their local rival in Lancaster.
The sophomore season was an exciting campaign for the Revolution. Despite their record of 71 wins and 69 losses, the team earned its place at the top of the Freedom Division and its very first playoff series. However, the
Somerset Patriots swept the Revolution in two games, and eventually won the Atlantic League Championship Series. York was victorious in capturing the Community Cup versus the Barnstormers, and won the very first Route 30 Showdown.
In the 2009 preseason, the Revolution joined the two other Atlantic League teams in holding their spring training at home instead of the traditional site in
Lakeland, Florida. The respective ownership groups of the three teams came to this decision so as to cut costs, citing the
2008 economic recession.
Logos and uniforms
The team colors of the York Revolution are Continental navy, Sergeant's red, silver, and brass. The "Revolution" wordmark colored white in script outlined by a navy blue background. The word "York" is incorporated colored brass with two brass stars. The entire wordmark is outlined in silver. Centered below the wordmark is a patriotic-themed bald eagle in navy with red and white detail and silver stars with silver outline. The eagle's left talon clutches a baseball.
The York Revolution wear caps produced by
The Game Headwear and uniforms by
Under Armour. The caps are navy blue throughout with a stylized "Y", colored white with silver shadowing, with an eagle's head clutching a baseball centered above. The entire cap logo is outlined in navy blue and brass. The Revolution wordmark is centered on the back toward the lower edge of the cap. The home jerseys are white with navy blue and red paneling, and feature a wordmark that pays tribute to the Baltimore Orioles script with cursive serif letters in navy blue outlined in red. The away jersey is grey with navy blue and red paneling with the cursive "York" wordmark is in navy blue outlined in red with a traditional underscore. The alternate jersey is navy blue with red paneling with the "York" wordmark centered across the front in red with white outline. There is also a gold alternate jersey with navy blue paneling and the "eaglehead" logo centered on the left-side chest. The batting helmets are navy blue with a stylized "eaglehead" logo.
During the "War of the Roses", the Revolution wear throwback uniforms of the York White Roses. The White Roses caps are dark grey with a white, Old English "Y" centered on the front. The jerseys are white with grey piping and the "White Roses" wordmark centered on the front, also in dark grey.
[6]
Season-by-season Records
York Revolution - 2007-2008 [7]'''
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Season
| W - L Record
| Winning Percentage
| Finish
| Playoffs
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2007
| 58-68
| .460
| 3rd in South Division
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2008
| 71-69
| .507
| 1st in Freedom Division
| 0-2 (lost division final)
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Totals (2007-2008)
| 128-137
| .483
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Playoffs
| 0-2
| 0.000
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War of the Roses
| 19–19
| .500
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Tradition
"Hit the Wall!"
Sovereign Bank Stadium's Section 5, next to the Revolution's dugout, is known by fans for its enthusiasm. It was in Section 5 that a fan named Don Kain created the cheer, "Hit the Wall!" Kain initially used the phrase, "
everybody hits!", during a game between the Revolution and the Barnstormers. During the game, a York team member pointed out that the cheer originated with Lancaster fans and requested a different phrase for the Revolution. Kain, desiring a cheer with an aspect unique to York, thought of
"hit the wall"
as he viewed the Arch Nemesis.
Don Kain, a former minor league umpire, chose the Section 5 seating area so that he could be close to the action and evaluate the umpires.
[8]
War of the Roses
The
South Central Pennsylvania cities of
York and
Lancaster have a historical rivalry in all sporting events from the high school level to the professional. As both cities are named after the English cities of
York and
Lancaster, the former Pennsylvania baseball teams were named for the opposing sides of the
Wars of the Roses. Just as in the English battles, the
York White Roses and the
Lancaster Red Roses fought intense baseball matches throughout their existence. With the addition of the York Revolution to the Atlantic League, the team continues the White Roses tradition as they battle the
Lancaster Barnstormers for lower Susquehanna supremacy.
With the sound of cannons, the War of the Roses was rekindled in April 2007 in
Wrightsville, a borough on the natural boundary dividing Lancaster and York counties: the
Susquehanna River. The winner of the War of the Roses is presented with the Community Cup, while the defeated team is obligated to sing the ballpark classic "
Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and plant a rose garden at the opponent's ballpark with their representative color: white for York, red for Lancaster. The first Community Cup was championed by the Barnstormers in the 2007 season, though the Revolution avenged them by winning it in 2008.
[9]
The Revolution and the Barnstormers also compete in the
Route 30 Showdown, an annual cross-county doubleheader inadvertently created at the conclusion of the 2008 season by a rain-delay.
[10]
Philanthropy
The Revolution benefit the
Big Brothers Big Sisters youth mentoring organization annually by wearing purple jerseys that are auctioned off immediately following the Purple Jersey Night game.
[11] Additionally, the team also partnered with Columbia Gas to donate $50 to the York
Red Cross for each scored run by a Revolution player.
[12]
Radio
The official broadcast home of the York Revolution is Newsradio WSBA 910 am, with Darrell Henry as the "Voice of the Revolution." Gary Sutton serves as the commentator for home games and selected games in Lancaster.
On-field entertainment
Mascots
The York Revolution's official
mascot is an
anthropomorphic, blue creature named DownTown. He wears the team's home jersey, the primary cap worn backwards, with blue and white sneakers. DownTown debuted on March 31, 2007 at the "Mascot: The Musical" production at the DreamWrights Theater. His full name is DownTown Yorkie, and is the result of a sponsorship deal with Downtown Inc, a partnership of community-minded companies that work to improve and celebrate downtown York.
[13] [14] The mascot was designed by the Raymond Entertainment Group, which also produces the
Phillie Phanatic's costume. The Revolution also host a character named Cannonball Charlie, who fires a cannon after each home run or home game victory by the team. He wears the uniform of a period
Continental Army soldier.
[15]
The Big Hitters
Additional fan entertainment is provided by the Big Hitters, an all-male performance and dance team who receive professional instruction from a local studio called B*Dazzled. The group is made up of heavyset, enthusiastic men who dance to popular music and provide lighthearted comedy.
[16]
Current roster
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Active (25-man) roster
| Coaches
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Pitchers
- -- Jamie Baker
- 36 Chris Britton (baseball)
- 16 Dan Foli
- 20 Ryan Goleski
- 38 Daryl Harang
- -- Shawn Hedrick
- 10 Brian Holliday
- 22 Jason Kershner
- 19 Travis Phelps
- 31 Roberto Sotolongo
- 35 Corey Thurman
- 37 Shane Youman
- 33 Bob Zimmerman
Catchers
- 17 Josh Johnson
- 4 Luis Taveras
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Infielders
- 7 Keoni DeRenne
- 34 Matt Padgett
- 1 Liu Rodriguez
- 9 Matt Rogelstad
- 17 Pete Rose Jr.
Outfielders
- 28 Jason Aspito
- 25 Thomas Collaro
- 99 Matt Esquivel
- 2 Kennard Jones
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Coaching Staff
- -- Andy Etchebarren (Manager)
- 32 Tippy Martinez (Pitching Coach)
- 24 Sam Snider (Hitting Coach/Third Base Coach)
- 40 Jeff Barkdoll (First Base Coach)
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Retired numbers
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Jackie Robinson
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2B Retired throughout professional baseball on April 15, 1997
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References
- York Baseball Team Name Announcement
- The Straight Dope: York, Pennsylvania: First capital of the United States?
- Other Possible References to York's Revolution
- York to Play Ball in 2007
- Brooks Robinson Plaza
- "War of the Roses"
- Atlantic League information
- "Hit the wall!"
- Revs uniforms
- Route 30 Showdown
- Purple Jersey Night
- Supporting Our Neighbors
- "DownTown" Introduced as Revolution Mascot
- Downtown Inc sponsors
- Cannonball Charlie
- The Big Hitters