Syracuse Chiefs

From BR Bullpen

SyracuseChiefs2007.jpg

Team History[edit]

Before 1930, Syracuse teams had almost always been the Syracuse Stars. When Syracuse re-entered the International League in 1934, they adopted the moniker "Chiefs." They used the name through 1955, when they left the league for the Eastern League. Still named the Chiefs, the team moved to Allentown, PA in 1957. When Syracuse again got a team in the IL in 1960, they were once more the Chiefs. In 1997 they finally (sort of) changed names, becoming the Syracuse SkyChiefs, although that turned out to be just a temporary change. Since 1967 the team has only been affiliated with three different major league clubs - the New York Yankees (1967-1977), Toronto Blue Jays (1978-2008) and Washington Senators (2009-present). After the 2006 season, the Syracuse team returned to the Chiefs moniker.

While the name "Chiefs" was traditionally associated with American Indians (and the team's former logo depicted a native headdress), the post-2006 variant referred to a railroad station chief, an appropriate association given the presence of railroad tracks just behind the left field fence at NBT Bank Stadium. Freight trains could be seen and heard passing by during games. One of the team's two mascots represented an old-timer station chief, dressed in the striped clothing usually associated with 19th century rail workers and the team's logo featured a locomotive.

2019 will be the first time since 1929 that "Chiefs" will not be in the name of Syracuse's nine, as the team will be called the Syracuse Mets [1].

Year-by-Year Record[edit]

1987-1996 logo
Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs Notes
1934 60-94 7th Andy High (28-40) / Bill Sweeney (32-54)
1935 87-67 2nd Nemo Leibold League Champs
1936 59-95 7th Nemo Leibold (27-35) / Mike Kelly (32-60)
1937 78-74 3rd Mike Kelly Lost in 1st round
1938 87-67 2nd Jim Bottomley (6-15) / Dick Porter (81-52) Lost in 1st round
1939 81-74 5th Dick Porter
1940 71-90 7th Dick Porter
1941 70-83 6th Benny Borgmann
1942 78-74 3rd Jewel Ens League Champs
1943 82-71 3rd Jewel Ens League Champs
1944 68-84 8th Jewel Ens
1945 64-89 7th Jewel Ens
1946 81-72 2nd Jewel Ens Lost League Finals
1947 88-65 3rd Jewel Ens League Champs
1948 77-73 3rd Jewel Ens Lost League Finals
1949 73-80 6th Jewel Ens
1950 74-79 6th Bruno Betzel
1951 82-71 3rd Bruno Betzel Lost League Finals
1952 88-66 2nd Bruno Betzel Lost in 1st round
1953 58-95 7th Bruno Betzel
1954 79-76 4th Skeeter Newsome League Champs
1955 74-79 5th Skeeter Newsome
1956 62-77 5th Red McQuillen (19-28) / Joe Torpey (40-46) / Frank Calo (3-3)
1957 56-84 overall -- Frank Calo -- Syracuse moved to Allentown July 13
Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs Hitting Coach Pitching Coach
1961 56-98 8th Gene Verble (12-54) / Frank Verdi (44-44)
1962 53-101 8th Frank Verdi (33-53) / Johnny Vander Meer (20-48)
1963 80-70 3rd Bob Swift (36-27) / Frank Carswell (44-43) Lost in 1st round
1964 88-66 2nd Frank Carswell Lost League Finals
1965 74-73 4th Frank Carswell Lost in 1st round
1966 54-93 8th Frank Carswell
1967 63-77 8th Gary Blaylock
1968 72-75 5th Gary Blaylock (21-31) / Frank Verdi (51-44)
1969 75-65 3rd Frank Verdi
1970 84-56 1st Frank Verdi League Champs
1971 73-67 4th Loren Babe Lost in 1st round
1972 64-80 7th Frank Verdi
1973 76-70 4th Bobby Cox
1974 74-70 4th Bobby Cox Lost League Finals
1975 72-64 3rd Bobby Cox Lost League Finals
1976 82-57 2nd Bobby Cox League Champs Danny Cater
1977 70-70 5th Pete Ward Jerry McNertney Hoyt Wilhelm
1978 50-90 8th Vern Benson
1979 77-63 2nd Vern Benson Lost League Finals
1980 58-81 8th Harry Warner
1981 60-80 7th Bob Humphreys
1982 64-76 6th Jim Beauchamp Duane Larson
1983 61-78 7th Jim Beauchamp Bernie Beckman
1984 58-81 7th Jim Beauchamp Larry Hardy
1985 79-61 1st Doug Ault Lost in 1st round Dennis Holmberg Cloyd Boyer
1986 72-67 5th Doug Ault Rocket Wheeler Steve Mingori
1987 68-72 6th Doug Ault Hector Torres Dave LaRoche
1988 70-71 3rd Bob Bailor Hector Torres Galen Cisco
1989 83-62 1st Bob Bailor Lost League Finals Hector Torres Galen Cisco
1990 62-83 6th Bob Bailor Rocket Wheeler Bob Shirley
1991 73-71 6th Bob Bailor Rocket Wheeler John Poloni
1992 60-83 7th Nick Leyva Rocket Wheeler John Poloni
1993 59-82 10th Nick Leyva (36-56) / Bob Didier (23-26) Rocket Wheeler John Poloni
1994 71-71 5th Bob Didier Lost League Finals Hector Torres John Poloni
1995 59-82 10th Bob Didier (25-43) / Hector Torres (1-0) / Richie Hebner (33-39) Hector Torres
1996 67-75 7th Richie Hebner Hector Torres Bill Monbouquette
2007 64-80 11th (t) Doug Davis Al LeBoeuf Rick Langford
2008 69-73 7th (t) Doug Davis Al LeBoeuf
2009 76-68 5th Tim Foli Darnell Coles Steve McCatty / Spin Williams
2010 76-67 5th Trent Jewett Jerry Browne Greg Booker
2011 66-74 10th Randy Knorr Jerry Browne Greg Booker
2012 70-74 9th Tony Beasley Troy Gingrich Greg Booker
2013 66-78 11th Tony Beasley Troy Gingrich Greg Booker
2014 81-62 1st Billy Gardner Jr. Lost in 1st Round Joe Dillon Paul Menhart
2015 66-78 10th Billy Gardner Jr. Joe Dillon Bob Milacki
2016 61-82 14th Billy Gardner Jr. Brian Daubach Bob Milacki
2017 54-87 14th Billy Gardner Jr. Brian Daubach Bob Milacki
2018 64-76 11th (t) Randy Knorr Brian Daubach Brad Holman