Victoria Mussels
- Location: Victoria, BC
- League: Northwest League 1978-1980
- Affiliation: None
- Ballpark: Royal Athletic Park
The Mussels were an unaffiliated team in the short-season Class A Northwest League.
The league originally awarded a Victoria expansion franchise to American baseball impresario Van Schley. He was going to name the team the Victoria Stars (Schley had previously owned the Texas City Stars of the ill-fated Lone Star League). But Schley could not come to an agreement with the city on a lease for Royal Athletic Park, so he pulled out of the deal early in 1978. He ended up taking the players he had under contract to the Grays Harbor Loggers.
In April 1978 local owners took over the team. The new owners were brothers Lynn and Jim Chapman and Don Rogelstad.
As late as 2024, some residents of Victoria believed that comedian Bill Murray had appeared in a game for the Mussels in the late 1970s. Murray never played for the Mussels. However, Murray did make a pinch-hit appearance for Grays Harbor against the Mussels on July 26, 1978 in Hoquiam, Washington. He singled off Victoria pitcher Paul Kirsch.
In 1979 Schley had a working agreement with the Mussels to supply players to the team. The arrangement greatly improved the Mussels. One the players supplied by Schley was future big-leaguer Tom Candiotti. Schley arranged for Murray to come to Victoria in August (the pair were friends). On August 18, 1979, Murray appeared in a Mussels uniform and coached first base. He entertained the roughly 200 fans in attendance at Royal Athletic Park. At the time, "Meatballs" -- a breakout hit for Murray -- was in theaters. He also coached for the Mussels the next afternoon in Walla Walla, Washington.
Year-by-Year Record[edit]
Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1978 | 29-40 | 6th | Jim Chapman | 10,103 | |
1979 | 41-31 | 3rd (t) | Bill Bryk | 9,073 | |
1980 | 42-28 | 2nd | Jim Gattis | 11,127 |
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