The Orlando "Rays" and several differentminor league baseball teams have called the city ofOrlando, Florida home between 1919 and 2003. Most have played in theFlorida State League.

The original Orlando franchise played between 1919 and 1924 and was alternately called theCaps, Tigers andBulldogs. TheOrlando Colts played between 1926 and 1928.

The Orlando Gulls began in 1937 but changed their name the following year to theOrlando Senators when they became an affiliate of theWashington Senators. The Senators remained through 1955 (though the team name and league was shut down from 1943–1945 during World War II and the name was changed to theOrlando C.B.s for 1954–1955). They won the FSL championship in 1940, 1946 and 1955

In 1956, they were an affiliate of theDiablos Rojos del Mexico of theMexican League and were known as theOrlando Seratomas. As an affiliate of theDetroit Tigers they were theOrlando Flyers in 1957, a name that remained in 1958 when they were affiliated with theInternational League team, theToronto Maple Leafs. They were aLos Angeles Dodgers affiliate known as theOrlando Dodgers from 1959–1961 when this version of the team was discontinued.

The last incarnation of the franchise began in 1963, when theMinnesota Twins (the former Senators) set up a new affiliate called theOrlando Twins. The franchise moved up to the Double-ASouthern League in 1973. The Twins played atTinker Field in downtown Orlando, near the FloridaCitrus Bowl Stadium. In 1990, the team was renamed theOrlando Sun Rays. In 1993, theChicago Cubs became the team's new major-league affiliate, and the team was renamed theOrlando Cubs. While still a Chicago Cubs affiliate, the team renamed itself once again in 1997 and became theOrlando Rays. The following year, for one season only, theSeattle Mariners were the Rays' major-league affiliate. TheTampa Bay Rays (then the Devil Rays), anAmerican League expansion team in 1998, assumed the Orlando Rays' major-league affiliation the following year.

The Orlando Rays' last season atTinker Field was 1999. From 2000 to 2003, the Orlando Rays played inKissimmee, Florida, inChampion Stadium atWalt Disney World Resort. Despite the fact that the team played in a state-of-the-art stadium that was built in 1997 and used during spring training by theAtlanta Braves, attendance did not meet expectations; after trailing the Southern League in attendance in multiple years, the Rays' owners announced the team would move toMontgomery, Alabama in 2004 (terminating their 10-year lease with Disney after four seasons). Rays players who went on to the major-league level includeCarl Crawford,Toby Hall,Trevor Enders,Jorge Cantú,Dewon Brazelton,Chad Gaudin,Matt Diaz,Jonny Gomes,B.J. Upton andSeth McClung. The team is now known as theMontgomery Biscuits.

TheGulf Coast Braves also previously played in Orlando.

On June 17, 2016 as part of a charity appeal following theOrlando nightclub shooting, the Tampa Bay Rays wore Orlando Rays caps during their game against theSan Francisco Giants.^[1] The team also wore Orlando Rays caps in aspring training game on February 28, 2023, while playing home games at the Disney World'sESPN Wide World of Sports.^[2]

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• Orlando - Baseball Reference