| Orlando Rays | |||||
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| League | Southern League (1973–2003) | ||||
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| Colors | Black, green, blue, white[1] | ||||
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TheOrlando Rays were aMinor League baseball team that played in theSouthern League from 1973–2003. They were located inOrlando, Florida, and played their home games atTinker Field for most of their existence. They served as a farm club for fourMajor League Baseball teams: theMinnesota Twins (1973–1992),Chicago Cubs (1993–1997),Seattle Mariners (1998), andTampa Bay Devil Rays (1999–2003).
They were known as theOrlando Twins from 1973–1989, theOrlando Sun Rays from 1990–1992, theOrlando Cubs from 1993–1996, and theOrlando Rays from 1997–2003.
After the 2003 season, the franchise moved toMontgomery, Alabama and became theMontgomery Biscuits.
After the 1972 season, theMinnesota Twins moved theirSouthern League affiliate, theCharlotte Hornets, to Orlando[2][3], calling them theOrlando Twins. 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). The team is now known as theMontgomery Biscuits.[4]
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.[5] 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.[6]
