Aberdeen Ironbirds
From SoSH
| Location: | Aberdeen, MD |
| Established: | 1977 |
| MLB Affiliation: | Baltimore Orioles |
| League: | New York-Penn League |
| Level: | A |
| Ballpark: | Ripken Stadium |
| Championships: | |
| Division Titles: | |
| Wild Card: |
The Aberdeen IronBirds are a Minor League Baseball team that plays in the New York-Penn League, and are a Single-A affiliate to the Baltimore Orioles.
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Franchise History
On February 7, 2002, Cal Ripken Jr. and Ripken Professional Baseball purchased the Utica Blue Sox of the New York-Penn League and renamed it the Aberdeen IronBirds. The team is the 7th Baltimore Orioles minor league affiliate, a number that ties them for most farm teams in an organization, alongside the Atlanta Braves. "The Orioles and Peter (Angelos) have been tremendously supportive," Ripken said after buying the team.
The name “IronBird” is a product of two distinct tie-ins that Cal wanted to incorporate into the team’s image. “Iron” is a reference to Cal’s streak of 2,632 consecutive games played, surpassing the record previously held by Lou Gehrig. Ripken is now known as baseball’s all-time “Iron Man.” The “Bird” part of the name refers to Cal playing his entire 21-year career in an Orioles uniform. The IronBird logo has several features, which pay homage to the Ripken family and Aberdeen. “We were able to give him blue eyes, attributed to my mom (Vi), and just kind of merged the orange and black in a subtle way,” said Ripken. The jet is a tie to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, and on its tail is an orange and black number 8, the number Ripken wore during his distinguished career with the Orioles.
Major League Affiliations
- Baltimore Orioles (2002-present)
- Florida Marlins (1994-2001)
- Boston Red Sox (1993-1995)
- Chicago White Sox (1988-1992)
- Philadelphia Phillies (1986-1987)
- Toronto Blue Jays (1977-1980)
Team Names
- Aberdeen IronBirds (2002-present)
- Utica Blue Sox(1977-2001)
