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IL Charlotte Knights

Party Like It's 1999 at Truist Field

September 14, 2024 - International League (IL)
Charlotte Knights News Release


Professional baseball in Charlotte, NC dates back to 1892. Since that time, the Queen City has featured numerous Major League Baseball affiliates and four different Minor League Baseball team names. Teams such as the Charlotte Hornets, the Charlotte Twins, the Charlotte O's, and the Charlotte Knights, have all helped make the City of Charlotte rich with professional baseball history.

Over the years, the Knights have been affiliated with several different Major League Baseball organizations - starting as the Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles in 1988. In 1989, the Knights moved to Fort Mill, SC and became the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs (through the 1992 season). In 1993, the Knights moved to Triple-A and became the top affiliate for Cleveland Guardians (then known as the Cleveland Indians). Two years later, the Miami Marlins (then known as the Florida Marlins) came to town, making the Knights their top affiliate for four seasons (1995-98).

The longest affiliation for the Knights is with the team's current Major League Baseball team, the Chicago White Sox. This affiliation dates back to 1999 and has featured hundreds of players over the years.

This year, the Knights and White Sox are celebrating their 25th anniversary. In fact, the 1999 season was a special one as the Knights won the Governors' Cup, bringing a championship to Charlotte for the first time since 1993.

As part of this look back, the Knights will host a special celebration will take place on Saturday, September 14 as members of that 1999 team will be on hand for that evening's 5:35 p.m. game to sign autographs and take part in a special pre-game ceremony.

The 1999 Knights were built on offense, but also boasted solid pitching. Sluggers Luis Raven, Mario Valdez, and Chad Mottola led the way in the offensive department. That special trio combined to mash 79 home runs. Raven led the league with 33 home runs and finished in second place in RBIs with a remarkable 125. He finished just two behind International League leader Steve Cox of Durham (127). Both Raven and Mottola were named to the IL All-Star Team.

The 1999 squad also featured a 23-year-old future Major League superstar -- Carlos Lee. Lee appeared in 25 games for the Knights that season and hit a remarkable .351 with four home runs and 20 RBIs. He later moved on to the White Sox where he hit .293 with 16 home runs and 84 RBIs later that season. Additionally, major league veteran, Dave Hollins, joined the team and helped anchor the team's offense. He hit .317 for the Knights that season in 63 games and provided veteran leadership.

On the mound, Mike Heathcott led the club in wins with 10 and Chad Bradford posted a stunning 9-3 mark with a miniscule 1.94 ERA in 47 games. Bradford, along with closer Luis Andujar, anchored a solid Knights bullpen, which also featured Todd Rizzo, who led the team in appearances that year with 53. Andujar finished the season with a 3.33 ERA, and a team-high 16 saves. Reliever Derek Hasselhoff also shined out of the 'pen with a 6-0 record and a 4.82 ERA in 49 appearances. Hasselhoff is the all-time franchise leader in games pitched with 129. Pitchers Tanyon Sturtze and Scott Eyre, who later went on to successful major league careers, also helped immensely on the mound.

Led by manager Tom Spencer, the Knights posted an 82-62 record - the second highest win total in the IL that season. Spencer, who managed the Knights for just one season (1999), earned IL Manager of the Year honors at the end of the year. His coaching staff was helped by veterans Gary Ward (hitting coach), Kirk Champion (pitching coach) and Man Soo Lee.

Spencer's Knights went on to play in the Governors' Cup playoffs. For the first time since 1993, Charlotte made it all the way to the finals. The 1999 finals featured a battle of the Carolinas as the Knights faced the 83-win Durham Bulls for the Governors' Cup Championship. On September 17, 1999, Charlotte pitcher Jason Secoda tossed 5.2 innings of one-run ball and led the Knights to a 2-1 win over the Bulls for their second Governors' Cup championship in team history. It was a special moment and the organization's first Governors' Cup championship since 1993.

On September 20, 1999, the Knights faced off against the Vancouver Canadians (Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland A's) in game one of the 2nd Annual Triple-A World Series in Las Vegas, NV. Charlotte jumped out to a one-game series lead after winning the opening contest by a score of 6-5. Despite a 5-4 loss in game two of the series, the Knights battled back to win game three by a score of 4-2. With a 2-1 series lead, the Canadians fought back to tie the series with a 9-7 win over the Knights. The first four games of the series were decided by two games or less. In the "winner-take-all" game on September 25, the Canadians captured the Triple-A Championship with a 16-2 win over the Knights. Despite not winning the Triple-A World Series, the 1999 season - with their Governors' Cup championship to boast -- still goes down as the finest in their storied partnership.

Since 1999, the Knights have featured some competitive teams - but only one Governors' Cup championship. Members of that special team will be on hand and recognized in an on-field ceremony on Saturday, September 14 when the Knights host the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in a 5:35 p.m. game. It's the final home game of the 2024 season and a special night will take place at Truist Field.

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