Editing Orlando Rays

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox Minor League Baseball
| name = Orlando Rays
| firstseason = 1997 
| lastseason = 2003
| allyears = 1919–1924, 1926–1928, 1937–1942, 1946–1961, 1963–2003
| city = Orlando, Florida
| logo = 
| caplogo = 
| past class level = {{plainlist|
*Class AA (1973–2003)
*Class A (1963–1972)
*Class D (1926–1928, 1937–1942, 1946–1961)
*Class C (1921–1924)
*Class D (1919–1920)
}}
| league = [[Southern League (1964–2020)|Southern League]] (1973–2003)
| conference = 
| division = 
| past league ={{plainlist|
*[[Florida State League]] (1946–1961, 1963–1972)
*[[Florida East Coast League]] (1942)
*[[Florida State League]] (1919–1924, 1926–1928, 1937–1941)
}}
| pastmajorleague = {{plainlist|
*[[Tampa Bay Devil Rays]] (1999–2003)
*[[Seattle Mariners]] (1998)
*[[Chicago Cubs]] (1993–1997)
*[[Minnesota Twins]] (1963–1992)
*[[Los Angeles Dodgers]] (1959–1961)
*[[Detroit Tigers]] (1957)
*[[Washington Senators (1901–60)|Washington Senators]] (1939–1941, 1946–1955)
}}
| pastnames = {{plainlist|
*Orlando Rays (1997–2003)
*Orlando Cubs (1993–1996)
*Orlando Sun Rays (1990–1992)
*Orlando Twins (1963–1989)
*Orlando Dodgers (1959–1961)
*Orlando Flyers (1957–1958)
*Orlando Seratomas (1956)
*Orlando C.B.s (1954–1955)
*Orlando Senators (1938–1942, 1946–1953)
*Orlando Gulls (1937)
*Orlando Colts (1926–1928)
*Orlando Bulldogs (1922–1924)
*Orlando Tigers (1921)
*Orlando Caps (1919–1920)
}}
| pastparks = [[Tinker Field]]
| classchamps = 
| leaguechamps = '''11''' (1919, 1921, 1923, 1927, 1940, 1946, 1955, 1968, 1981, 1991, 1999)
| conferencechamps =  
| divisionchamps = 
}}

The Orlando "Rays" and several different [[minor league baseball]] teams have called the city of [[Orlando, Florida]] home between 1919 and 2003. Most have played in the [[Florida State League]].

==History==

The original Orlando franchise played between 1919 and 1924 and was alternately called the '''Caps, Tigers''' and '''Bulldogs'''. The '''Orlando Colts''' played between 1926 and 1928.

The Orlando Gulls began in 1937 but changed their name the following year to the '''Orlando Senators''' when they became an affiliate of the [[Washington Senators (1901–60)|Washington 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 the '''Orlando C.B.s''' for 1954–1955). They won the FSL championship in 1940, 1946 and 1955

In 1956, they were an affiliate of the [[Diablos Rojos del Mexico]] of the [[Mexican League]] and were known as the '''Orlando Seratomas'''. As an affiliate of the [[Detroit Tigers]] they were the '''Orlando Flyers''' in 1957, a name that remained in 1958 when they were affiliated with the [[International League]] team, the [[Toronto Maple Leafs (International League)|Toronto Maple Leafs]]. They were a [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] affiliate known as the '''Orlando Dodgers''' from 1959–1961 when this version of the team was discontinued.

The last incarnation of the franchise began in 1963, when the [[Minnesota Twins]] (the former Senators) set up a new affiliate called the '''Orlando Twins'''. The franchise moved up to the Double-A [[Southern League (1964–2020)|Southern League]] in 1973. The  Twins played at [[Tinker Field]] in downtown Orlando, near the Florida [[Citrus Bowl]] Stadium. In 1990, the team was renamed the '''Orlando Sun Rays'''. In 1993, the [[Chicago Cubs]] became the team's new major-league affiliate, and the team was renamed the '''Orlando Cubs'''. While still a Chicago Cubs affiliate, the team renamed itself once again in 1997 and became the '''Orlando Rays'''. The following year, for one season only, the [[Seattle Mariners]] were the Rays' major-league affiliate. The [[Tampa Bay Rays]] (then the Devil Rays), an [[American League]] expansion team in 1998, assumed the Orlando Rays' major-league affiliation the following year.

The Orlando Rays' last season at [[Tinker Field]] was 1999. From 2000 to 2003, the Orlando Rays played in [[Kissimmee, Florida]], in [[Champion Stadium]] at [[Walt 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 the [[Atlanta Braves]], attendance did not meet expectations; after trailing the Southern League in attendance in multiple years, the Rays' owners announced the team would move to [[Montgomery, Alabama]] in 2004 (terminating their 10-year lease with Disney after four seasons). Rays players who went on to the major-league level include [[Carl Crawford]], [[Toby Hall]], [[Trevor Enders]], [[Jorge Cantú]], [[Dewon Brazelton]], [[Chad Gaudin]], [[Matt Diaz]], [[Jonny Gomes]], [[B.J. Upton]] and [[Seth McClung]]. The team is now known as the [[Montgomery Biscuits]].

The [[Gulf Coast Braves]] also previously played in Orlando.

==Post franchise events==
On June 17, 2016 as part of a charity appeal following the [[Orlando nightclub shooting]], the Tampa Bay Rays wore Orlando Rays caps during their game against the [[San Francisco Giants]].<ref name="espn-rayspridenight">{{cite web|title=Rays' Pride Night raises more than $300K for Pulse Victims Fund|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/16297322/tampa-bay-rays-pride-night-tropicana-field-draws-biggest-regular-season-crowd-decade|website=ESPN.com|date=18 June 2016 |access-date=18 June 2016}}</ref> The team also wore Orlando Rays caps in a [[spring training]] game on February 28, 2023, while playing home games at the Disney World's [[The Stadium at the ESPN Wide World of Sports|ESPN Wide World of Sports]].<ref>{{Cite tweet |author=[[Marc Topkin]] |user=TBTimes_Rays |number=1630582519887216640 |title=Rays today will wear the Orlando Rays caps from their 2000-03 AA affiliate that played at Disney.}}</ref>

==Notable Orlando alumni==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[Bert Blyleven]] (1969) Inducted [[Baseball Hall of Fame]], 2011
* [[Rod Carew]] (1965) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1991
* [[Ryne Sandberg]] (1993) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 2005
* [[Joe Tinker]] (1921) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1946
* [[Early Wynn]] (1972, MGR) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1972
* [[Paul Abbott]] (1989)
* [[Jack Billingham]] (1961) MLB All-Star
* [[Lyman Bostock]] (1973) Died: Age 27
* [[Steve Brye]] (1968)
* [[Randy Bush]] (1979–1981)
* [[John Castino]] (1977–1978) 1979 Al Rookie of the Year
* [[Choo-Choo Coleman]] (1955–1956, 1958–1959)
* [[Carl Crawford]] (2001) 4x MLB All-Star
* [[Trevor Enders]] (2000)
* [[Gary Gaetti]] 2 x MLB All-Star
* [[Greg Gagne (baseball)|Greg Gagne]] (1982)
* [[Ron Gardenhire]] (1989–1990, MGR) 2010 AL Manager of the Year
* [[Dave Goltz]] (1971)
* [[Jonny Gomes]] (2003)
* [[Mark Guthrie]] (1989)
* [[Tom Hall]] (1966)
* [[Josh Hamilton]] (2001) 5 x MLB All-Star; 2010 AL Most Valuable Player
* [[José Hernández (infielder)|Jose Hernandez]] (1993) MLB All-Star
* [[Aubrey Huff]] (1999)
* [[Tom Kelly (baseball)|Tom Kelly]] (1982, MGR) 1991 AL Manager of the Year; Manager: 2 x World Series Champion - Minnesota Twins (1987, 1991)
* [[Chuck Knoblauch]] (1990) 4x MLB All-Star; 1991 AL Rookie of the Year
* [[Tim Laudner]] (1979–1980) MLB All-Star
* [[Charlie Manuel]] (1964–1965)(1984–1985, MGR) Manager: 2008 World Series Champion - Philadelphia Phillies
* [[Jim Morris]] (1999) Subject: Movie, [[The Rookie (2002 film)|The Rookie]]
* [[Mike Morgan (baseball)|Mike Morgan]] (1995) MLB All-Star
* [[Denny Neagle]] (1990) 2x MLB All-Star
* [[Joel Piniero]] (1998)
* [[Mark Portugal]] (1984)
* [[Sherry Robertson]] (1939)
* [[Phil Roof]] (1983,1992, MGR)
* [[Eric Soderholm]] (1968–1970)
* [[Paul Sorrento]] (1989)
* [[Dean Stone]] (1949–1950) MLB All-Star
* [[Tim Teufel]] (1980–1982)
* [[B.J. Upton]] (2003)
* [[Frank Viola]] (1981) 3x MLB All-Star; 1987 World Series Most Valuable Player; 1988 AL Cy Young Award
* [[Gary Ward (outfielder)|Gary Ward]] (1976) 2 x MLB All-Star
* [[Rob Wilfong]] (1974–1975)
* [[Kerry Wood]] (1997) 2x MLB All-Star; 1998 NL Rookie of the Year
* [[Taffy Wright]] (1956)
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Orlando Rays |url=http://www.baseballroadtrip.net/AA/Southern/Orlando/Orlando.html |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=www.baseballroadtrip.net}}</ref>

==External links==
*[https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?city=Orlando&state=FL&country=US&empty=0 Orlando - Baseball Reference]

{{Florida State League}}
{{Florida East Coast League |state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams]]
[[Category:Sports clubs and teams in Orlando, Florida]]
[[Category:Defunct baseball teams in Florida]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Rays minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Seattle Mariners minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Dodgers minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Minnesota Twins minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Washington Senators (1901–1960) minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Detroit Tigers minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Defunct Florida State League teams]]
[[Category:1919 establishments in Florida]]
[[Category:2003 disestablishments in Florida]]
[[Category:Baseball teams established in 1919]]
[[Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 2003]]