Durham Bulls

The Durham Bulls were founded in 1902 as the Durham Tobacconists, reflecting the city's identity as a center of the American tobacco industry. The franchise operated intermittently through the early and mid-twentieth century, disbanding and reforming multiple times as the economic fortunes of minor league baseball ebbed and flowed. The team was revived for good in 1980 when Miles Wolff purchased the dormant franchise for just $2,667 and entered it in the Single-A Carolina League.

Wolff's Bulls were a model of scrappy, community-first minor league baseball — affordable tickets, creative promotions, and a genuine connection to the city. But it was Hollywood that put Durham on the national map. The 1988 film Bull Durham, starring Kevin Costner as aging minor league catcher Crash Davis, was filmed at the historic Durham Athletic Park and became one of the most beloved sports movies ever made. The snorting mechanical bull that served as a prop for the film became a permanent fixture and the franchise's most iconic symbol.

The movie's success turbocharged attendance and gave Capitol Broadcasting Company — which purchased the Bulls from Wolff in 1991 — the mandate to dream bigger. Durham Bulls Athletic Park opened in 1995 as a new Single-A facility in downtown Durham, and plans began taking shape for the franchise's ultimate ambition: a move to Triple-A.

The Bulls made the jump to Triple-A in 1998, joining the International League and affiliating with the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The partnership — which has never been interrupted — would become one of the most productive in all of minor league baseball. Durham Bulls Athletic Park was expanded to accommodate the larger crowds that Triple-A baseball demanded, and the team quickly established itself as a contender.

Under longtime manager Bill Evers (1998-2005), the Bulls won back-to-back Governors' Cup championships in 2002 and 2003 — the first team in the 119-year history of the title to sweep consecutive finals series. Charlie Montoyo took over in 2007 and elevated the franchise further, managing for eight seasons through 2014 and winning Governors' Cup titles in 2009 and 2013. The 2009 championship season (83-61) also produced the franchise's first Triple-A National Championship.

The Rays' player development system funneled a remarkable collection of talent through Durham. Evan Longoria, David Price, B.J. Upton, James Shields, Chris Archer, and Matt Moore all spent significant time at the DBAP before starring in Tampa Bay. The combination of on-field excellence, a beautiful downtown ballpark, and a steady stream of future major leaguers made the Bulls the envy of the International League.