When researching the MLB amateur draft on Baseball-Reference, I'd always run into Bend, Boise and Miami on the franchise list. I never really gave it a thought, figuring it was some leftover place-holder when the site was being created, or something. Turns out, independent minor league teams used to be able to participate in the Rule 4 draft. Only 4 teams ever took advantage of this. 

I ran into Bend's draft picks while looking at the White Sox 1971 draft, where they took Bill Sharp in the 2nd round, instead of George Brett or Mike Schmidt. (Some things never change.) Turns out, Hawaii was trying to become an expansion franchise, and started building a team ahead of the next round of expansion. Hawaii contracted an independent team in Bend, Oregon to be their minor league franchise. The following is a SABR article some here might find interesting.

https://sabr.org/research/article/the-next-pick-goes-to-the-miami-miracle-independent-minor-league-teams-in-the-amateur-baseball-draft/

Sorry is this seems way off what the focus of the board is. Please feel free to delete. It is baseball related, and I'm being driven nuts by refreshing MLB Trade Rumors.com, SoxTalk and Twitter. I figured somebody else might want a break. 
 

Edited January 11, 20242 yr by WestEddy

1 hour ago, WestEddy said:

When researching the MLB amateur draft on Baseball-Reference, I'd always run into Bend, Boise and Miami on the franchise list. I never really gave it a thought, figuring it was some leftover place-holder when the site was being created, or something. Turns out, independent minor league teams used to be able to participate in the Rule 4 draft. Only 4 teams ever took advantage of this. 

I ran into Bend's draft picks while looking at the White Sox 1971 draft, where they took Bill Sharp in the 2nd round, instead of George Brett or Mike Schmidt. (Some things never change.) Turns out, Hawaii was trying to become an expansion franchise, and started building a team ahead of the next round of expansion. Hawaii contracted an independent team in Bend, Idaho to be their minor league franchise. The following is a SABR article some here might find interesting.

https://sabr.org/research/article/the-next-pick-goes-to-the-miami-miracle-independent-minor-league-teams-in-the-amateur-baseball-draft/

Sorry is this seems way off what the focus of the board is. Please feel free to delete. It is baseball related, and I'm being driven nuts by refreshing MLB Trade Rumors.com, SoxTalk and Twitter. I figured somebody else might want a break. 
 

I think that's Bend, Oregon. I live in Idaho and never heard of Bend, Idaho.

48 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

I think that's Bend, Oregon. I live in Idaho and never heard of Bend, Idaho.

Thanks. Had Boise on the mind, and wasn't thinking. 

Had you ever come across this in your writings? One of those weird things where I'm amazed I never heard of it. 

1 hour ago, WestEddy said:

Thanks. Had Boise on the mind, and wasn't thinking. 

Had you ever come across this in your writings? One of those weird things where I'm amazed I never heard of it. 

Never had.

39 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

Never had.

Surprised you hadn't since hasn't there been a recent documentary about Mike Veeck that spent some time talking about his ownership of the Miami Miracle?

4 hours ago, WestEddy said:

When researching the MLB amateur draft on Baseball-Reference, I'd always run into Bend, Boise and Miami on the franchise list. I never really gave it a thought, figuring it was some leftover place-holder when the site was being created, or something. Turns out, independent minor league teams used to be able to participate in the Rule 4 draft. Only 4 teams ever took advantage of this. 

I ran into Bend's draft picks while looking at the White Sox 1971 draft, where they took Bill Sharp in the 2nd round, instead of George Brett or Mike Schmidt. (Some things never change.) Turns out, Hawaii was trying to become an expansion franchise, and started building a team ahead of the next round of expansion. Hawaii contracted an independent team in Bend, Idaho to be their minor league franchise. The following is a SABR article some here might find interesting.

https://sabr.org/research/article/the-next-pick-goes-to-the-miami-miracle-independent-minor-league-teams-in-the-amateur-baseball-draft/

Sorry is this seems way off what the focus of the board is. Please feel free to delete. It is baseball related, and I'm being driven nuts by refreshing MLB Trade Rumors.com, SoxTalk and Twitter. I figured somebody else might want a break. 
 

This is honestly a refreshing change of pace from most of what's going on here lately. Thank you for posting this.

1 hour ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Surprised you hadn't since hasn't there been a recent documentary about Mike Veeck that spent some time talking about his ownership of the Miami Miracle?

Never saw the doc with Mike

27 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

Never saw the doc with Mike

Not the doc but interview with Brian Kenney about it.