Brockton Rox (2002–2024)
| Brockton Rox | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| Location | Brockton, Massachusetts |
| Ballpark | Campanelli Stadium |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Folded | 2024 |
| League championships | 1 Northeast League (2003) |
| Division championships | 1 Northeast League (2003) |
| Former league(s) |
|
| Colors | Navy blue, red, silver, white |
| Mascot | K-O the Kangaroo |
| Ownership | Summerball LLC |
The Brockton Rox were a collegiate summer baseball team based in Brockton, Massachusetts, United States. Initially a professional baseball franchise, the Rox were a member of the independent Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, from the 2005 through 2011 seasons. The Rox played their home games at Campanelli Stadium. The team's name was a derivative of the nearby Boston Red Sox of the American League and a tribute to the boxers Rocky Marciano and Marvelous Marvin Hagler, both from Brockton.
In 2012, the Rox announced that they were going to join the Futures Collegiate Baseball League and leave the Can-Am League but would retain its rights to rejoin the league for 2013. They remained in the FCBL, while the Can-Am League later merged with the Frontier League. In January 2025, it was announced that the collegiate team was folding while the professional New England Knockouts would be renamed as the Brockton Rox.[1]
History
[edit]Professional baseball
[edit]The Brockton Rox began play in the 2002 season as members of the East Division of the Northern League. In 2003, the Eastern ball clubs split off from the rest of the Northern League and became the Northeast League, where the Rox played in 2003 and 2004. In 2005, the Northeast League was re-branded as the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, commonly known as the Can-Am League.
On May 23, 2005, the club gave a roster spot to former Boston Red Sox pitcher and colorful personality Oil Can Boyd. Also in 2005, the team made headlines by offering Theo Epstein a position with the team.[2]
In 2006, the Rox celebrated the team's fifth anniversary season by finishing the season 49–43 and qualifying as the third seed in the Can-Am League playoffs. The Rox defeated the New Haven County Cutters, 3–1, in the opening round best-of-five series. In the Championship Series, the Rox fell behind 2 games to 0 against the Quebec Capitales before rallying to tie the series at 2–2. In the deciding fifth game, the Rox took a 3–2 lead into the 8th inning, but a late rally by Quebec left Brockton on the losing end, 5–4, giving Quebec its first ever Can-Am League Championship.
Rox designated hitter Guye Senjem was named the Rox Most Valuable Player for 2006, and RHP John Kelly was named the team's Most Valuable Pitcher. Senjem, a Minnesota native, began his professional career with the St. Paul Saints in 1997. Before arriving in Brockton in 2005, he spent time in the Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies organizations. He set an early tone for a successful 2006 campaign with a game-winning solo home run in the 10th inning on Opening Night at Campanelli Stadium. He went on to tie the franchise mark for home runs in a single season with 14, and led the team in home runs, and runs batted in. Twice, the left-handed hitter was named the Can-Am League’s Batter of the Week. In addition, he was named to the League's post-season All-Star team. Kelly was acquired by the Rox in a trade with the New Jersey Jackals in the month of June. The right-handed veteran made an immediate impact, and was nearly perfect after joining the team. He recorded a save in his first appearance, and proceeded to win his first five starts with the Rox. In 15 appearances with Brockton, he was 8–1 with a 1.92 earned run average (ERA).
Before the 2009 season, the Rox hired Chris Carminucci, former Atlantic City Surf President and Director of Baseball Operations, as field manager. In 2009, the team won 56 games, a franchise record which was also best in the league. They lost in the first round of the playoffs, 3–1, to the eventual champion, the Quebec Capitales.
Towards the end of the 2009 season, it became known that owners and management were $300,000 in debt, and they were looking to the city to restructure their lease commitments. However, with Carminucci Sports Group (CSG) taking control as the club's new managing partner, the Rox were stabilized and had a successful 2010 season, competing for a spot in the playoffs. CSG also held stock in several other minor-league teams in the American Association.
On January 4, 2011, the Rox announced the signing of Bill Buckner as their new manager.[3]
Collegiate baseball
[edit]In December 2011, it was announced that the Rox would become an amateur collegiate summer baseball team and play in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) in 2012.[4] Rhett Wiseman, while playing for the Rox, was named the top prospect in the FCBL in 2012, even though he was the only high school player on a roster of college-age players.[5] In 2014, Zack Short was awarded the Adam Keenan Sportsmanship and Scholarship Award and manager Bryan Stark was named the Manager of the Year.[6] In 2023, Marika Lyszczyk, a player from Canada, became the first woman to play in the FCBL, by pitching for the Rox.[7]
During the 2024 season, the Rox shared their home ballpark with the New England Knockouts, a professional team competing in the Frontier League.
On January 29, 2025, it was announced that the Knockouts franchise had been acquired by former Greenville Drive and Salem Red Sox owner, Bill Janetscheck. With the change in ownership, the team announced a re-brand to the Brockton Rox, marking the demise of the FCBL franchise.[8]
Postseason appearances
[edit]Northeast League
[edit]| Year | Divisional Series | NEL Championship Series | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | New Jersey Jackals | W (3–1) | North Shore Spirit | W (3–0) |
Can-Am League
[edit]| Year | Semifinals | Can-Am League Finals | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Québec Capitales | L (0–3) | ||
| 2006 | New Haven County Cutters | W (3–1) | Québec Capitales | L (2–3) |
| 2009 | Québec Capitales | L (1–3) | ||
| 2010 | Pittsfield Colonials | L (1–3) | ||
| 2011 | Québec Capitales | L (0–3) | ||
FCBL
[edit]| Year | Play-In Round** | Semi-Final Round* | FCBL Championship | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Nashua Silver Knights | L (0–2) | ||||
| 2013 | North Shore Navigators | W (1–0) | Nashua Silver Knights | L (0–2) | ||
| 2014 | Pittsfield Suns | L (0–1) | ||||
| 2015 | Worcester Bravehearts | L (0–1) | ||||
| 2016 | North Shore Navigators | L (0–1) | ||||
| 2017 | Bye | Worcester Bravehearts | L (0–2) | |||
| 2018 | Nashua Silver Knights | W (1–0) | Martha's Vineyard Sharks | L (1–2) | ||
| 2019 | Bye | Worcester Bravehearts | L (1–2) | |||
- *The FCBL changed its postseason to a two-round format starting in the 2012 season
- ** A one-game Play-In round was added in the 2013 season
Logos and uniforms
[edit]The official colors of the Brockton Rox are navy blue, red, and silver. The primary logo formerly consisted of the "Rox" wordmark in red with navy blue outline, with a pair of boxing gloves (an allusion to two boxers from Brockton: Rocky Marciano and Marvelous Marvin Hagler). In 2024, the Rox began using a modified version of the Chicago White Sox' logo used from 1976 until 1990; the only difference being the "SOX" wordmark replaced with "ROX".[citation needed]
The Brockton Rox game cap is navy blue with the "B" cap logo centered on the front in red with white outline.
The Rox adopted new colors following the 2010 season; the team previously wore green, black, white, and brown.
Mascot
[edit]K-O the Boxing Kangaroo is the team's mascot, due to Brockton's heritage of boxing. He debuted in 2003, and the original performer from that season was hired by the then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays to serve as their mascot. She also went on to mascot for the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, and currently also runs her own mascot costume company, Amazing! Mascots Inc., which is where K-O's current costume was made.
Retired numbers
[edit]The team's only retired numbers are those of men who didn't play baseball professionally. The retired numbers include the numbers of fights won by two famous boxers from the area: undefeated heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano and middleweight champion "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler:
- 42, Jackie Robinson, retired throughout baseball
- 49, Rocky Marciano (boxer, 49 career wins)
- 62, Marvin Hagler (boxer, 62 career wins)
References
[edit]- ^ Touri, Amin (January 29, 2025). "Brockton Rox returning to professional baseball with Red Sox Hall of Famer Jim Rice as co-owner". The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2006-12-07.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-04. Retrieved 2016-02-07.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Can-Am League Set for 2012 Campaign Without Rox". 17 December 2011.
- ^ "Drafted by Chicago Cubs, Mansfield's Wiseman Elects to go to Vanderbilt University", Mansfield, MA Patch
- ^ "Rox Infielder Zack Short and Manager Bryan Stark Receive FCBL honors | FCBL: Brockton Rox - Pointstreak Sites". www.brocktonrox.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
- ^ Staff, WBZ-News (May 25, 2023). "Marika Lyszczyk makes more baseball history in Brockton Rox debut - CBS Boston". www.cbsnews.com.
- ^ Baker, Paul (January 29, 2025). "It's A Rox Revival in Brockton". stadiumjourney.com. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
- 2002 establishments in Massachusetts
- 2024 disestablishments in Massachusetts
- Baseball teams established in 2002
- Baseball teams disestablished in 2024
- Futures Collegiate Baseball League teams
- Professional baseball teams in Massachusetts
- Defunct independent baseball league teams
- Sports in Brockton, Massachusetts
- Sports clubs and teams in Plymouth County, Massachusetts