In 1998, the city of Myrtle Beach was building a new home for its professional baseball team, dubbed the “Field of Dreams.” Baseball was officially back on the beach after a seven-year absence, temming from the departure of the Myrtle Beach Hurricanes (A-Toronto Blue Jays) in 1992. The Pelicans made their debut in 1999 and with the team as green as the grass that they were playing on, the victories began to mount. The newest and freshest team in the historic Carolina League burst onto the scene and made an immediate impact by storming through their inaugural season.

1999

The “Birds” advanced to the Mills Cup Championship in just their first year, where they would square off against the Wilmington Blue Rocks (A-Kansas City Royals). With the championship series all locked up at two games apiece, Mother Nature decided to travel to Myrtle Beach for the final game. Hurricane Floyd blew through the East Coast, canceling the series and ending the ’99 season abruptly. The Blue Rocks and Pelicans were crowned co-champs, an impressive accomplishment for the first-year Myrtle Beach squad.

The championship run was guided by current San Diego Padres second baseman and National League All-Star Marcus Giles. Giles led the Carolina league in batting average (.326), hits (162) and doubles (40). His numbers were good enough to earn him league MVP honors, the first and only Pelican to be named league MVP in franchise history. Giles’s double-play partner on the ’99 Pelicans squad just so happened to be the same guy that he teamed with in the Major Leagues, Rafael Furcal. The current L.A. Dodgers shortstop dazzled Pelicans fans by hitting over .400 for the first month that he played in Myrtle Beach. “Raffy” helped propel the Pelicans to their first championship and then promptly found himself in the big leagues the next season, where he won the 2000 National League Rookie of the Year. Furcal remains the only Pelican in team history to have his jersey number retired.

2000

The following year would prove to be the landmark season for the Pelicans. There were no hurricanes to cancel the championship series and Myrtle Beach not only defeated the Lynchburg Hillcats, but they swept them to win the Mills Cup outright. It’s been said that pitching wins championships, and the Pelicans made that point crystal clear in 2000. The team struggled at the plate, finishing with the lowest team batting average in the league, but the pitching staff dominated the rest of the league, posting a remarkable 2.51 team ERA. The next closest team ERA was put up by Salem, which finished with a 3.82 ERA. The pitching staff, coached by the legendary Bruce Dal Canton, combined to record 27 shutouts, the most in professional baseball. The staff was anchored by Christian Parra and current Seattle Mariners hurler Horacio Ramirez, who finished the season first and second in the league in wins. Parra and Ramirez were a huge reason why the “Birds” finished 36 games above .500 (88-52). The impressive mark put up by the Pelicans was the best in the league by 15 games. Two years and two championships later the question around town was “could they pull of a back-to-back, dynasty-esque, run of Carolina League titles?”

2001

The answer was no. Year three was the first year that the Pelicans did not qualify for the post-season. A respectable 71-67 record placed them third in the Carolina league overall during the regular season. Current Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Adam LaRoche played his first full season with the Pelicans and showed early signs of greatness, giving Pelicans fans a sneak preview of good things to come from him.

2002

After a year absence from the playoffs the Pelicans were back in the post-season in 2002, this time under the direction of a new field manager. Randy Ingle became the new skipper after three unforgettable seasons with Brian Snitker as the chief of the clubhouse. “Snit” left with two championship rings and the 2000 “Manager of the Year” award under his belt. He went on to manage the AA-Greenville Braves of the Southern League and currently is the third base coach for the Atlanta Braves. With Ingle leading the charge the team jumped out to a 43-27 first half record and clinched the first half Southern Division title. With a playoff spot already wrapped up talks of a third Pelicans championship were heard echoing throughout Coastal Federal Field, but it wasn’t meant to be. After their amazing first half the Pelicans fell behind the Kinston Indians and finished four games out of first in the second half. The K-Tribe steamrolled into the playoffs with the momentum of the second half crown, while the Pelicans had already clinched their playoff spot back in June and were slowly creeping into post-season play. Kinston simply overmatched Myrtle Beach, sweeping the Pelicans on their way to the 2002 Carolina League title. Although they were swept out of the playoffs the season was considered a success as the Pelicans put up a solid 79-61 record, which was helped out by another strong season on the mound. Pitcher Kenny “Bubba” Nelson mowed down the competition and chucked his way to the best ERA in the league (1.72). Teammate Dan Curtis was not far behind, finishing with the third-best ERA (2.53). Curtis also bulldogged his way through three complete games, the most in the league. Adam Wainwright, another standout on the mound, led the league in K’s with 167. Highlights at the plate included Adam LaRoche, who began 2002 in Myrtle Beach, making the mid-season all-star team and then receiving a promotion to AA after hitting .336 with 9 HR’s and 36 RBI. Outfielder Billy McCarthy also made a name for himself and finished fifth in the batting title race, hitting .305 with 11 HR’s and 65 RBI.

2003

After four straight winning seasons 2003 reared its ugly head and the Pelicans struggled mightily, sputtering to a 56-82 record. The ’03 Pelicans featured a roster loaded to the ceiling with top Braves prospects, but the team just couldn’t put wins together on the field. Andy Marte, the hottest prospect in the Atlanta system at the time, wowed fans and performed as advertised by hitting .285 and ripping 16 HRs, showing the type of power that the Braves were hoping for in their third baseman of the future. Although the year was disappointing in the wins and losses column, it would prove to be the clubs’ only losing season in franchise history as they bounced back in 2004.

2004

Following the toughest season in team history the Pelicans were out to prove something in 2004. Myrtle Beach did everything that they could to secure a playoff spot in the first half of the season, but came up just a hair short as the rival Kinston Indians just so happened to produce the best record in all of minor league baseball at the Class-A level and the Pelicans finished 4.5 games behind the K-Tribe. The “Birds” valiantly fought to a 40-28 mark, but the Indians were just too much to overcome. A pitching staff that included three Carolina League all-stars and three other pitchers who weren’t selected to the all-star game, but were promoted during the season, pieced together another fine campaign on the hill for Myrtle Beach. Blaine Boyer, Anthony Lerew and Matt Wright were all selected to the Carolina League-California League all-star game after strong first halves. Fireballer Jose Capellan, whose fastball topped out in triple figures, nearly tossed a no-hitter in early May against the Frederick Keys but hit his pitch count after 8 innings of no-hit baseball. The gem was broken up with a full count and two outs in the top of the 9th inning against reliever Ralph Roberts by Keys outfielder Woody Cliffords. Capellan breezed through Myrtle Beach and wound up getting the call to Atlanta in September. Another pitcher who impressed and made his way through the minors was Kyle Davies. Davies began the year in Myrtle Beach where he tossed his way to a 9-2 record before receiving a promotion to Greenville. Kyle had a perfect 4-0 mark for the G-Braves and then made one more jump to AAA-Richmond where he finished the season. A year later he’d find himself making his Major League debut for the Braves on the mound at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox.

Pitching was the story once again in 2004, but the hitters weren’t too shabby either. The likes of former #1 draft pick, Jeff Francoeur, Scott Thorman, Gregor Blanco, and Brian McCann put some pop in the Pelicans line-up. The healthy mix of strong pitching and solid hitting helped push the Pelicans to a 75-63 record, good enough for third in the Carolina League overall. The winning record also meant that the Pelicans had impressively registered five winning seasons in the first six years of the franchise.

2005

The start of the 2005 season for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans was perfect, at least through the first six innings. Opening Day starting pitcher Chuck James gave the Pelicans’ fans hope for a stellar season by tossing six perfect innings to lift the lid on the seventh season of Pelicans baseball on the Grand Strand. The Pelicans rode the momentum of James’ Opening Day gem and went on to win three of their first four games, but the early season sizzle did not sustain. When the final pitch was tossed in early September the Pelicans record stood at 61-79, but the wins and losses didn’t tell the whole story.

One of the best stories of the season was the fact that James was wearing an Atlanta Braves uniform by the end of the year. James joined 17 other former Pelicans on the Braves roster in 2005, a telltale sign of how much talent comes through Myrtle Beach on the way to the big leagues. In late-June the Pelicans received Joey Devine, Atlanta’s #1 pick in the 2005 draft from North Carolina State. Devine appeared in just four games with the Pelicans before breezing his way to the Major Leagues by the end of the year.

In late-June the Pelicans received the #1 draft pick of the Braves in ’05, a closer from North Carolina State University, Joey Devine. Devine appeared in just four games with the Pelicans before breezing his way to the Major Leagues by the end of the year. Now, entering the 2006 campaign Bobby Cox has mentioned Devine as the future closer for the ballclub.

Aside from James and Devine climbing the ladder from Myrtle Beach to Atlanta in just one season, other Pelicans made great strides in their hope to one day do the same. All-Star catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (pictured left) put up massive numbers hitting .314 with 19 home runs and 81 RBI, prompting Baseball America to rate the switch-hitting backstop as the #1 prospect in the Carolina League. “Salty,” as he was affectionately called by the fans, became the 2nd Pelican in as many years to be named the #1 prospect in the league. Current Atlanta Brave Jeff Francoeur received the honor in 2004. Salty’s 81 RBI broke the club’s record for most runs driven in during one season, a record that stood since 1999 when Braves All-Star 2B Marcus Giles knocked in 73. Salty wasn’t the only one etching his name in the record books. Teammate Matt Esquivel (pictured right) also contributed 81 RBI placing two Pelicans from the same season at the top of the list in terms of run production in one year.

2006

The 2006 season brought a world of change for the Pelicans. Just 10 days into `06 Capitol Broadcasting Company announced an agreement to sell the Pelicans to Myrtle Beach Pelicans LP, a group which is managed by the same management team, Greensons Baseball, that operates two minor league baseball franchises in Pennsylvania, the Altoona Curve (AA-Pittsburgh Pirates) of the Eastern League and the State College Spikes (A-St. Louis Cardinals) of the New York-Penn League. The new ownership group, headed by Pittsburgh attorney Chuck Greenberg purchased the ballclub, marking the first time in franchise history that the team had been sold.

The Pelicans went into the 2006 baseball season under the ownership of Capitol Broadcasting, but on May 31, 2006 the sale of the team became official and Greensons Baseball took the reigns. On the field, year eight for the Pelicans featured more ups than downs, and not just in the win-loss column. During the season a total of 15 players received promotions to Double-A or higher after starting their season in Myrtle Beach, moving one step closer to their ultimate goal of playing in the Major Leagues. While some players took their talent to the next level others excelled in Myrtle Beach, where a number of history-making events took place. Before receiving a promotion to AA-Mississippi in late August, scrappy outfielder Matt Young literally walked his way into the Pelicans record book. Young drew 71 walks, breaking the previous record of 67 set by Andy Marte in 1999. Carl Loadenthal made history by becoming just the second Pelican in franchise history to win a league batting title, joining Giles who hit .326 in 1999. Carl’s .323 batting average ranks as the highest single-season average for a left-handed batter in club history. While the outfielders were putting up impressive numbers, second baseman J.C. Holt pieced together the longest hitting streak in Pelicans history. Holt hit safely in 20 consecutive games from August 2 to August 23, surpassing the club record of 18 straight games set by current Atlanta Braves infielder Martin Prado in 2005.

Aside from the individual accomplishments this season the Pelicans as a team posted the third- best record in the league with a 72-68 mark and the best overall record of any team in the Atlanta Braves minor league system.

After the season the Pelicans remained in the headlines. The club signed a two-year player development contract extension with the Braves, introduced a new look, unveiling a fresh set of logos and upgraded uniforms, and announced major upgrades and renovations to Coastal Federal Field including a new state-of-the-art video scoreboard.

The new look features the American White Pelican and South Carolina’s iconic crescent moon surrounded by dock rope and the words “Myrtle Beach Pelicans” in a fun, beachy script. The Pelicans’ new colors, Midnight Blue, Sun Gold, and Pelicans Blue pay tribute to Myrtle Beach’s laid back charm.

The new look includes entirely redesigned caps and uniforms. The new home uniforms will feature white, sleeveless tops with Pelicans Blue sleeves and will showcase the team’s new “Pelicans” word mark across the chest. The new road uniforms will feature gray, sleeveless tops with Pelicans Blue sleeves and “Myrtle Beach” across the chest. Both the jerseys and pants will have Pelicans Blue and Sun Gold piping. The club will also wear an alternate jersey in Pelicans Blue with “Pelicans” across the chest in Sun Gold. The new home cap will feature the unique Pelicans Blue color and the American White Pelican head. Road caps will be Pelicans Blue with the letters “MB.”

2007

From a win-loss standpoint, the 2007 season wasn’t what the Myrtle Beach Pelicans had hoped for. In the end, the Pelicans finished at the bottom of the Carolina League Southern Division at 59-80 overall. However, the final record doesn’t do justice for the individual success that was had by many players and the organizational boost that Greensons Baseball LP began to provide.

Offensively, the Pelicans had one of the best line-ups in the Carolina League. In fact, the Pelicans were the only team to have three players (Kala Ka’aihue, Jordan Schafer and Roberto Alvarez) finish in the top 10 in league batting average. Kala Ka’aihue blasted 22 home runs, finishing a single home run shy of the franchise record of 23 set by Mike Hessman in the inaugural season of 1999. Ka’aihue also finished fourth in the league with a .298 batting average. Jordan Schafer, who competed for a spot in the Atlanta Braves in the pre-season, finished fifth in the league in hitting with a .289 batting average, 5th in the league in doubles with 34 and fourth in the league with 52 extra-base hits. En route to being named Pelicans team MVP, Schafer led all of minor league baseball with 176 hits in 136 games played between Rome and Myrtle Beach. Roberto Alvarez also dazzled fans at BB&T Coastal Field and around the league, finishing the year with the sixth-best batting average in the league at .291.

Although the power hitters grabbed the spotlight, speedster Quentin Davis literally tried to steal the show. In the process, he came up three stolen bases shy of the single-season franchise record of 40 set by Adam Stern back in 2002. Davis stole 37 bases, third highest total in the league. Additionally, Davis broke the single-season Pelicans franchise record for games played with 134.

On the mound, South Korean Sung Ki Jong was untouchable in the late innings. His submarine delivery baffled hitters all season long. His 22 saves put him one save shy of the Pelicans single-season franchise record. If further evidence is needed to justify his success, simply look at his stellar ERA of just 1.15. Jong was named the Pelicans Pitcher of the Year.

Organizationally, the Pelicans averaged 3,144 fans per night- a season total of 215,059 fans stepped inside of BB&T Coastal Field (4th highest average in the Carolina League). Over 14,000 more fans attended Pelicans games in 2007 compared to 2006.

The Pelicans also wowed fans with great promotions including: the popular bobble-head doll, the Pelicans beach bag, a calendar giveaway and other fan-favorites. The Pelicans also brought in celebrities such as 2008 presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, Adam West (Batman) and more. Even further, fans enjoyed special fireworks shows and themed nights at BB&T Coastal Field.

2008

The 10th Anniversary season became one of the most remarkable seasons in the Pelicans brief history on the Grand Strand.  Rocket Wheeler returned to Myrtle Beach for a third season at the helm of the birds and guided the Pelicans to a sweep of the half titles in the Southern Division and the franchise all-time wins record (89).  Wheeler’s Pelicans also broke the franchise record for wins in the first half (45).  

It was also a season of substantial growth for the Pelicans organization.  In the second full season of operation for Greensons Baseball, the Pelicans shattered the franchise attendance record, mounting an assault on the previous record set in 2000.  Ultimately, 242,397 fans made their way to a revamped BB&T Coastal Field throughout the 2008 season.  

That number did not include establishing a venue attendance record (6,599) for BB&T Coastal Field during the 2008 California-Carolina League All-Star Game, which the Pelicans hosted with tremendous fan-fare on June 24th.  Ernesto Mejia highlighted the festivities by winning the Carolina Cooling All-Star Home Run Derby, besting teammate Brandon Hicks in the semi-finals in a sudden-death showdown.

With their first half title, the Pelicans ended a four-year run of first half championships for their Southern Division rival Kinston.  Making the moment sweeter was claiming the title at Grainger Stadium in Kinston.  With the title, the Birds also ended what was the longest active playoff drought in the Carolina League.

When they won the second half title as well, the Pelicans were matched against wild-card entrant Winston-Salem in the Southern Divisional Series.  Myrtle Beach ended not only the Warthogs season by trumping them two-games-to-one, but also their tenure at Ernie Shore Field, and in a sense, their existence as the Warthogs (Winston-Salem was renamed the Dash after the season and will move to a new downtown-based ballpark in 2009).  

Unfortunately for Wheeler and the Pelicans, a depleted bullpen was unable to get them through their Mills Cup Championship matchup with Potomac.  With the series ties at a game apiece, the Pelicans took a three-run lead to the bottom of the ninth inning of game three.  When the Nationals forced extra-innings with a dramatic three-run rally, the Pelicans never recovered.  They lost game three in 10 innings, and saw their third franchise championship slip away the following night in Woodbridge, VA.
The 2008 season will also be remembered as a tremendous time of loss for the Pelicans and Braves organizations.  In May, the only pitching coach in franchise history, Bruce “DC” Dal Canton (pictured), left the team after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer.  It marked the first time DC wasn’t in the Pelicans dugout.  Unfortunately, he would not return.  DC lost his battle with cancer following the season.  The Pelicans will retire his number 43 on opening day of the 2009 season.

The 2008 Pelicans were a record-breaking unit.  Boasting what has been the most prolific offense in franchise history, the Pelicans broke most of the substantial team offensive marks: batting average (.260); runs (764); home runs (153); and doubles (298).  Additionally, 1B Ernesto Mejia broke the single-season records for doubles (47), RBI (93) and at-bats (519).  C Tyler Flowers walked his way into the record books with a single-season record 98 free passes received.

However, it was OF Willie Cabrera who was named 2008 Myrtle Beach Pelicans MVP.  Cabrera, a fiery OF, hit .290 with 16 HR and 78 RBI, and was the vocal leader in the Birds’ clubhouse.  

LHP Scott Diamond led the pitching staff to the lowest ERA in the league (3.48) and was named Pelicans Pitcher of the Year.  A league-best six Pelicans were mid-season All-Stars and a loop-leading five were post-season selections.  Wheeler was named Carolina League Manager of the Year, while Pelicans General Manager North Johnson was voted Carolina League Executive of the Year.  The hardware continued to pile up when Chris “Butter” Ball took home his third consecutive Sports Turf Manager of the Year award for maintaining the finest playing surface in the league.  Then, to cap the season, the Pelicans were awarded the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce’s 2008 Community Service Award, representing the culmination of their re-dedication to their outstanding fan base and the community as a whole.

Minus a third championship, the 2008 season brought just about everything else the Pelicans could have hoped to the Grand Strand.  It will stand as a fitting conclusion to the franchise’s first decade of baseball at the beach.