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Professional Sports in Oregon

© Sue Barton

I grew up with one ear tuned to the television and the other straining for the sounds of "Rip City!" as the Portland Trailblazers stomped on their opponents. During baseball season I thrilled to the sounds of our minor (lowest of the low - a farm team of a farm team) league baseball team. Movie star heart-throb Kurt Russell pulled double duty as second-baseman for the Bend Rainbows. My girlfriends and I just about passed out from giddiness as we waited to get player autographs in the theater lobby after we watched Kurt's new movie, "The Barefoot Executive." He didn't make it far as a ballplayer, but third-baseman, Tom Treblehorn wound up managing the Brewers, and I'll never forget the interesting "stork" stance employed by pitcher, Yuki Suzuki. Unfortunately, Oregon is still stranded outside the major markets of most professional sports.

BASKETBALL

The NBA Portland Trail Blazers and the WNBA Portland Fire both play in the Rose Garden. The Blazers, with my favorite Scottie Pippen, are sitting in 3^rd place at the moment. They can easily move up and take it all. The Fire start their season on May 31^st against Minneapolis. Check out their site - they have a season ticket referral contest. Get folks to buy tix and get free stuff!


DIRECTIONS TO THE ROSE GARDEN

(from the Portland International Airport)
Take Airport Way to Hwy 205 South. Exit 1-84 West, proceed to I-5 North and take the Broadway-Weidler/Rose Quarter exit. Take a left at the second traffic light onto Broadway. Follow Rose Quarter sign to the Rose Garden


BASEBALL

Portland's Beavers are the AAA affiliate of the San Diego Padres. They play in the newly renovated PGE Park. Opening night of the season is in Tucson playing the Sidewinders and the home opener is on April 30^th against the Fresno Grizzlies. The other teams in the Pacific Coast League - West include the Tacoma Rainiers, Calgary Cannons, and Edmonton Trappers.

PGE PARK

Tickets Hotline: 503-553-5555
Business Office: 503-553-5400
Address:920 SW Sixth Avenue, Mezzanine Level, Portland, Oregon 97204

In addition to AAA baseball, Oregon is host to two teams in the Northwest League - Short Season A. They are the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes and the Eugene Emeralds. This is a rookie league with restrictions on the number of years service a player can have and a restriction on how many players over age 23 can be on each team. The season runs from mid-June to Labor Day.

SOCCER

The Portland Timbers are an expansion team in the United Soccer League's "A League" and this marks the first time Portland has had a professional team