History
In 2001, local citizens formed “Green Mountain Community Baseball,” an organization formed in hopes of attracting an NECBL franchise to Montpelier, Vermont. In September of the following year the NECBL voted to award a franchise to the group. The team's name, the Vermont Mountaineers, was chosen from more than 300 fan entries.
John Russo has been the team's manager since 2004 and has held some role with the team since its arrival in the league. General Manager Brian Gallagher has also been present since the team's inception.
The team's first game was on June 7, 2003, an 8-5 loss to the Manchester Silkworms. The game's attendance of 2,471 set a then-NECBL record for single game attendance. Although their inaugural season was not a success on the field (the Mountaineers had the second-worst record in the NECBL), it was in terms of attendance, with the club leading the league in average attendance per game. Nearly 35,000 fans watched the Mountaineers at Montpelier Recreation Field that season.
After reaching the playoffs in 2004, the team has enjoyed playoff success, qualifying for the playoffs in six of their first seven seasons, including an active streak of six consecutive years. They have reached the NECBL Championship Series four times (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009), winning it twice (2006, 2007). Three of their four finals appearances have come against the Newport Gulls.
Read more about this topic: Vermont Mountaineers
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