Norfolk, VA

Norfolk is located in southern Virginia, at the mouth of the James River as it empties near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay; Hampton, VA and Newport News, VA lie on the north shore of the river, and Virginia Beach, VA 10 miles to the east on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. Together, these cities, along with Portsmouth, VA and Chesapeake, VA which lie immediately to the south of Norfolk, form the "Tidewater" area.

Teams that have played here

• Norfolk, Virginia League (1885-86)
• Norfolk, Eastern League (1885)
• Norfolk Clam Eaters, Virginia State League (1894)
• Norfolk Clams, Virginia State League (1895)
• Norfolk Braves, Virginia League (1896)
• Norfolk Jewels, Atlantic League (1897-1898)
• Norfolk Phenoms, Virginia League (1900)
• Norfolk Skippers, Virginia-North Carolina League (1901)
• Norfolk Tars, Virginia League (1906-1918, 1921-1928)
• Norfolk Mary Janes, Virginia League (1919-1920)
• Norfolk Tars, Eastern League (1931-1932)
• Norfolk Tars, Piedmont League (1934-1955)
• Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides, South Atlantic League (1961-1962)
• Tidewater Tides, International League (1969-1992)
• Norfolk Tides, International League (1993-2019, 2022- )
• Norfolk Tides, Triple-A East (2021)

Persons who were born here

• Chad Alexander, minor league outfielder
• Sam Allen, Negro League outfielder
• Wes Blogg, catcher
• Alton Brown, pitcher
• Bobby Brown, outfielder
• Walter Cannady, infielder, manager
• John Cason, catcher
• Lou Ciola, pitcher
• Rickey Cradle, outfielder
• Buddy Crump, outfielder
• Mike Cuddyer, infielder
• Buddy Dear, infielder
• D.J. Dozier, outfielder
• Al Gettel, pitcher
• Jim Hutto, outfielder
• Kurt Isenberg, minor league pitcher
• Justin Klemm, umpire
• Nathaniel Lowe, infielder
• Dan McClellan, Negro League pitcher
• Kenny Moreland, minor league pitcher
• Elbert Norman, infielder
• Bill Paschall, pitcher
• Al Richter, infielder
• Al Shaw, minor league pitcher
• Mike Smith, outfielder
• Leon Stewart, pitcher
• Ian Thomas, pitcher
• B.J. Upton, outfielder
• Justin Upton, outfielder
• Jeff Ware, pitcher
• Steve Watson, minor league pitcher
• Ed Willett, pitcher
• David Wright, infielder
• George Wright, Negro League infielder

Persons who died here

• Jimmy Arline, minor league outfielder
• Lester Bangs, minor league outfielder
• Garland Braxton, pitcher
• James Calleran, minor league infielder
• Joe Echols, outfielder
• Bill Force, pitcher
• Al Forman, umpire
• John Gallagher, infielder
• Al Gettel, pitcher
• John Gilroy, pitcher
• Don Hendrickson, pitcher
• Oscar Levis, pitcher
• Harry Mace, pitcher
• Vernon Riddick, infielder
• Buck Stanley, pitcher
• Tom Umphlett, outfielder
• Allie Watt, infielder
• Ray White, minor league pitcher
• John Woods, pitcher

Educational institutions located here

• Booker T. Washington High School
• Granby High School
• Matthew Fontaine Maury High School
• Norfolk Catholic High School
• Norfolk State University
• Old Dominion University
• Ryan Academy

Further Reading

• Peter C. Stewart: Early Professional Baseball in Hampton Roads: A History, 1884-1928, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2010.