New Orleans Hornets

Note: The Hornets retired Pistol Pete's number during their first game in New Orleans in honor of his basketball contributions to the area at LSU and with New Orleans' previous NBA team, the Jazz. Coaches. The team found better support for their younger, scrappier players than they did last year when the team was better on the floor. However, the team soon returned to its losing ways, finishing the 2004 season with a record of 70-91, the best in team history, and in 4th place in the American League East, also a team best. Despite the lack of success, the team's roster was reshaped, with older veterans Baron Davis and Jamal Mashburn traded to facilitate a rebuilding process. Expectations were low for the team entering the 2004 season, but the team surprised most baseball experts by compiling a 42-41 record (.506) in their first 83 games, staying within 5 games for the American League wild card, a remarkable feat considering the team was 18 games below .500 at one point. The team performed better in January and February, but the season was essentially over before it started with the horrendous start. In 2003, the team signed manager Lou Piniella, a proven manager who helped the Seattle Mariners become competitive in the mid-1990s.

The team was expected to compete for a playoff spot in the tougher Western Conference, but an 0-8 start turned into a 2-29 start, which started a watch of how bad their record could get, threatening the Philadelphia 76ers' record of a 9-73 season. From their inception in 1998, the Devil Rays are yet to be major contenders, finishing in last place in the American League East every year from 1998 to 2003. After the season, Floyd was fired and the team hired Byron Scott to be their head coach. Many never forgave the team. Without the shot by Wade, the 2004-05 NBA season might have been altered with Shaq perhaps going to a different team and the Heat not being bona fide NBA title contenders. Petersburg on the map was named...Tampa Bay. An 85-77 win in game 7 moved the Heat on to round two, but more importantly, set the stage for the summer's acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers. And, in a biting irony, the team that was supposed to put St.

The teams ended up winning all their respective home games after that, but Wade's shot was the difference even though the series went 7 games, the Heat winning 4-3. The Dome that had built 3 other teams' new stadiums was now out of date. They drew the Miami Heat, but Dwyane Wade's last second shot sunk the Hornets in game 1 of the series. But, to stay current, it needed more than $70 million US from the city in renovations. He was replaced by Tim Floyd, and the Hornets got off to a 17-7 start, but the team reverted to form and finished 41-41, narrowly missing out on home court advantage in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. So, the Dome was finally occupied. After the season, the team decided to move in a different direction and allowed the contract of head coach Paul Silas to expire. In fear, baseball decided to have another expansion, this time admitting Naimoli's group and a group from Arizona.

They qualified for the playoffs for the fourth straight year in 2002-03, but were beaten by Philadelphia again, where Iverson again shredded them, this time dropping 55 points in one game. Angry at MLB about the Giants, group leader Vince Naimoli threatened a lawsuit. First NBA game played in New Orleans in 23 years. A local boycott on Blockbuster Video stores lasted for years. October 30, 2002: The New Orleans Hornets open their inaugural season in New Orleans against former New Orleans NBA team the Utah Jazz; "Pistol" Pete Maravich has his number retired during halftime. Many were bitter, especially at Huizenga, who voted against the move. The Bobcats began play in November of 2004. However, at the last minute, the team was sold to a local San Francisco group.

Shortly after that, Charlotte would be awarded a new NBA franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats. A press conference was announced, uniforms were drawn up, and tickets were about to be printed. In May of 2002 the Hornets were given permission to move to New Orleans, Louisiana, where they became the New Orleans Hornets. Pete. They returned the following season by beating the Orlando Magic, but were upended by the New Jersey Nets. Another shot at baseball came when the San Francisco Giants were for sale, and a group wanted to move them to St. The Hornets, with the lineup of Davis, Wesley, Mashburn, Brown and Campbell made it back to the playoffs, where they defeated the 3rd ranked Heat and made it to the second round for the third time in franchise history. Adding salt to the wound, Huizenga named the Miami team the Florida Marlins.

Brown. Not wanting two Florida teams, and faced with a strong bid from Denver, the league bypassed the Bay Area and took Huizinga's bid. Jones led the league in steals, but in the offseason he and Mason were shipped to the Miami Heat in exchange for small forward Jamal Mashburn and power forward P.J. Not helping matters was a bid by Wayne Huizenga for a team in Miami. The team returned to the playoffs, where they were shredded by Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76'ers. St. Petersburg fielded a group, expecting to be a lock until a competing group from Tampa also showed up. His number was retired on February 9, and was a sad note in the franchise's history. Too much, it turned out.

The lineup of Wesley, Jones, Mason, Coleman and Campbell tore through much of the season, but on January 12, 2000 Bobby Phills was killed in a tragic automobile accident. The 1993 expansion, the first in more than a decade, brought out interest from the area. 1999-2000 was a return to prominence, with the addition of free agent Derrick Coleman and third overall draft pick point guard Baron Davis to the mix. The Seattle Mariners also looked at the area. The team finished tied with the Knicks for the last playoff spot, losing the tiebreaker. Soon, teams started to look in to moving to the area, the first being the Chicago White Sox, who but for a last minute action by the Illinois Legislature were heading to St. Petersburg. 1999 was turbulent, with Rice being traded to the Lakers for Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell, both Geiger and Divac leaving in free agency, and Bogues leaving the team for good. The dome was built without any notification of receiving a team (Major League Baseball recommended highly against it), and was solely meant to attract an existing team.

With Wesley, Phills, Rice, Mason and Divac, the Hornets romped through the regular season, with Rice finishing sixth in scoring and earning all-NBA third team honors and the team making it all the way to the second round of the playoffs for the second time in franchise history, being stopped by Jordan and the Bulls. That changed with the building of the state-of-the-art Suncoast Dome in 1986. The team picked up a new free-agent backcourt in point guard David Wesley and shooting guard Bobby Phills. The main obstacles were city infighting and the lack of a stadium. 1997-98 was also successful. Petersburg area made many attempts to acquire a baseball team before receiving the Devil Rays in the 1998 expansion. The team also spotted the best season of their history, making it back to the playoffs. The Tampa Bay/St.

Rice was also the allstar game MVP, setting several scoring records. Petersburg, Florida. They are in the Eastern Division of the American League. The new-look Hornets were apparently even better, however, with Divac and Geiger providing the best center combo in the league, Mason averaging a double-double and all-NBA third team honors, Bogues back at the point, and Rice having the finest season of his career, finishing third in the league in scoring and earning all-NBA second team honors. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. The offseason was again marked by vast changes, as Anderson declined to resign with the team, Johnson was shipped to New York for power forward Anthony Mason, and lottery draft pick guard Kobe Bryant was traded to the Lakers for center Vlade Divac. Princeton Devil Rays. Geiger and Johnson tied for the team lead in rebounds, while Johnson and Rice provided balanced but high-powered scoring, with all-star guard Kenny Anderson running the point for the injured Muggsy Bogues. Visalia Oaks
Southwest Michigan Devil Rays
Hudson Valley Renegades.

In the offseason the team dealt Mourning to the Miami Heat for guard Glen Rice and center Matt Geiger. Montgomery Biscuits. The next few years were marked by injuries to Johnson and Mourning, though they did get back to the playoffs in 1994-95, only to be beaten by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Durham Bulls. However, they lacked the experience and depth to defeat the New York Knicks. American League
. It was good enough for fifth in the Eastern Conference and a playoff spot, where they upset the Boston Celtics with Mournings famous series-winning shot. Pitching Strikeouts: 172 Troy Saunders (1998).

The Hornets now had twin 20-10 threats in Johnson and Mourning, who with Gill formed perhaps the league's top young trio. Pitching Wins: 14 Rolando Arrojo (1998). In 1992-93, the team won the second pick in the draft, using it to draft center Alonzo Mourning from Georgetown. Hitting Streak: 18 games - Quinton McCracken (1998). Kendall Gill led the club in scoring, with over 20 points per game. Stolen Bases: 59 Carl Crawford (2004). Johnson had an impact season, finishing among league leaders in points and rebounds, and winning NBA rookie of the year. Triples: 19 Carl Crawford (2004).

For the 1991-92 season, the Hornets drafted power forward Larry Johnson from UNLV with the number one overall pick. Doubles: 47 Aubrey Huff (2003). For the 1990-91 season, the team picked up guard Kendall Gill in the NBA draft, and got slightly better, but still managed to win the NBA Draft lottery and the rights to the number one overall pick. Runs: 104 Carl Crawford (2004). The team also had sharpshooting rookie Rex Chapman, who was also an instant scoring threat. Hits: 198 Aubrey Huff (2003). Tripucka was Charlotte's top scorer for the franchise's first two seasons. Batting Average: .318 Fred McGriff (2001).

The team was led by guard Kelly Tripucka, who provided instant points. Runs Batted In: 107 Aubrey Huff (2003). 1988: The franchise plays its first game as the Charlotte Hornets. Home Runs: 34 José Canseco (1999), Aubrey Huff (2003). Oct. 42 Jackie Robinson (retired throughout baseball). The current head coach is Byron Scott. 12 Wade Boggs.

The New Orleans Hornets are a National Basketball Association team based in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Victor Zambrano. David West. Greg Vaughn. Jackson Vroman. Tony Saunders. Smith. Jim Morris.

J.R. Fred McGriff. Lee Nailon. Jose Canseco. Bostjan Nachbar. Wilson Alvarez. Jamaal Magloire. 15 Matt Sinatro (bullpen coach).

George Lynch. 7 John McLaren (bench coach). Maciej Lampe. 6 Tom Foley (baseball coach/player) (3rd base coach/infield instructor). Casey Jacobsen. 2 Billy Hatcher(1st base coach). Dan Dickau. 4 Lee Elia (hitting coach).

Speedy Claxton. 55 Chuck Hernández (pitching coach). Brown. 14 Lou Piniella (manager). P.J. Wade Boggs. Chris Andersen.

13 Bobby Phills. 7 Pete Maravich. 6 (Sixth Man) -- The Fans. Baron Davis.

Glen Rice. Alonzo Mourning. Larry Johnson. Rex Chapman-First player signed by the franchise.

Muggsy Bogues.