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For two decades, Jim Burris ran the Denver Bears with a simple philosophy: winning was everything, and promotion was whatever it took to get fans through the gate. That approach, paired with a hard-nosed baseball mind, built a minor league powerhouse at Mile High Stadium and helped pave the way for Denver's eventual entry into major league baseball, according to his son, Bob Burris, and franchise records.
"He was a pretty good executive, and running the Denver Bears was his passion, and bringing major league baseball to Denver was his and my goal," Bob Burris said of his father.
Jim Burris began his tenure as Bears general manager in 1965 and spent two decades at the helm, working alongside his son for more than 20 of those years. A former sportswriter who crossed paths with legends including Babe Ruth, Rogers Hornsby, Dizzy Dean and Joe DiMaggio, Burris built his roster with the same eye for talent, hiring manager Billy Martin to lead the club.
Under Martin, the Bears stole home seven times in a season, a feat Bob Burris said predates the aggressive "Billy Ball" style Martin later became known for in Oakland.
"So, Billy Ball really started in Denver, not in Oakland, where he's given credit for Billy Ball," Bob Burris said.
One of the club's defining moments came on July 4, 1979, against the Omaha Royals. Trailing 10-0 in the fourth inning, the Bears rallied in the bottom of the ninth, scoring nine runs with two outs to win, capped by a three-run home run from Jim Cox.
Because attendance was as critical as wins for a Triple-A club playing in a stadium built for the major leagues, Bob Burris said the team leaned heavily on entertainment. "We had to sell the sizzle because we didn't have the steak," he said.
That included booking the San Diego Chicken, an idea Jim Burris initially rejected so forcefully he shattered the glass top of his desk. The promotion drew 24,000 fans, prompting Jim Burris to later ask his son about bringing the chicken back.
The Bears' on-field success matched their box-office draw. The 1983 team went 73-61 to win the Western Division, then swept seven straight playoff games over Iowa and Louisville after an opening loss to Iowa. That season drew 445,670 fans, the second-best mark in the minor leagues, including a single-game record crowd of 59,781 on Fireworks night.
Over four years, the Bears drew 2,104,604 fans for regular-season games. In 1981, the club led the minors in attendance with 555,806 fans and set a league record with a 92-44 mark over a 136-game schedule, though it lost the title series to Springfield.
Burris was named "The Sporting News' Minor League Executive of the Year" in 1980 and was honored as American Association Executive of the Year four times. He was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1978.
"Everybody knew him, and everybody loved him," Bob Burris said, crediting his father's relationships within baseball's front offices for ultimately bringing a major league franchise to Denver.
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"He was a pretty good executive, and running the Denver Bears was his passion, and bringing major league baseball to Denver was his and my goal," Bob Burris said of his father.
Jim Burris began his tenure as Bears general manager in 1965 and spent two decades at the helm, working alongside his son for more than 20 of those years. A former sportswriter who crossed paths with legends including Babe Ruth, Rogers Hornsby, Dizzy Dean and Joe DiMaggio, Burris built his roster with the same eye for talent, hiring manager Billy Martin to lead the club.
Under Martin, the Bears stole home seven times in a season, a feat Bob Burris said predates the aggressive "Billy Ball" style Martin later became known for in Oakland.
"So, Billy Ball really started in Denver, not in Oakland, where he's given credit for Billy Ball," Bob Burris said.
A franchise built on comebacks and gimmicks
One of the club's defining moments came on July 4, 1979, against the Omaha Royals. Trailing 10-0 in the fourth inning, the Bears rallied in the bottom of the ninth, scoring nine runs with two outs to win, capped by a three-run home run from Jim Cox.
Because attendance was as critical as wins for a Triple-A club playing in a stadium built for the major leagues, Bob Burris said the team leaned heavily on entertainment. "We had to sell the sizzle because we didn't have the steak," he said.
That included booking the San Diego Chicken, an idea Jim Burris initially rejected so forcefully he shattered the glass top of his desk. The promotion drew 24,000 fans, prompting Jim Burris to later ask his son about bringing the chicken back.
Record attendance and championships
The Bears' on-field success matched their box-office draw. The 1983 team went 73-61 to win the Western Division, then swept seven straight playoff games over Iowa and Louisville after an opening loss to Iowa. That season drew 445,670 fans, the second-best mark in the minor leagues, including a single-game record crowd of 59,781 on Fireworks night.
Over four years, the Bears drew 2,104,604 fans for regular-season games. In 1981, the club led the minors in attendance with 555,806 fans and set a league record with a 92-44 mark over a 136-game schedule, though it lost the title series to Springfield.
Burris was named "The Sporting News' Minor League Executive of the Year" in 1980 and was honored as American Association Executive of the Year four times. He was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1978.
"Everybody knew him, and everybody loved him," Bob Burris said, crediting his father's relationships within baseball's front offices for ultimately bringing a major league franchise to Denver.
Continue reading...
