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The Hawaii Islanders were a Triple-A minor league baseball team that operated for a total of 27 seasons.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Hawaii Islanders were a Triple-A Pacific Coast League team based in Honolulu that played for 27 seasons, from 1961 through 1987.
The Hawaii Islanders originated when the San Francisco Giants relocated their Triple-A affiliate to Honolulu in 1960.
Answer: False
Explanation: The team was established when the Sacramento Solons, a long-standing Pacific Coast League team, relocated to Honolulu on December 17, 1960.
The Sacramento Solons moved to Honolulu primarily due to a new, state-of-the-art stadium being built in Hawaii.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Sacramento Solons relocated due to persistent attendance problems, which were exacerbated after the San Francisco Giants moved to the area in 1958.
Nick Morgan, a Salt Lake City businessman, was the initial owner who moved the Sacramento Solons to Hawaii, but he sold the team to a local group two years later.
Answer: True
Explanation: Salt Lake City businessman Nick Morgan purchased the Sacramento Solons, moved them to Hawaii, and then sold the team to a locally based group two years later.
The Hawaii Islanders' inaugural 1961 season saw them finish with a winning record.
Answer: False
Explanation: In their inaugural 1961 season, the Islanders finished with a losing record of 68 wins and 86 losses.
For how many seasons did the Hawaii Islanders play in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League?
Answer: 27 seasons
Explanation: The Hawaii Islanders were a member of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League for 27 seasons, from their inaugural season in 1961 through their final season in 1987.
The Hawaii Islanders team was established in Honolulu through the relocation of which existing Pacific Coast League team?
Answer: Sacramento Solons
Explanation: The franchise originated when the Sacramento Solons, a long-standing member of the Pacific Coast League, relocated to Honolulu in December 1960.
What was the primary reason the Sacramento Solons decided to relocate to Honolulu?
Answer: They were experiencing attendance problems after the San Francisco Giants moved to the area.
Explanation: The primary catalyst for the Sacramento Solons' move was declining attendance, a problem that began after the major league San Francisco Giants moved to the Bay Area in 1958.
What was the Hawaii Islanders' record in their inaugural 1961 season?
Answer: 68 wins and 86 losses
Explanation: In their first season of play in 1961, the Hawaii Islanders finished in 6th place with a record of 68 wins and 86 losses.
The Hawaii Islanders' first major league affiliation was with the Los Angeles Angels in 1961.
Answer: False
Explanation: The team's first major league affiliation in 1961 was with the Kansas City Athletics.
The longest major league affiliation for the Hawaii Islanders was with the San Diego Padres, lasting 12 seasons.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Islanders' longest affiliation was with the San Diego Padres, which spanned 12 seasons from 1971 to 1982.
Due to their geographical isolation, the Hawaii Islanders initially played only four-game series against visiting Pacific Coast League teams.
Answer: False
Explanation: Initially, visiting teams would make four- and seven-game visits to Hawaii. Later, to reduce travel costs, the schedule was adjusted to eight-game series.
In the early 1960s, Hawaii Islanders radio announcers 're-created' road games due to the high cost of live broadcasts.
Answer: True
Explanation: Due to the high cost of line charges, radio announcers in Honolulu would 're-create' road games in the studio based on telegraphic reports.
The Hawaii Islanders operated with significant independence from their major league parent club, the San Diego Padres, in the early 1970s, signing most of their own roster.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Islanders' working agreement with the Padres allowed them to operate almost independently, signing most of their own players and controlling their roster without requiring approval from the parent club.
Who was the Hawaii Islanders' first major league affiliate in 1961?
Answer: Kansas City Athletics
Explanation: In their inaugural 1961 season, the Hawaii Islanders' major league affiliation was with the Kansas City Athletics.
Which major league affiliation lasted the longest for the Hawaii Islanders?
Answer: San Diego Padres
Explanation: The team's longest-lasting major league affiliation was with the San Diego Padres, a partnership that endured for 12 seasons from 1971 to 1982.
How did the Hawaii Islanders initially manage radio broadcasts for their road games in the early 1960s?
Answer: They 're-created' games in the Honolulu studio based on telegraphic reports.
Explanation: Due to the prohibitive cost of live broadcast line charges from the mainland, Islanders announcers in the early 1960s used the historical method of 're-creating' games in a studio using telegraphic updates.
What was unique about the Hawaii Islanders' working agreement with the San Diego Padres in the early 1970s?
Answer: The Islanders operated almost like an independent team, signing most of their own roster.
Explanation: The agreement was unusual in that the Padres only sent about six players to Hawaii, granting the Islanders significant autonomy to sign, trade, sell, or release the majority of their players without parent club approval.
What was the classification level of the Hawaii Islanders within minor league baseball throughout their entire existence?
Answer: Triple-A
Explanation: Throughout their entire 27-season history from 1961 to 1987, the Hawaii Islanders were classified as a Triple-A team, the highest level in minor league baseball.
Which major league team was affiliated with the Hawaii Islanders in 1968 and again in their final season of 1987?
Answer: Chicago White Sox
Explanation: The Chicago White Sox had two separate affiliations with the Hawaii Islanders, first in 1968 and again for the team's final season in 1987.
To reduce travel costs as the Pacific Coast League expanded, the Hawaii Islanders later adjusted their schedule to play what length of series against each team?
Answer: Eight-game series
Explanation: To mitigate the extensive travel required by their geographic isolation, the Islanders' schedule was eventually adjusted so they would play eight-game series against each visiting opponent.
In 1970, the Hawaii Islanders, managed by Chuck Tanner, won 98 games and led all minor league teams in attendance.
Answer: True
Explanation: The 1970 Islanders team, managed by Chuck Tanner, won 98 games and attracted over 400,000 fans, which was the highest attendance of any minor league team that year.
The 1970 Hawaii Islanders team won the Pacific Coast League playoff championship.
Answer: False
Explanation: Despite their successful regular season, the 1970 Islanders lost the Pacific Coast League playoff championship to the Spokane Indians.
The Hawaii Islanders won three consecutive Pacific Coast League titles from 1975 to 1977.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Hawaii Islanders won two consecutive Pacific Coast League titles, in 1975 and 1976.
The Hawaii Islanders won a total of seven division titles during their history.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Islanders won seven division titles in total, occurring in 1970, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, and 1984.
The Hawaii Islanders won the 1976 Pacific Coast League Western Division crown by defeating the Tacoma Twins in a one-game playoff.
Answer: True
Explanation: After finishing the regular season tied with Tacoma, Hawaii won the division crown by prevailing in a one-game playoff held in Tacoma.
The 1976 Pacific Coast League championship series for the Hawaii Islanders was played entirely at their home stadium, Aloha Stadium.
Answer: False
Explanation: The entire five-game 1976 championship series against the Salt Lake City Bees was played at Salt Lake's Derks Field.
What significant achievement did the Hawaii Islanders accomplish in 1970, under manager Chuck Tanner?
Answer: They attracted over 400,000 fans, leading all minor league teams in attendance.
Explanation: In 1970, the Islanders won 98 games and, most notably, led all of minor league baseball in attendance by drawing over 400,000 fans.
In which consecutive years did the Hawaii Islanders win Pacific Coast League titles?
Answer: 1975 and 1976
Explanation: The Hawaii Islanders achieved their greatest team success by winning back-to-back Pacific Coast League championships in 1975 and 1976.
How many division titles did the Hawaii Islanders win in their history?
Answer: Seven
Explanation: Throughout their 27-season history, the Hawaii Islanders won a total of seven division titles.
What was the final outcome of the 1976 Pacific Coast League Western Division race for the Hawaii Islanders?
Answer: They won the division crown in a one-game playoff against Tacoma.
Explanation: After a tumultuous end to the regular season left them tied with the Tacoma Twins, the Islanders won the division title by defeating Tacoma in a one-game playoff.
The 1970 Hawaii Islanders team was recognized as the 38th greatest team in minor league history by whom?
Answer: Minor League Baseball historians
Explanation: In recognition of their successful 1970 season, the team was ranked as the 38th greatest in the annals of the sport by Minor League Baseball historians.
Honolulu Stadium, known as the 'Termite Palace,' was replaced because it was too small for Triple-A baseball.
Answer: False
Explanation: Honolulu Stadium was replaced because the wooden structure, built in 1926, had become rickety, fallen below Triple-A standards, and reached the end of its useful life.
After moving to Aloha Stadium, the Islanders' attendance declined partly because the new stadium was far from their existing fan base and had inconvenient public transit access.
Answer: True
Explanation: The move to Aloha Stadium in Halawa contributed to a decline in attendance, as it was located far from the team's fan base and fans were reluctant to navigate the area after taking public transit.
The Hawaii Islanders' lease at Aloha Stadium allowed them to earn significant proceeds from concessions and advertising, boosting their income.
Answer: False
Explanation: The team's lease with the state government at Aloha Stadium was highly unfavorable, preventing them from earning proceeds from concessions or advertising, which severely limited their income.
During their 1976 pennant-winning season, the Hawaii Islanders faced a financial crisis that led to the IRS padlocking their office and the Pacific Coast League briefly canceling their franchise.
Answer: True
Explanation: Despite winning the pennant in 1976, the team experienced a severe financial crisis, leading to their office being padlocked by the IRS and their franchise being temporarily canceled by the league.
In a controversial 1976 game at Aloha Stadium, the Islanders forfeited to the Tacoma Twins because the Islanders refused to wear metal spikes on the artificial turf.
Answer: False
Explanation: The game was forfeited to the Tacoma Twins after stadium management turned off the lights because the Twins insisted on wearing metal spikes, which management had prohibited on the artificial turf.
In their final 1987 season, the Hawaii Islanders finished last in their division and last overall in Pacific Coast League attendance.
Answer: True
Explanation: The team's final season in 1987 was marked by poor performance, finishing last in their division, and acute financial problems, reflected in their last-place ranking in league attendance.
Which stadium was known as the 'Termite Palace' and served as a home field for the Hawaii Islanders?
Answer: Honolulu Stadium
Explanation: Honolulu Stadium, the Islanders' home from 1961 to 1975, was affectionately known as the 'Termite Palace' due to its age and wooden construction.
What was a significant financial problem for the Hawaii Islanders after their move to Aloha Stadium in 1976?
Answer: A lease that prevented them from earning proceeds from concessions or advertising.
Explanation: A major financial burden for the Islanders at Aloha Stadium was their lease with the state, which severely limited their income by preventing them from earning revenue from concessions or advertising.
What controversial incident occurred at Aloha Stadium in May 1976 involving the Tacoma Twins?
Answer: Stadium management turned off the lights, leading to a forfeited game.
Explanation: A game was forfeited to the Tacoma Twins after stadium management turned off the center field lights in response to the Twins' insistence on wearing metal spikes, which had been prohibited on the artificial turf.
What was the Hawaii Islanders' attendance ranking in the Pacific Coast League during their final season of 1987?
Answer: Last overall
Explanation: In their final season in 1987, the team's financial and on-field struggles were reflected in their attendance, which ranked last in the Pacific Coast League.
The Hawaii Islanders played their home games at all of the following stadiums EXCEPT:
Answer: Wrigley Field
Explanation: The Islanders' home fields in Hawaii included Honolulu Stadium, Aloha Stadium, and Les Murakami Stadium. Wrigley Field is a major league ballpark in Chicago.
What was the nickname for Honolulu Stadium, the Islanders' home from 1961 to 1975?
Answer: The Termite Palace
Explanation: The Islanders' original home, Honolulu Stadium, was a wooden structure built in 1926 that earned the nickname the 'Termite Palace'.
After the 1987 season, the Hawaii Islanders relocated to Colorado Springs and became the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.
Answer: True
Explanation: Citing years of dwindling attendance and financial difficulties, the team moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, before the 1988 season and was renamed the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.
After the Islanders' departure, Hawaii immediately gained a new Triple-A minor league team in 1988.
Answer: False
Explanation: Although the team's owner announced an intention to move a Short-Season A club to Honolulu for 1988, the plan did not materialize, and Hawaii has been without minor league baseball since.
The Hawaii Winter Baseball league, founded five years after the Islanders left, was affiliated with Major League Baseball.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Hawaii Winter Baseball league, founded in 1993, was a minor league affiliated with Major League Baseball that operated intermittently until 2008.
The Hawaii Islanders were referenced in the television series 'Hawaii Five-O' and 'Magnum, P.I.'
Answer: True
Explanation: The team achieved a degree of cultural recognition through references in a two-part episode of 'Hawaii Five-O' and on multiple occasions in 'Magnum, P.I.'
Tom Selleck's character in 'Magnum, P.I.' was depicted as a fan of the Hawaii Islanders and often wore a New York Yankees baseball cap.
Answer: False
Explanation: While the character was a fan of the Islanders, he was often seen wearing a Detroit Tigers baseball cap, not a New York Yankees cap.
Where did the Hawaii Islanders relocate to after the 1987 season?
Answer: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Explanation: Following the 1987 season, the franchise moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, and was rebranded as the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.
What was the outcome of the attempt to replace the Hawaii Islanders with another minor league team after their departure in 1987?
Answer: The plan did not come to fruition, and Hawaii has been without minor league baseball since.
Explanation: Although the owner announced plans to move a Short-Season A team to Honolulu for the 1988 season, the move never happened, leaving Hawaii without a minor league team.
When was the minor league Hawaii Winter Baseball league founded after the Islanders left?
Answer: 1993
Explanation: Five years after the Islanders' departure, the Hawaii Winter Baseball league was founded in 1993, operating as an MLB-affiliated league.
In which television series was the main character, played by Tom Selleck, depicted as a fan of the Hawaii Islanders?
Answer: Magnum, P.I.
Explanation: The main character in the 1980s television series 'Magnum, P.I.,' portrayed by Tom Selleck, was shown to be a fan of the Hawaii Islanders.
Al Michaels and Harry Kalas are among the notable Hawaii Islanders radio announcers who later broadcast Major League Baseball.
Answer: True
Explanation: Both Harry Kalas and Al Michaels were part of a group of Islanders announcers who went on to prominent careers in Major League Baseball broadcasting.
Roy Hartsfield managed the Hawaii Islanders during their highly successful 1970 season.
Answer: False
Explanation: Chuck Tanner was the manager during the successful 1970 season. Roy Hartsfield managed the team during their championship seasons in 1975 and 1976.
Barry Bonds and Tony Gwynn are listed among the notable players who were alumni of the Hawaii Islanders.
Answer: True
Explanation: Both future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn and all-time home run leader Barry Bonds are included in the list of notable Islanders alumni.
Which of the following notable radio announcers for the Hawaii Islanders later broadcast Major League Baseball?
Answer: Al Michaels
Explanation: Al Michaels is among a distinguished list of Islanders radio announcers, including Harry Kalas and Hank Greenwald, who went on to have prominent careers broadcasting for Major League Baseball.
Who was the manager of the Hawaii Islanders during their Pacific Coast League championship seasons in 1975 and 1976?
Answer: Roy Hartsfield
Explanation: Roy Hartsfield was the manager who led the Hawaii Islanders to consecutive Pacific Coast League championships in both 1975 and 1976.
Which of the following players is listed as a notable alumnus of the Hawaii Islanders?
Answer: Tony Gwynn
Explanation: Future Hall of Fame member Tony Gwynn is among the most notable players who played for the Hawaii Islanders during their minor league careers.
Which of these managers did NOT lead the Hawaii Islanders during their tenure?
Answer: Casey Stengel
Explanation: The list of notable managers for the Islanders includes Irv Noren, Doug Rader, and Tom Trebelhorn, but not the legendary manager Casey Stengel.