Durham Bulls

Durham Bulls Founded in 1902 Durham, North Carolina
Team logo Cap insignia
Class-level
Current	Triple-A (1998–present)
Previous	Class A (1963–1971, 1980–1997) Class B (1932–1933, 1936–1943,          1949–1962) Class C (1921–1931, 1945–1948) Class D (1902, 1913–1917, 1920)
Minor league affiliations
League	International League (1998–present)
Division	South Division
Previous leagues	Carolina League (1945–1971, 1980–1997) Piedmont League (1920–1933, 1936–1943) North Carolina State League (1913–1917) North Carolina League (1902)
Major league affiliations
Current	Tampa Bay Rays (1998–present)
Previous	Atlanta Braves (1980–1997) Co-op (1970–1971) Philadelphia Phillies (1969, 1932) New York Mets (1967–1968) Houston Astros (1962–1966) Houston Colt .45s (1962–1964) Detroit Tigers (1948–1961) Boston Red Sox (1945–1947) Brooklyn Dodgers (1941–1943) Cincinnati Reds (1936–1940) New York Yankees (1933) Independent (1927–1931) Cincinnati Reds (1912–1926) Independent (1902)
Minor league titles
Class titles (1)	2009
League titles (13)	1924 1925 1929 1930 1940 1941 1957 1965 1967 2002 2003 2009 2013
Division titles (16)	1980 1982 1984 1989 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 2014
Team data
Nickname	Durham Bulls (1913–1917, 1920–1933, 1936–1943, 1945–1967, 1980–present)
Previous names	Durham Tobacconists (1902) Raleigh-Durham Mets (1968) Raleigh-Durham Phillies (1969) Raleigh-Durham Triangles (1970–71)
Ballpark	Durham Bulls Athletic Park (1995–present)
Previous parks	Durham Athletic Park (1926–1933, 1936–1943, 1945–1971, 1980–1994)      (as El Toro Park 1926–1933) Devereaux Meadow (1968–1971) Hanes Field (1913–1925) Trinity College (1902)
Owner(s)/ Operator(s)	Capitol Broadcasting Company
Manager	Jared Sandberg
General Manager	Mike Birling

The Durham Bulls are a Triple-A minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. Established in 1902 as the Durham Tobacconists and disbanded many times over the years, the Bulls became internationally famous following the release of the 1988 movie Bull Durham starring Kevin Costner, Tim Robbins, and Susan Sarandon.

Since 1991, the team has been owned by the Raleigh-based Capitol Broadcasting Company. The Durham Bulls are operated by the operating entity Durham Bulls Baseball Club, Inc. which is also owned by the Capitol Broadcasting Company.

The Bulls were founded in 1902 as the Durham Tobacconists. The official date when the franchise formed was March 18, with William G. Bramham, later President of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (Minor League Baseball), as the first owner. The Tobacconists took the field for the first time on April 24 in an exhibition game against Trinity College. Their first game in the North Carolina League was at Charlotte on May 5 against the Hornets, and their first home game was against the New Bern Truckers on May 12. The league, however, folded in July, not having played a full season. In December 1912, the Durham Tobacconists re-formed as the Durham Bulls in the North Carolina State League. Their first game was on April 24, 1913 at Hanes Field on the Trinity College campus (now the East Campus of Duke University). They defeated the Raleigh Capitals 7-4. On May 30, 1917, however, the North Carolina State League folded due to America's joining of the Allied Powers during World War I. The Bulls were declared league champions, even though the season was shortened to only 36 games.