Yakima Bears

The Yakima Bears were a minor league baseball team in the northwest United States, located in Yakima, Washington. The Bears competed at the Class A Short Season level as members of the Northwest League from 1990 to 2012. Following the 2012 season, the franchise relocated to Hillsboro, Oregon, and became Hillsboro Hops. History After 23 summers without minor league baseball, Yakima returned to the Northwest League in 1990. The Salem Dodgers moved from Salem after the 1989 season, bringing with them their affiliation with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2001, the Bears changed their affiliation to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Relocation to Hillsboro The Yakima Bears had been frustrated by the lack of progress on a new stadium that would meet minor league standards, and a declining local economy. The Triple-A Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League had departed for Tucson after the 2010 season, so the Portland metropolitan area was without minor league baseball. In 2011, the city of Vancouver, Washington, presented a proposal on May 13 for a new ballpark to be built on the Clark College campus, ready to host the Yakima Bears franchise for the 2012 season.