Hall Of Fame Flashback: Denver Bears’ Tim Raines Recognized

Tim Raines predates Baseball America, which launched in 1981 as All-America Baseball News. Raines made his big league debut in 1979 at just 19 after being drafted in the fifth round in 1977.

BA’s first mention of Raines came in just its second issue ever dated March 14, 1981. The info box was part of a longer story on how Denver, the Expos’ Triple-A affiliate in the American Association, had become a minor league stalwart.

Bears’ Raines Recognized

The Denver Bears are a minor league team in a major league city. Which makes it all the more impressive that Tim Raines, the Bears’ outstanding second baseman of 1980, was recently accorded the honor of Colorado’s professional athlete-of-the-year for 1980.

Raines, who also won acclaim as the minor league baseball player-of-the-year, won out over players from the NFL’s Denver Broncos, the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and the NHL’s Colorado Rockies.

The young second baseman led the Bears to the American Association’s Western Division championship, batting a league-leading .354, and stealing a league-high 77 bases.