• June 1, 1994: Official announcement that Albany-Colonie Yankees will move to Norwich.

• April 17, 1995: Traffic backs up to Interstate 395 as 6,628 fans and VIPs make their way to Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium for Opening Day.

• Aug. 21, 1996: New York Yankees pitcher David Cone makes rehab start before 7,056.

• Aug. 26, 1996: Cone's second appearance before 6,495 fans.

• May 23, 1997: Yankees pitcher Dwight “Doc” Gooden makes rehab start before 6,575 fans.

• June 20, 1997: Yankees' Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu makes first U.S. appearance in start for Navigators before then-record 7,328 fans.

• Aug. 25, 2000: Second-highest crowd of 7,429 comes for post-game fireworks.

• Aug. 24, 2001: Record crowd of 7,532 comes for post-game fireworks.

• June 7, 2002: Yankees pitcher Andy Pettite makes rehab start before 6,950.

• July 10, 2002: Dodd Stadium hosts Class AA All-Star game with crowd of 8,009, which doesn't count in official team attendance.

• Aug. 1, 2002: Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens makes rehab start before 7,127 fans.

• Sept. 14, 2002: Norwich Navigators win Eastern League championship.

• Sept. 17, 2002: New York Yankees announce long-rumored move of AA franchise from Norwich to Trenton.

• Sept. 20, 2002: Navigators become San Francisco Giants' affiliate.

• March 21, 2005: Major League Baseball approves sale of Norwich Navigators to group headed by boxing promoter Lou DiBella for $10 million.

• April 1, 2005: New ownership takes over team.

• Oct. 17, 2005: New team name and logo for Connecticut Defenders unveiled at Hard Rock Café at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

• Dec. 30, 2005: City and team officials sign new lease through 2012 season, but with early buyout option starting at end of 2009 season with $140,000 early departure penalty.

• Feb. 13, 2009: Announcement that a Richmond business group planned to buy the Defenders and move the team to that city for the 2010 season.

• May 28, 2009: Deal by Richmond Baseball Club LC to buy Defenders falls apart, but efforts to move the team continue.

• July 25, 2009: Largest crowd of the 2009 season, 7,163, for Military Appreciation Day. Defenders win 1-0 in 13 innings.

• Sept. 7. 2009: Defenders close out the 2009 season in first place with total season attendance at 203,005, average of 3,075 per game.

• Sept. 13, 2009: Defenders win Eastern League Northern Division title, defeating New Britain 3 games to 1.

• Sept. 16, 2009: Final Defenders game at Dodd Stadium, with 4,008 fans watching a playoff loss to Akron.

• Sept. 19, 2009: Akron Aeros win Eastern League championship, defeating the Defenders 3 games to 1.

• Sept. 23, 2009: Official announcement that Defenders will move to Richmond, Va., in 2010.


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