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<\/a><\/p>\nNEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 24: Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada look on during the New York Yankees Old Timers\u2019 Day prior to the game against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium on August 24, 2024, in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees\/Getty Images) Getty Images<\/p>\n
Current RailRiders manager Shelley Duncan played 12 games for Columbus in 2006 and hit a home run in his Triple-A debut with the Clippers on June 19, 2006.<\/p>\n
Eight players won International League Most Valuable Player while Columbus was a Yankees affiliate: Bobby Brown<\/a> (1979), Marshall Brant (1980), Tucker Ashford (1982), Scott Bradley (1984), Dan Pasqua (1985), Hensley Meulens<\/a> (1990), J.T. Snow<\/a> (1992), and Fernando Seguignol<\/a> (2003). Six pitchers were named IL Pitcher of the Year: Rick Anderson (1979), Bob Kammeyer (1980), Brad Arnsberg<\/a> (1987), Dave Eiland (1990), Sam Militello<\/a> (1992), and Ed Yarnall (1999).<\/p>\n During its affiliation with the Yankees, Columbus won seven International League titles and finished runner-up three times. Here\u2019s a quick look back at those championship teams:<\/p>\n 1979: With later dynasty architect Gene Michael<\/a> as manager, the Clippers went 85-54 during the regular season, then defeated the Syracuse Chiefs in the final, four games to three. Dennis Werth\u2014Jayson\u2019s stepfather<\/a>\u2014was the team\u2019s top hitter with 17 home runs, 74 RBIs and a .299 batting average. Brown was league MVP. Kammeyer was 16-8 with a 3.92 ERA, while Anderson was 13-3 with 21 saves and a 1.63 ERA.<\/p>\n 1980: Under the direction of manager Joe Altobelli, who would soon win a World Series as Earl Weaver\u2019s successor with the Orioles, Columbus went 83-57 and beat the Toledo Mud Hens in the final, 4-1. Brant hit .289 with 23 home runs and 92 RBIs to earn MVP honors. Kammeyer was 15-7 with a 2.91 ERA to be named Pitcher of the Year.<\/p>\n 1981: For the third straight year, Columbus wins the league title with a third different manager. Frank Verdi led the Clippers to an 88-51 record during the regular season. In the final, they beat the Richmond Braves, 2-1, after the remainder of the series was cancelled due to rain and unplayable field conditions. Steve \u201cBye Bye\u201d Balboni<\/a> hit 33 home runs and drove in 98 runs, while Brant had 25 home runs and 95 RBIs. Ashford had 32 doubles, 17 home runs, 86 RBIs and batted .300. Pitchers John Pacella and Dave Wehrmeister each won 11 games.<\/p>\n 1987: Bucky Dent managed Columbus this season, three years after his MLB career ended and three years before he would skipper the Yankees themselves. The Clippers finished second in the league with a 77-63 record, but swept the Rochester Red Wings and Tidewater Tides, 3-0, to capture the Governors\u2019 Cup. Frank Costanza\u2019s beloved Jay Buhner<\/a> had 31 home runs and 85 RBIs. Orestes Destrade added 25 home runs and 81 RBIs, while Roberto Kelly had 13 home runs, 62 RBIs and 51 stolen bases. Pitchers Arnsberg and Pete Filson each won 12 games.<\/p>\n Aug 9, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Former New York Yankees shortstop Bucky Dent at Old Timer\u2019s Day at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images<\/p>\n 1991: Rick Down managed Columbus to an 85-59 record, then a three-game sweep of the Pawtucket Red Sox in the final. Playoff hero-in-the-making Jim Leyritz had 11 home runs and 48 RBIs, future Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo had 10 bombs and 75 RBIs, and Mike Humphreys recorded nine home runs, 53 RBIs and a .283 batting average. Royal Clayton was the top pitcher, going 11-7 with a 3.84 ERA. Others on the staff that season included Eiland, Alan Mills, and Scott Kamieniecki.<\/p>\n 1992: Down again was manager and guided Columbus to a 95-49 record. The Clippers then rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning of the fifth and deciding game of the final to defeat the Red Barons and repeat as champs. Snow captured MVP honors after batting .313 with 15 home runs and 78 RBIs. Meulens hit 26 home runs and knocked in 100 runs. The late Gerald Williams batted .285 with 16 home runs and 86 RBIs, while a youngster named Bernie Williams<\/a> played 95 games and had eight home runs and 50 RBIs whenever he wasn\u2019t patrolling center in the Bronx. Militello was 12-2 with a 2.29 ERA and 152 strikeouts in 142 innings to earn the league\u2019s top pitcher award. Bob Wickman added 12 victories.<\/p>\n 1996: Former Yankees skipper Stump Merrill managed this Columbus team to an 85-57 record, then swept the Rochester Red Wings in the final, 3-0. Ivan Cruz socked 28 home runs and 96 RBIs. A whole bunch of familiar names from the late-1990s Yanks contributed to this Clippers team. Ricky Ledee had 21 home runs and 64 RBIs, while Jorge Posada chipped in 11 home runs and 62 RBIs. Brian Boehringer won 11 games, Eiland and Dave Pavlas each won eight and Ramiro Mendoza chipped in six victories.<\/p>\n In 2006, the Yankees announced they were moving their Triple-A affiliate from Columbus to Scranton\/Wilkes-Barre starting with the 2007 season. They have been in northeastern Pennsylvania ever since.<\/p>\n When the Yankees left, Columbus became the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals for 2007-08. It then became the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians in 2009 and continues to be today.<\/p>\n No longer do the Clippers play in Cooper Stadium, where the Yankees affiliate played. They moved to a downtown ballpark, Huntington Park, in 2009. But it doesn\u2019t feel so long ago.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n