History of Miami Marlins in Timeline

The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, competing in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) East Division. Their home games are played at LoanDepot Park.

1956: Miami Marlins in the International League

From 1956 to 1960, a Miami Marlins team played in the Triple-A International League.

1960: Miami Marlins in the International League

From 1956 to 1960, a Miami Marlins team played in the Triple-A International League.

1962: Miami Marlins in the Florida State League

From 1962 to 1970, Miami Marlins teams played in the Florida State League.

1982: Miami Marlins in the Florida State League

From 1982 to 1988, Miami Marlins teams played in the Florida State League.

1990: Completion of Florida Suncoast Dome

In 1990, the Florida Suncoast Dome in St. Petersburg was completed.

June 10, 1991: Expansion Franchise Awarded to Huizenga

On June 10, 1991, the National League awarded an expansion franchise to Wayne Huizenga, based in Miami.

1992: MLB Expansion Draft

In 1992, the team drafted its initial lineup of players in the MLB Expansion Draft.

April 5, 1993: First Game Won

On April 5, 1993, the Marlins won their first game against the Dodgers, with Charlie Hough as the starting pitcher and Jeff Conine going 4-for-4.

1993: Spanish Broadcast on Radio Mambi 710 AM

From 1993 to 2017, games were broadcast in Spanish on Radio Mambi 710 AM.

1993: Number 5 Retired in Honor of Carl Barger

From 1993 until 2011, the Marlins had retired the number 5 in honor of Carl Barger, the first president of the Florida Marlins.

1993: Flagship Radio Station: WQAM 560 AM

From their inception in 1993 through 2007, the Marlins' flagship radio station was WQAM 560 AM.

1993: Franchise Began Play

In 1993, the franchise began play as an expansion team known as the Florida Marlins, sharing Joe Robbie Stadium with the Miami Dolphins.

1993: Team Begins Operations as Florida Marlins

In 1993, the team began operations as the Florida Marlins, with a $95 million expansion fee.

1994: Strike-Shortened Season

In the strike-shortened season of 1994, the Marlins finished last (51–64) in their division.

1995: Fourth in Division

In 1995, the Marlins finished fourth (67–76) in their division.

1996: 80-82 Record

In 1996, the Marlins had an 80-82 record.

1996: Lachemann Replaced as Manager

Midway through the 1996 season, Rene Lachemann was replaced as manager by John Boles.

1997: Jim Leyland Hired as Manager

Heading into 1997, Jim Leyland was hired to lead the club as manager.

1997: Key Player Acquisitions and Playoff Berth

In 1997, the Marlins called up Dontrelle Willis, and Miguel Cabrera hit a walk-off home run in his first game. Jeff Conine returned, and Iván Rodríguez and Ugueth Urbina were acquired, helping the team capture the NL wild card.

1997: Won World Series

In 1997, the Marlins won the World Series after defeating the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS and the Cleveland Indians in the World Series.

2001: Felo Ramírez Wins Ford C. Frick Award

In 2001, Felo Ramírez won the Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

2003: World Series Victory

In 2003, the Marlins defeated the New York Yankees in six games to win the World Series. Josh Beckett was named the series MVP.

2003: Second World Series Win

In 2003, the Marlins secured their second World Series title.

2003: Debut of the "Marlins Mermaids"

In 2003, the Miami Marlins debuted the "Marlins Mermaids", becoming the first MLB team with a dance/cheer team.

2003: National League Championship Series Win

On October 15, 2003, the Marlins defeated the Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series after the Steve Bartman incident in Game 6.

2006: Plans to Leave WQAM

In 2006, the Marlins had plans to leave WQAM.

October 11, 2007: Agreement with WAXY 790 AM

On October 11, 2007, the Marlins announced an agreement with WAXY 790 AM to broadcast all games for the 2008 season.

2008: Games Broadcast on WAXY 790 AM

For the 2008 season, the Marlins' games were broadcast on WAXY 790 AM.

2008: Debut of "The Marlins Manatees"

In 2008, the Florida Marlins introduced "The Marlins Manatees", Major League Baseball's first all-male dance/energy squad, to perform alongside the Mermaids.

2010: Release of "Marlins Will Soar"

In 2010, Creed frontman Scott Stapp wrote and released "Marlins Will Soar", which became an official anthem for the Miami Marlins.

2010: Dave Van Horne Wins Ford C. Frick Award

In 2010, longtime Montreal Expo and current Marlins play-by-play radio announcer Dave Van Horne won the Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award.

2010: Road Uniform Redesign

In 2010, the Marlins changed their road uniform design, replacing "Florida" with "Marlins" and removing the sleeve logo patches.

2011: Number 5 Opened to Circulation

In 2011, with the move to LoanDepot Park, the team opted to honor Carl Barger with a plaque instead, and opened number 5 to circulation.

2012: LoanDepot Park completion

In 2012, LoanDepot Park was completed, resulting in only average attendance for the Miami Marlins that year.

2012: Discontinuation of "Mermaids" and "Manatees"

In 2012, the Miami Marlins replaced the "Mermaids" and "Manatees" with a co-ed "energy squad" for in-game entertainment.

2012: Move to LoanDepot Park and Name Change

In 2012, the team moved to LoanDepot Park, their first exclusive home, and changed their name to the Miami Marlins as part of an agreement with Miami-Dade County.

2012: Move to Marlins Park and Team Renaming

In 2012, the team moved to Marlins Park in downtown Miami and was renamed the Miami Marlins.

2013: Attendance Decline

In 2013, the Miami Marlins' attendance dropped to second to last in the league.

September 25, 2016: José Fernández's Death

After José Fernández's death as a result of a boating accident on September 25, 2016, the Miami Marlins built a memorial at LoanDepot Park in his honor.

November 16, 2017: Giancarlo Stanton Wins NL MVP

On November 16, 2017, Giancarlo Stanton won the National League MVP, the first Marlin to win the award.

2017: End of Felo Ramírez's Play-by-Play

From 1993 to 2017, Felo Ramírez called play-by-play on Radio Mambi 710 AM.

2019: End of Postseason Drought

Between 2003 and 2019, the team's two World Series runs marked their sole postseason appearances.

2019: Return of the Mermaids

In 2019, the Miami Marlins brought back the Mermaids dance squad for the first time since 2012.

November 13, 2020: Kim Ng Hired as General Manager

On November 13, 2020, Kim Ng was announced as the team's general manager, making her the first woman GM in MLB history.

2020: Shortened Season and Playoff Appearance

During the 2020 shortened season, the Marlins finished with a 31–29 record and made it to the NLDS, losing to the Atlanta Braves.

2021: City Connect Uniform Unveiled

In 2021, the Marlins unveiled a City Connect uniform, a primarily red uniform with Miami blue trim, paying homage to the Cuban Sugar Kings.

February 28, 2022: Derek Jeter Steps Down as CEO

On February 28, 2022, Derek Jeter stepped down as CEO of the Marlins.

July 16, 2022: Opening of "Sandy's Beach"

On July 16, 2022, the Miami Marlins opened "Sandy's Beach" at Section 22 of LoanDepot Park as a cheering section for fans of Sandy Alcantara, encouraging fans to wear beach-related clothing during his starts.

September 30, 2023: Marlins Clinch Postseason Berth

On September 30, 2023, the Marlins clinched their fourth postseason berth, making Kim Ng the first woman GM in MLB history to lead a playoff team.

2024: No Retired Numbers for Former Players

As of 2024, the Marlins are the only franchise with no retired numbers for former players.

2024: Uniform Updates

In 2024, the Marlins updated their black alternate uniform, changing the letters to white for improved visibility, and introduced a new Miami blue alternate uniform.