wiki143 - User contributions [en]

Grainger Stadium

2025-06-03T23:45:44Z

70.29.98.129:

{{short description|Baseball stadium in North Carolina, United States}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Grainger Stadium
| nickname =
| image = [[File:Compressed374.jpg|265px]]
| location = 400 East Grainger Avenue [[Kinston, North Carolina]] United States
| coordinates = {{coord|35|16|12|N|77|34|27|W|type:landmark_region:US-NC|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground = September 1948
| opened = April 21, 1949<ref name="athleticjournal"/>
| renovated = 1995, 2016, 2018, 2025
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = [[Kinston, North Carolina|City of Kinston]]
| operator = Down East Bird Dawgs
| surface = Grass
| construction_cost = $170,000 (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|170000|1949}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect = Wooten and Rowland
| general_contractor = George DuBose
| former_names =
| tenants = [[Kinston Indians]] ([[Carolina League|CL]]) 1986–2011 [[Down East Wood Ducks]] ([[Carolina League|CL]]) 2017–2024 [[Down East Bird Dawgs]] ([[Frontier League|FL]]) 2025–present
| seating_capacity = 4,100 (1949–2018) 3,410 (2018–2025) 3,400 (2025–present)
| dimensions = '''Right Field:''' {{convert|335|ft|m|abbr=on}} '''Center Field:''' {{convert|390|ft|m|abbr=on}} '''Left Field:''' {{convert|335|ft|m|abbr=on}}
}}

'''Grainger Stadium''' is a [[Ballpark|baseball stadium]] located in [[Kinston, North Carolina]]. It is the home ballpark for the [[Down East Bird Dawgs]] who competes in the [[Frontier League]] (FL), as well as the annual Freedom Classic between [[Navy Midshipmen|Navy]] and [[Air Force Falcons|Air Force]]. It has a seating capacity of 3,400 people, and was previously home to the [[Kinston Indians]] and the [[Down East Wood Ducks]] until the arrival of the Bird Dawgs in 2025.<ref>{{cite news |title=Baseball Rolls Back Into Kinston|first=Michelle|last=Piper|url=http://www.newbernsj.com/news/20160822/baseball-rolls-back-into-kinston|newspaper=[[Kinston Free Press]]|date=August 22, 2016|accessdate=August 23, 2016}}</ref>

==History and naming==
The stadium is located at 400 East Grainger Avenue in Kinston. The original structure was built by architect John J. Rowland in 1949 at a cost of US$170,000 inclusive of everything except the land. Bonds were issued to raised $150,000 of the necessary money.<ref name="athleticjournal">{{cite journal |last=Mock Jr.|first=Frank L.|title=Kinston's New Stadium|journal=Athletic Journal|volume=29|issue=10|pages=14|date=June 1950}}</ref> The name Grainger comes from the donor of half of the cost of the land on which it is situated, Jesse Willis Grainger. Located on Grainger Avenue, it was initially used by Grainger High School. Grainger is a prominent old family name in [[Greene County, North Carolina|Greene]] and [[Lenoir County, North Carolina|Lenoir Counties]].

The stadium is owned by the city and leased by the team. A dedicatory plaque identifies the structure as "Municipal Stadium", but it has been called Grainger Stadium since it was built. Ownership began referring to it as "Historic Grainger Stadium" due to its age relative to other fields in the [[Carolina League]], as it is the second-oldest stadium in the circuit. It remains one of the oldest active ballparks in [[Minor League Baseball]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.milb.com/news/oldest-11-minor-league-ballparks |title=Been a while: Oldest Minor League ballparks |first=Benjamin |last=Hill |website=[[Minor League Baseball]] |date=February 18, 2021 |access-date=April 18, 2021}}</ref>

==Features==

===Playing field===
The field itself has dimensions of {{convert|335|ft|m}} down the [[Left field|left]] and [[right field]] lines, and {{convert|390|ft|m}} to straightaway [[Baseball field#outfield|center field]].<ref>{{cite web |title=A to Z Guide|url=https://www.milb.com/down-east/ballpark/atozguide|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327170708/https://www.milb.com/down-east/ballpark/atozguide|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 27, 2019|website=Down East Wood Ducks|publisher=Minor League Baseball|accessdate=April 20, 2019}}</ref> The Grainger Stadium field has been recognized for its quality. This is largely due to the efforts of two men, Lewis B. "Mac" McAvery and Tommy Walston. McAvery was the head [[groundskeeper]] from 1949 to his death in 1979. In honor of his accomplishments, the team established an annual award in his name to be given to the individual who has done the most to "preserve and enhance" professional baseball in Kinston. Walston was the head groundskeeper until the spring of 2008. He was honored with four Carolina League Groundskeeper of the Year awards as well as the Sportsturf Manager of the Year award for all of Class A baseball in 2003. Walston is also president and founder of the Eastern North Carolina Sportsturf Association.<ref>{{cite news |title=K-Tribe's Head Groundskeeper to receive award|newspaper=[[The Daily Reflector]]|location=Greenville, NC|date=November 8, 2003}}</ref>

===Seating and construction===
Grainger Stadium originally had a [[seating capacity]] of 4,100, but was reduced to 3,410 in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-12 |title=BEST Seats At Grainger Stadium (Down East Wood Ducks) - The Ballpark Guide |url=https://www.theballparkguide.com/minors/down-east-wood-ducks/where-to-sit-at-grainger-stadium |access-date=2025-05-29 |language=en-US}}</ref> The stadium includes a covered [[grandstand]] of eight sections partially protected by netting, uncovered metal [[bleachers]] down the third base line, and several rows of uncovered seating along the first base line. There is also a picnic area with tables that have a full view of the playing field. Box seats stretch from first to third base just in front of the grandstand. With the exception of the metal bleachers, all seats in Grainger Stadium are formed plastic. The box seats are squared off sections bordered by metal railing with plastic folding chairs and have waitresses assigned to them. The closest seating is mere inches from the playing field while the furthest seats in the top row of the grandstand sit {{convert|52|ft|4|in}} from the action. During the days of [[Racial segregation|segregation]], section one of the grandstand and a now removed set of metal bleachers that sat adjacent to section one were designated for black attendees. A majority of the supporting structure is brick and steel, and steel beams cause some partially obstructed views. The roof is wooden, as is the press box. The outfield wall is made of brick with signs of various materials and a wooden [[batter's eye]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rowland|first1=John J.|last2=Simpson|first2=James M.|title=Stadium for All Municipal Functions, Kinston, N. C.|journal=Architectural Record|volume=106|issue=1|pages=121–123|date=July 1949}}</ref>

==Other uses==
The facility is often used for a variety of events besides minor league baseball. In September 1979, the [[USSSA]] ([[Softball#Types of softball|slow-pitch softball]]) World Series was held in Grainger Stadium. The stadium hosted the [[Colonial Athletic Association baseball tournament]] from 1995 to 1999<ref name=rb>{{cite web|title=Baseball Record Book|url=http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/8500/supportfiles/Records/recordbookbase.pdf|publisher=Colonial Athletic Association|accessdate=February 18, 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413200333/http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/8500/supportfiles/Records/recordbookbase.pdf|archivedate=April 13, 2015|pages=6–10|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the [[Conference USA baseball tournament]] in [[2002 Conference USA Baseball Tournament|2002]].<ref name=guide>{{cite web|title=2012 Conference USA Baseball Media Guide|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/c-usa/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/c-usa-m-basebl-guide-2012.pdf|accessdate=June 21, 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112132014/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/c-usa/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/c-usa-m-basebl-guide-2012.pdf|archivedate=November 12, 2012|page=75|url-status=dead}}</ref> Two devoted fans who met at a Kinston Indians game decided to get married at the ballpark.<ref>{{cite news |title=Couple Recite Vows in Ballpark Wedding|first=Stanley B.|last=Chambers Jr.|newspaper=[[The Daily Reflector]]|location=Greenville, NC|date=August 1, 2004}}</ref> On September 30, 2006, Grainger Stadium was the site of the Whole Hog Blues Festival.<ref>{{cite news |title=Festival lineup 2006|newspaper=[[Sun Journal (New Bern, North Carolina)]]|date=September 21, 2006}}</ref> The facility is often used for regional youth and collegiate baseball tournaments. For example, in May 2007, the ballpark was the site of the 2007 [[NCAA Division II]] South Atlantic Regional. It is currently the home of the "Freedom Classic" which is the annual baseball series between the Air Force Academy and the Naval Academy.

[[East Carolina Pirates baseball|East Carolina University]] in nearby [[Greenville, North Carolina|Greenville]] hosted an NCAA super regional in 2001 and an NCAA regional in 2004 at Kinston because the Pirates' on-campus facility, [[Clark–LeClair Stadium|Clark-LeClair Stadium]], was not up to Division I standards to host postseason tournaments at the time. Subsequent upgrades to Clark-LeClair have allowed ECU to host in Greenville.

==Renovations==
{{wide image|GraingerStadium910814.JPG|800px|Grainger Stadium in 1991}}

Grainger Stadium has been renovated often through the years to maintain the facility and to try to keep it up to the standards of professional baseball. At times, these renovations have been quite extensive.<ref>{{cite web |title=Grainger Stadium Renovations|url=http://www.kinstonindians.com/construction_02/index.htm|publisher=Kinston Indians|accessdate=July 15, 2007|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070804133909/http://www.kinstonindians.com/construction_02/index.htm|archivedate=August 4, 2007}}</ref>

In January 2007, the Kinston-[[Lenoir County]] Tourism Development Authority approved $75,000 to help fund a new scoreboard and video board. The funds were disbursed in $15,000 increments over five years. The City of Kinston provided $175,000 in additional funds toward the project. The new boards cost an estimated $350,000.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tourism Development Authority Grants Funds|first=Bob|last=Shiles|newspaper=[[Kinston Free Press]]|date=January 11, 2007}}</ref> On August 10, 2016, new turf grass was put down to replace the 18-year-old surface. Other upgrades included those to the parking lot, lighting, grandstand, and outfield wall.

Additional renovations took place in 2025 in preparation for the Bird Dawgs' arrival. The main grandstand had been renovated the previous year, while the latest renovations included expanded concessions and team store, a new scoreboard, a new training facility and renovated offices. Additionally, the clubhouse were remodeled to meet Frontier League specifications. These renovations were completed prior to the 2025 Freedom Classic. Following the Freedom Classic, the third base bleachers were demolished and a new patio was built in its place in time for the Bird Dawgs' inaugural season. Following the renovations, the seating capacity was further reduced to 3,400.

==Former Kinston ballparks==
[[File:Grainger Park.jpg|thumb|right|Grainger Park, 1939]]
*'''West End Park''' was the home field of the [[Eastern Carolina Baseball Association]], "[[Independent league baseball|outlaw league]]" [[Kinston Robins]] and [[Kinston Highwaymen|Highwaymen]], and the [[Kinston Eagles (Virginia League)|Kinston Eagles]] of the [[Virginia League]] and the [[Kinston Eagles (Eastern Carolina League)|Kinston Eagles]] of the [[Eastern Carolina League]]. It was designed by local baseball figure [[George Suggs]] and constructed from 1920 to 1921. The stadium was overhauled when Kinston joined the Virginia League in 1925 as the Eagles.<ref>{{cite news |title=Baseball Club's To Improve Park And Get Manager|newspaper=[[Kinston Free Press]]|date=December 12, 1924}}</ref> [[John McGraw]]'s [[New York Giants (NL)|New York Giants]] played an exhibition game against the Eagles in this venue in the spring of 1925.<ref>{{cite news |title=Giants Arrive for Game With Eagles; Season is Started on Kinston Lot|newspaper=[[Kinston Free Press]]|date=April 1, 1925}}</ref> West End Park was last used was 1929.
*'''Grainger Park''' was shared by the [[Kinston Eagles (Coastal Plain League)|Kinston Eagles]] of the [[Coastal Plain League (Class D)|Coastal Plain League]] and the Grainger High School Red Devils who used it for both [[baseball]] and [[American football|football]]. It was located directly behind the high school, a few hundred yards from where Grainger Stadium now sits. It was used as a minor league stadium from 1934 to 1948. Grainger Park hosted the Coastal Plain League [[All-Star Game]] in 1938. [[Connie Mack]]'s [[Philadelphia Athletics]] played an exhibition game with the Eagles at the park in the spring of 1939.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gaunt|first=Robert H.|title=We Would Have Played Forever: The Story of the Coastal Plain Baseball League|publisher=Baseball America, Inc.|year=1997|location=Durham, North Carolina|isbn=0-9637189-8-3|page=84}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170409021530/http://www.milb.com/content/page.jsp?ymd=20170109&content_id=213147634&sid=t485&vkey=team1 Grainger Stadium - Down East Wood Ducks]
*[http://www.littleballparks.com/Stadium/2005/Kinston/Kinston.htm Grainger Stadium Views - ''Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues'']

{{Frontier League Ballparks}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Lenoir County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Independent league baseball venues]]
[[Category:Baseball venues in North Carolina]]
[[Category:1949 establishments in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1949]]
[[Category:Frontier League ballparks]]

Thomas More Stadium

2025-06-03T23:40:34Z

70.29.98.129:

{{short description|American sports venue}}
{{Infobox venue
| name =
| nickname =
| logo_image =
| logo_size =
| logo_alt =
| logo_caption =
| image = Thomas More Field, Florence, Kentucky.jpg
| image_size =
| image_upright =
| image_alt = Thomas More Field
| caption = Thomas More Stadium in 2023
| image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=250|zoom=13|type=point}}
| pushpin_map = USA Kentucky#USA
| pushpin_relief = yes
| fullname =
| former names = Champion Window Field (2004–2012) UC Health Stadium (2013–2020) Y'alls Ballpark (2021)
| address = 7950 Freedom Way
| city = [[Florence, Kentucky|Florence, KY]] 41042
| country =
| location =
| coordinates = {{Coord|38.982156|-84.638479|type:landmark|display= inline,title}}
| elevation = 
| publictransit =
| parking =
| owner =
| operator =
| designation =
| type =
| genre =
| seating_type =
| suites =
| capacity = 4,500
| record_attendance =
| dimensions =
| field_shape =
| acreage =
| surface = [[artificial turf]]
| scoreboard =
| screens =
| currentuse =
| production =
| broke_ground =
| built =
| opened = {{Start date|2004}}
| renovated =
| expanded =
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| demolished =
| rebuilt =
| yearsactive =
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| architect =
| builder =
| project_manager =
| structural engineer =
| services engineer =
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| main_contractors =
| tenants = [[Florence Y'alls]] ([[Frontier League|FL]]), 2004–present [[Mount St. Joseph University#Athletics|Mount St. Joseph Lions]] ([[NCAA Division III|NCAA]]), ?–present [[Thomas More University#Athletics|Thomas More Saints]] ([[NCAA Division II|NCAA]]), 2023–present [[Northern Kentucky Norse baseball|Northern Kentucky Norse]] ([[NCAA Division II|NCAA]]), 2006–2008
| website = 
| embedded =
}}
'''Thomas More Stadium''' is a [[Ballpark|baseball stadium]] in [[Florence, Kentucky]]. It is primarily used for [[baseball]] and is the home field of the [[Florence Y'alls]] of the [[Frontier League]] (FL). It originally opened in 2004 as '''Champion Window Field''' and holds 4,500 seats.<ref name="rev">{{cite web |url=http://www.ballparkreviews.com/florence/florence.htm |title=Champion Window Field |website=BallParkReviews.com |access-date=October 18, 2009}}</ref>

On November 27, 2012, the then-named Florence Freedom announced that [[University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center#UC Health|UC Health]], the healthcare system of the [[University of Cincinnati]], had signed a 10-year naming rights deal, giving the ballpark its '''UC Health Stadium''' name.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20121127/NEWS0103/121127036/?odyssey=tab%7Cmostpopular%7Ctext%7CNEWS |title=UC inks stadium naming deal with Florence Freedom |newspaper=[[The Cincinnati Enquirer]] |date=November 27, 2012 |access-date=November 28, 2012 |last=Hansel |first=Mark}}</ref> In May 2021, it was reported that the team was looking for a new naming rights partner after UC Health dropped its sponsorship, and that the team would be using the name '''Y'alls Ballpark''' for their home field.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Watkins |first1=Steve |title=Florence Y'alls seeking naming rights sponsor for stadium |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/05/25/here-s-your-chance-to-get-your-company-name-on-a.html |access-date=May 29, 2021 |work=[[Cincinnati Business Courier]] |date=May 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Engel |first1=Liz |title=Five things you need to know today, and the worst summer job ever |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/05/26/five-things-waiting-tables.html |access-date=May 29, 2021 |work=Cincinnati Business Courier |date=May 26, 2021}}</ref> In March 2022, the Y'alls announced that [[Thomas More University]] had acquired the naming rights, and that the university's baseball team would play at '''Thomas More Stadium''' starting in 2023.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Weber |first1=James |title=Florence Y'alls baseball franchise to rename home park as Thomas More Stadium |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/2022/03/01/florence-yalls-franchise-rename-home-park-thomas-more-stadium/6977705001/ |access-date=May 21, 2022 |newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer |date=March 1, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Thomas More University, Florence Y'alls teaming up, partnering to rename ballpark Thomas More Stadium |url=https://www.nkytribune.com/2022/03/thomas-more-university-florence-yalls-teaming-up-partnering-to-rename-ballpark-thomas-more-stadium/ |access-date=May 21, 2022 |work=Northern Kentucky Tribune |date=March 2, 2022}}</ref>

==History==
===2004 ownership scandal===
In July 2004, shortly after the opening of Champion Window Field, contractors began filing liens against the Florence Freedom, accusing the team of not paying for work done on the stadium. Eventually, 33 liens totaling $4.7 million were filed. In August, [[Fifth Third Bank]] sued team part-owner Chuck Hildebrant for failing to repay multiple loans taken out to finance the stadium construction. As part of the lawsuit, it was revealed that Hildebrant had used {{convert|204|acre|km2}} of land that he did not own as collateral for the loans, and that he had given the bank a forged document as proof of ownership.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Jennifer |last1=Edwards |first2=Brenna R. |last2=Kelly |url=http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/09/14/loc_loc2aflo.html |title=Family suing Freedom owner |newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer |date=September 14, 2004 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130122042027/http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/09/14/loc_loc2aflo.html |archive-date=January 22, 2013 |access-date=January 1, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> Hildebrant was later the subject of a federal white collar crime investigation and sentenced to prison in October 2005.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former team owner sentenced to five years over loans |url=http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/sports/12958595.htm |access-date=May 29, 2021 |work=FortWayne.com |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=October 21, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051027015959/http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/sports/12958595.htm |archive-date=October 27, 2005}}</ref> The team was sold in November 2004 to a new ownership group led by Clint Brown, who was not associated with Hildebrant's ownership group.<ref>{{cite news |first=Cliff |last=Peale |url=http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/11/03/loc_kyflorence.03.html |title=Florence Freedom has a deal |newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer |date=November 3, 2004 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729232518/http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/11/03/loc_kyflorence.03.html |archive-date=July 29, 2012 |access-date=January 1, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Other uses===
From 2006 to 2008, the [[Northern Kentucky Norse baseball]] team, then of [[NCAA]] [[NCAA Division II|Division II]], moved from on-campus [[Bill Aker Baseball Complex]] to play its home schedule at Champion Window Field.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Amateur Baseball Schedule at Champion Window Field Announced |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3610355 |work=OurSportsCentral.com |access-date=March 1, 2013 |date=March 25, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Bellarmine vs. Northern Kentucky Box Score |url=http://athletics.bellarmine.edu/custompages/Sports/BB/2008-09/34-bell.htm |work=Athletics.Bellarmine.edu |publisher=Bellarmine Sports Information |access-date=March 1, 2013 |date=April 5, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Mulcahey |first=Matt |title=NKU Baseball Slides into New Home |url=http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20060204/SPT01/602040397/NKU-baseball-slides-into-new-home?nclick_check=1 |newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer |access-date=March 1, 2013 |date=February 4, 2006 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130407224510/http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20060204/SPT01/602040397/NKU-baseball-slides-into-new-home?gcheck=1&nclick_check=1 |archive-date=April 7, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> Thomas More Stadium is currently home to the [[Mount St. Joseph University]] Lions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Current Home of the Mount Saint Joseph University Lions |url=https://florenceyalls.com/amateur-baseball/collage-baseball/ |access-date=December 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Baseball Facilities |url=https://www.msjsports.com/athletic_facilities/Baseball_Facilities/index |website=Mount St. Joseph University - Official Athletics Website |publisher=Mount St. Joseph University |access-date=January 4, 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{succession box
|title = Host of the [[Frontier League|FL]] [[All-Star Game]] Champion Window Field
|years = 2007
|before = [[Bosse Field]]
|after = [[Wuerfel Park]]
}}
{{end}}
{{Frontier League Ballparks}}

[[Category:Baseball venues in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Minor league baseball venues]]
[[Category:Frontier League ballparks]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Boone County, Kentucky]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Boone County, Kentucky]]
[[Category:2004 establishments in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 2004]]
[[Category:Thomas More University|Stadium]]
[[Category:Florence, Kentucky]]
[[Category:College baseball venues in the United States]]

{{Kentucky-baseball-venue-stub}}

Joseph L. Bruno Stadium

2025-06-03T23:30:05Z

70.29.98.129:

{{Short description|Baseball stadium in Troy, New York}}
{{Infobox stadium
| stadium_name = Joseph L. Bruno Stadium
| nickname = "The Joe"
| location = 80 Vandenburgh Avenue [[Troy, New York]], 12180
| coordinates = {{coord|42.695329|-73.680464|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground = May 6, 2001<ref>{{cite web|title=DASNY Chair Joins Groundbreaking for Baseball Stadium in Troy|url=http://www.dasny.org/dasny/news/2001/stadium.php|publisher=Dormitory Authority State of New York|date=May 7, 2001|accessdate=September 15, 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120801135600/http://www.dasny.org/dasny/news/2001/stadium.php|archivedate=August 1, 2012}}</ref>
| opened = April 6, 2002<ref>{{cite journal |title=Joseph L. Bruno Stadium |url=https://www.hvccathletics.com/facilities/baseball_stadium |website=Official Athletics site of Hudson Valley Community College |access-date=July 7, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
| owner = [[Hudson Valley Community College]]
| operator = [[Hudson Valley Community College]]
| surface = Grass
| construction_cost = US$14 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|14000000|2002}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect = [[DLR Group]]
| structural engineer = [[Clough Harbour|CHA Sports]]
| services engineer = Quantum Engineering Company<ref>{{cite web|title=Contractors Announced for New Baseball Stadium at Hudson Valley Community College|url=https://hvcc.edu/stadium/news/contractors.html|publisher=Hudson Valley Community College|date=March 20, 2002|accessdate=June 3, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100625204013/https://www.hvcc.edu/stadium/news/contractors.html|archivedate=June 25, 2010}}</ref>
| general_contractor = U.W. Marx Construction Co.<ref>{{cite web |title=Joseph Bruno Stadium|first=David|last=Broughton|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2002/07/20020701/Facilities/Joseph-L-Bruno-Stadium.aspx|work=SportsBusiness Journal|date=July 1, 2002|accessdate=September 15, 2011}}</ref>
| former_names =
| tenants = [[Tri-City ValleyCats]] ([[Frontier League|FL]]) 2002–present [[Hudson Valley Community College|Hudson Valley Vikings]] ([[National Junior College Athletic Association|NJCAA]]) 2002–present
| seating_capacity = 6,500
| record_attendance = 6,888 (July 4, 2011)
| dimensions = Left Field: 325 feet Center Field: 400 feet Right Field: 325 feet
}}
[[File:Joseph L. Bruno Stadium - entrance.jpg|thumb|300x300px|The entrance of Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.]]
The '''Joseph L. Bruno Stadium''' is a [[Ballpark|baseball stadium]] located on the campus of [[Hudson Valley Community College]] in [[Troy, New York]]. It is the home field of the [[Tri-City ValleyCats]] of the [[Frontier League]] (FL).<ref>{{cite news|last=Schott|first=Ken|url=https://dailygazette.com/2021/01/07/valleycats-will-join-frontier-league/|title=ValleyCats will join Frontier League|website=Daily Gazette|date=January 7, 2021|accessdate=January 7, 2021}}</ref> The ballpark has 6,500 seats and a lawn seating area in the outfield that holds an additional 1,000 people, bringing the total capacity to 7,500. Located in the center of the tri-city area of New York's Capital Region ([[Albany, New York|Albany]], [[Schenectady]] and Troy), it was named after former New York State Senate Majority Leader [[Joseph Bruno]], who helped secure the funds for the ballpark.<ref>{{cite web |title=Baseball Stadium |url=https://www.hvcc.edu/stadium/index.html |website=HVCC.edu |publisher=Hudson Valley Community College |accessdate=November 21, 2018 |archive-date=July 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724015945/http://www.hvcc.edu/stadium/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Attendance==
In 2012, the ValleyCats set a new single-season attendance record for the 9th-consecutive year, drawing 159,966 fans. The record was bolstered by 17 sellout crowds, also a new franchise record.<ref>{{cite news |title=ValleyCats Turn to Aaron West to Start New York–Penn League Playoffs|first=Ed|last=Weaver|url=http://www.troyrecord.com/general-news/20120907/valleycats-turn-to-aaron-west-to-start-new-york-penn-league-playoffs|newspaper=[[The Record (Troy)]]|date=September 7, 2012|accessdate=June 3, 2014}}</ref>

The ValleyCats set attendance records in 2004 (110,497), 2005 (116,674), 2006 (129,126), 2007 (136,809), 2008 (140,631), 2009 (145,976), 2010 (155,315), 2011 (156,279) and yet again in 2012 (159,966).<ref>{{cite web |title=Attendance Records |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-5973136 |website=[[Minor League Baseball]] |publisher=Minor League Baseball |access-date=November 18, 2018}}</ref>

==Other events==

===2008 New York–Penn League All-Star Game===
On August 19 "The Joe" hosted the 2008 New York–Penn League All-Star game, the fourth in league history.<ref>{{cite web |title=2008 New York Penn League All Star Game |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-345991 |website=[[Minor League Baseball]] |access-date=November 18, 2018}}</ref> The game was won by the NL All-Stars with a walk off RBI by ValleyCats third baseman David Flores. This game was the second largest opening for "The Joe" in the 2008 season.

===K.O. at the Joe===
K.O. at the Joe was a series of amateur boxing matches held at the stadium. The first was in 2007 and was brought back in 2008 and 2009.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Santillo |first1=Andrew |title=Boxing state championships set for the Joe |url=https://www.troyrecord.com/news/boxing-state-championships-set-for-the-joe/article_953de89a-2e52-5f0a-aa99-48e77f1c84e4.html |website=Troyrecord.com |date=29 May 2009 |publisher=The Troy Record |accessdate=November 18, 2018}}</ref>

===World Series Trophy viewing===
On May 5, 2011, the San Francisco Giants World Series Trophy was on display for Capital Region fans.<ref>{{cite web |title=World Series trophy coming to Troy on May 5 |url=https://www.milb.com/tri-city-valleycats/news/gcs-16970246 |website=[[Minor League Baseball]] |access-date=November 18, 2018}}</ref> The stop in Troy was part of a public tour the team launched to celebrate its first World Series championship since 1954, and the first since moving from New York City to San Francisco. The franchise originally began in A competing as the Troy Trojans from 1879–1882.

On August 3, 2018, the [[Houston Astros]] World Series trophy was on display at The Joe after Houston won its first championship.<ref>{{cite web |title=Astros' World Series trophy to visit "The Joe" on August 3 |url=https://www.milb.com/tri-city-valleycats/news/astros-world-series-trophy-to-visit-the-joe-on-august-3-269477584 |website=[[Minor League Baseball]] |access-date=November 18, 2018}}</ref>

===Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament===
From May 24–27, 2012, the stadium hosted the 2012 [[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference baseball tournament]], which was won by [[Manhattan Jaspers baseball|Manhattan]].<ref name=12MAAC>{{cite web |title=2011-12 MAAC Championship Schedule|url=http://www.maacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=17400&ATCLID=205178182|publisher=Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference|year=2011|accessdate=February 12, 2012}}</ref><ref name=12MAACtourneywinner>{{cite web|title=Manhattan Repeats as MAAC Champs! |url=http://www.gojaspers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=12500&ATCLID=205434345 |publisher=Manhattan College Sports Information Department |date=May 27, 2012 |accessdate=May 27, 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150605153018/http://www.gojaspers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=12500&ATCLID=205434345 |archivedate=June 5, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Joseph L. Bruno Stadium}}
*[http://www.tcvalleycats.com/ Tri-City Valley Cats]
*[http://www.hvcc.edu Hudson Valley Community College]
*[http://mysite.verizon.net/charliesballparks/stadiums/bruno.htm Charlie’s Big Baseball Parks Page - Joseph Bruno Stadium] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051204074304/http://mysite.verizon.net/charliesballparks/stadiums/bruno.htm |date=2005-12-04 }}
*[http://www.littleballparks.com/Stadium/2002/Troy/Troy.htm Joseph Bruno Stadium Views - ''Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090524191645/http://www.littleballparks.com/Stadium/2002/Troy/Troy.htm |date=2009-05-24 }}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box
| title = Home of the [[Tri-City ValleyCats]]
| years = 2002 – present
| before = [[Wahconah Park]]
| after = Current
}}
{{end}}

{{Tri-City ValleyCats}}
{{Frontier League Ballparks}}

[[Category:Sports venues in Rensselaer County, New York]]
[[Category:Minor league baseball venues]]
[[Category:Baseball venues in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Troy, New York]]
[[Category:2002 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 2002]]
[[Category:College baseball venues in the United States]]

Crushers Stadium

2025-06-03T19:36:20Z

70.29.98.129:

{{Short description|Baseball park in Avon, Ohio, United States}}
{{Infobox venue
| name =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| nickname =
| logo_image =
| logo_size =
| logo_alt =
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| image = Crushers 055.JPG
| image_size =
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| caption = Exterior view in 2010
| image_map =
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| former names = All Pro Freight Stadium (2009–2017) Sprenger Stadium (2017–2019) Mercy Health Stadium (2021–2023)
| address = 2009 Baseball Boulevard
| city = [[Avon, Ohio]]
| country =
| location =
| coordinates = {{Coord|41|27|35|N|82|3|41|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| elevation = 
| publictransit =
| parking =
| owner = City of Avon<ref name="lease">{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Kevin |title=Avon City Council extends Crushers lease one-year |url=https://www.morningjournal.com/news/lorain-county/avon-city-council-extends-crushers-lease-one-year/article_3c8070fa-2e17-11eb-965e-e745005ae0b6.html |access-date=November 24, 2020 |work=[[The Morning Journal]] |date=November 24, 2020 |location=[[Lorain, Ohio]] |language=en}}</ref>
| operator = Bluedog Baseball LLC<ref name="lease" />
| designation =
| type =
| genre =
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| suites =
| capacity = 5,000
| record_attendance =
| dimensions =
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| broke_ground = July 1, 2008
| built =
| opened = {{Start date|2009|06|02}} 
| renovated =
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| demolished =
| rebuilt =
| yearsactive =
| cost = [[United States dollar|$]]12.1 million
| architect = OSports - Osborn Sports and Recreation Architecture
| builder =
| project_manager =
| structural engineer = [[Osborn Engineering]]
| services engineer =
| general_contractor = Infinity Group
| main_contractors =
| tenants = [[Lake Erie Crushers]] ([[Frontier League|FL]]) 2009–present [[Cleveland State Vikings baseball|Cleveland State Vikings]] ([[NCAA]]) 2010–2011
| website = 
| embedded =
}}

'''Crushers Stadium''' is a [[Ballpark|baseball stadium]] in [[Avon, Ohio]], United States. It is the home of the [[Lake Erie Crushers]], a [[Frontier League]] team that began play in 2009. The ballpark has a seating capacity of 5,000 people, and was opened on June 2, 2009, with the Crushers defeating the [[Windy City Thunderbolts]], 5–2. Since opening, the facility has been known by multiple names, including '''All Pro Freight Stadium''' from 2009 to 2017, '''Sprenger Stadium''' from 2017 to 2019, and '''Mercy Health Stadium''' from 2021 to 2023. In addition to Crushers games it has also hosted a number of additional events, particularly in college baseball.

==Other uses==
[[File:Crushers 065.JPG|thumb|left|Seating and field, 2010]]

===Cleveland State baseball===
The [[Cleveland State Vikings baseball]] team played home games at the ballpark for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. After the 2011 season, however, Cleveland State dropped its baseball program.<ref name="CSU">{{cite news |url=https://www.csuvikings.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/100909aaa.html |title=Vikings To Play Home Baseball Games at All Pro Freight Stadium |work=CSUVikings.com |publisher=[[Cleveland State University]] |accessdate=January 4, 2017 |date=October 10, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lakeeriecrushers.com/news/default/1/7/ |title=Cleveland State Baseball Team to call All Pro Freight Stadium Home |website=LakeErieCrushers.com |publisher=Lake Erie Crushers |access-date=2010-06-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100425021833/http://www.lakeeriecrushers.com/news/default/1/7/ |archive-date=2010-04-25 |date=October 12, 2009}}</ref>

===Mid-American Conference tournament===
From 2012 through 2019, the ballpark hosted the [[Mid-American Conference baseball tournament]], held in late May. In its most recent setup, the top six teams in the MAC earned berths to the tournament, which used a double-elimination format over five days. The winner of the tournament earned the conference's automatic bid to the [[NCAA Division I baseball tournament]]. The 2020 tournament was also scheduled to be held at the ballpark from May 20 through 24, but was cancelled in March 2020 due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|coronavirus pandemic]]. In May 2020, the [[Mid-American Conference]] announced that the baseball tournament was one of eight conference tournaments that were eliminated for at least the next four seasons beginning in 2020–21.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Mid-American Conference, All Pro Freight Stadium Sign Five-Year Contract Extension |url=https://wmubroncos.com/news/2015/5/18/210095993 |website=wmubroncos.com |publisher=Western Michigan University Athletics |access-date=November 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124172201/https://wmubroncos.com/news/2015/5/18/210095993 |archive-date=November 24, 2020 |language=en |date=May 18, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Major changes coming to Mid-American Conference |url=https://www.wtol.com/article/sports/major-changes-coming-to-mid-american-conference/512-0e4f0d45-546b-432f-89a1-67a5a6d8fe3c |date=May 12, 2020 |last=Strack |first=Jordan |work=[[WTOL]] |accessdate=May 12, 2020}}</ref> The MAC baseball tournament, reinstated in 2022, returned to the facility in 2024.<ref>{{cite news |title=MAC Announces Return of Baseball Championship to Avon’s Mercy Health Stadium |url=https://getsomemaction.com/news/2023/8/15/mac-announces-return-of-baseball-championship-to-avons-mercy-health-stadium.aspx|date=August 16, 2023 |publisher=[[Mid-American Conference]] |website=getsomemaction.com |access-date=May 7, 2024}}</ref>

==Naming==
The ballpark opened as All Pro Freight Stadium under a naming rights deal with All Pro Freight Systems, a trucking company based in nearby [[Westlake, Ohio]]. In January 2017, the team announced a new naming rights deal with Sprenger Health Care Systems, renaming the park Sprenger Stadium through the 2019 season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lake Erie Crushers announce new stadium name |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/lorain-county/lake-erie-crushers-announce-new-stadium-name/381954241 |date=January 4, 2017 |work=[[WKYC]] |accessdate=January 4, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201124163438/https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/lorain-county/lake-erie-crushers-announce-new-stadium-name/381954241 |archive-date=November 24, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Julie A. |last=Short |title=Lake Erie Crushers search for new stadium naming rights partner: Short Takes on Avon, Avon Lake and North Ridgeville |url=https://www.cleveland.com/avon/2019/02/lake_erie_crushers_search_for.html |date=February 10, 2019 |newspaper=[[The Plain Dealer]] |accessdate=January 9, 2019}}</ref> No new sponsor was secured prior to the 2020 season, so the ballpark was known as Crushers Stadium, though the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]] caused the Crushers' season to be canceled, along with the planned 2020 Mid-American Conference baseball tournament.<ref>{{cite news |title=Elimination of Mid-American Conference baseball tournament will affect Crushers, Avon |url=https://chroniclet.com/news/212535/elimination-of-mid-american-conference-baseball-tournament-will-affect-crushers-avon/ |last=Reynolds |first=Dylan |date=May 14, 2020 |access-date=March 18, 2022 |work=The Chronicle-Telegram }}</ref>

The team announced in late 2020 that beginning January 1, 2021, the stadium would be known as Mercy Health Stadium after [[Mercy Health (Ohio & Kentucky)|Mercy Health]], a [[Cincinnati]]-based healthcare provider that operates facilities around the state of Ohio, including two hospitals in the nearby communities of [[Lorain, Ohio|Lorain]] and [[Oberlin, Ohio|Oberlin]]. Mercy Health had already been the team's health partner since 2012.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mercy extends partnership with Lake Erie Crushers |url=https://www.mercy.com/news-events/news/lorain/2017/january/crushers |date=January 27, 2017 |work=Mercy.com |access-date=May 13, 2024 |quote=Mercy has been a tremendously valuable partner to the Lake Erie Crushers since 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=New for 2021: Mercy Health Stadium |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2020/11/24/new-for-2021-mercy-health-stadium/ |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publications |date=November 24, 2020 |accessdate=November 24, 2020}}</ref> After the naming rights deal expired at the end of the 2023 season, the name reverted to Crushers Stadium while the team searches for a new sponsor.<ref>{{cite news |title=New name coming for Lake Erie Crushers stadium |url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2023/01/new-name-coming-for-lake-erie-crushers-stadium.html |last=Bona |first=Marc |work=[[Cleveland.com]] |date=March 7, 2023 |access-date=May 13, 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.avonhistory.org/gnews/basebal7.htm More on Ballpark]
*[http://ballparkreviews.com/template2.php?in_name=All%20Pro%20Freight%20Stadium&in_city=Avon&in_state=Ohio Reviews and Photos from BallparkReviews.com]

{{Frontier League Ballparks}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Lorain County, Ohio]]
[[Category:Minor league baseball venues]]
[[Category:Cleveland State Vikings baseball]]
[[Category:Baseball venues in Ohio]]
[[Category:College baseball venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Frontier League ballparks]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 2009]]
[[Category:2009 establishments in Ohio]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Lorain County, Ohio]]

Marion Stadium

2025-06-03T01:21:28Z

70.29.98.129:

{{Short description|Stadium in Marion, Illinois}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox venue
| name =
| nickname =
| logo_image =
| logo_size =
| logo_caption =
| image = Rent One Park - Marion, Illinois 02.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=250|zoom=13|type=point}}
| pushpin_map = USA Illinois#USA
| pushpin_relief = yes
| fullname =
| former_names = Rent One Park (2007–2021)
| address = 1000 Miners Drive
| city = [[Marion, Illinois]]
| coordinates = {{coord|37.745964|-88.960397|display=inline,title}}
| owner =
| operator =
| capacity = 7,000
| record_attendance =
| dimensions = Left Field - 320 Left Center Field - 392 Center Field - 400 Right Center Field - 375 Right Field - 335
| surface = Sportexe Turf synthetic field
| broke_ground = 2006
| opened = {{Start date|2007|05|29}}
| cost =
| architect =
| builder =
| project_manager =
| structural engineer =
| services engineer =
| general_contractor =
| main_contractors =
| tenants = [[Southern Illinois Miners]] ([[Frontier League|FL]]) 2007–2021 [[Thrillville Thrillbillies]] ([[Prospect League|PL]]) 2023–present
| website = 
}}

'''Marion Stadium''' (formerly known as '''Rent One Park''' and '''Mtn. Dew Stadium''') is a [[stadium]] in [[Marion, Illinois]], that was completed in 2007. It is primarily used for [[baseball]] and was previously the home of the [[Southern Illinois Miners]] of the [[Frontier League]] from 2007 to 2021 before being purchased by the [[Thrillville Thrillbillies]] of the [[Prospect League]] in 2023.

The stadium has a contemporary, non-traditional look, devoid of the common red brick and green-painted steel common among ballparks around the United States.

One of the most unusual features of the stadium is the roof, which slopes down toward the field. As a result, foul balls hit by players can sometimes roll back down for spectators to catch.

The stadium is located roughly 120 miles southeast of St. Louis on [[Interstate 57]]. There are over 3,400 standard armchair ballpark seats including wider chair seating behind home plate. Down the left field line and in the outfield is lawn seating that can accommodate over 2,000 fans. The upper level features 14 luxury suites and an enclosed banquet area for approximately 200 persons.

Marion Stadium also contains an open-air entry plaza, home and visitor clubhouses, dedicated maintenance building, administrative offices, and team store. The scoreboard and video board are accompanied by 12 panels for advertisement on the right-field wall, beyond and above the bullpens.

The company that originally held the ballpark's naming rights, Rent One, is a [[rent-to-own]] retail store chain.

Following the folding of the Southern Illinois Miners baseball team in 2021, the venue was then purchased by Illinois Center Project, LLC. with the goal of converting the stadium into a multi-use venue.

In 2023, it was announced that Pepsi MidAmerica had purchased the naming rights for the ballpark. The newly renamed Mtn. Dew Park was set to be the crown jewel of Thrillville, a massive youth sports development to be built in the vicinity of the stadium.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Mike |last=Mohundro |date=2023-03-23 |title=Mtn Dew Park Announced As New Name For Thrillville Thrillbillies Home |url=https://www.wsiltv.com/news/illinois/mtn-dew-park-announced-as-new-name-for-thrillville-thrillbillies-home/article_fb26fe50-c9bc-11ed-8a8b-f323169e4a84.html |access-date=2023-06-27 |work=[[WSIL-TV]] |language=en}}</ref> By the Thrillbillies home opener, the stadium's name was changed to Marion Stadium with no explanation or announcement from the team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jackson Rockabillys vs. Thrillville Thrillbi - Box Score - 5/31/2023 |url=https://thrillbillies.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/boxscores/20230531_3dkk.xml |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=Thrillville Thrillbillies |language=en}}</ref>

Since 2022, the stadium has been used for concerts, equestrian events, community gatherings, and more, along with local little league and high school baseball tournaments.

The Colt World Series is currently hosted at the stadium each summer after relocating from Lafayette, Indiana. In 2023, both the [[Great Lakes Valley Conference]] and the [[Ohio Valley Conference]] began holding their conference tournaments at the ballpark.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 GLVC Baseball Championship Tournament |url=https://glvcsports.com/tournaments/?id=151 |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=Great Lakes Valley Conference |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 OVC Baseball Championship |url=http://ovcsports.com/tournaments/?id=18 |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=Ohio Valley Conference |language=en}}</ref>

== First game ==
The first game in the stadium was played on May 29, 2007. Over 6,200 fans saw the Southern Illinois Miners defeat the [[Evansville Otters]] 9–6.<ref>{{cite web |title=Miners Moments |url=https://southernillinoisminers.com/team/Miners_Moments |website=SouthernIllinoisMiners.com |publisher=Southern Illinois Miners |access-date=17 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807202930/https://southernillinoisminers.com/team/Miners_Moments |archive-date=August 7, 2019}}</ref>

== Attendance records ==
On August 10, 2007, the Southern Illinois Miners broke the Frontier League single game record attendance with 6,718 fans. In that game at Rent One Park, the Miners defeated the [[River City Rascals]] 8–0.

In their first season in Marion, the Miners also broke the single season attendance record by hosting 259,392 fans, averaging over 5,000 fans per game.

== Other events ==
Because the stadium has Sportexe Turf instead of regular grass and dirt, events other than baseball can be held there throughout the year, including live concerts.

On June 6, 2018, the [[Ohio Valley Conference]] announced that Rent One Park would host the conference's postseason baseball tournament in 2019 and 2020, the first time that a postseason [[NCAA]] baseball tournament will be held in the Southern Illinois region since 1986.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://thesouthern.com/news/local/rent-one-park-in-marion-to-host-ohio-valley-conference/article_6adb34b2-fc69-535f-8016-960a1dc14a02.html |title=Rent One Park in Marion to host Ohio Valley Conference baseball championships |last=Dent |first=Bucky |work=The Southern |access-date=2018-06-07 |date=2018-06-06 |language=en |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612162459/https://thesouthern.com/news/local/rent-one-park-in-marion-to-host-ohio-valley-conference/article_6adb34b2-fc69-535f-8016-960a1dc14a02.html |archive-date=June 12, 2018}}</ref>

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{succession box
|title = Host of the [[Frontier League|FL]] [[All-Star Game]] Rent One Park
|years = 2010
|before = [[Road Ranger Stadium]]
|after = ''future''
}}
{{end}}
{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{succession box
|title = Host of the [[Ohio Valley Conference|OVC]] postseason baseball tournament Rent One Park
|years = 2019-2020
|before = Choccolocco Park ([[Oxford, Alabama|Oxford]]
|after = ''future''
}}
{{end}}

== Notes ==
<references/>

== External links ==
*[http://www.rentone-rto.com/ Rent One Homepage]
* http://southernilminers.blogspot.com/ Miners Blog

{{Prospect League Ballparks}}{{Music venues of Illinois}}
[[Category:Minor league baseball venues]]
[[Category:Marion, Illinois]]
[[Category:Baseball venues in Illinois]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Williamson County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Williamson County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 2007]]

Ottawa Jr. Senators

2025-05-31T04:16:03Z

70.29.98.129:

{{Short description|Central Canada Hockey League team in Ontario, Canada}}
{{Infobox hockey team
| colour = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:navy 5px solid; border-bottom:red 5px solid;
| colour text = black
| team = Ottawa Junior Senators
| logo = Ottawa Jr Senators.png
| logosize = 100px
| city = [[Ottawa, Ontario]], Canada
| league = [[Central Canada Hockey League]]
| division = East Division
| founded = 1979
| arena = [[Jim Durrell Recreation Centre]]
| colours = Blue, red, white {{Color box| #191970}} {{Color box| #FF2400}} {{Color box| #white}}
| owner = Martin Dagenais
| coach = Martin Dagenais
| GM = Martin Dagenais
| media =[[CKDJ-FM]], [[FloSports]]
| affiliates =

| name1 = Ottawa Senators
| dates1 = 1979–1992
| name2 = '''Ottawa Junior Senators'''
| dates2 = 1992–present
|nickname=Jr. Sens}}
The '''Ottawa Junior Senators''' ([[French language|French]]: ''Sénateurs Juniors d'Ottawa''), colloquially known as the '''Jr. Sens''', are a Junior A [[ice hockey]] team based in [[Ottawa]]. The Junior Senators compete in the [[Central Canada Hockey League]] (CCHL) as a member of the East Division and play their home games at the 2,000-seat Peplinski Arena, inside the [[Jim Durrell Recreation Centre]] building.

Founded in 1979, the team is the second franchise in the City of Ottawa to use the Senators name, but is not affiliated with the NHL [[Ottawa Senators]].

==History==
The Senators joined the [[Central Junior A Hockey League]] in 1979. In 1992, the Ottawa Senators changed their name to the Ottawa Junior Senators and nickname to the Jr. Sens following the founding of the [[NHL]] team [[Ottawa Senators|of the same name]]. Ottawa won their first Art Bogart Cup in 1983 over Pembroke. Ten years later, they won their second championship. In 1995, Ottawa came close against the Cornwall Colts for their third championship. The 2000-01 season was memorable for the Junior Senators as they achieved the lowest goals allowed in the league (173) and finished 2nd, despite being 10 points behind the Cornwall Colts, as both teams met in the championship finals. The series went to 7 games, but the Junior Senators lost in a humiliating 7-0 loss.

The following year, the Junior Senators were determined to repeat their previous season, and settled for 3rd overall behind Cornwall and Nepean. Ottawa managed to defeat Nepean in 6 games and return to the final. This time, Ottawa won the series in 5 games and qualified for the Fred Page Cup in Truro. The semi-final game against the Valleyfield Braves and Ottawa Junior Senators meant the winner would go to the Royal Bank Cup in Halifax, as the hosts Halifax Oland Exports already earned a bye to the final. Ottawa punched their ticket to the Royal Bank Cup winning 7-2 over the Braves. Ottawa lost the Fred Page Cup championship game 4-2 to Halifax.

At the Royal Bank Cup, the Jr. Sens ended up finishing 4th with a 1-3 record. Ottawa faced Halifax for the fourth time, and the semi-final was a back and forth scoring game, but Halifax ended up taking the game 9-7 and eventually capturing the Royal Bank Cup.

The championship team was lost in a blockbuster trade with the Gloucester Rangers, who were rebuilding their team and overcoming a [[dead last finish|dead-last finish]] in the 2001-02 standings. Despite only carrying three returnees, the Junior Senators still managed to upset the top 2 teams in the league en route to the Art Bogart Cup against Nepean. Ottawa couldn't handle the Nepean Raiders and lost the series in 5 games.

The Ottawa Junior Senators wouldn't return to the semi-finals until 2009. Ottawa lost the previous three game 7 semi-final games. The most-heartbreaking loss was in 2015, when the Pembroke Lumber Kings scored the game winner with just under a minute left in the game.

For the 2012-13 season, the Ottawa Junior Senators changed their colours back to blue, white and red, and returned to their old logo that they last used in 1995.

In fall 2016, the Junior Senators were chosen to host the [[Fred Page Cup]] in 2018. Ottawa was slated to host the 2003 tournament, but pulled out and hosting duties were awarded to Cornwall.

After appearing in the championship final for two consecutive years, but falling to the Carleton Place Canadians, the 2017-18 Junior Senators were finally able to conquer their arch nemesis who were once again favored to win it all. Ottawa surprised the hockey observers by knocking out Carleton Place in five games. They then followed the act by claiming their first ever Fred Page Cup which earned them a trip to the Royal Bank Cup in Chilliwack, British Columbia where they lost in the semi-finals to the host Chiefs.

In the 2018-19 season, Ottawa faced Carleton Place in the finals for the fourth consecutive season. The Junior Senators took it to the favoured Canadians and claim the championship series in five games. They once again claim the Fred Page Cup before flying to Brooks, Alberta for the National Junior A Championships where they lost to the host Brooks Bandits 4-3 in the semi-finals. Goaltender Francis Boisvert took home the tournaments MVP.

==Season-by-season record==
'''''Note:''' GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''
{|class="wikitable"
|- align="center" style="color:#FFFFFF" bgcolor="#191970 "
| '''Season''' || '''GP ''' || ''' W ''' || ''' L ''' || ''' T ''' || '''OTL''' || '''GF ''' || '''GA ''' || '''Points''' ||'''Finish''' || '''Playoffs'''
|- align="center"
|1979-80 ||50 ||22 ||21 ||7 ||- ||270 ||219 ||51 ||4th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1980-81 ||50 ||12 ||31 ||7 ||- ||200 ||260 ||31 ||6th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1981-82 ||49 ||33 ||14 ||2 ||- ||254 ||203 ||68 ||1st CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1982-83 ||48 ||30 ||11 ||7 ||- ||263 ||189 ||67 ||1st CJHL ||Won League
|- align="center"
|1983-84 ||54 ||26 ||21 ||7 ||- ||283 ||284 ||59 ||3rd CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1984-85 ||54 ||23 ||31 ||0 ||0 ||252 ||292 ||46 ||4th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1985-86 ||60 ||27 ||26 ||0 ||7 ||310 ||303 ||61 ||5th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1986-87 ||54 ||24 ||21 ||4 ||5 ||215 ||236 ||57 ||4th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1987-88 ||56 ||44 ||12 ||0 ||0 ||336 ||195 ||88 ||1st CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1988-89 ||56 ||33 ||23 ||0 ||0 ||282 ||261 ||66 ||4th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1989-90 ||55 ||21 ||29 ||3 ||2 ||245 ||290 ||47 ||6th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1990-91 ||54 ||30 ||19 ||1 ||4 ||244 ||224 ||65 ||4th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1991-92 ||57 ||48 ||9 ||0 ||0 ||386 ||179 ||96 ||1st CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1992-93 ||57 ||41 ||8 ||4 ||4 ||433 ||272 ||90 ||1st CJHL ||Won League
|- align="center"
|1993-94 ||57 ||31 ||23 ||3 ||1 ||284 ||251 ||66 ||5th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1994-95 ||54 ||26 ||21 ||3 ||4 ||260 ||240 ||58 ||6th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1995-96 ||54 ||35 ||17 ||2 ||0 ||237 ||228 ||72 ||2nd CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1996-97 ||54 ||29 ||18 ||7 ||0 ||156 ||161 ||65 ||3rd CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1997-98 ||56 ||15 ||30 ||8 ||3 ||156 ||220 ||41 ||9th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1998-99 ||54 ||26 ||26 ||2 ||0 ||209 ||227 ||54 ||7th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|1999-00 ||56 ||32 ||21 ||3 ||0 ||234 ||202 ||67 ||4th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|2000-01 ||55 ||37 ||14 ||4 ||0 ||247 ||137 ||78 ||2nd CJHL||
|- align="center"
|2001-02 ||55 ||31 ||11 ||10 ||3 ||237 ||169 ||75 ||3rd CJHL ||Won League
|- align="center"
|2002-03 ||55 ||20 ||27 ||6 ||2 ||268 ||308 ||48 ||8th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|2003-04 ||55 ||14 ||39 ||0 ||2 ||182 ||278 ||30 ||9th CJHL||
|- align="center"
|2004-05 ||57 ||20 ||25 ||4 ||8 ||166 ||231 ||42 ||9th CJHL||
|- align="center"
| 2005–06 || 57 || 30 || 20 || 4 || 3 || 226 || 203 || 67 || 2nd East || Lost quarter-final
|- align="center"
| 2006–07 || 55 || 29 || 20 || 4 || 2 || 181 || 178 || 64 || 1st East || Lost quarter-final
|- align="center"
|2007–08 ||60 ||12 ||43 ||2 ||3 ||148 ||298 ||29 ||11th CJHL ||Did not qualify
|- align="center"
|2008-09 ||60 ||30 ||23 ||- ||7 ||194 ||201 ||67 ||6th CJHL||Lost semi-final
|- align="center"
|2009-10 ||62 ||33 ||24 ||- ||5 ||216 ||204 ||71 ||5th CJHL ||Lost semi-final
|- align="center"
|2010-11 ||62 ||26 ||29 ||- ||7 ||207 ||215 ||59 ||9th CCHL ||Did not qualify
|- align="center"
|2011-12 ||62 ||33 ||26 ||- ||3 ||221 ||192 ||69 ||7th CCHL ||Lost quarter-final
|- align="center"
|2012-13 ||62 ||40 ||16 ||- ||6 ||220 ||175 ||86 ||1st CCHL ||Lost semi-final
|- align="center"
|2013-14 ||62 ||39 ||20 ||- ||3 ||259 ||185 ||81 ||'''1st of 6 East''' 3rd of 12 CCHL ||Won quarterfinals, 4-1 ([[Cornwall Colts|Colts]]) Lost semifinals, 3-4 ([[Smiths Falls Bears|Bears]])
|- align="center"
|2014-15 ||62 ||44 ||13 ||4 ||1 ||244 ||147 ||93 ||'''1st of 6 East''' 2nd of 12 CCHL ||Won quarterfinals, 4-0 ([[Gloucester Rangers|Rangers]]) Lost semifinals, 3-4 ([[Pembroke Lumber Kings|Lumber Kings]])
|- align="center"
|2015-16 ||62 ||44 ||14 ||4 ||4 ||215 ||153 ||96 ||'''1st of 6 East''' 2nd of 12 CCHL ||Won quarterfinals, 4-1 ([[Kemptville 73's|73's]]) Won semifinals 4-2 ([[Hawkesbury Hawks|Hawks]]) Lost CCHL Finals, 3-4 ([[Carleton Place Canadians|Canadians]])
|- align="center"
|2016-17 ||62 ||41 ||18 ||1 ||2 ||203 ||159 ||85 ||'''1st of 6 East''' 3rd of 12 CCHL ||Won quarterfinals, 4-1 ([[Smiths Falls Bears|Bears]]) Won semifinals, 4-0 ([[Cornwall Colts|Colts]]) Lost CCHL Finals 1-4 ([[Carleton Place Canadians|Canadians]])
|- align="center"
|2017-18 ||62 ||46 ||9 ||5 ||2 ||254 ||192 ||99 ||'''1st of 6 East''' 2nd of 12 CCHL ||Won quarterfinals, 4-2 ([[Pembroke Lumber Kings|Lumber Kings]]) Won semifinals 4-3 ([[Brockville Braves|Braves]]) '''Won CCHL Finals''' 4-1 ([[Carleton Place Canadians|Canadians]]) Advance to Fred Page Cup
|- align="center"
|2018-19 ||62 ||43 ||16 ||0 ||3 ||234 ||154 ||89 ||'''1st of 6 East''' 2nd of 12 CCHL ||Won quarterfinals, 4-1 ([[Kanata Lasers|Lasers]]) Won semifinals 4-0 ([[Brockville Braves|Braves]]) '''Won CCHL Finals''' 4-1 ([[Carleton Place Canadians|Canadians]]) Advance to Fred Page Cup
|- align="center"
|2019-20 ||62 ||34 ||25 ||3 ||0 ||207 ||175 ||76 ||'''3rd of 6 East''' 6th of 12 CCHL ||Playoffs Cancelled
|- align="center"
|2020-21 ||colspan=10 |''Season cancelled due to covid-19 pandemic restrictions''
|- align="center"
|2021-22 ||55 ||43 ||8 ||2 ||2 ||227 ||137 ||90 ||'''1st of 6 East''' '''1st of 12 CCHL''' ||Won quarterfinals, 4-1 ([[Smiths Falls Bears|Bears]]) Won semifinals 4-1 ([[Kanata Lasers|Wolves]]) '''Won CCHL Finals''' 4-0 ([[Hawkesbury Hawks|Hawks]]) Advance to Fred Page Cup
|- align="center"
|2022-23 ||55 ||48 ||8 ||3 ||2 ||218 ||126 ||89 ||'''1st of 6 East''' '''1st of 12 CCHL''' ||Won quarterfinals, 4-1 ([[Cornwall Colts|Colts]]) Won semifinals 4-1 ([[Brockville Braves|Braves]]) '''Won CCHL Finals''' 4-3 ([[Smiths Falls Bears|Bears]]) Advance to Fred Page Cup
|- align="center"
|2023-24 ||55 ||24 ||28 ||3 ||0 ||146 ||172 ||51 ||5th of 6 East 10th of 12 CCHL ||Did not qualify
|- align="center"
|2024-25 ||55 ||26 ||28 ||1 ||0 ||169 ||186 ||53 ||5th of 6 Yzerman 10th of 12 CCHL ||Did not qualify
|}

== Attendance ==
As of March 8, 2025
{| class="wikitable" border="1" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"
|- style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background-color:#dddddd;"
! rowspan="1" |Season
! rowspan="1" |Games
! rowspan="1" |Total
! rowspan="1" |Average
|-
|-
|-
|-
|2006–07
|31
|4,371
|141
|-
|- style="text-align:center"
|2007–08
|31
|4,092
|132
|-
|- style="text-align:center"
|2008–09
|31
|5,425
|175
|-
|- style="text-align:center"
|2009–10
|31
|5,363
|173
|-
|- style="text-align:center"
|2010–11
|31
|5,239
|169
|-
|- style="text-align:center"
|2011–12
|31
|4,247
|137
|-
|- style="text-align:center"
|2012–13
|31
|5,301
|171
|-
|- style="text-align:center"
|2013–14
|31
|5,518
|178
|-
|- style="text-align:center"
|2014–15
|31
|5,611
|181
|-
|- style="text-align:center"
|2015–16
|31
|5,704
|184
|-
|- style="text-align:center"
|2016–17
|31
|5,549
|179
|-
|- style="text-align:center"
|2017–18
|27
|5,155
|191
|-
|- style="”text-align:center”"
|2018–19
|28
|5,792
|207
|-
|- style="“text-align:center”"
|2019–20
|28
|5,390
|193
|-
|2020–21
| colspan="3" |DID NOT PLAY DUE TO [[COVID-19 pandemic|COVID-19 PANDEMIC]]
|-
|2021–22
|25
|5,133
|205
|-
|2022–23
|27
|3,670
|136
|-
|2023–24
|27
|3,436
|127
|-
|2024–25
|27
|3,583
|133
|}
== Fred Page Cup ==
'''Eastern Canada Championships''' 
''[[Maritime Hockey League|MHL]] - [[Quebec Junior Hockey League|QAAAJHL]] - [[Central Canada Hockey League|CCHL]] - Host'' 
Round robin play with 2nd vs 3rd in semi-final to advance against 1st in the finals.
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#dddddd;" |
|Year || Round Robin || Record || Standing || Semifinal || Gold Medal Game
|- align=center
| 2002 ||W, [[Truro Bearcats]] 6-0 L, [[Halifax Oland Exports]] 3-6 L, [[Valleyfield Braves (defunct)|Valleyfield Braves]] 7-8|| 1-2-0|| 2nd of 4 ||W, [[Valleyfield Braves (defunct)|Valleyfield Braves]] ?-? ||L [[Halifax Oland Exports]] 3-4 Halifax RBC Hosts-advance as FPC reps
|- align=center
| 2018 ||W, [[Edmundston Blizzard]] 4-1 W, [[Carleton Place Canadians]] 3-2 2OTW, [[Longueuil College Francais]] 3-2|| 2-1-0-0|| '''1st of 4''' ||n/a||W, [[Longueuil College Francais]] 10-1 '''Fred Page Cup Champions'''
|- align=center
| 2019 ||W, [[Amherst Ramblers]] 4-1 OTL, [[Princeville Titans]] 4-3 W, [[Yarmouth Mariners]] 5-2|| 2-0-1-0|| '''2nd of 4''' ||W, [[Amherst Ramblers]] 4-3||W, [[Princeville Titans]] 9-2 '''Fred Page Cup Champions'''
|}
** 2022 Fred Page Cup eliminated - league champion goes directly to National Finals (Centennial Cup).

==Royal Bank Cup==
'''[[Royal Bank Cup|Canadian Jr. A National Championships]]''' ''[[Dudley Hewitt Cup|Dudley Hewitt Champions – Central]], [[Fred Page Cup|Fred Page Champions – Eastern]], [[Doyle Cup|Doyle Cup Champion – Pacific]], [[ANAVET Cup|ANAVET Cup Champion – Western]], and Host'' Round-robin play with top four in semifinal games and winners to finals.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Year !! Round-robin !! Record !! Standing !! Semifinal !! Gold medal game
|-
| 2002 ||align=left|W, [[Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats]] (Central) 4–3 OTL, [[OCN Blizzard]] (Western) 3–4 L, [[Halifax Oland Exports|Halifax Exports]] (Host) 1–2 L, [[Chilliwack Chiefs (1990–2006)|Chilliwack Chiefs]] (Pacific) 3–5 || 1–3 || 4th of 5 || L, [[Halifax Oland Exports|Halifax Exports]] 7–9 || —
|-
| [[2018 Royal Bank Cup|2018]] ||align=left|OTW, [[Wellington Dukes]] (Central) 2–1 OTL, [[Chilliwack Chiefs]] (Host) 3–4 OTL, [[Wenatchee Wild (junior A)|Wenatchee Wild]] (Pacific) 2–3 OTL, [[Steinbach Pistons]] (Western) 5–4 || 0–2–2–0 || 3rd of 5 ||L, [[Chilliwack Chiefs]] 2–3|| —
|-
| [[2019 National Junior A Championship|2019]] ||align=left|W, [[Portage Terriers]] (Western) 3–0 L, [[Prince George Spruce Kings]] (Pacific) 0–4 L, [[Brooks Bandits]] (Host) 1–2 L, [[Oakville Blades]] (Central) 4–7 || 1–3–0–0 || 4th of 5 ||L, [[Brooks Bandits]] 3–4|| —
|}

==Centennial Cup - ''Revised format 2022''==
'''[[Royal Bank Cup|Canadian Jr. A National Championships]]''' ''[[Maritime Junior Hockey League]], [[Quebec Junior Hockey League]], [[Central Canada Hockey League]], [[Ontario Junior Hockey League]], [[Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League]], [[Superior International Junior Hockey League]], [[Manitoba Junior Hockey League]], [[Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League]], [[Alberta Junior Hockey League]], and Host''. The BCHL declared itself an independent league and there is no BC representative. Round-robin play in two 5-team pools with top three in pool advancing to determine a Champion.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Year !! Round-robin !! Record !! Standing !! Quarterfinal!! Semifinal !! Championship
|-
| 2022 ||align=left|L, [[Dauphin Kings]] (ManJHL), 1-2 OTL, [[Flin Flon Bomers]] (SJHL), 2-3 W, [[Soo Thunderbirds]] (NOJHL), 4-0 OTL, [[Summerside Western Capitals]] (MarJHL), 3-4 ||1-0-1-2 || 4th of 5 Pool B || did not qualified || did not qualified || did not qualified
|-
| 2023 ||align=left|OTW, [[Terrebonne Cobras]] (LQJH), 2-1 L, [[Brooks Bandits]] (AJHL), 1-5 W, [[Yarmouth Mariners]] (MarJHL), 4-3 OTL, [[Timmins Rock]] (NOJHL), 1-2 ||1-1-1-1 || 2nd of 5 Pool A || Won 4-2 Collingwood Blues || Lost 0-3 Brooks Bandits || did not qualified
|}

==Championships==
:'''CJHL Bogart Cup Championships:''' 1983, 1993, 2002, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
:'''Eastern Canadian [[Fred Page Cup]] Championships:''' 2000, 2018, 2019
:'''CJAHL [[Royal Bank Cup]] Championships:''' None

==Notable alumni==
*[[Peter Ambroziak]]
*[[David Appleby]]
*[[Eric Beaudoin]]
*[[Brendan Bell (ice hockey)|Brendan Bell]]
*[[Alain Chevrier]]
*[[Dean De Fazio]]
*[[Ben Eager]]
*[[Dave Ellett]]
*[[Garry Galley]]
*[[Steve Graves]]
*[[Tim Higgins (ice hockey)|Tim Higgins]]
*[[Alan Kuntz]]
*[[Marc Lamothe]]
*[[Guy Larose]]
*[[Peter Lee (ice hockey)|Peter Lee]]
*[[Charlie Luksa]]
*[[Justin Papineau]]
*[[Larry Regan]]
*[[Jamie Rivers]]
*[[Shawn Rivers]]
*[[Randy Robitaille]]
*[[Derek Smith (ice hockey b. 1984)|Derek Smith]]
*[[Chris Therien]]
*[[Wayne Thomas (ice hockey)|Wayne Thomas]]

== References ==

{{refbegin}}

* {{cite web | url=https://www.thecchl.ca/ottawa-junior-senators-crowned-2021-22-bogart-cup-champions | title=Ottawa Junior Senators Crowned 2021–22 Bogart Cup Champions }}

* {{cite news |last1=Mahon |first1=Rob |title=Estevan Bruins To Remain Host For 2022 Centennial Cup |url=https://discoverestevan.com/articles/estevan-bruins-to-remain-host-for-2022-centennial-cup |access-date=28 July 2024 |work=discoverestevan.com |date=18 May 2021}}

* {{cite news |last1=Willberg |first1=David |title=The 2022 Centennial Cup in Estevan will be the biggest ever with 10 teams |url=https://www.sasktoday.ca/southeast/local-news/the-2022-centennial-cup-in-estevan-will-be-the-biggest-ever-with-10-teams-5185490 |access-date=28 July 2024 |work=sasktoday.ca |publisher=Harvard Media |date=22 March 2022}}

* {{cite news |title=Changes coming to this year’s Centennial Cup in Saskatchewan |url=https://battlefordsnow.com/2022/03/30/changes-coming-to-this-years-centennial-cup-in-saskatchewan/ |access-date=28 July 2024 |work=battlefordsnow.com |publisher=Pattison Media |date=30 March 2022}}

* {{cite news |last1=Willberg |first1=David |title=The field is set for the Centennial Cup in Estevan |url=https://www.sasktoday.ca/southeast/local-sports/the-field-is-set-for-the-centennial-cup-in-estevan-5371803 |access-date=28 July 2024 |work=sasktoday.ca |publisher=Harvard Media |date=16 May 2022|quote=The top three teams from each pool will advance to the playoff round. The top seed gets a direct bye to the semifinal, while the second and third place teams move onto the quarter-finals.}}

* {{cite web |title=Road to the 2022 Centennial Cup: Ottawa Jr. Senators |url=https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/ottawa-jr-senators-road-to-the-2022-centennial-cup |website=hockeycanada.ca |access-date=17 December 2024 |language=en-ca}}

{{refend}}

==External links==
*[http://www.ottawajuniorsenators.com/ Ottawa Junior Senators Website]
{{CCHL|state=expanded}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ottawa Junior Senators}}
[[Category:Central Canada Hockey League teams]]
[[Category:Ice hockey teams in Ottawa|Ju]]
[[Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 1979]]
[[Category:1979 establishments in Ontario]]

Frontier League

2025-05-31T00:30:24Z

70.29.98.129: /* List of teams */

{{Short description|North American professional baseball league}}
{{Infobox sports league
| logo = Frontier League.png
| title = Frontier League
| current_season = 2025 Frontier League season
| sport = Baseball
| classification = [[Independent baseball league|Independent baseball]]
| founded = 1993
| commissioner = Steve Tahsler
| teams = 18
| headquarters = [[Sauget, Illinois]]
| countries = {{Ubl|United States (15 teams)|Canada (3 teams)}}
| continent = North America
| champions = [[Québec Capitales]] (10th title)
| most successful club = [[Schaumburg Boomers]] (4 titles)
| TV = [[Sports Illustrated]] [[The Sports Network|TSN]] [[Réseau des sports|RDS]] [[TVA Sports]]
| streaming = HomeTeam Network
| website = https://www.frontierleague.com/
}}

The '''Frontier League''' ('''FL'''; [[French language|French]]: ''Ligue Frontière'', '''LF''') is a professional [[baseball]] league in [[North America]] composed of 18 teams – 15 in the [[United States]] and 3 in [[Canada]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frontier League |url=https://frontierleague.com/landing/index |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=Frontier League}}</ref> The FL is one of the eight [[Independent baseball league|independent baseball leagues]] in North America and is considered the oldest currently running independent baseball league in the world. The Frontier Cup, the oldest independent baseball trophy in North America, is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season. The league is an official [[MLB Partner League]] since 2020, and the level of play is comparable to [[Minor League Baseball]]'s [[Single-A]] level.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boss |first=Todd |date=January 9, 2012 |title=What are non-MLB associated baseball league talent equivalents? |url=https://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=3008 |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=Nationals Arm Race}}</ref> The FL is headquartered in [[Sauget, Illinois]].

The Frontier League was organized by several men who got together in the winter of 1992–1993 and decided to start an independent professional baseball league to serve the [[West Virginia]], eastern [[Kentucky]] and southeast [[Ohio]] areas. They believed they could bring professional baseball to areas that would never have a chance of affiliated professional baseball coming to their communities. The seed was planted and they named their project ''The Frontier League''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://frontierleague.com/information/History |website=Frontier League}}</ref>

25 distinct franchises had competed in the league. Its largest period of growth followed in 2020–21, when six teams from the ceased [[Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball|Can-Am]] and [[New York–Penn League|New York–Penn]] leagues joined alongside an expansion franchise. The [[Evansville Otters]], the only one of the original eight franchises still playing today, is the longest tenured team in the league.

The FL is the fifth-highest grossing professional minor sports league in the United States by revenue, after the [[American Hockey League]] (AHL), [[International League]] (IL), the [[Pacific Coast League]] (PCL) and the [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball]] (ALPB). The league's headquarters have been in Sauget, Illinois since 2001, when the [[Gateway Grizzlies]] were formed. As of the 2024 season, the FL had players from 17 different countries.

The league's regular season is typically held from May to September, with each team playing 96 games.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-10-27 |title=Frontier League Announces 2025 Season Schedule |url=https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2023-24/releases/20241027m93ojl |website=Frontier League |language=en}}</ref> Following the conclusion of the regular season, 8 teams advance to the Frontier League playoffs, a three-round tournament that runs into late-September to determine the league champion.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2024-09-10 |title=Frontier League championship series preview |url=https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2023-24/releases/2024091024t3b5 |website=Frontier League}}</ref> Since the league's founding in 1993, the [[Schaumburg Boomers]] have won the most combined FL titles with four, and the reigning league champions are the [[Québec Capitales]], who defeated the [[Washington Wild Things]] in the 2024 Frontier League Championship Series.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-09-14 |title=Frontier : Un troisième titre de suite spectaculaire pour les Capitales |url=https://www.rds.ca/baseball/frontier-un-troisieme-titre-de-suite-spectaculaire-pour-les-capitales-1.19371992 |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=RDS |language=fr-CA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-15 |title=Québec wins third straight championship with a walk-off homer! |url=https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2023-24/releases/20240915d6w6z9 |website=Frontier League}}</ref>

==History==
The Frontier League was founded in 1993. It initially struggled to retain franchises, with four of its eight founding teams folding within three seasons, though steadily grew to twelve teams within a decade. The first league champions were the [[Zanesville Greys]]. Eight teams have won more than one championship: Springfield in 1996 and 1998; Johnstown in 1995 (as the [[Johnstown Johnnies|Steal]]) and in 2000 (as the [[Johnstown Johnnies|Johnnies]]), [[Richmond Roosters]] in 2001 and 2002, Windy City in 2007 and 2008, the Joliet Slammers in 2011 and 2018, and the [[Evansville Otters]] in 2006 and 2016. With four titles, the [[Schaumburg Boomers]] have won the most league championships.

On June 20, 2000, [[Brian Tollberg]] debuted with the [[San Diego Padres]], becoming the first FL player to make it to the Majors. A week later, [[Morgan Burkhart]] made his debut with the [[Boston Red Sox]].

Although the league does not have any teams located in the same city as Major League teams, it does nonetheless have teams located within the markets of Major League teams. The [[Chicago]] area has three teams ([[Joliet Slammers]], [[Schaumburg Boomers]] and [[Windy City ThunderBolts]]), as does the [[New York City|New York]] area ([[New Jersey Jackals]], [[Sussex County Miners]], and [[New York Boulders]]), and [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]] ([[Gateway Grizzlies]]), [[Cleveland]] ([[Lake Erie Crushers]]), [[Cincinnati]] ([[Florence Y'alls]]) and [[Pittsburgh]] ([[Washington Wild Things]]) each have one. The Wild Things, in particular, have been able to market themselves as a successful alternative to the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] due to the latter franchise's long stretch of losing seasons, which lasted from the league's founding in 1993 until 2013 when the Pirates finished with a record of 94–68.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://flhistory.gofreeserve.com/WashingtonWildThings.htm |title=Team History |website=Washington Wild Things |access-date=January 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711104555/http://flhistory.gofreeserve.com/WashingtonWildThings.htm |archive-date=July 11, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On October 16, 2019, it was announced that the Frontier League would be merging with the [[Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball|Can-Am League]], absorbing five of its teams to form the largest independent professional baseball league. This added the [[New Jersey Jackals]], [[New York Boulders]], [[Québec Capitales]], [[Sussex County Miners]], and [[Trois-Rivières Aigles (2013)|Trois-Rivières Aigles]] to the league; the [[Ottawa Champions]], the last remaining Can-Am League team, were not invited to participate.<ref name="frontiercanam">{{Cite web |url=http://frontierleague.com/2019/10/16/frontier-league-can-am-league-to-join-forces/ |title=Frontier League, Can-Am League to Join Forces |date=October 16, 2019 |website=Frontier League}}</ref> The divisions were renamed, with the easternmost teams playing in the Can-Am Division and the westernmost teams playing in the Midwest Division.

On September 24, 2020, [[Major League Baseball]] announced that it named the FL as an <nowiki>''</nowiki>[[MLB Partner League]]<nowiki>''</nowiki>.<ref name="MLB9-24-20">{{cite web|title=PressRelease|url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/american-association-frontier-league-partner-leagues-of-mlb|website=MLB|date=September 24, 2020|access-date=September 30, 2020}}</ref> This enables collaboration with MLB to jointly discuss marketing and promotional initiatives to grow, expand, and enhance the game and quality of baseball.<ref>{{cite news |title=American Association, Frontier League now MLB Partner Leagues |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2020/09/24/american-association-frontier-league-now-mlb-partner-leagues/ |access-date=October 2, 2020 |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publishing |date=September 24, 2020}}</ref>

For the 2021 season, the league announced that they would be adding two new teams. The first announcement came around the same time as the announcement of the partnership with Major League Baseball, as [[Ottawa]] was granted an expansion franchise in the league. The team, as chosen by fans in a contest, was named the [[Ottawa Titans (baseball)|Titans]] and started playing at [[Ottawa Stadium]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reichard |first1=Kevin |title=Frontier League returns to Ottawa in 2021 |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2020/09/25/frontier-league-returns-to-ottawa-in-2021/ |access-date=September 26, 2020 |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publications |date=September 25, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Baines |first1=Tim |title=PLAY BALL! Sam Katz confident baseball will be a hit in Ottawa when it returns next year |url=https://ottawasun.com/sports/baseball/play-ball-sam-katz-confident-baseball-will-be-a-hit-in-ottawa-when-it-returns-next-year |access-date=September 26, 2020 |work=[[Ottawa Sun]] |date=September 23, 2020 |language=en-CA}}</ref> Then, on January 8, 2021, after the reorganization of Minor League Baseball, the league added the [[Tri-City ValleyCats]], which were one of several teams that were orphaned or disbanded when the [[New York-Penn League]] was folded. The Titans, ValleyCats as well as the [[Washington Wild Things]] joined the five former Can-Am League teams in the Can-Am Division, to even the divisions at eight teams; [[Lake Erie Crushers|Lake Erie]] was transferred to the Midwest Division.

In April 2021, the league announced that the [[Québec Capitales]], the [[Trois-Rivières Aigles (Frontier League)|Trois-Rivières Aigles]], and the [[Ottawa Titans]] would not compete in the 2021 season due to the [[Canada–United States border#21st century|prolonged closure of the Canada–United States border]] as a result of the ongoing [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. The Titans, Aigles and Capitales later joined forces to form a new team that competed as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Can-Am Conference.<ref name="FL_4-27-21">{{cite press release |url=https://frontierleague.com/2021/04/27/equipe-quebec-unveils-branding/ |title=ÉQUIPE QUÉBEC UNVEILS BRANDING |website=Frontier League |date=April 27, 2021 |access-date=April 27, 2021}}</ref> Known as ''Équipe Québec'', they began the season as a [[traveling team]], and starting on July 30, 2021, started sharing home games between [[Quebec City]] and [[Trois-Rivières]] following a loosening in border restrictions.<ref name="FL_4-17-21">{{cite press release |url=https://frontierleague.com/2021/04/17/frontier-league-adjusts-2021-schedule/ |title=FRONTIER LEAGUE ADJUSTS 2021 SCHEDULE |website=Frontier League |date=April 17, 2021 |access-date=April 18, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Retour du baseball professionnel au Québec |url=https://capitalesdequebec.com/fr/nouvelles-et-medias/nouvelles/retour-du-baseball-professionnel-au-quebec |access-date=July 25, 2021 |work=Québec Capitales |date=July 21, 2021 |language=fr-CA}}</ref> 10 games were played in Québec City and 11 in Trois-Rivières. They did not play in Ottawa due to COVID-19 restrictions in [[Ontario]].

On October 6, 2021, the owners of the [[Southern Illinois Miners]], Jayne and John Simmons, announced they would be retiring from professional baseball to spend more time with family and the Miners would be ceasing operations and dropping out of the FL.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Jayne and John Simmons Announce Retirement from Professional Baseball in Marion, Illinois |url=https://southernillinoisminers.prestosports.com/sports/bsb/2020-21/releases/20211006leprkm |publisher=Southern Illinois Miners |access-date=October 8, 2021 |language=en |date=October 6, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Reichard |first1=Kevin |title=Southern Illinois Miners ceasing operations |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2021/10/07/southern-illinois-miners-ceasing-operations/ |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publishing |access-date=October 8, 2021 |date=October 7, 2021}}</ref> As a result, the league formed the [[Empire State Greys]], to compete as a [[traveling team]] with a roster of players from the [[Empire Professional Baseball League]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2022/02/12/new-for-2022-empire-state-greys/ |title=New for 2022: Empire State Greys |website=Ballpark Digest |first=Kevin |last=Reichard |date=February 12, 2022 |accessdate=March 3, 2022}}</ref>

In September 2023, the league announced a new team, the [[New England Knockouts]], who were planned to play at Campanelli Stadium in [[Brockton, Massachusetts]], beginning with the 2024 season. This brought the total number of permanent members of the league to sixteen teams.<ref name="New England">{{cite press release |title=Frontier League Awards Membership to New England |url=https://www.frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/releases/20230921gltdyb |website=Frontier League |access-date=October 11, 2023 |language=en |date=September 21, 2023}}</ref> After playing one season as the Knockouts, the team was renamed as the [[Brockton Rox (Frontier League)|Brockton Rox]] in January 2025.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/01/29/sports/brockton-rox-2025/ |title=Brockton Rox returning to professional baseball with Red Sox Hall of Famer Jim Rice as co-owner |first=Amin |last=Touri |website=[[The Boston Globe]] |url-access=limited |date=January 29, 2025 |accessdate=January 30, 2025}}</ref>

In September 2024, the league announced an expansion to Mississippi and North Carolina.<ref name="wapt" /><ref name="wnct" /> A franchise was awarded to [[Jackson, Mississippi]], called the [[Mississippi Mud Monsters]],<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2024/09/28/mississippi-mud-monsters-the-new-name-for-frontier-league-team/75427078007/ | title=New name for a new baseball team in Pearl, Mississippi | date=September 28, 2024 | access-date=January 14, 2025 | last=Reily | first=Ross|work=Clarion Ledger}}</ref> following the departure of the [[Atlanta Braves]] [[Double-A (baseball)|Double-A]] affiliate, the [[Mississippi Braves]].<ref name="wapt">{{Cite news |url=https://www.wapt.com/article/mississippi-braves-play-final-game-at-trustmark/62106153 |title=New baseball team coming to Trustmark Park as M-Braves leave |date=September 9, 2024 |last=Simmons |first=Scott |language=en |access-date=September 9, 2024 |work=[[WAPT]]}}</ref> The [[Down East Bird Dawgs]], a new team in [[Kinston, North Carolina]], will play in [[Grainger Stadium]], which was formerly home of the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]]-affiliated [[Down East Wood Ducks]].<ref>{{Cite press release |date=September 17, 2024 |title=Frontier League Adds Down East Bird Dawgs In Latest Expansion |url=https://www.frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2023-24/releases/20240917gjimcy |website=Frontier League |language=en}}</ref><ref name="wnct">{{cite news |last1=Sartori |first1=Gabby |last2=Layton |first2=Courtney |title=Down East Wood Ducks reveal new team name and logo at Grainger Stadium |url=https://www.wnct.com/down-east-wood-ducks/down-east-wood-ducks-reveal-new-team-name-and-logo-at-grainger-stadium/ |access-date=September 17, 2024 |work=[[WNCT-TV]] |date=September 17, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Down East Bird Dawgs coming to Kinston's Grainger Stadium |url=https://www.witn.com/2024/09/17/down-east-bird-dawgs-coming-kinstons-grainger-stadium/ |access-date=September 17, 2024 |work=WITN |date=September 17, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

== Season structure ==
The Frontier League season is divided into a preseason (late April and early May), a regular season (from early May through early September) and a postseason (the Frontier League playoffs) that runs until late September.<ref name=":0" />

Teams usually hold a spring showcase for prospects in April and participate in prospect tournaments, full games that do not feature any veterans, in late April. Full training camps begin in late April, including a preseason consisting of a few [[Exhibition game|exhibition games]]. Split squad games, in which parts of a team's regular season roster play separate games on the same day, are occasionally played during the preseason.

During the regular season, clubs play each other in a predefined schedule. Since 2021, in the regular season, all teams play 96 games: 48 games each of home and road, playing 84 games in their own geographic division—four series (12 games) against five of their eight intra-conference opponents, plus three series (9 games) against two others, and two series (6 games) against the remaining one; and only one series (3 games) against four of the nine teams in the other conference once—home or road.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-28 |title=Frontier League, Ottawa Titans Announce 2025 Schedule |url=https://www.ottawatitans.com/frontier-league-ottawa-titans-announce-2025-schedule |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=www.ottawatitans.com |language=en}}</ref>

The league's regular season standings are based on a win percentage system. At the end of the regular season, the team that finishes with the highest win percentage in each divisions is crowned the division champion, and the league's overall leader are named the Frontier League regular season champions.

The Frontier League playoffs, which go from early to late September, are an elimination tournament where two teams play against each other to win a series in order to advance to the next round. The final remaining team is crowned the Frontier League champion. Four teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs: the top team in each division plus the two conference teams with the next highest win percentage.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frontier League |url=https://frontierleague.com/information/2022_Playoff_Format}}</ref> The two Wild Card Series winners proceed to the Frontier League Division Series (FLDS) as the league's conference finals, and the two conference champions proceed to the Frontier League Championship Series (FLCS). In all rounds, the higher-ranked team is awarded home-field advantage, with up to three of the five games played at this team's home venue. In the FLCS, the team with the most wins during the regular season has the home-field advantage.<ref name=":1" />

=== Players ===
The Frontier League uses a [[salary cap]]. As of the 2025 season, clubs are required to spend a maximum of [[United States dollar|US$]]895,000 on player compensation, with a minimum salary of $26,200 per player.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blank |first=Jeff |date=2024-04-03 |title=How Much Do Minor League Baseball Players Make Annually |url=https://sportslawblogger.com/what-is-the-annual-salary-of-minor-league-baseball-players.html |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=SportsLawBlogger.com |language=en-US}}</ref> For players aged 23 and younger on standard contracts, only 50% of their salary counts towards the cap (up to $150,000 total).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-04 |title=Breaking Down Minor League Baseball Salary Trends In 2025 |url=https://thesportseconomist.com/minor-league-baseball-salary-2025/ |access-date=2025-04-24 |language=en-US}}</ref> There is also a separate salary cap for coaches and technical staff.

Teams in the FL must recruit and sign their own players, who usually are undrafted college players or one-time prospects who have been released by their teams.

The league also has several other rules to give younger players more opportunities. This includes a maximum of eight veterans per team, and a minimum of ten rookies in their roster.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frontier League |url=https://www.frontierleague.com/player-eligibility}}</ref> The remaining six players on the 24-man roster can be classified as <nowiki>''</nowiki>Experienced-1<nowiki>''</nowiki> or <nowiki>''</nowiki>Experienced-2<nowiki>''</nowiki>. Rosters are limited to a size of 24 players on the Opening Day series, although up to 10 additional players can be added to a team's roster during the regular season before the transactions limit.

== Teams ==

For the 2021 season, the Frontier League consisted of 14 teams—13 based in the United States and 1 in Canada.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 Frontier League |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=d70cbe6d |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The FL divided the 14 teams into two conferences: the Can-Am Conference and the Midwest Conference. Each conference was split into two [[Division (sport)|divisions]]: the Can-Am Conference contained 6 teams (three per division), while the Midwest Conference had 8 teams (four per division).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frontier League - standings |url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/standings.html?leagueid=200&seasonid=32988 |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies |language=en}}</ref> The league temporarily realigned from the [[2022 Frontier League season|2022]] to the [[2024 Frontier League season|2024]] seasons but returned to the previous alignment the following year. With the addition of the [[Empire State Greys]] in 2022–23 and the [[Brockton Rox (Frontier League)|Brockton Rox]] in 2024, the league operated at 16 teams with only two divisions: East and West.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 Frontier League |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=8fee23ee |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 Frontier League |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=dd4bd050 |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

The league expanded for the first time in 9 years to 15 teams with the addition of the [[Ottawa Titans]] in 2020, then to 16 with the addition of the [[Tri-City ValleyCats]] in 2021.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Ottawa Sun |url=https://ottawasun.com/sports/baseball/lets-play-ball-ottawa-titans-optimistic-2021-baseball-season-will-go-ahead}}</ref> In September 2024, a [[Mississippi Mud Monsters|new expansion team in Mississippi]] was created, after the ownership group of the [[Mississippi Braves]] sold the team.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=The Frontier League Announces Newest Expansion Team In Mississippi |date=September 9, 2024 |url=https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2023-24/releases/20240909gh3jqt |language=en |website=Frontier League}}</ref> A few weeks later, a second new team in [[Kinston, North Carolina]] joined the FL, and started playing in 2025 as the [[Down East Bird Dawgs]].<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Frontier League adds Down East Bird Dawgs in latest expansion |date=2024-09-17 |publisher=Frontier League |url=https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2023-24/releases/20240917gjimcy}}</ref> The expansion of the two new teams marks the league's first expansion into the deep south, and largest expansion in history. The league reverted to the 2021 setup: two conferences with four divisions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-28 |title=Frontier League, Ottawa Titans Announce 2025 Schedule |url=https://www.ottawatitans.com/frontier-league-ottawa-titans-announce-2025-schedule |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=www.ottawatitans.com |language=en}}</ref>{{OSM Location map
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| zoom = 5
| width = 600
| height = 500
| float = center
| caption = {{hlist
| [[File:Red pog.svg|11px]] East Division
| [[File:Gold pog.svg|11px]] North Division
| [[File:Green pog.svg|11px]] Central Division
| [[File:Blue pog.svg|11px]] West Division
}}
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===List of teams===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:left"
|+Overview of FL teams
|-
! scope="col" align="center"|Conference
! scope="col" align="center"|Division
! scope="col" align="center"|Team
! scope="col" align="center"|City
! scope="col" align="center"|Stadium
! scope="col" align="center"|Capacity
! scope="col" align="center"|Founded
! scope="col" align="center"|Joined
! scope="col" align="center"|General manager
! scope="col" align="center"|Manager
|-
!rowspan="9" |Atlantic
! rowspan="4"|East
!scope="row"| [[Down East Bird Dawgs]]
| [[Kinston, North Carolina]]
| [[Grainger Stadium]]
| align=center | 3,400
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2025
| Shari Massengill
| Brett Wellman
|-
!scope="row"| [[New Jersey Jackals]]
| [[Paterson, New Jersey]]
| [[Hinchliffe Stadium]]
| align=center | 7,500
| style="text-align:center;" | 1998
|2020
| John Hunt
| Albert Gonzalez
|-
!scope="row"| [[New York Boulders]]
| [[Pomona, New York]]
| [[Clover Stadium]]
| align=center | 8,362
| style="text-align:center;" | 2011
|2020
| Shawn Reilly
| T.J. Stanton
|-
!scope="row"| [[Sussex County Miners]]
| [[Augusta, New Jersey]]
| [[Skylands Stadium]]
| align=center | 4,500
| style="text-align:center;" | 2015
|2020
| Vincent Sangemino
| [[Chris Widger]]
|-
! rowspan="5"|North
!scope="row"| [[Brockton Rox (Frontier League)|Brockton Rox]]
| [[Brockton, Massachusetts]]
| [[Campanelli Stadium]]
| align=center | 4,750
| colspan="2" align="center" | 2024
| Jerod Edmondson
| Jerod Edmondson
|-
!scope="row"| [[Ottawa Titans]]
| [[Ottawa|Ottawa, Ontario]]
| [[Ottawa Stadium]]
| align=center | 10,332
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2020
| Martin Boyce
| Bobby Brown
|-
!scope="row"| [[Québec Capitales]]
| [[Quebec City|Quebec City, Quebec]]
| [[Stade Canac]]
| align=center | 4,297
| style="text-align:center;" | 1999
|2020
| Mike Petillion
| [[Patrick Scalabrini]]
|-
!scope="row"| [[Tri-City ValleyCats]]
| [[Albany, New York]]
| [[Joseph L. Bruno Stadium]]
| align=center | 6,500
| style="text-align:center;" | 2002
|2021
| Matt Callahan
| [[Greg Tagert]]
|-
!scope="row"| [[Trois-Rivières Aigles (2013)|Trois-Rivières Aigles]]
| [[Trois-Rivières|Trois-Rivières, Quebec]]
| [[Stade Quillorama]]
| align=center | 4,000
| style="text-align:center;" | 2013
|2020
| Simon Laliberté
| [[Jonathan Albaladejo]]
|-
!rowspan="9" |Midwest
! rowspan="4"|Central
!scope="row"| [[Evansville Otters]]
| [[Evansville, Indiana]]
| [[Bosse Field]]
| align=center | 5,181
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1995
|Travis Painter
| Andy McCauley
|-
!scope="row"| [[Florence Y'alls]]
| [[Florence, Kentucky]]
| [[Thomas More Stadium]]
| align=center | 4,500
| colspan="2" align="center" | 2003
| Max Johnson
| Chad Rhoades
|-
!scope="row"| [[Lake Erie Crushers]]
| [[Avon, Ohio]]
| [[Crushers Stadium]]
| align=center | 5,000
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2009
|Brian Wentzel
| Jared Lemieux
|-
!scope="row"| [[Washington Wild Things]]
| [[Washington, Pennsylvania]]
| [[EQT Park]]
| align=center | 3,200
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2002
| Tony Bucilli
| Tom Vaeth
|-
! rowspan="5"|West
!scope="row"| [[Gateway Grizzlies]]
| [[Sauget, Illinois]]
| [[Grizzlies Ballpark]]
| align=center | 6,000
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2001
| Kurt Ringkamp
| Steve Brook
|-
!scope="row"| [[Joliet Slammers]]
| [[Joliet, Illinois]]
| [[Duly Health and Care Field]]
| align=center | 6,016
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2011
| Dayana Rodriguez
| Mike Pinto
|-
!scope="row"| [[Mississippi Mud Monsters]]
| [[Jackson, Mississippi]]
| [[Trustmark Park]]
| align=center | 6,500
| colspan="2" align="center" | 2025
| Andrew Seymour
| Jay Pecci
|-
!scope="row"| [[Schaumburg Boomers]]
| [[Schaumburg, Illinois]]
| [[Wintrust Field]]
| align=center | 6,665
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2012
| Michael Larson
| Jamie Bennett
|-
!scope="row"| [[Windy City ThunderBolts]]
| [[Crestwood, Illinois]]
| [[Ozinga Field]]
| align=center | 3,500
| style="text-align:center;" | 1995
|1999
| Mike VerSchave
| [[Bobby Jenks]]
|}

===Former teams===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Canton Coyotes]] (2002, became the Mid-Missouri Mavericks)
*[[Canton Crocodiles]] (1997–2002, became the Washington Wild Things)
*[[Chillicothe Paints]] (1993–2008, joined the [[Prospect League]])
*[[Dubois County Dragons]] (2000–2002, became the Kenosha Mammoths)
*[[Empire State Greys]] (2022–2023, Temporary travel team)
*[[Équipe Québec]] (2021, Temporary travel team consisting of Canadian players from Ottawa, Québec and Trois-Rivières operated due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions)
*[[Erie Sailors]] (1994, became the Johnstown Steal)
*[[Florence Freedom]] (2003–2019, became the Florence Y'alls)
*[[Frontier Greys]] (2013–2015, Temporary travel team)
*[[Johnstown Johnnies]] (1998–2002, became the Florence Freedom)
*[[Johnstown Steal]] (1995–1998, became the Johnstown Johnnies)
*[[Kalamazoo Kings]] (2001–2010, folded)
*[[Kalamazoo Kodiaks]] (1996–1998, became the London Werewolves)
*[[Kenosha Mammoths]] (2003, became the Springfield-Ozark Ducks)
*[[Kentucky Rifles]] (1993–1994, folded)
*[[Lancaster Scouts]] (1993–1994, became the Evansville Otters)
*[[London Rippers]] (2012, folded)
*[[London Werewolves]] (1999–2001, became the Canton Coyotes)
*[[Mid-Missouri Mavericks]] (2003–2005, folded)
*[[Midwest Sliders]] (2008–2009, became the Oakland County Cruisers)
*[[Normal CornBelters]] (2010–2018, joined the [[Prospect League]])
*[[Newark Buffaloes]] (1994–1995, became the Kalamazoo Kodiaks)
*[[Oakland County Cruisers]] (2010–2011, became the London Rippers)
*[[Ohio Valley Redcoats]] (1993–1998, became the Dubois County Dragons; returned 2005, folded)
*[[Portsmouth Explorers]] (1993–1995, became the Springfield Capitals)
*[[Richmond Roosters]] (1995–2005, became the Traverse City Beach Bums)
*[[River City Rascals]] (1999–2019, folded)
*[[Rockford Aviators]] (2013–2015, folded)
*[[Rockford RiverHawks]] (2002–2009, moved to [[Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010)|Northern League]]; returned 2011–2012, became Rockford Aviators)
*[[Slippery Rock Sliders]] (2007, became the Midwest Sliders)
*[[Southern Illinois Miners]] (2007–2021, folded)
*[[Springfield Capitals]] (1996–2001, became the Rockford Riverhawks)
*[[Springfield-Ozark Mountain Ducks | Springfield-Ozark Ducks]] (2004, became the Ohio Valley Redcoats)
*[[Traverse City Beach Bums]] (2006–2018, folded)
*[[Tri-State Tomahawks]] (1993, folded)
*[[West Virginia Coal Sox]] (1993, folded)
*[[Zanesville Greys]] (1993–1996, became the River City Rascals)
{{div col end}}

===Timeline===
<timeline>
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
ImageSize = width:1100 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:1993 till:2025
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:40 left:0 bottom:50 top:5

Colors = id:barcolor value:rg(0.99,0.7,0.7)
id:line value:black
id:bg value:white

PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:09/20/2008 text:[[Chillicothe Paints]] (1993–2008)
bar:2 color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:09/20/1994 text:[[Kentucky Rifles]] (1993–94)
bar:3 color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:end text:[[Lancaster Scouts]] (1993–94), [[Evansville Otters]] (1995–)
bar:4 color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:09/20/2005 text:[[Ohio Valley Redcoats]] (1993–98, 2005), [[Dubois County Dragons]] (1999–2002), [[Kenosha Mammoths]] (2003), [[Springfield-Ozark Ducks]] (2004)
bar:5 color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:09/20/2009 text:[[Portsmouth Explorers]] (1993–95), [[Springfield Capitals]] (1996–2001), [[Rockford RiverHawks]] (2002–09, 2011–12), [[Rockford Aviators]] (2013–15)
bar:5 color:orange from:05/15/2011 till:09/20/2015
bar:6 color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:07/10/1993 text:[[Tri-State Tomahawks]] (1993)
bar:7 color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:06/30/1993 text:[[West Virginia Coal Sox]] (1993)
bar:8 color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:09/20/1996 text:[[Zanesville Greys]] (1993–96)
bar:8 color:orange from:05/15/1999 till:09/15/2019 text:[[River City Rascals]] (1999–2019)
bar:9 color:orange from:05/15/1994 till:end text:[[Erie Sailors]] (1994), [[Johnstown Steal]] (1995–98), Johnstown Johnnies (1999–2002), [[Florence Freedom]] (2003–19), [[Florence Y'alls]] (2020–)
bar:10 color:orange from:05/15/1994 till:09/20/2005 text:[[Newark Buffaloes]]/Bison (1994–95), Kalamazoo Kodiaks (1996–98), London Werewolves (1999–2001), Canton Coyotes (2002), Mid-Missouri Mavericks (2003–05)
bar:11 color:orange from:05/15/1995 till:09/26/2018 text:[[Richmond Roosters]] (1995–2005), [[Traverse City Beach Bums]] (2006–18)
bar:12 color:orange from:05/15/1997 till:end text:[[Canton Crocodiles]] (1997–2001), Washington Wild Things (2002–)
bar:13 color:orange from:05/15/1999 till:end text:[[Cook County Cheetahs]] (1999–2003), Windy City ThunderBolts (2004–)
bar:14 color:orange from:05/15/2001 till:end text:[[Gateway Grizzlies]] (2001–)
bar:15 color:orange from:05/15/2001 till:09/20/2008 text:[[Kalamazoo Kings]] (2001–10)
bar:16 color:orange from:05/15/2007 till:07/25/2012 text:[[Slippery Rock Sliders]] (2007), Midwest Sliders (2008), Midwest Sliders of Ypsilanti (2009), [[Oakland County Cruisers]] (2010), [[London Rippers]] (2012)
bar:17 color:orange from:05/15/2007 till:09/12/2021text:[[Southern Illinois Miners]] (2007–21)
bar:18 color:orange from:05/15/2009 till:end text:[[Lake Erie Crushers]] (2009–)
bar:19 color:orange from:05/15/2010 till:09/26/2018 text:[[Normal CornBelters]] (2010–18)
bar:20 color:orange from:05/15/2011 till:end text:[[Joliet Slammers]] (2011–)
bar:21 color:orange from:05/15/2012 till:end text:[[Schaumburg Boomers]] (2012–)
bar:22 color:orange from:07/25/2012 till:10/31/2012 text:[[Pennsylvania Road Warriors|Road Warriors]] (2012)
bar:23 color:orange from:05/25/2013 till:09/30/2015 text:[[Frontier Greys]] (2013–15)
bar:24 color:orange from:05/15/2020 till:end text:[[New Jersey Jackals]] (2020–)
bar:25 color:orange from:05/15/2020 till:end text:[[New York Boulders]] (2020–)
bar:26 color:orange from:05/15/2020 till:end text:[[Québec Capitales]] (2020–)
bar:27 color:orange from:05/15/2020 till:end text:[[Sussex County Miners]] (2020–)
bar:28 color:orange from:05/15/2020 till:end text:[[Trois-Rivières Aigles (Frontier League)|Trois-Rivières Aigles]] (2020–)
bar:29 color:orange from:05/15/2021 till:end text:[[Ottawa Titans]] (2021–)
bar:30 color:orange from:05/27/2021 till:end text:[[Tri-City Valley Cats]] (2021–)
bar:31 color:orange from:05/27/2021 till:09/19/2021 text:Équipe Québec (2021)
bar:32 color:orange from:05/27/2022 till:09/17/2023 text:Empire State Greys (2022–2023)
bar:33 color:orange from:05/10/2024 till:end text:[[Brockton Rox (Frontier League)|Brockton Rox]] (2024–)
bar:34 color:orange from:05/01/2025 till:end text:[[Down East Bird Dawgs]] (2025–)
bar:35 color:orange from:05/01/2025 till:end text:[[Frontier League Mississippi|Mississippi]] (2025–)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:2 start:1993

TextData =
fontsize:L
textcolor:black
pos:(175,30) # tabs:(0-center)
text:"Frontier League Franchise History"
</timeline>

==Champions==
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*1993 [[River City Rascals|Zanesville Greys]]
*1994 [[Erie Sailors]]
*1995 [[Florence Y'alls|Johnstown Steal]]
*1996 [[Springfield Capitals]]
*1997 [[Washington Wild Things|Canton Crocodiles]]
*1998 [[Springfield Capitals]]
*1999 [[London Werewolves]]
*2000 [[Florence Y'alls|Johnstown Johnnies]]
*2001 [[Traverse City Beach Bums|Richmond Roosters]]
*2002 [[Traverse City Beach Bums|Richmond Roosters]]
*2003 [[Gateway Grizzlies]]
*2004 [[Rockford Riverhawks]]
*2005 [[Kalamazoo Kings]]
*2006 [[Evansville Otters]]
*2007 [[Windy City ThunderBolts]]
*2008 [[Windy City ThunderBolts]]
*2009 [[Lake Erie Crushers]]
*2010 [[River City Rascals]]
*2011 [[Joliet Slammers]]
*2012 [[Southern Illinois Miners]]
*2013 [[Schaumburg Boomers]]
*2014 [[Schaumburg Boomers]]
*2015 [[Traverse City Beach Bums]]
*2016 [[Evansville Otters]]
*2017 [[Schaumburg Boomers]]
*2018 [[Joliet Slammers]]
*2019 [[River City Rascals]]
*2020 Season cancelled due to [[COVID-19 pandemic]]<ref>{{Cite news|first=Chris|last=Dugan|title=Frontier League season canceled|language=en|work=Observer-Reporter|url=https://observer-reporter.com/sports/pro_sports/wild_things/frontier-league-season-canceled/article_2359472e-b657-11ea-bb30-075f5e0ead0c.html|access-date=June 25, 2020}}</ref>
*2021 [[Schaumburg Boomers]]
*2022 [[Québec Capitales]]
*2023 [[Québec Capitales]]
*2024 [[Québec Capitales]]
{{div col end}}

==Records==

=== Individual career records ===

==== Batting ====
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Statistic
!Record
!Player
|-
|Games Played
|588
| rowspan="3" |Chris Sidick
|-
|At Bats
|2,225
|-
|Runs
|434
|-
|Hits
|725
|Santiago Chirino
|-
|Home Runs
|127
| rowspan="2" |Charlie Lisk
|-
|Runs Batted In
|442
|}

==== Pitching ====
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Statistic
!Record
!Player
|-
|Games
|255
|Nick Kennedy
|-
|Games started
|98
| rowspan="5" |Aaron Ledbetter
|-
|Innings Pitched
|671.2
|-
|Wins
|51
|-
|Strikeouts
|522
|-
|Complete Games
|18
|-
|Saves
|74
|Zach Strecker
|}

== Broadcasting ==
On February 24, 2022, the FL announced that all games for the 2022 season would be available through the streaming platform [[FloSports]].<ref>{{cite press release |title=Frontier League and FloSports Announce Landmark Streaming Rights Agreement |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/frontier-league-and-flosports-announce-landmark-streaming-rights-agreement/n-5794661 |website=OurSports Central |publisher=Frontier League |access-date=March 10, 2022 |language=en |date=February 24, 2022}}</ref> They then announced a move to streaming platform HomeTeam Network for the 2025 season.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Frontier League Announces Multi-Year Streaming and Broadcast Partnership With Hometeam Network |url=https://www.frontierleague.com/frontier-league-announces-multi-year-streaming-and-broadcast-partnership-with-hometeam-network |publisher=Frontier League |access-date=April 7, 2025| language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Baseball awards#U.S. independent professional leagues]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.frontierleague.com Official website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061214055634/http://flhistory.garmurdesign.com/ Frontier League History]
* [https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/league.cgi?code=FRON&class=Ind Frontier League Encyclopedia and History at Baseball Reference]
{{Professional Baseball}}

[[Category:Frontier League| ]]
[[Category:Independent baseball leagues in the United States]]
[[Category:Multi-national professional sports leagues]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Illinois]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Indiana]]
[[Category:1993 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 1993]]
[[Category:Professional sports leagues in the United States]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Ohio]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Canada]]

Independent baseball league

2025-05-29T21:14:57Z

70.29.98.129:

{{short description|Genre of professional baseball in the United States and Canada}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title = Independent baseball leagues
| sport = [[Baseball]]
| classification = [[Professional sport|Minor professional]]
| founded = 1993
| teams = 82
| countries = [[United States]] and [[Canada]]
| most successful club = [[Québec Capitales]] (10 titles)
}}

An '''independent baseball league''' is a [[professional baseball]] league in the United States or Canada that is not overseen by [[Major League Baseball]] or its affiliated [[Minor League Baseball]] system (historically referred to as [[organized baseball]]).<ref>{{Cite web|title=What Is Independent Baseball?|url=https://www.flobaseball.tv/articles/11424769-what-is-independent-baseball|website=FloBaseball|date=10 November 2023 }}</ref>

Independent leagues have flourished in northeastern states, where dense populations can often support multiple [[Professional sports league organization|franchises]]. Because they are not subject to the territorial limitations imposed on affiliated minor-league teams, independent clubs can relocate as close to affiliated teams (and one another) as they choose to. For example, the city of [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania]], cannot have an affiliated team because of its proximity to the [[Harrisburg Senators]] and [[Reading Fightin Phils]], leaving the Atlantic League to place a team—the [[Lancaster Barnstormers]]—to fill the void. Another example is the greater New York City metropolitan area, where there are many independent teams: the [[Long Island Ducks]], [[Staten Island FerryHawks]], [[New Jersey Jackals]], [[New York Boulders]], and [[Sussex County Miners]].

The [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball|Atlantic League]] is considered as the top level of competition among the independent leagues, comparable to [[Double-A (baseball)|Double-A]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Indy Ball 101|url=https://indyballisland.com/indy-ball-101/|website=IndyBallIsland.com |date=21 June 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=WordPress |first=Lucian E. Marin-Built for |title=What are non-MLB associated baseball league talent equivalents? at Nationals Arm Race |url=https://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=3008 |access-date=2025-02-24 |language=en-US}}</ref> and has had more marquee players than any other independent league, including [[Jose Canseco]], [[Mat Latos]], [[Steve Lombardozzi Jr.]], [[Francisco Rodríguez (Venezuelan pitcher)|Francisco Rodríguez]], [[Chien-Ming Wang]], [[Roger Clemens]], [[Rich Hill (pitcher)|Rich Hill]], [[Scott Kazmir]], [[Juan González (baseball)|Juan González]], [[John Rocker]], and [[Dontrelle Willis]]. Two former Atlantic League players are in the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]], [[Tim Raines]] and [[Rickey Henderson]]. [[Gary Carter]], another Hall of Famer, managed in the league. The [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball|Atlantic League]] has had many notable managers and coaches, including [[Wally Backman]], [[Frank Viola]], [[Tommy John]], [[Sparky Lyle]], and [[Bud Harrelson]]. The Northern League alumni include [[Leon Durham|Leon "Bull" Durham]], [[J. D. Drew]], and [[Darryl Strawberry]].

== History ==
[[File:Haymarket park.JPG|thumb|[[Haymarket Park]], home to the [[Lincoln Saltdogs]], an independent baseball team in [[Lincoln, Nebraska]]]]
Independent leagues are those professional leagues in the United States and Canada not under the purview of organized Minor League Baseball and the Commissioner of Baseball. Independent baseball existed in the early 20th century and has become prominent again since 1993.<ref>{{cite book |last= Kraus |first= Rebecca S. |date= 2012 |title= Minor League Baseball: Community Building Through Hometown Sports |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=joF28i6QlBMC&q=%22Independent+baseball%22+history&pg=PA43 |publisher= Routledge |isbn= 978-0789017567 |page= 43 |access-date= November 6, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140623120848/http://books.google.com/books?id=joF28i6QlBMC&pg=PA43&dq=%22Independent+baseball%22+history&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-Jt6Ur2oM5CvkAeQj4DQCw&ved=0CF4Q6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=%22Independent%20baseball%22%20history&f=false |archive-date= June 23, 2014 |url-status= live }}</ref>

Leagues operated mostly autonomously before 1902, when the majority joined the NAPBL. From then until 1915, a total of eight new and existing leagues remained independent. Most joined the National Association after one season of independence. Notable exceptions were the [[California League]], which was independent in 1902 and from 1907 to 1909; the [[United States Baseball League]], which folded during its independent 1912 season; and the Colonial League, a National Association Member that went independent in 1915 and then folded.<ref name=Kraus44>{{cite book |last= Kraus |first= Rebecca S. |date= 2012 |title= Minor League Baseball: Community Building Through Hometown Sports |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=joF28i6QlBMC&q=%22Independent+baseball%22+history&pg=PA43 |publisher= Routledge |isbn= 978-0789017567 |page= 44 |access-date= November 6, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140623120848/http://books.google.com/books?id=joF28i6QlBMC&pg=PA43&dq=%22Independent+baseball%22+history&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-Jt6Ur2oM5CvkAeQj4DQCw&ved=0CF4Q6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=%22Independent%20baseball%22%20history&f=false |archive-date= June 23, 2014 |url-status= live }}</ref> Another independent league, the [[Federal League]], played at a level considered major league from 1914 to 1915.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ourgame.mlblogs.com/why-is-the-national-association-not-a-major-league-and-other-records-issues-7507e1683b66 |title=Why Is the National Association Not a Major League … and Other Records Issues |first=John |last=Thorn |website=Our Game |date=May 4, 2015 |access-date=November 21, 2019}}</ref>

Few independent leagues existed between 1915 and 1993. Major exceptions included the [[Carolina League (1936–38)|Carolina League]] and the [[Quebec]]-based [[Provincial League (baseball)|Provincial League]]. The Carolina League, based in the [[North Carolina]] [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]] region, gained a reputation as a notorious "outlaw league" during its existence from 1936 to 1938.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=59pOCW-1VeQC&q=%22Carolina+League%22|title=The Independent Carolina Baseball League, 1936–1938: Baseball Outlaws|author=R.G. (Hank) Utley, Scott Verner|year=1999|publisher=McFarland |isbn=0786423188|access-date=December 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505205703/https://books.google.com/books?id=59pOCW-1VeQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22Carolina+League%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-8N6UtL6O8eekQfg1oCABQ&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Carolina%20League%22&f=false|archive-date=May 5, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The Provincial League fielded six teams across Quebec and was independent from 1948 to 1949. Similarly to early 20th-century independent leagues, it joined the National Association in 1950, playing for six more years.<ref name=Kraus44/><ref>{{cite book |last= Bjarkman |first= Peter C. |date= 2005 |title= Diamonds Around the Globe: The Encyclopedia of International Baseball |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ASSUFP8rxhMC&q=page&pg=PA78 |pages= 78–79 |publisher= Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn= 0313322686 |access-date= November 7, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140629093230/http://books.google.com/books?id=ASSUFP8rxhMC&pg=PA78&dq=%22Quebec+Provincial+League%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pJt7Uv3OG4S3kQfMg4GICw&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=page&f=false |archive-date= June 29, 2014 |url-status= live }}</ref>

Independent leagues saw new growth after 1992, after the new Professional Baseball Agreement in organized baseball instituted more stringent revenue and stadium requirements on members.<ref>{{cite book |last= Kraus |first= Rebecca S. |date= 2012 |title= Minor League Baseball: Community Building Through Hometown Sports |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=joF28i6QlBMC&q=%22Independent+baseball%22+history&pg=PA43 |publisher= Routledge |isbn= 978-0789017567 |page= 47 |access-date= November 6, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140623120848/http://books.google.com/books?id=joF28i6QlBMC&pg=PA43&dq=%22Independent+baseball%22+history&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-Jt6Ur2oM5CvkAeQj4DQCw&ved=0CF4Q6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=%22Independent%20baseball%22%20history&f=false |archive-date= June 23, 2014 |url-status= live }}</ref> The [[Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010)|Northern League]] and [[Frontier League]] both started play in 1993, and the Northern League's success paved the way for other independent [[sports league|leagues]] like the [[Central Baseball League|Texas-Louisiana League]] and [[Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball|Northeast League]]. Over the next eight years, at least 16 independent leagues formed, of which six existed in 2002.<ref name=Kraus44/> As of the 2024 season, there are seven active leagues, with four of them acting as [[MLB Partner Leagues]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Partner Leagues|url=https://www.mlb.com/glossary/miscellaneous/partner-leagues|website=MLB}}</ref>

Additionally, Major League Baseball co-operatively operates the [[MLB Draft League]], which operates as an amateur [[collegiate summer baseball]] league in the first half of each season and a professional league outside of the structure of Minor League Baseball for the remainder.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlbdraftleague.com/about/faq|publisher=MLB Draft League|access-date=June 2, 2024|title=2024 MLB Draft League Informational FAQ}}</ref>

==Current leagues==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+Overview of current independent baseball leagues
|-
!scope="col"|Affiliation
!scope="col"|League
!scope="col"|First season
!scope="col"|Teams
!scope="col"|Geographical area
|-
| MLB Showcase League
!scope="row" align="center"|[[MLB Draft League]]
|align="center"|2021
|align="center"|6
|align="center"|[[Appalachia]], [[Mid-Atlantic (United States)|Mid-Atlantic]]
|-
| rowspan="4" | MLB Partner Leagues
!scope="row" align="center"|[[American Association of Professional Baseball]]
|align="center"|2006
|align="center"|12
|align="center"|[[Midwestern United States|Midwest]], [[Manitoba]], [[Texas]]
|-
!scope="row" align="center"|[[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball]]
|align="center"|1998
|align="center"|10
|align="center"|[[Mid-Atlantic (United States)|Mid-Atlantic]], [[Southeastern United States|Southeast]]
|-
!scope="row" align="center"|[[Frontier League]]
|align="center"|1993
|align="center"|18
|align="center"|[[Northeast United States|Northeast]], [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]], [[Ontario]], [[Quebec]]
|-
!scope="row" align="center"|[[Pioneer League (baseball)|Pioneer Baseball League]]
|align="center"|1939
|align="center"|12
|align="center"|[[Mountain states|Northern Mountain States]], [[California]]
|-
| rowspan="3" | Independent
!scope="row" align="center"|[[Empire Professional Baseball League]]
|align="center"|2016
|align="center"|4
|align="center"|[[Upstate New York]]
|-
!scope="row" align="center"|[[Pecos League]]
|align="center"|2011
|align="center"|16
|align="center"|[[California]], [[Southwestern United States|Southwest]], [[Mountain states|Southern Mountain States]], [[Great Plains]]
|-
!scope="row" align="center"|[[United Shore Professional Baseball League]]
|align="center"|2016
|align="center"|4
|align="center"|[[Utica, Michigan]]
|}
{{Location map+|United States|float=center|width=900|caption=Independent baseball league teams
{{hlist
| [[File:Blue pog.svg|8px]] American Association
| [[File:Green pog.svg|8px]] Atlantic League
| [[File:Red pog.svg|8px]] Frontier League
| [[File:Yellow pog.svg|8px]] Pioneer League
| [[File:Orange pog.svg|8px]] Pecos League
| [[File:Cyan pog.svg|8px]] Empire League
| [[File:Black pog.svg|8px]] United Shore League (4 teams play in one stadium)
| [[File:Pink pog.svg|8px]] MLB Draft League}}
|places={{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=46.8987|lon_deg=-96.8037|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=left|label=[[Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks|RedHawks]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=41.9777|lon_deg=-87.8716|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=right|label=[[Chicago Dogs|Dogs]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=43.5592|lon_deg=-96.7485|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=left|label=[[Sioux Falls Canaries|Canaries]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=42.4427|lon_deg=-96.3631|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=left|label=[[Sioux City Explorers|Explorers]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=49.8938|lon_deg=-97.1340|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=left|label=[[Winnipeg Goldeyes|Goldeyes]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=41.603|lon_deg=-87.332|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=right|label=[[Gary SouthShore RailCats|RailCats]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=39.124|lon_deg=-94.831|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=left|label=[[Kansas City Monarchs (2021–present)|Monarchs]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=40.8228|lon_deg=-96.7132|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=left|label=[[Lincoln Saltdogs|Saltdogs]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=32.3745|lon_deg=-97.4129|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=left|label=[[Cleburne Railroaders|Railroaders]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=42.9172|lon_deg=-88.0155|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=right|label=[[Milwaukee Milkmen|Milkmen]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=41.8805|lon_deg=-88.2819|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=left|label=[[Kane County Cougars|Cougars]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=43.0663|lon_deg=-88.4752|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=left|label=[[Lake Country DockHounds|DockHounds]]}}

{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=40.0379|lon_deg=-76.3055|mark=Green pog.svg|position=right|marksize=6|label=[[Lancaster Stormers|Stormers]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=38.6265|lon_deg=-76.9105|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left|marksize=6|label=[[Southern Maryland Blue Crabs|Blue Crabs]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=39.9626|lon_deg=-76.7277|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left|marksize=6|label=[[York Revolution|Revolution]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=40.7907|lon_deg=-73.2018|mark=Green pog.svg|position=right|marksize=6|label=[[Long Island Ducks|Ducks]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=39.6405|lon_deg=-77.7239|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left|marksize=6|label=[[Hagerstown Flying Boxcars|Flying Boxcars]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=35.9557|lon_deg=-80.0053|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left|marksize=6|label=[[High Point Rockers|Rockers]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=35.2621|lon_deg=-81.1873|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left|marksize=6|label=[[Gastonia Ghost Peppers|Ghost Peppers]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=38.06545|lon_deg=-84.47852|mark=Green pog.svg|position=left|marksize=6|label=[[Lexington Legends|Legends]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=38.34901|lon_deg=-81.62502|mark=Green pog.svg|position=right|marksize=6|label=[[Charleston Dirty Birds|Dirty Birds]]}}
{{Location map~|USA|lat_deg=40.643333|lon_deg=-74.074167|mark=Green pog.svg|position=right|marksize=6|label=[[Staten Island FerryHawks|FerryHawks]]}}

{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=41.46373|lon_deg=-82.058473|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Lake Erie Crushers|Crushers]]|position=bottom}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=40.868734|lon_deg=-74.195247|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[New Jersey Jackals|Jackals]]|position=left}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=41.170|lon_deg=-74.037|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[New York Boulders|Boulders]]|position=top}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=46.818611|lon_deg=-71.233497|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Québec Capitales|Capitales]]|position=left}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=41.125917|lon_deg=-74.710122|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Sussex County Miners|Miners]]|position=left}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=46.3477|lon_deg=-72.5563|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Trois-Rivières Aigles (Frontier League)|Aigles]]|position=left}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=42.695329|lon_deg=-73.680464|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Tri-City ValleyCats|ValleyCats]]|position=left}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=45.42178|lon_deg=-75.69119|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Ottawa Titans (baseball)|Titans]]|position=top}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=40.154167|lon_deg=-80.283611|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Washington Wild Things|Wild Things]]|position=left}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=37.992778|lon_deg=-87.562222|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Evansville Otters|Otters]]|position=bottom}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=38.982156|lon_deg=-84.638479|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Florence Y'alls|Y'alls]]|position=top}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=38.566042|lon_deg=-90.13583|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Gateway Grizzlies|Grizzlies]]|position=top}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=41.525711|lon_deg=-88.0779|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Joliet Slammers|Slammers]]|position=left}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=41.992828|lon_deg=-88.118089|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Schaumburg Boomers|Boomers]]|position=top}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=41.637056|lon_deg=-87.731688|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Windy City ThunderBolts|ThunderBolts]]|position=bottom}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=42.069336|lon_deg=-71.042692|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Brockton Rox (Frontier League)|Rox]]|position=right}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=32.273605|lon_deg=-90.148687|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Mississippi Mud Monsters|Mud Monsters]]|position=right}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=35.26954|lon_deg=-77.57511|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Down East Bird Dawgs|Bird Dawgs]]|position=right}}

{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=45.790278|lon_deg=-108.511111|mark=Yellow pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Billings Mustangs|Mustangs]]|position=right}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=47.516919|lon_deg=-111.259467|mark=Yellow pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Great Falls Voyagers|Voyagers]]|position=right}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=43.505161|lon_deg=-112.037861|mark=Yellow pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Idaho Falls Chukars|Chukars]]|position=right}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=46.873431|lon_deg=-114.007294|mark=Yellow pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Missoula PaddleHeads|PaddleHeads]]|position=left}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=38.894172|lon_deg=-104.710311|mark=Yellow pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Rocky Mountain Vibes|Vibes]]|position=top}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=39.076684|lon_deg=-108.550404|mark=Yellow pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Grand Junction Jackalopes|Jackalopes]]|position=left}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=41.223779|lon_deg=-111.974845|mark=Yellow pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Ogden Raptors|Raptors]]|position=left}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=43.656|lon_deg=-116.279|mark=Yellow pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Boise Hawks|Hawks]]|position=left}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=40.477|lon_deg=-104.901|mark=Yellow pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Northern Colorado Owlz|Owlz]]|position=left}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=37.79637|lon_deg=-122.2628 |mark=Yellow pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Oakland Ballers|Ballers]]|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |USA|lat=30.373 |long=-103.6645 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Alpine Cowboys|Cowboys]] |position=top}}
{{location map~ |USA|lat=30.26267 |long=-97.71266 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Austin Weirdos|Weirdos]] |position=left}}
{{location map~ |USA|lat=37.96061 |long=-100.86707 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Garden City Wind|Wind]] |position=top}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=33.36392 |long=-104.50969 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Roswell Invaders|Invaders]] |position=right}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=35.6955563 |long=-105.9369242 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Santa Fe Fuego|Fuego]] |position=left}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=37.1668792 |long=-104.5184219 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Trinidad Triggers|Triggers]] |position=left}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=32.176675 |long=-110.933367 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Tucson Saguaros|Saguaros]] |position=top}}
{{location map~ |USA|lat=36.801389|long=-97.300833 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Blackwell Flycatchers|Flycatchers]] |position=left}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=35.397556 |long=-119.022384 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Bakersfield Train Robbers|Train Robbers]] |position=right}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=37.702222|long=-121.935833|mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Dublin Leprechauns|Leprechauns]] |position=right}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=38.018990 |long=-122.134857 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Martinez Sturgeon|Sturgeon]] |position=right}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=37.967780 |long=-122.528243 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label= [[San Rafael Pacifics|Pacifics]]| position= left}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=38.113056|long=-122.235833 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label= [[Vallejo Seaweed|Seaweed]]| position= top}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=39.1509|long=-121.5881|mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label= [[Marysville Drakes|Drakes]]| position= right}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=31.415556|long=-103.5 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label= [[Pecos Bills|Bills]]| position=top}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=41.136111|long=-100.763056 |mark=Orange pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[North Platte 80s|80s]] |position=bottom}}

{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=44.683594|lon_deg=-73.477384|mark=Cyan pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Plattsburgh Thunderbirds|Thunderbirds]]|position=right}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=44.324231|lon_deg=-74.137803|mark=Cyan pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Saranac Lake Surge|Surge]]|position=right}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=44.225921|lon_deg=-74.463536|mark=Cyan pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Tupper Lake Riverpigs|Riverpigs]]|position=bottom}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=44.848889|lon_deg=-74.291389|mark=Cyan pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Malone Border Hounds|Border Hounds]]|position=left}}

{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=42.626|lon_deg=-83.0402|mark=Black pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[United Shore Professional Baseball League|USPBL]]|position=top}}

{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=39.42|lon_deg=-77.41|mark=Pink pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Frederick Keys|Keys]]|position=right}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=41.22|lon_deg=-80.76|mark=Pink pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Mahoning Valley Scrappers|Scrappers]]|position=top}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=40.81|lon_deg=-77.85|mark=Pink pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[State College Spikes|Spikes]]|position=bottom}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=40.20|lon_deg=-74.76|mark=Pink pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Trenton Thunder|Thunder]]|position=right}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=39.64|lon_deg=-80.00|mark=Pink pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[West Virginia Black Bears|Black Bears]]|position=left}}
{{location map~|USA|lat_deg=41.24|lon_deg=-77.05|mark=Pink pog.svg|marksize=6|label=[[Williamsport Crosscutters|Crosscutters]]|position=bottom}}

}}

==Defunct leagues==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+Overview of former independent baseball leagues
|-
!scope="col"|League
!scope="col"|First season
!scope="col"|Last season
!scope="col"|Geographical area
|-
!scope="row"|[[All-American Association]]
|2001
|2001
|[[Southern United States]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Arizona–Mexico League]]
|2003
|2003
|[[Arizona]], [[Mexico]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Atlantic Coast League (1995)|Atlantic Coast League]]
|1995
|1995
|[[Southeastern United States]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Big South League]]
|1996
|1997
|[[Arkansas]], [[Mississippi]], [[Tennessee]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball]]
|2005
|2019
|[[Northeastern United States|Northeast]], [[Quebec]], [[Ontario]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Canadian Baseball League]]
|2003
|2003
|Canada
|-
!scope="row"|[[Carolina League (1936–1938)|Carolina League]]
|1936
|1938
|[[North Carolina]]'s [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]] region
|-
!scope="row"|[[Central Baseball League]]
|1994
|2005
|[[Southern United States]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Continental Baseball League]]
|2007
|2010
|[[Southwestern United States]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Empire State League (1987)|Empire State League]]
|1987
|1987
|[[New York (state)|New York]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Freedom Pro Baseball League]]
|2012
|2013
|[[Arizona]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Golden Baseball League]]
|2005
|2010
|[[Hawaii]], [[Western United States]], [[Western Canada]], [[Mexico]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Golden State League]]
|1995
|1995
|[[California]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Great Central League]]
|1994
|1994
|[[Upper Midwest]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Heartland League]]
|1996
|1998
|[[Midwestern United States]], [[Northeastern United States]], [[Southeastern United States]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Inter-American League]]
|1978
|1979
|[[United States]], [[Dominican Republic]], [[Panama]], [[Puerto Rico]], [[Venezuela]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Mid-America League]]
|1995
|1995
|[[Midwestern United States]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Mount Rainier Professional Baseball League]]
|2015
|2015
|[[Washington (state)|Washington]], [[Oregon]], [[Montana]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[North Atlantic League]]
|1995
|1996
|[[Northeastern United States]], Canada
|-
!scope="row"|[[North American League (baseball)|North American League]]
|2011
|2012
|[[Western United States]], [[Texas]], [[Illinois]], Canada
|-
!scope="row"|North Central League
|1994
|1995
|[[Upper Midwest]], Canada
|-
!scope="row"|[[North Country Baseball League]]
|2015
|2015
|[[New York (state)|New York]], [[Maine]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Northeast League]]
|1995
|2004
|[[Northeastern United States]], Canada
|-
!scope="row"|[[Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010)|Northern League]]
|1993
|2010
|[[Upper Midwest]], [[Kansas]], Canada
|-
!scope="row"|[[Pacific Association]]
|2013
|2019
|[[California]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Prairie League]]
|1995
|1997
|[[Upper Midwest]], Canada
|-
!scope="row"|[[South Coast League]]
|2007
|2007
|[[Southeastern United States]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Southeastern League]]
|2002
|2003
|[[Southeastern United States]]
|-
!scope="row"|Southwest Baseball League
|1995
|1997
|[[Southwestern United States]]
|-
!scope="row"|Thoroughbred Baseball League
|2017
|2017
|[[Kentucky]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[United League Baseball]]
|2006
|2014
|[[Texas]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Western Baseball League]]
|1995
|2002
|[[Pacific States]]
|}

==Outside of North America==
{{Location map+|Japan|places=
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=33.808411|lon_deg=132.747525|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=left|label=[[Ehime Mandarin Pirates|Pirates]]}}
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=34.35|lon_deg=134.05|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=top|label=[[Kagawa Olive Guyners|Guyners]]}}
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=33.56|lon_deg=133.53|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=bottom|label=[[Kōchi Fighting Dogs|Dogs]]}}
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=34.07|lon_deg=134.55|mark=Blue pog.svg|marksize=6|position=right|label=[[Tokushima Indigo Socks|Socks]]}}
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=37.72|lon_deg=140.36|mark=Green pog.svg|marksize=6|position=right|label=[[Fukushima RedHopes|RedHopes]]}}
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=36.30 |lon_deg=139.88|mark=Green pog.svg|marksize=6|position=right|label=[[Ibaraki Astro Planets|Planets]]}}
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=36.31 |lon_deg=139.80|mark=Green pog.svg|marksize=6|position=top|label=[[Tochigi Golden Braves|Braves]]}}
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=35.32 |lon_deg=139.35|mark=Green pog.svg|marksize=6|position=bottom|label=[[Kanagawa Future Dreams|Dreams]]}}
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=36.32 |lon_deg=139.00|mark=Green pog.svg|marksize=6|position=left|label=[[Gunma Diamond Pegasus|Pegasus]]}}
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=36.15 |lon_deg=139.39|mark=Green pog.svg|marksize=6|position=bottom|label=[[Saitama Musashi Heat Bears|Bears]]}}
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=36.58 |lon_deg=138.17|mark=Green pog.svg|marksize=6|position=top|label=[[Shinano Grandserows|Grandserows]]}}
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=36.69 |lon_deg=138.69|mark=Green pog.svg|marksize=6|position=top|label=[[Yamanashi Firewinds|Firewinds]]}}
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=36.69 |lon_deg=137.21|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|position=left|label=[[Toyama Thunderbirds|Thunderbirds]]}}
{{Location map~|Japan|lat_deg=36.56 |lon_deg=136.65|mark=Red pog.svg|marksize=6|position=bottom|label=[[Ishikawa Million Stars|Stars]]}}
|float=right|width=500|caption=Map of independent baseball leagues and teams in Japan
{{Legend|Blue|[[Shikoku Island League Plus]]}}
{{Legend|Green|[[Baseball Challenge League]]}}
{{Legend|Red|[[Nihonkai League Baseball]]}}
}}
Independent baseball leagues and teams exist outside of North America, though rarer.

In Japan, the Japan Independent Baseball League Organization, which consists of the [[Shikoku Island League Plus]] and [[Baseball Challenge League]], operates independently from [[Nippon Professional Baseball]] (NPB).<ref name=JapanBall>{{cite web|url=https://japanball.com/japanese-baseball-introduction/what-is-minor-league-baseball-in-japan-like/|title=What is Minor League Baseball in Japan Like?|website=JapanBall.com|first=Yuri|last=Karasawa|date=March 31, 2024}}</ref> Japan also has a variety of independent semi-professional leagues consisting of [[Works team#Baseball|industrial teams]], where the players are regular employees of the company that own the team and are additionally paid to play baseball for the company on the side.<ref name=JapanBall/> South Korea also has series of small independent leagues.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/sports/2024/09/600_227056.html|newspaper=The Korea Times|date=April 6, 2017|title=Independent baseball club helps players get second chance in KBO League|last=Kang|first=Hyun-kyung}}</ref>

Additionally, as of 2024, two Japanese teams without affiliation to NPB teams play within NPB's minor leagues (the [[Eastern League (Japanese baseball)|Eastern League]] and the [[Western League (Japanese baseball)|Western League]]).<ref name=JapanBall/> Similarly, within [[KBO Futures League]], the minor league of [[KBO League|Korea Baseball Organization]] (KBO), there is an [[Sangmu Phoenix (baseball)|unaffiliated team that consists only of South Korean military personnel]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2019/04/16/Baseball/Military-service-looms-over-KBO/3061916.html|title=Military service looms over KBO|date=April 16, 2019|newspaper=[[Korea JoongAng Daily]]|first1=Hyo-Kyung|last1=Kim|last2=Park|first2=So-Young}}</ref>

A select number of Japanese independent teams also participate in the off-season [[Miyazaki Phoenix League]] alongside Japanese and Korean minor league teams. An all-star team of Japanese independent and industrial league players was invited to participate at the [[2025 Caribbean Series]] under the moniker of the Japan Breeze.<ref name="Japan Breeze">{{cite web |url=https://worldbaseball.com/who-are-the-japan-breeze-the-mystery-team-of-the-caribbean-series/ |publisher=World Baseball |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121024853/https://worldbaseball.com/who-are-the-japan-breeze-the-mystery-team-of-the-caribbean-series/|archive-date=January 21, 2025|title=Who are the Japan Breeze? |date=January 20, 2025 |accessdate=January 28, 2025}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+Overview of Japanese independent baseball leagues
|-
!scope="col"|League
!scope="col"|First season
!scope="col"|Teams
!scope="col"|Geographical area
|-
!scope="row"|[[Shikoku Island League Plus]]
|2005
|4
|[[Shikoku]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Baseball Challenge League]]
|2006
|8
|[[Chūbu region|Chūbu]], [[Kantō region|Kantō]], [[Tōhoku region|Tōhoku]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Nihonkai League Baseball]]
|2022
|2
|[[Chūbu region|Chūbu]]
|}

==See also==
*[[List of professional sports leagues#Baseball|List of professional baseball leagues]]
*[[List of baseball teams in Canada]] (including leagues)

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.independentbaseball.net IndependentBaseball.net]

{{Professional Baseball}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Independent league baseball| ]]
[[Category:Baseball genres]]

Tri-City ValleyCats

2025-05-29T21:02:31Z

70.29.98.129: Correcting info

{{short description|Frontier League baseball franchise in Albany, New York}}
{{Infobox baseball team
| name = Tri-City ValleyCats
| founded = 2002
|location=[[Albany, New York]]| logo = TC ValleyCats.PNG
| cap_logo = TC ValleyCats cap.PNG
| colors = Black, red, white {{colour box|black}} {{colour box|red}} {{colour box|white}}
| league = [[Frontier League]] (2021–present)
| division = Atlantic Division
| former_leagues = [[New York–Penn League]] (2002–2020)
| former_names =
| ballpark = [[Joseph L. Bruno Stadium]]
| league_champs = {{hlist|2010|2013|2018}}
| division_champs = {{hlist|2004|2006|2010|2012|2013|2014|2015|2018}}
|berths = {{flatlist|
;9
:2004
:2006
:2010
:2012
:2013
:2014
:2015
:2018
:2024
}}
|mascot=SouthPaw, Pappy and Ribbie| owner = Bill Gladstone
| general_manager = Matt Callahan
| manager = [[Greg Tagert]]
|media=HomeTeam Network|website=https://tcvalleycats.com/landing/index}}[[File:Tri-City Valley Cats baseball game (2006).jpg|thumb|right|A Tri-City ValleyCats game|371x371px]]The '''Tri-City ValleyCats''' are a professional [[baseball]] team based in [[Albany, New York]]. The ValleyCats compete in the [[Frontier League]] (FL) as a member of the Atlantic Division. The team was established in 2002, along with the [[Aberdeen IronBirds]], when the [[New York–Penn League]] expanded to 14 teams. The ValleyCats have played their home games at [[Joseph L. Bruno Stadium]] since 2002, but were previously members of [[Minor League Baseball]]'s [[New York–Penn League]] (NYPL) as the [[Class A Short Season]] affiliate of the [[Houston Astros]]. With MLB's reorganization of the minor leagues after the 2020 season, the ValleyCats were not selected to continue in affiliated baseball.

The team has won three times the New York–Penn League Championship, in 2010, 2013 and 2018. The ValleyCats, along with the [[Ottawa Titans]], were both added to the [[Frontier League]] during the 2021 expansion. The ValleyCats have had nine playoff berths in their history, which stands as an NYPL record.

==History==
===Before Tri-City===
Prior to their arrival in Albany, the club was based first in [[Little Falls (city), New York|Little Falls, New York]], as the [[Little Falls Mets]] (1977–1988), and then in [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts]], as the [[Pittsfield Mets]] (1989–2000) and Pittsfield Astros (2001).

===2002 season===
The ValleyCats played their first game on the road in [[Lowell, Massachusetts]], on June 18, 2002, against their former rivals, the [[Lowell Spinners]]. The Spinners had a 3–1 lead going into the eighth inning, but a [[triple (baseball)|triple]] by Aneudi Cuevas down the right field line drove in three [[run (baseball)|runs]] leading the ValleyCats to a 5–4 victory.

===2006 season===
In their 2006 season, the ValleyCats registered an attendance of 129,126 in 37 contests, averaging 3,489 fans per game. On July 4, 2006, the ValleyCats set a new all-time home attendance mark as 6,123 people attended a game against the Lowell Spinners which was later broken in the following years.

===2008 season===
====All-Star game====
The Valley Cats hosted the fourth annual New York–Penn League All-Star Game at [[Joseph L. Bruno Stadium]] in 2008. The game was played between teams made up of the affiliates of [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) and [[American League]] (AL) teams. The ValleyCats, affiliates of the [[National League (baseball)|National League]]'s [[Houston Astros]], were part of the NL squad. Four ValleyCats were voted to play in the game: [[first baseman]] Phil Disher, [[left fielder]] Jack Shuck, [[pitcher]] Philip Rummel, and [[center fielder]] Thomas Steele. However, Steele was injured two weeks before the game and was replaced by Tri-City [[third baseman]] David Flores. The NL All-Stars won the game on a walk-off [[run batted in|RBI]] by Tri-City's David Flores. Flores was also voted MVP of the game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-447955 |title=Flores sends All-Star fans home happy |publisher=New York–Penn League|date=August 20, 2008}}</ref>

====No-hitter====
On June 21, 2008, pitchers Shane Wolf, David Miller, and Ashton Mowdy combined to throw the first [[no-hitter]] in the franchise's history. Wolf is a native of nearby [[Lansing, New York|Lansing]]. The ValleyCats won, 10–0, over the [[Oneonta Tigers]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080621&content_id=421267&vkey=news_t577&fext=.jsp&sid=t577 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628110359/http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080621&content_id=421267&vkey=news_t577&fext=.jsp&sid=t577 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 28, 2009 |title=Three ValleyCats Combine for First No-Hitter in Franchise History |publisher=Tri-City ValleyCats|date=June 21, 2008}}</ref>

===2009 season===
The ValleyCats once again broke attendance records in 2009. Their single-game attendance record was broken again on July 4 against the [[Brooklyn Cyclones]]. A crowd of 6,838 fans attended the 2–1 ValleyCats loss.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/tri-city-valleycats/news/gcs-5700092 |title='Cats Shatter Single Game Attendance Record |publisher=Tri-City ValleyCats |date=July 4, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109201622/https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-5700092 |archive-date=January 9, 2022}}</ref> They also set a new single season attendance record, attracting 145,976 fans to Joseph L. Bruno Stadium that season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-6742500 |title=ValleyCats Set Season Attendance Record for Sixth Consecutive Season |publisher=Tri-City ValleyCats |date=September 1, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109202226/https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-6742500 |archive-date=January 9, 2022}}</ref> Tri-City finished the season in fourth place in the Stedler Division, 18 games behind first-place Lowell.<ref name="09NYPL">{{Cite web |url=https://aws.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=dd0f8031 |title=2009 New York–Pennsylvania League |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=September 8, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419201039/https://aws.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=dd0f8031 |archive-date=April 19, 2021}}</ref>

===2010 Championship season ===
After three losing seasons, the ValleyCats finally turned around to be one of the front runners in the Stedler Division. Led by [[manager (baseball)|manager]] [[Jim Pankovits]], they were the underdog in the 2010 NYPL playoffs with a 38–36 record, and having won their division by only a half game over the [[Connecticut Tigers]]. They reached the championship series for the third time in their short history, and beat the heavy favorite Brooklyn Cyclones (51–24), two games to none.

===2015 season===
The second no-hitter in ValleyCats history was thrown on August 6, 2015. Pitchers Kevin McCanna, [[Ralph Garza]], and Zac Person combined for the road win against the [[Aberdeen IronBirds]] at [[Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium]], 5–0.<ref name=nohitters>{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-66410690 |title=New York-Penn League No-Hit Games |website=New York–Penn League |publisher=Minor League Baseball |access-date=February 17, 2017}}</ref>

===2021 and beyond===
After the cancelled 2020 minor league season, [[Major League Baseball]] took direct control of [[Minor League Baseball]] and discontinued short-season play. The ValleyCats were not among the teams invited to continue in affiliated baseball.<ref>{{cite news|last=Singelais|first=Mark|url=https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/ValleyCats-lose-bid-to-affiliate-with-Major-15788506.php|title=ValleyCats lose bid to affiliate with Major League Baseball team|website=Times Union|date=December 9, 2020|access-date=December 12, 2020}}</ref> On January 7, 2021, the team announced that it would be joining the [[Frontier League]], an independent MLB Partner league, for the 2021 season.<ref>{{cite news|last=Schott|first=Ken|url=https://dailygazette.com/2021/01/07/valleycats-will-join-frontier-league/|title=ValleyCats will join Frontier League|website=Daily Gazette|date=January 7, 2021|access-date=January 7, 2021}}</ref> The 2021 and 2022 seasons were disappointing for the ValleyCats as they missed the playoffs both years. In the 2023 season, the ValleyCats attempted to get into the playoffs. However, they were beaten by the [[Sussex County Miners]] for the third and final playoff spot. Despite both clubs having the same record in the East Division, the Miners had a longer winning streak than the Valley Cats. This meant that the ValleyCats missed the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. In 2024, the Valley Cats clinched the playoffs for the first time since 2018, placing second in the East Division. However, they lost to the [[Ottawa Titans]] in the Wild Card game 5-2.

==Mascots==
[[File:Tri-City ValleyCats - mascots.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|Left to right: Sammy, Ribbie, and SouthPaw]]
The ValleyCats have several mascots, the three most prominent being SouthPaw, his grandfather, Pappy, and his best friend, Ribbie. SouthPaw is a jersey-wearing cat, representing the "ValleyCat", the team's nickname. Another fan-favorite is Sammy Baseball who wears a patriotic costume and resembles [[Uncle Sam]], reputedly derived from [[Samuel Wilson]] who operated a meat packing plant in [[Albany, New York|Albany]]. The Tri-City Mayors, large caricature heads representing the current Mayors of Troy, Albany, and Schenectady, race (and dance) on a nightly basis at the ballpark. Ketchup, Mustard, and Relish mascots participate in a hot dog race. Other mascots include Spiedie the Chicken, Zoggy the Dinosaur, and Rowdy the River Rat, obtained when the [[Albany River Rats]] moved to [[Charlotte, North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite web|title=ValleyCats adopt Rowdy the Rat|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-10519624|website=Tri-City ValleyCats|access-date=April 28, 2014}}</ref>

==Season results==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align: center;"
! scope="col"; style="background:#E31836; color:white;"|Season
! scope="col"; style="background:#E31836; color:white;"|League
! scope="col"; style="background:#E31836; color:white;"|Manager
! scope="col"; style="background:#E31836; color:white;"|Record
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| 2002
| [[New York-Penn League|NYPL]]
| [[Iván DeJesús]]
| 27–48, 4th place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| 2003
| NYPL
| Iván DeJesús
| 44–32, 2nd place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc" |2004{{Sup|{{†|alt=Finalist}}}}
| bgcolor="#ffcccc" |NYPL
| bgcolor="#ffcccc" |Gregg Langbehn
| bgcolor="#ffcccc" |50–25, 1st place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| 2005
| NYPL
| Gregg Langbehn
| 34–42, 3rd place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc" |2006{{Sup|{{†|alt=Finalist}}}}
| bgcolor="#ffcccc" |NYPL
| bgcolor="#ffcccc" |Gregg Langbehn
| bgcolor="#ffcccc" |43–31, 1st place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| 2007
| NYPL
| Pete Rancont
| 27–47, 4th place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| 2008
| NYPL
| Pete Rancont
| 28–45, 4th place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| 2009
| NYPL
| [[Jim Pankovits]]
| 27–48, 4th place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center; background:#ffe6bd" |2010{{Sup|{{‡|alt=League champions}}}}
| bgcolor="#ffe6bd" |NYPL
| bgcolor="#ffe6bd" |Jim Pankovits
| bgcolor="#ffe6bd" |38–36, 1st place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| 2011
| NYPL
| [[Stubby Clapp]]
| 33–42, 3rd place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc" |2012{{Sup|{{†|alt=Finalist}}}}
| bgcolor="#ffcccc" |NYPL
| bgcolor="#ffcccc" |Stubby Clapp
| bgcolor="#ffcccc" |51–25, 1st place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center; background:#ffe6bd" |2013{{Sup|{{‡|alt=League champions}}}}
| bgcolor="#ffe6bd" |NYPL
| bgcolor="#ffe6bd" |[[Ed Romero]]
| bgcolor="#ffe6bd" |44–32, 1st place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc" |2014{{Sup|{{†|alt=Finalist}}}}
| bgcolor="#ffcccc" |NYPL
| bgcolor="#ffcccc" |Ed Romero
| bgcolor="#ffcccc" |48–28, 1st place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center; background:#d0e7ff" |2015{{Sup|§}}
| bgcolor="#d0e7ff" |NYPL
| bgcolor="#d0e7ff" |Ed Romero
| bgcolor="#d0e7ff" |42–33, 1st place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| 2016
| NYPL
| Lamarr Rogers
| 38–38, 3rd place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| 2017
| NYPL
| [[Morgan Ensberg]]
| 34–39, 3rd place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center; background:#ffe6bd"| 2018{{Sup|{{‡|alt=League champions}}}}
| bgcolor="#ffe6bd" |NYPL
| bgcolor="#ffe6bd" |Jason Bell
| bgcolor="#ffe6bd" |42–33, 1st place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| 2019
| NYPL
| Ozney Guillen
| 32–42, 4th place Stedler
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| 2020
|
|
| Season not played due to [[COVID-19]]
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| 2021
| [[Frontier League|Frontier]]
| [[Pete Incaviglia]]
| 50–46, 2nd place Atlantic
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| [[2022 Frontier League season|2022]]
| Frontier
| Pete Incaviglia
| 54–41, 5th place East
|-
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| [[2023 Frontier League season|2023]]
| Frontier
| Pete Incaviglia
| 55–40, 4th place East
|-
!scope="row" style=text-align:center| [[2024 Frontier League season|2024]]
| Frontier
| [[Greg Tagert]]
| 52–41, 2nd place East
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
| align="center" bgcolor="#ffe6bd" |NY–Penn League champions ({{‡|alt=League champions}})
| align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" |NY–Penn League finalists ({{†|alt=Finalist}})
| align="center" bgcolor="#d0e7ff" |Stedler Division champions (§)
| align="center" bgcolor="#96cdcd" |Wild Card winner (*)
|}

==Postseason results==
* 2004: Defeated [[Brooklyn Cyclones]], 2 games to 1; lost to [[Mahoning Valley Scrappers]], 2 games to 0, in championship round.
* 2006: Defeated [[Auburn Doubledays]], 2 games to none; lost to [[Staten Island Yankees]], 2 games to 1, in championship round.
* 2010: Defeated [[Batavia Muckdogs]], 2 games to 1; defeated Brooklyn Cyclones, 2 games to 0, in championship round.
* 2012: Defeated Auburn Doubledays, 2 games to 1; lost to [[Hudson Valley Renegades]], 2 game to 1, in championship round.
* 2013: Defeated [[Aberdeen IronBirds]], 2 games to 0; defeated [[State College Spikes]], 2 games to 1, in championship round.
* 2014: Defeated the [[Connecticut Tigers]], 2 games to none; lost to the State College Spikes, 2 games to 1.
* 2015: Lost semi-finals to Staten Island Yankees, 2 games to 0.
* 2018: Defeated Mahoning Valley Scrappers, 2 games to 0; defeated Hudson Valley Renegades, 2 games to 0, in championship round.
* 2024: Lost East Division Wild Card Game to [[Ottawa Titans]] 5-2.

==Fast facts==
* '''''Total Attendance'''''
** Joseph L. Bruno Stadium
*** 2002 – 108,409
*** 2003 – 103,984
*** 2004 – 110,497
*** 2005 – 116,674
*** 2006 – 129,126
*** 2007 – 136,809
*** 2008 – 140,631 (7th most in [[New York-Penn League|NY–Penn League]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ballparkdigest.com/200905261903/attendance/news/2008-affiliated-attendance-by-average |title=2008 Affiliated Attendance by Total |publisher=Ballpark Digest|date=June 26, 2009}}</ref>
*** 2009 – 145,976 (6th most in NY–Penn League).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ballparkdigest.com/200909232210/attendance/news/2009-affiliated-attendance-by-average |title=2009 Affiliated Attendance by Total |publisher=Ballpark Digest|date=September 23, 2009}}</ref>
*** 2010 – 155,315 (5th most in NY–Penn League).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ballparkdigest.com/201009113059/attendance/news/2010-affiliated-attendance-by-total |title=2010 Affiliated Attendance by Total |publisher=Ballpark Digest|date=September 10, 2010}}</ref>
*** 2011 – 156,297 (6th most in NY–Penn League).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ballparkdigest.com/201109124180/attendance/news/2011-affiliated-attendance-by-league |title=2011 Affiliated Attendance by Total |publisher=Ballpark Digest|date=September 12, 2013}}</ref>
*** 2012 – 159,966 (5th most in NY–Penn League).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ballparkdigest.com/201209075509/attendance/news/2012-affiliated-attendance-by-average |title=2012 Affiliated Attendance by Total |publisher=Ballpark Digest|date=September 7, 2013}}</ref>
*** 2013 – 156,712 (4th most in NY–Penn League).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://ballparkdigest.com/201309096619/attendance/news/2013-affiliated-attendance-by-average |title=2013 Affiliated Attendance by Average |publisher=Ballpark Digest|date=September 9, 2013}}</ref>
*** 2014 – 161,171 (3rd most in NY–Penn League).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://ballparkdigest.com/201409057676/attendance/news/2014-affiliated-attendance-by-average |title=2014 Affiliated Attendance by Average |publisher=Ballpark Digest|date=September 5, 2014}}</ref>
*** 2015 – 153,692 (3rd most in NY–Penn League).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://ballparkdigest.com/2015/09/09/2015-affiliated-attendance-by-average/ |title=2015 Affiliated Attendance by Average |publisher=Ballpark Digest|date=September 9, 2015}}</ref>
*** 2016 – 149,847 (3rd most in NY–Penn League).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://ballparkdigest.com/2016/09/09/2016-affiliated-attendance-by-total/ |title=2016 Affiliated Attendance by Total |publisher=Ballpark Digest|date=September 9, 2016}}</ref>
*** 2017 – 142,922 (3rd most in NY–Penn League).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://ballparkdigest.com/2017/09/10/2017-affiliated-attendance-by-total/ |title=2017 Affiliated Attendance by Total |publisher=Ballpark Digest|date=September 10, 2017}}</ref>
*** 2018 – 140,036 (3rd most in NY–Penn League).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://ballparkdigest.com/2018/09/17/2018-affiliated-attendance-by-average/ |title=2018 Affiliated Attendance by Average |publisher=Ballpark Digest|date=September 17, 2018}}</ref>
*** 2019 - 131,529 (3rd most in NY-Penn League).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2019/09/09/2019-affiliated-attendance-by-average |title=2019 Affiliated Attendance by Average |publisher=Ballpark Digest|date=September 9, 2019}}</ref>
*** 2020 - SEASON CANCELLED DUE TO [[COVID-19]].<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/ValleyCats-season-canceled-15377072.php |title=ValleyCats season canceled|publisher=Times Union |date=June 30, 2020}}</ref>
*** 2021 - 100,519 (2nd most in [[Frontier League]]).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://ballparkdigest.com/2021/10/12/2021-mlb-partner-league-attendance-by-average/ |title=2021 MLB Partner League attendance by average|publisher=Ballpark Digest |date=October 12, 2021}}</ref>
*** 2022 - 134,617 (5th most in Frontier League).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://ballparkdigest.com/2022/09/20/2022-mlb-partner-league-attendance-by-average/ |title=2022 MLB Partner League attendance by average|publisher=Ballpark Digest |date=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
*** 2023 - 136,231 (4th most in Frontier League).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://ballparkdigest.com/2023/09/19/2023-mlb-partner-league-attendance-by-total/ |title=2023 MLB Partner League attendance by total|publisher=Ballpark Digest |date=September 19, 2023}}</ref>
* '''''Ballpark Dimensions'''''
** LF – 325 feet (99 m)
** CF – 400 feet (122 m)
** RF – 325 feet (99 m)
* '''''First Game'''''
** Tuesday, June 18, 2002 vs Lowell Spinners (at LeLacheur Park, Lowell, Massachusetts – W 5–4)
* '''''Season Records (2002–present)'''''
** Hits
*** 2022 – Brantley Bell (138)
** Doubles
*** 2022 – Brantley Bell (30)
** Triples
*** 2015 – Aaron Mizell (7)
*** 2017 – Andy Pineda (7)
** Home runs
*** 2022 – [[Denis Phipps]] (33)
** Runs Batted In
*** 2022 – [[Denis Phipps]] (91)
** Stolen Bases
*** 2023 – Jaxon Hallmark (33)
** Wins
*** 2004 – Ronnie Ventura (11)
** Saves
*** 2021 – Trey Cochran-Gill (24)
** Strikeouts
*** 2022 – Joey Gonzalez (128)

==Current roster==
{{IndyLB roster
| league = Frontier League
| TeamName = Tri-City ValleyCats
| BC1 = #E31836
| BC2 = #000
| FC1 = #FFF
| FC2 = #B0B7BB
| Date = May 4, 2025
| Pitchers =
{{MLBplayer|22|Wes Albert}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Brayahns Barreto}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Duke Brotherton}}
{{MLBplayer|29|Chas Cywin|IL}}
{{MLBplayer|35|Nick DeCarlo}}
{{MLBplayer|21|Austin Dill}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Hollis Fanning}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Liu Fuenmayor}}
{{MLBplayer| 6|Rolando Heredia-Bustos|IL}}
{{MLBplayer|27|Easton Klein}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Mikell Manzano}} ‡
{{MLBplayer|26|Arlo Marynczak}}
{{MLBplayer|18|Nathan Medrano}} ‡
{{MLBplayer|--|Caden O'Brien}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Tom Peltier}}
{{MLBplayer|32|Gino Sabatine}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Stephen Still}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Brenton Thiels}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Luke Trueman}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Paul Turelli}}
{{MLBplayer|17|Connor Wilford}}

| Catchers =
{{MLBplayer|12|Oscar Campos}} ‡
{{MLBplayer|--|Miguel Useche}}

| Infielders =
{{MLBplayer|--|Tyson Gingerich}} ‡
{{MLBplayer|--|Brody Harding}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Drew Holderbach}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Cam Jones}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Amani Larry}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Josh Leslie}}
{{MLBplayer|--|John McHenry}}
{{MLBplayer|16|Kyle Novak}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Cedric Rose}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Santino Rosso}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Josue Urdaneta}}
{{MLBplayer| 8|Ian Walters}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Cooper Weiss}}

| Outfielders =
{{MLBplayer|--|Julian Boyd}}
{{MLBplayer|11|Dylan Broderick}}
{{MLBplayer| 1|Jaxon Hallmark}} ‡
{{MLBplayer|10|Demias Jimerson|IL}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Ethan Martini}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Bobby Peirce}}
{{MLBplayer|--|Jake Reinisch}}
{{MLBplayer|--|RJ Stinson}}
{{MLBplayer| 3|Javeyan Williams}}

| Utility =

| Manager =
{{MLBplayer|37|[[Greg Tagert]]}}

| Coaches =
{{MLBplayer|30|Tom Thornton}}(pitching)
}}

==Notable alumni==
''Former/Current notable [[baseball]] players who played for the ValleyCats as a minor league affiliate, the year they played for the ValleyCats, and the team they debuted with (If debuted yet).''
{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Mark McLemore (pitcher)|Mark McLemore]] (2002, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Jailen Peguero]] (2002, [[Arizona Diamondbacks]])
* [[Devern Hansack]] (2002, [[Boston Red Sox]])
* [[Jason Hirsh]] (2003, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Matt Albers]] (2003, [[Houston Astros]]) (First ValleyCat in the Major Leagues)
* [[Josh Anderson (baseball)|Josh Anderson]] (2003, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Edwin Maysonet]] (2003, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Ben Zobrist]] (2004, [[Tampa Bay Rays]])
* [[Hunter Pence]] (2004, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Troy Patton]] (2004, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Chad Reineke]] (2004, [[San Diego Padres]])
* [[Drew Sutton]] (2004, [[Cincinnati Reds]])
* [[Tommy Manzella]] (2005, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Koby Clemens]] (2005)
* [[Felipe Paulino]] (2005, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Brian Bogusevic]] (2005–2006, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Chris Johnson (baseball)|Chris Johnson]] (2006, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Bud Norris]] (2006, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Víctor Gárate]] (2006–2007, [[Washington Nationals]])
* [[Fernando Abad]] (2007, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Brandon Barnes (baseball)|Brandon Barnes]] (2007, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Jason Castro (baseball)|Jason Castro]] (2008, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Jordan Lyles]] (2008, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[JB Shuck|J. B. Shuck]] (2008, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[J. D. Martinez]] (2009, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Jose Altuve]] (2009, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Dallas Keuchel]] (2009, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Jake Goebbert]] (2009, [[San Diego Padres]])
* [[Jorge de León (baseball)|Jorge de León]] (2009–2010, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[David Martínez (baseball)|David Martínez]] (2010, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Jake Buchanan]], (2010, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Enrique Hernández (baseball)|Kiké Hernández]] (2010, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[George Springer]] (2011, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Nick Tropeano]] (2011, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Matt Duffy]] (2011, [[San Francisco Giants]])
* [[Dayán Díaz]] (2011, [[Cincinnati Reds]])
* [[Preston Tucker (baseball)|Preston Tucker]] (2012, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Vince Velasquez]] (2012, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Brady Rodgers]] (2012, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Juan Minaya]] (2012, [[Chicago White Sox]])
* [[Tyler Heineman]] (2012, [[Miami Marlins]])
* [[Chia-Jen Lo]] (2013, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Michael Feliz]] (2013, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Adrian Houser]] (2013, [[Milwaukee Brewers]])
* [[Tyler White]] (2013, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Tony Kemp (baseball)|Tony Kemp]] (2013, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Richard Rodríguez (baseball)|Richard Rodríguez]] (2013, [[Baltimore Orioles]])
* [[Jack Mayfield]] (2013, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Troy Scribner]] (2013–2014, [[Los Angeles Angels]])
* [[Daniel Mengden]] (2014, [[Oakland Athletics]])
* [[A. J. Reed]] (2014, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Joe Musgrove]] (2014, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Derek Fisher (baseball)|Derek Fisher]] (2014, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[J. D. Davis]] (2014, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Alfredo González (baseball)|Alfredo González]] (2014, [[Chicago White Sox]])
* [[Jason Martin (baseball)|Jason Martin]] (2014, [[Pittsburgh Pirates]])
* [[Ryan Thompson (pitcher)|Ryan Thompson]] (2014, [[Tampa Bay Rays]])
* [[David Paulino]] (2015, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Elieser Hernández]] (2015, [[Miami Marlins]])
* [[Dean Deetz]] (2015, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Trent Thornton]] (2015, [[Toronto Blue Jays]])
* [[Garrett Stubbs]] (2015, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Rogelio Armenteros]] (2015, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Zac Grotz]] (2015, [[Seattle Mariners]])
* [[Ralph Garza Jr.]] (2015, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[José Urquidy]] (2015; 2018, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Framber Valdez]] (2016, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Jake Rogers (baseball)|Jake Rogers]] (2016, [[Detroit Tigers]])
* [[Jorge Alcalá]] (2016, [[Minnesota Twins]])
* [[Taylor Jones (baseball)|Taylor Jones]] (2016, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Carlos Sanabria]] (2016, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Daz Cameron]] (2016, [[Detroit Tigers]])
* [[Héctor Pérez (baseball)|Héctor Pérez]] (2016, [[Toronto Blue Jays]])
* [[Ronnie Dawson (baseball)|Ronnie Dawson]] (2016, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Alex De Goti]] (2016, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Ryan Hartman (baseball)|Ryan Hartman]] (2016, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Akeem Bostick]] (2016, [[New York Mets]])
* [[Bryan De La Cruz]] (2016-2017, [[Miami Marlins]])
* [[Corbin Martin]] (2017, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Patrick Sandoval]] (2017, [[Los Angeles Angels]])
* [[Abraham Toro]] (2017, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Jonathan Araúz]] (2017, [[Boston Red Sox]])
* [[Cristian Javier]] (2017, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Brandon Bielak]] (2017, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Tyler Ivey]] (2017, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Jake Meyers]] (2017, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Humberto Castellanos]] (2017–2018, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[J. B. Bukauskas]] (2017–2018, [[Arizona Diamondbacks]])
* [[Bryan Abreu]] (2018, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Nivaldo Rodríguez]] (2018, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Luis García (pitcher, born 1996)|Luis García]] (2018, [[Houston Astros]])
* [[Gilberto Celestino]] (2018, [[Minnesota Twins]])
{{Div col end}}

''Former/Current notable [[baseball]] players who played for the ValleyCats in the [[Frontier League]], the year they played for the ValleyCats, and the team they returned with.''
{{Div col|colwidth=27em}}
* [[Chris Kwitzer]] (2021)
* [[Denis Phipps]] (2021–2022)
* [[Willy García]] (2021–2022)
* [[Ryan Hartman (baseball)|Ryan Hartman]] (2022)
* [[Cito Culver]] (2022–2023)
* [[Reymin Guduan]] (2023)
* [[Aaron Altherr]] (2023)
* [[Carson McCusker]] (2021–2023, [[Minnesota Twins]])
{{Div col end}}

==See also==
* [[Sports in New York's Capital District]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Tri-City ValleyCats}}
* {{official website}}
{{Frontier League}}
{{New York Sports}}
[[Category:2002 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Baseball teams established in 2002]]
[[Category:New York–Penn League teams]]
[[Category:Frontier League teams]]
[[Category:Houston Astros minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Professional baseball teams in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Sports in Rensselaer County, New York]]

Yogi Berra Stadium

2025-05-29T02:42:31Z

70.29.98.129: Fixe phrase

{{short description|Baseball stadium at Montclair State University, NJ, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Yogi Berra Stadium
| nickname =
| logo_image = Yogi Berra Stadium Logo.png
| logo_size = 100
| image = Berra Stadium jeh.jpg
| image_size = 250
| caption = View of the stadium in 2010
| fullname =
| location = 8 Yogi Berra Drive [[Little Falls, New Jersey|Little Falls, NJ]] 07424
| coordinates =
| broke_ground =
| type = [[Ballpark]]
| currentuse = [[Baseball]]
| built = 1998
| opened = {{start date and age|May 1998}}
| renovated = 2023–2024
| expanded =
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = [[Montclair State University]]
| operator =
| surface = Artificial turf
| construction_cost =
| architect = Terry H. Parker, AIA; Parker Associates
| structural engineer =
| services engineer =
| general_contractor =
| project_manager =
| main_contractors =
| former_names =
| tenants = [[Montclair State University#Division III sports|Montclair State Red Hawks]] ([[NCAA]], [[New Jersey Athletic Conference|NJAC]]) 1998–present [[NJIT Highlanders baseball| NJIT Highlanders]] ([[NCAA]], [[America East Conference| AEC]]) 2023–present [[New Jersey Jackals]] ([[Frontier League|FL]]) 1998–2022 [[New Jersey Pride]] ([[Major League Lacrosse|MLL]]) 2001 [[NY/NJ Comets]] ([[National Pro Fastpitch|NPF]]) 2013 (part-time) Jersey Wise Guys ([[All-American Baseball Challenge|AABC]]) 2020
| capacity = 3,784 (5,000 with lawn seating)
| dimensions = '''Left Field:''' 308 ft '''Center Field:''' 398 ft '''Right Field:''' 308 ft
| website = {{url|https://montclairathletics.com/facilities/yogi-berra-stadium/4| montclairathletics.com/yogi-berra-stadium}}
}}

'''Yogi Berra Stadium''' is a [[ballpark|baseball stadium]] in [[Little Falls, New Jersey]], on the campus of [[Montclair State University]]. The stadium is home to the Montclair State Red Hawks baseball team, which competes in [[NCAA Division III]]; the [[NJIT]] [[NJIT Highlanders baseball| Highlanders baseball team]] which competes in [[NCAA Division I]]; and the [[Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center]], which adjoins the stadium on its first base side. It was formerly home to the [[New Jersey Jackals]] of the independent [[Frontier League]] from 1998 to 2022 and the part-time home of the [[NY/NJ Comets]] of [[National Pro Fastpitch]] in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pointstreak.com/baseball/team_schedule.html?teamid=55362&seasonid=25201|title=NY NJ Comets - Schedule|website=pointstreak.com|accessdate=August 7, 2024}}</ref> In 2001, the stadium was the home field of the [[New Jersey Pride]] of [[Major League Lacrosse]] in their inaugural season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/20/sports/lacrosse-new-league-has-the-stars-but-it-also-wants-the-fans.html|title=LACROSSE; New League Has the Stars, But It Also Wants the Fans|publisher=The New York Times|date=June 20, 2001|accessdate=August 8, 2024}}</ref>

==History==
Yogi Berra Stadium has a seating capacity of 3,784 and a lawn seating that holds over 1,200 people, bringing the total capacity to 5,000. It is capable of holding overflow crowds with standing room and grass seating available in right field. These tickets are sold only in the event of an anticipated large crowd, such as on holidays or fireworks nights.

Construction of the stadium was done in conjunction with another venue on the Montclair State campus. [[Floyd Hall]], a resident of Montclair who was then serving as chief executive officer of [[Kmart (United States)|Kmart]], donated money to the university in order to build an ice arena, which is known as Floyd Hall Arena and is a multi-use facility that several of the area's high school hockey teams call home, and a new baseball stadium for Montclair State's team to replace their previous venue, [[MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field|Pittser Field]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.floydhallarena.com/aboutfhe.asp |title=About Floyd Hall Enterprises |website=Floyd Hall Arena |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070712151214/http://www.floydhallarena.com/aboutfhe.asp |archive-date=July 12, 2007 |access-date=July 27, 2007}}</ref> Around this time the Northeast League, an independent minor baseball league, was looking for a team to replace the [[Bangor Blue Ox]], which had folded. Hall bought into the league shortly thereafter and founded the Jackals, who were promptly given use of the new stadium once it was able to open. It was decided to name the stadium after [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Hall of Fame]] [[New York Yankees]] catcher [[Yogi Berra]], who called Montclair home during his playing days and managerial career with the Yankees and their crosstown rivals, the [[New York Mets]].

Despite construction delays keeping the Montclair State baseball team from using the new park (they remained at Pittser Field for one additional season; Pittser Field was then converted into a soccer only stadium), it opened for business in time for the Jackals' inaugural game on June 5, 1998. Despite the stadium only being partially finished, as construction on an addition continued throughout the season, fans hungry for economical entertainment flocked to the ball park for a fun night out, and the park is well-constructed with good sight lines and no obstructed views from any of its seats. The park's dimensions are 308 feet to each of the corner outfields and 398 to center field; according to the Jackals, this was done on purpose as another honor for Berra.

An addition was constructed to house the [[Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center]], which features various baseball memorabilia from Berra's playing days and a reconstruction of the original scoreboard from Yankee Stadium among various other things. A skybox was constructed as part of the museum, and has very limited access. Berra was the primary user of the seats, as he made personal appearances at least twice per year to sign autographs for the fans until 2015; he died several days after the conclusion of that season. The Jackals have also allowed the skybox to be used by professional scouts attending games.

[[File:Yogi Berra Stadium 2.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Panoramic view in 2016]]
The museum addition was completed following the 1998 season and the final phase of construction was completed in early 1999 as the seating areas were renovated and extended, with seats going as far as left and right field and several reserved sections being replaced with box seats, installation of several concession stands and a second set of restrooms, a new team store, and a resurfacing of the stadium's walls with white [[stucco]].

In 2010, world-renowned sculptor [[Brian Hanlon]] of [[Toms River, New Jersey]] sculpted a statue of Berra that was placed outside of the stadium in front of the museum.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5215368|title=Statue of Hall of Famer Yogi Berra to stand in front of his museum|agency=[[Associated Press]] |publisher= ESPN | location= New York| work= ESPN.com|date=May 24, 2010| access-date= May 31, 2024}}</ref>

In 2022, the Jackals announced that they would be leaving Yogi Berra Stadium for [[Hinchliffe Stadium]] in nearby [[Paterson, New Jersey|Paterson]]. August 25, 2022, was the team's last regular season home game.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Reichard |first=Kevin |date=August 17, 2022 |title=Jackals departing Yogi Berra Stadium; Hinchliffe Stadium pitched as new team home |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publications |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2022/08/17/jackals-departing-yogi-berra-stadium-hinchliffe-stadium-pitched-as-new-team-home/ |access-date=August 25, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Renovations===
[[file:Yogi Berra Stadium 3.jpg |thumb|230px|Entrance to the stadium in 2016]]
For many years, the stadium's official address was 1 Hall Drive, honoring the team's founder. In early 2016, as a further honor for its deceased namesake, the Jackals changed this to 8 Yogi Berra Drive.

In 2018, the Jackals installed a new {{convert|720|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} [[Daktronics]] [[High-definition video|HD]] LED video board in left field as part of stadium wide improvements.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2018/03/20/yogi-berra-stadium-receiving-new-videoboard/|title=Yogi Berra Stadium Receiving New Videoboard|work=Ballpark Digest|publisher=August Publications|date=March 20, 2018|access-date=February 18, 2020}}</ref>

Ahead of the 2024 season, Montclair State and [[NJIT]] carried out a $5.3 million renovation of the stadium. The renovations included a new [[artificial turf]] field, a pitch counter, a new [[Dugout (baseball)|dugout]] to [[bullpen]] phone, replacement of the outfield walls, new storage facility, updated locker room, new bullpens and [[batting cages]], a new scoreboard and signage celebrating the Red Hawk’s three National Champion teams (1987, 1993, 2000). New [[LED lamp|LED lighting]] was installed that is more energy efficient, environmentally friendly and meets broadcasting standards that will allow games to be televised on [[ESPN]] and other national networks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.montclair.edu/facilities/2024/01/24/yogi-berra-stadium-gets-a-lighting-upgrade/?utm_source=in_the_know&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=feb_02_2024|title=Yogi Berra Stadium Gets a Lighting Upgrade|publisher=Montclair State University|date=January 24, 2024|accessdate=May 31, 2024}}</ref> Additionally, the concession area was renovated and renamed "The Hill" in reference to Yogi Berra’s boyhood neighborhood, [[The Hill, St. Louis|The Hill]], in [[St. Louis]] and the elevated Red Hawks perch for the stadium and campus. The renovations enable to the stadium be a year round facility by hosting conferences, [[NCAA Division I baseball tournament|NCAA baseball tournaments]] and other high-profile events.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.montclair.edu/newscenter/2024/03/25/at-yogi-berra-stadium-its-a-brand-new-ball-game/|title=At Yogi Berra Stadium, It’s a Brand New Ball Game - Ceremonial first pitch ushers in new era for Red Hawk Athletics and partnership between Montclair and NJIT|publisher=Montclair State University|date=March 25, 2024|accessdate=May 31, 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{ccat}}
* {{oweb}}

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{succession box
|title = Host of the [[Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010)#All-star game|NoL All-Star Game]] Yogi Berra Stadium
|years = 2000
|before = [[Newman Outdoor Field]]
|after = [[CanWest Global Park]]
}}
{{end}}
{{Montclair State University}}
{{NewYorksportsvenues}}

{{coord|40.868734|-74.195247|type:landmark|display=title}}

[[Category:College baseball venues in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Montclair State Red Hawks baseball]]
[[Category:Minor league baseball venues]]
[[Category:Former Major League Lacrosse venues]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Passaic County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Passaic County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Sports venues in the New York metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Little Falls, New Jersey]]
[[Category:1998 establishments in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1998]]
[[Category:Frontier League ballparks]]

Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball

2025-05-28T20:37:15Z

70.29.98.129:

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{about|the modern "Can-Am League"|the original league 1936–1951|Canadian–American League}}
{{short description|North American professional baseball league}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title = Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball
| last_season = 2019 Can-Am League season
| logo = Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball logo.svg
| caption = Can-Am League logo
| sport = [[Baseball]]
| classification = [[Independent baseball]]
| founded = 2005
| folded = 2019
| teams = 6
| headquarters = [[Dayton, Ohio]]
| countries = United States (3 teams) Canada (3 teams)
| champion = [[New Jersey Jackals]] (2019)
| most successful club = [[Québec Capitales]] (7)
| TV = [[Réseau des sports|RDS]], [[TVA Sports]]
| website = {{URL|CanAmLeague.com}}
}}

The '''Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball''', commonly known as the '''Can-Am League''', was a professional [[baseball]] league with teams in [[Eastern Canada]] and [[Northeastern United States]]. Founded in 2005 in [[Dayton, Ohio]], the league was formed as a reorganization of the [[Northeast League]] following the 2004 season.

The Can-Am League operated in cities not directly served by [[Major League Baseball|Major]] or [[Minor League Baseball|Minor League]] teams and was not affiliated with either. Though a separate entity, the league shared a commissioner, president, and director of umpires with the [[American Association of Professional Baseball]]. The league was headquartered in Dayton, Ohio.

The league ceased operations after the 2019 season, with five of the remaining six teams joining the [[Frontier League]].

== History ==
The Can-Am League was created when the Northeast League was renamed in 2005. The Northeast League was formed in 1995 and played four seasons as an independent baseball league. At the end of the 1998 season, the Northeast League was merged with the [[Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010)|Northern League]] and became that league's East Division. Although the East Division did not play the teams that were already in the Northern League during the regular season, the respective divisions played each other in an all-star game every summer and in a league championship series every fall from 1999 until 2002. The Northeast League became its own entity again for the 2003 season and continued play for one additional year before the renaming of the league.

The [[Allentown Ambassadors]] folded days before the 2004 season began, forcing the Northeast League to field a [[traveling team]] called the [[Northeast League Aces|Aces]]. For the 2005 season, the Northeast League accepted the [[Worcester Tornadoes]] as a new eighth team. However, three weeks before the start of the 2005 season, the [[Bangor Lumberjacks]] folded, forcing the team to create another traveling team, this time called [[The Grays]].

The league operated a traveling team whenever necessary to provide an even number of teams. However, doing so forced the other franchises to host more home games to provide a season of the same length. To obviate such disruptive last-minute schedule changes in the future, the Northeast League adopted a new charter, giving the league new powers to ensure that its franchises were solvent, and renamed itself the Canadian-American Association.

For 2006, the Can-Am League added two teams. Floyd Hall Enterprises, which owned the Jackals, decided to launch a second team after the [[New Jersey Cardinals]] franchise was relocated and founded the [[Sussex Skyhawks]]. The Skyhawks took the place of the [[Elmira Pioneers]], which moved into the amateur [[New York Collegiate Baseball League]]. The league also received a new member from the [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball]], as the [[Nashua Pride]] joined as the eighth team.

Another Atlantic League team defected to the Can-Am League for 2007 as the [[Atlantic City Surf]] joined. To even out the teams, [[The Grays]] were relaunched to serve as the traveling team.

After the 2007 season, the [[New Haven County Cutters]] and [[North Shore Spirit]] ceased operations.

For 2008, [[Ottawa]], which had lost its franchise in the [[International League]], joined the Can-Am League as the [[Ottawa Rapids|Rapidz]], an eighth franchise, displacing the Grays.

After the 2008 season, Rapidz management declared bankruptcy. The league declared its intention to operate the Ottawa franchise in 2009. The league changed the team's name back to Rapids, a spelling used during the team's founding (Rapides in French).<ref>{{cite news |work=The Ottawa Citizen |date=November 14, 2008 |url=http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/sports/story.html?id=53e64b99-9061-49e8-8f04-be70c333ff45 |access-date=November 14, 2008 |last=Campbell |first=Don |title=Ottawa's Can-Am 'run' not over yet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090904155007/http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/sports/story.html?id=53e64b99-9061-49e8-8f04-be70c333ff45 |archive-date=September 4, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Later, however, the Commissioner stated the need for a "fresh start" and opened a contest to select a new name for the team.<ref>{{cite news |work=The Ottawa Citizen |date=November 14, 2008 |url=http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/sports/story.html?id=53e64b99-9061-49e8-8f04-be70c333ff45 |access-date=January 28, 2008 |title=Can-Am team in need of name |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090904155007/http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/sports/story.html?id=53e64b99-9061-49e8-8f04-be70c333ff45 |archive-date=September 4, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The winning name was "Voyageurs".

Still later, the Atlantic City franchise was terminated, as a sale fell through. On March 30, 2009, the league announced that it would shrink to six teams rather than having two league-operated teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canamleague.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1238444712|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090903213116/http://www.canamleague.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1238444712|url-status=usurped|archive-date=September 3, 2009|date=March 30, 2009|access-date=April 19, 2009|title=Can-Am to Go with Six Clubs in 2009|publisher=Can-Am League}}</ref>

The Nashua Pride franchise was sold and was known in 2009 as the [[American Defenders of New Hampshire]] because of the military tie-ins of its new ownership group. During the 2009 season the Defenders were locked out of [[Holman Stadium (Nashua)|Holman Stadium]] and forced to play their last home games on the road, bringing doubt to the future of baseball in [[Nashua, New Hampshire|Nashua]]. The [[Québec Capitales]] would go on to win their second League Championship.

On December 19, 2009, league directors preliminarily gave approval to transfer the membership of the American Defenders of New Hampshire from Nashua, New Hampshire, to [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts]] for play in the 2010 season. Final approval was granted by the city for use of [[Wahconah Park]] on February 1.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_14313753 |title=Pro baseball back – Berkshire Eagle Online |publisher=Berkshireeagle.com |date=September 10, 2011 |access-date=September 5, 2013}}</ref> The ownership group headed by Buddy Lewis had a lease on Wahconah Park for a team in the [[New England Collegiate Baseball League]], and transferred the current lease for play in the Can-Am League. [[Dan Duquette]], current executive vice-president of baseball operations for the [[Baltimore Orioles]], is also part of the ownership group, which is known as Boston Baseball All-Stars LLC.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canamleague.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1261155217 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120724192041/http://www.canamleague.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1261155217 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 24, 2012 |title=Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball |publisher=CanAmLeague.com |access-date=September 5, 2013}}</ref> The team was renamed the [[Pittsfield Colonials]].

After the 2010 season, In its place, the league awarded the [[Rockland Boulders]] a franchise, added the [[Newark Bears]] from the Atlantic League, and formed the New York Federals as a traveling team. Pittsfield's franchise charter was rescinded after the 2011 season and the Colonials folded after ownership could not find partners.

The [[Brockton Rox (2002–2024)|Brockton Rox]] moved to the [[Futures Collegiate Baseball League]] after the 2011 season. At the end of the 2012 season the Worcester charter was rescinded and the league decided to try to find new owners for the Tornadoes, but failed to do so and awarded the franchise instead to a Trois-Rivières, Quebec, group.

Beginning in 2012, Can-Am League clubs played 18 to 20 games per season against opponents from the [[American Association of Independent Professional Baseball|American Association of Professional Baseball]], with which it shares a commissioner. After the 2013 season, Newark announced it would not compete in the 2014 season and the team was eventually folded altogether.

In 2014, the Can-Am League announced that a fifth team, based in Ottawa, would join the league for 2015. The league later announced it would be returning to Sussex County, New Jersey as well, and announced that a traveling team would join the [[Ottawa Champions]] and the [[Sussex County Miners]] to create a balanced schedule, and continued to include matchups with the American Association. Interleague play ended after the 2015 season, though the Can-Am League continued to send players to the American Association's All-Star Game.

Starting with the 2015 season, the league hosted international clubs as part of its regular season schedule. Each of the regular clubs of the league played a series of 3 or 4 games against these international teams and the results of those games counted in the regular season standings. Over the years, the league hosted teams from Cuba, Japan and the Dominican Republic.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Dominican Squad to Tour Can-am League in 2017 |url=http://www.canamleague.com/cgi-bin/dist/news_new.cgi?id=1490978660 |website=CanAmLeague.com |publisher=Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702215733/http://www.canamleague.com/cgi-bin/dist/news_new.cgi?id=1490978660 |archive-date=July 2, 2017 |url-status=usurped |date=March 31, 2017}}</ref>

On October 16, 2019, the [[Frontier League]] announced that it was merging with the Can-Am League for the 2020 season.<ref name="frontiercanam">{{Cite web |url=http://frontierleague.com/2019/10/16/frontier-league-can-am-league-to-join-forces/ |title=Frontier League, Can-Am League to Join Forces |date=October 16, 2019 |website=FrontierLeague.com}}{{Cite web |url=http://frontierleague.com/2019/10/16/frontier-league-can-am-league-to-join-forces/ |title=Frontier League, Can-Am League to Join Forces |date=October 16, 2019 |website=FrontierLeague.com}}</ref> The Jackals, Boulders, Capitales, Miners and Aigles all joined but did not start play until 2021 due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] causing the league to cancel its 2020 campaign. The Champions were not invited, but the Frontier League eventually granted an Ottawa franchise and that started playing in 2022 as the [[Ottawa Titans]].

==Season structure==

===Playoff format===
In its inaugural season, the Can-Am League kept the two-division setup and half-season format that the Northeast League had. The two teams that were leading their respective divisions, designated North and South, at the end of the first half of the season automatically qualified for the playoffs. Two additional playoff spots would be made available. Once again, these went to division winners if the first half champions failed to repeat. Otherwise, one or more wild card spots would be given based on the team's overall record in both halves. If absolutely necessary, a one-game playoff would be played in case of a tie.

Beginning in 2006, the league abandoned divisional play. The first half-season leader automatically qualified for the playoffs, as did the second half-season leader if there was a second. To round the field out at four, two or more wild-card spots were given to teams with the best overall season record.

The four qualifiers for the playoffs would meet in two separate best of five series with the winners advancing to the League Championship Series, which was also best of five.

Beginning in 2012, the league stopped using the half-season format. From 2012 through 2014, the teams with the two best records in the league advanced to the League Championship Series. The series was expanded from a best of five to a best of seven. This changed in 2015 when Ottawa and Sussex County joined the league, which enabled it to have enough teams to return to its previous playoff format. From this point until its merger with the Frontier League, the league awarded playoff spots to the teams with the four best records at the end of the regular season.

===Players===
The league [[salary cap]] was a maximum amount that could be spent on the entire player roster. Teams could apportion it among players as they saw fit. Certain players were given coaching duties to earn additional pay.

The maximum salary cap for a rostered player was about US$4,500 every one to two months, depending on the roster size. However most players made about $2–3,000 every month. There were some rostered players that made the maximum every two months. There were no players in the league that made more than $4,500 per month.

Rosters were limited to 23 players once the regular season began. An additional two players could be on the [[disabled list]] (which was referred to on some published rosters as the disabled/inactive list, and was sometimes used to ensure that a player under contract that a team does not wish to use was unavailable to opponents). League roster rules gave each player an LS (Length of Service) rating, based on the number of full years the player had played professionally: Rookie, LS-1 through LS-5, and Veteran. Teams could carry at most four veterans and were required to carry at least five rookies. Some published rosters stated the LS rating of each player.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canamleague.com/rules.php|title=Can-Am League Roster Rules|website=canamleague.com|access-date=November 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081224110246/http://canamleague.com/rules.php|archive-date=December 24, 2008|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

===Scheduling===
From 2015 to 2019, all teams played a total of 100 games during the regular season: 50 games each of home and road.

In years when one of the teams was a league-operated traveling team, the franchises played an increased number of home games to keep the total length of the regular season constant. All games a franchise played against the traveling team were played at the franchise's ballpark. However, half of those games were designated "home games" for the traveling team, which took the field first and batted last as though the game were played at the traveling team's "home."

Opponents played a series of from three to five games on consecutive days. Occasionally, for clubs near to one another, the original schedule did not put all the games of a series at the same ballpark. For example, the teams could travel to the visitors' ballpark for the middle game of a series.

==Teams==
{{further|Former Can-Am League franchises}}

{{location map+ |USA Northeast |width=300 |float=right |caption=Final team locations
|places=
{{location map~ |USA Northeast |lat=40.868734 |long=-74.195247 |mark=Red pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[New Jersey Jackals|Jackals]] |position=bottom}}
{{location map~ |USA Northeast |lat=45.420142 |long=-75.653569 |mark=Red pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Ottawa Champions|Champions]] |position=left}}
{{location map~ |USA Northeast |lat=46.818611 |long=-71.233497 |mark=Red pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Québec Capitales|Capitales]] |position=left}}
{{location map~ |USA Northeast |lat=41.17 |long=-74.037 |mark=Red pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Rockland Boulders|Boulders]] |position=top}}
{{location map~ |USA Northeast |lat=41.125917 |long=-74.710122 |mark=Red pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Sussex County Miners|Miners]] |position=left}}
{{location map~ |USA Northeast |lat=46.347778 |long=-72.556389 |mark=Red pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Trois-Rivières Aigles (Can-Am)|Aigles]] |position=left}}
}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Team
! First Season
! City
! Stadium
! Capacity
|-
|'''[[New Jersey Jackals]]'''
|1998
|[[Little Falls, New Jersey]]
|[[Yogi Berra Stadium]]
|3,784
|-
|'''[[Ottawa Champions]]'''
|2015
|[[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]]
|[[Ottawa Stadium|RCGT Park]]
|10,332
|-
|'''[[Québec Capitales]]'''
|1999
|[[Quebec City, Quebec]]
|[[Stade Canac]]
|4,287
|-
|'''[[Rockland Boulders]]'''
|2011
|[[Pomona, New York]]
|[[Palisades Credit Union Park]]
|7,988
|-
|'''[[Sussex County Miners]]'''
|2015
|[[Augusta, New Jersey]]
|[[Skylands Stadium]]
|4,200
|-
|'''[[Trois-Rivières Aigles (Can-Am)|Trois-Rivières Aigles]]'''
|2013
|[[Trois-Rivières]], [[Quebec]]
|[[Stade Quillorama|Stade Stéréo Plus]]
|4,000

|}
{{-}}

===League timeline===
<timeline>
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:25
Period = from:01/01/1995 till:12/31/2019
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:20 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 #> to display a count on left side of graph, use "left:20" to suppress the count, use "left:20"<#
Colors = id:barcolor
id:line value:pink
id:bg value:white
id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that is a current league member
id:Past value:rgb(0.4,0.80,0.67) # Use to indicate a former team
id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that played in another league

PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:Past from:01/01/1995 till:12/31/1998 text:[[Adirondack Lumberjacks]] (1995–2002)
bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/1999 till:12/31/2002
bar:1 color:Past from:01/01/2003 till:12/31/2004 text:[[Bangor Lumberjacks]] (2003–2004)
bar:2 color:Past from:01/01/1995 till:12/31/1998 text:[[Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs]] (1995–2002)
bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/1999 till:12/31/2002
bar:3 color:Past from:01/01/1995 till:12/31/1995 text:[[Mohawk Valley Landsharks]]/[[Rhode Island Tiger Sharks]] (1995–1996)
bar:3 color:Past from:01/01/1996 till:12/31/1996
bar:4 color:Past from:01/01/1995 till:12/31/1996 text:[[Newburgh Nighthawks]] (1995–1996)
bar:5 color:Past from:01/01/1995 till:12/01/1995 text:[[Sullivan Mountain Lions]]/[[Catskill Cougars]] (1995, 1997–1998)
bar:5 color:Past from:01/01/1997 till:12/31/1998
bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2000 till:12/31/2000
bar:6 color:Past from:01/01/1995 till:12/31/1995 text:[[Yonkers Hoot Owls]] (1995)
bar:7 color:Past from:01/01/1996 till:12/31/1997 text:[[Bangor Blue Ox]] (1996–1997)
bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/1999 till:12/31/2002 text:[[Québec Capitales]] (1999–2019)
bar:7 color:Past from:01/01/2003 till:12/31/2004
bar:7 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2019
bar:8 color:Past from:01/01/1996 till:12/31/1998 text:[[Elmira Pioneers]] (1996–2005)
bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/1999 till:12/31/2002
bar:8 color:Past from:01/01/2003 till:12/31/2004
bar:8 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2005
bar:9 color:Past from:01/01/1997 till:12/31/1998 text:[[Allentown Ambassadors]] (1997–2003)
bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/1999 till:12/31/2002
bar:9 color:Past from:01/01/2003 till:12/31/2003
bar:10 color:Past from:01/01/1997 till:12/31/1998 text:[[Massachusetts Mad Dogs]] (1997–1999)
bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/1999 till:12/31/1999
bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2002 till:12/31/2002 text:[[Berkshire Black Bears]]/[[New Haven County Cutters]] (2002–2007)
bar:10 color:Past from:01/01/2003 till:12/31/2004
bar:10 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2007
bar:11 color:Past from:01/01/1997 till:12/31/1998 text:[[Waterbury Spirit]] (1997–2000)
bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/1999 till:12/31/2000
bar:11 color:Past from:01/01/2003 till:12/31/2004 text:[[North Shore Spirit]] (2003–2007)
bar:11 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2007
bar:12 color:Past from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/1998 text:[[New Jersey Jackals]] (1998–2019)
bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/1999 till:12/31/2002
bar:12 color:Past from:01/01/2003 till:12/31/2004
bar:12 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2019
bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2002 till:12/31/2002 text:[[Brockton Rox (2002–2024)|Brockton Rox]] (2002–2011)
bar:13 color:Past from:01/01/2003 till:12/31/2004
bar:13 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2011
bar:15 color:Past from:01/01/2004 till:12/31/2004 text:[[Northeast League Aces]] (2004)
bar:16 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2005 text:[[The Grays]] (2005, 2007)
bar:16 color:Full from:01/01/2007 till:12/31/2007
bar:17 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2012 text:[[Worcester Tornadoes]] (2005–2012)
bar:18 color:Full from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2008 text:[[Nashua Pride]] (2006–2008)
bar:18 color:Full from:01/01/2009 till:12/31/2011 text:[[American Defenders of New Hampshire]] / [[Pittsfield Colonials]] (2009–2011)
bar:19 color:Full from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2010 text:[[Sussex Skyhawks]] (2006–2010)
bar:20 color:Full from:01/01/2007 till:12/31/2008 text:[[Atlantic City Surf]] (2007–2008)
bar:21 color:Full from:01/01/2008 till:12/31/2008 text:[[Ottawa Voyageurs|Ottawa Rapidz]] (2008)
bar:22 color:Full from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2011 text:[[New York Federals]] (2011)
bar:23 color:Full from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2013 text:[[Newark Bears]] (2011–2013)
bar:24 color:Full from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2019 text:[[Rockland Boulders]] (2011–2019)
bar:25 color:Full from:01/01/2013 till:12/31/2019 text:[[Trois-Rivières Aigles]] (2013–2019)
bar:26 color:Full from:01/01/2015 till:12/31/2019 text:[[Ottawa Champions]] (2015–2019)
bar:27 color:Full from:01/01/2015 till:12/31/2019 text:[[Sussex County Miners]] (2015–2019)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/1995
TextData =

fontsize:L

textcolor:black

pos:(0,30) tabs:(400-center)

text:^"Canadian-American Association Timeline"
#> If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space. {{Font color||{{RGB|190|186|218}}|League members}} {{Font color||{{RGB|255|255|179}}|Other Current League}} <# </timeline>

{{Font color||{{RGB|190|186|218}}|Can-Am League}} {{Font color||{{RGB|102|205|170}}|Northeast League}} {{Font color||{{RGB|255|255|179}}|Northern League East}}

==Notable alumni==
[[File:091306 106 Craig Breslow.jpg|thumb|180px|right|[[Craig Breslow]]]]

*RHP [[Tim Adleman]] (New Jersey 2013)
*LHP [[Andrew Albers]] (Quebec 2010)
*LHP [[Craig Breslow]] (New Jersey 2004)
*OF [[Stephen Cardullo]] (Rockland 2013–15)
*OF [[Chris Colabello]] (Worcester 2005–11, Nashua 2007)
*RHP [[Steve Delabar]] (Brockton 2008–09)
*RHP [[Wilmer Font]] (Ottawa 2015–16)
*RHP [[Luis García (pitcher)|Luis García]] (Newark 2012)
*Umpire [[Adam Hamari]] (2006)
*RHP [[Jeff Harris (baseball)|Jeff Harris]] (Quebec 2003–04)
*1B [[John Lindsey]] (New Jersey 2005–06)
*Umpire [[Will Little]] (2007)
*RHP [[Stu Pomeranz]] (New Jersey 2009)
*RHP [[Ken Ray]] (North Shore 2005)
*LHP [[Raúl Valdés]] (New Jersey/Nashua 2006)
*RHP [[Joe Winkelsas]] (Grays 2005)
*RHP [[Mat Latos]] (New Jersey 2018)

==Champions==
{{For|a listing of the Northeast League's champions|Northeast League}}
{| class="wikitable"
!Season
!'''Winner'''
!Runner-up
!Result
|-
|2005
|'''[[Worcester Tornadoes]]'''
|[[Québec Capitales]]
|3–0
|-
|2006
|'''[[Québec Capitales]]'''
|[[Brockton Rox (2002–2024)|Brockton Rox]]
|3–2
|-
|2007
|'''[[Nashua Pride]]'''
|[[North Shore Spirit]]
|3–0
|-
|2008
|'''[[Sussex Skyhawks]]'''
|[[Québec Capitales]]
|3–0
|-
|2009
|'''[[Québec Capitales]]'''
|[[Worcester Tornadoes]]
|3–1
|-
|2010
|'''[[Québec Capitales]]'''
|[[Pittsfield Colonials]]
|3–1
|-
|2011
|'''[[Québec Capitales]]'''
|[[New Jersey Jackals]]
|3–1
|-
|2012
|'''[[Québec Capitales]]'''
|[[New Jersey Jackals]]
|4–1
|-
|2013
|'''[[Québec Capitales]]'''
|[[New Jersey Jackals]]
|4–3
|-
|[[2014 Can-Am League season|2014]]
|'''[[Rockland Boulders]]'''
|[[New Jersey Jackals]]
|4–2
|-
|[[2015 Can-Am League season|2015]]
|[[Trois-Rivières Aigles (Can-Am)|'''Trois-Rivières Aigles''']]
|[[New Jersey Jackals]]
|3–2
|-
|[[2016 Can-Am League season|2016]]
|'''[[Ottawa Champions]]'''
|[[Rockland Boulders]]
|3–2
|-
|[[2017 Can-Am League season|2017]]
|'''[[Québec Capitales]]'''
|[[Rockland Boulders]]
|3–0
|-
|[[2018 Can-Am League season|2018]]
|'''[[Sussex County Miners]]'''
|[[Québec Capitales]]
|3–1
|-
|[[2019 Can-Am League season|2019]]
|'''[[New Jersey Jackals]]'''
|[[Sussex County Miners]]
|3–1
|}

==See also==
*[[Baseball awards#U.S. independent professional leagues|U.S. independent professional leagues' awards]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball|Canadian American Association}}
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20041204044639/http://canamleague.com/ Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball]}}
*[https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/league.cgi?code=CAMA&class=Ind Can-Am Association Encyclopedia and History at Baseball Reference]

{{Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball League}}
{{Professional Baseball}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Canadian American Association Of Professional Baseball}}
[[Category:Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball| ]]
[[Category:Defunct baseball leagues in Canada]]
[[Category:Defunct independent baseball leagues in the United States]]
[[Category:2005 establishments in Canada]]
[[Category:2005 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 2005]]
[[Category:Sports leagues disestablished in 2019]]
[[Category:2019 mergers and acquisitions]]

Skylands Stadium

2025-05-28T20:31:40Z

70.29.98.129: Undid revision 1292786209 by 70.29.98.129 (talk)

{{Short description|Baseball park in Augusta, New Jersey, US}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Skylands Stadium
| nickname =
| logo_image = Skylands Stadium Logo.png
| image = [[Image:SkylandsPark.jpg|200px]]
| fullname =
| location = 94 Championship Place [[Augusta, New Jersey|Augusta, NJ]] 07822
| coordinates = {{Coord|41|7|33.3|N|74|42|36.44|W|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground =
| built = 1994
| opened = 1994
| renovated =
| expanded =
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = Al Dorso
| operator = Skylands Stadium LLC.
| surface = Natural Grass
| construction_cost =
| architect =
| structural engineer =
| services engineer =
| general_contractor =
| project_manager =
| main_contractors =
| former_names = Skylands Park
| tenants = [[Sussex County Miners]] ([[Frontier League|FL]]) (2015–present) [[Sussex Skyhawks]] ([[Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball |CAAPB]]) (2006–2010) [[Newark Bears]] ([[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball|ALPB]]) (1999) [[New Jersey Cardinals]] ([[New York–Penn League|NYPL]]) (1994–2005) [[Sussex County Community College]] Skylanders [[NJIT Highlanders]] (NCAA Division 1) (2019–present)
| seating_capacity = 4,200 (1994–2021) 4,500 (2021–present) (5,800 with standing room)
| record_attendance = 5,477 (July 4, 2019)
| dimensions = Left Field: 330 ft Center Field: 384 ft Right Field: 330 ft
}}

'''Skylands Stadium''' is a [[baseball]] [[stadium]] located in the [[Augusta, New Jersey|Augusta]] section of [[Frankford Township, New Jersey|Frankford Township]] in [[Sussex County, New Jersey]], that is home to the [[Sussex County Miners]] of the [[Frontier League]] (FL). It is located off of [[U.S. Route 206|US 206]], near its intersection with [[New Jersey Route 15|Route 15]], on a plot of land adjacent to the Sussex County Fairgrounds where the [[Sussex County Farm and Horse Show]] and the [[New Jersey State Fair]] are held concurrently every August.

Skylands Stadium opened in 1994 and was built for the [[New Jersey Cardinals]], the [[New York–Penn League]] affiliate for the [[St. Louis Cardinals]]. The Cardinals called the park home until 2005, after which the team was sold and moved. The Cardinals were replaced by the [[Sussex Skyhawks]], an independent minor league team that began play in 2006 and folded after the 2010 season. Skylands Stadium also served as the home field for several other sports organizations.

In October 2013, Skylands Stadium was purchased by Al Dorso, a businessman who owns State Fair Superstore in [[Belleville, New Jersey]], operates the annual [[State Fair Meadowlands]] in the parking lots surrounding [[MetLife Stadium]], and is the owner of the Sussex County Miners.<ref name=Bought2013>{{cite news|last=Moszczynski|first=Joe|title=Skylands Stadium gets new owners with hopes of baseball returning in 2015|url=http://www.nj.com/sussex-county/index.ssf/2013/10/skylands_park_gets_new_owners_with_hopes_of_baseball_returning_in_2015.html|accessdate=30 January 2014| newspaper=[[The Star-Ledger]] |date=10 October 2013}}</ref>

In October 2021, the field at Skylands Stadium was renamed Columbus Field and a monument to [[Christopher Columbus]], that was previously located in [[Newark, New Jersey]], was placed in the front of the stadium. The statue and field naming were unveiled as part of a [[Columbus Day]] celebration with food, music, giveaways, and appearances by local politicians, Italian American organizations, and the [[Knights of Columbus]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Derricks|first=Jenny|date=October 7, 2021|title=Skylands Stadium to Celebrate Christopher Columbus with Statue and Name Change|url=https://www.tapinto.net/towns/newton/sections/arts-and-entertainment/articles/skylands-stadium-to-celebrate-christopher-columbus-with-statue-and-name-change-event|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=Tap in to Newton}}</ref>

==History==

===Home of the New Jersey Cardinals (1993–2005)===
[[File:Cardinals 4.jpg|thumb|Skylands Stadium from an aerial view]]
Ground was broken in the fall of [[1993 in sports|1993]] for a new minor league ballpark. The [[Hamilton Redbirds]], the Cardinals' [[New York–Penn League]] affiliate, were in a transition to move out of their home in [[Hamilton, Ontario]], to Augusta, New Jersey, and had temporarily spent the 1993 season in [[Glens Falls, New York]], as the [[Glens Falls Redbirds]]. As part of the move, the team changed its name to the Cardinals. The team's new home stadium would be privately owned and financed, a rarity in professional sports circles.

The park is designed to look a little bit like a farm complex from the outside. Augusta has long been the home of dairy farms, and the Cardinals wanted to make their stadium blend in.

The winter of 1993–94 brought the worst weather in several years to [[North Jersey]], causing construction cost overruns. The owners of Skylands Stadium were forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but the new ballpark managed to open on time that June and the Cardinals moved in.<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/08/23/sports/baseball-field-of-dreams-turns-into-nightmare-in-new-jersey.html |title=BASEBALL; Field of Dreams Turns Into Nightmare in New Jersey |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |date=1994-08-23 |accessdate=2012-07-30}}</ref> The stadium's luxury boxes and other amenities were not completed until the following year.

[[File:Skylands Park 2.jpg|thumb|left|The interior of Skylands Stadium during a Miners game]]

The Cardinals called Skylands Stadium home from [[1994 in sports|1994]] to [[2005 in sports|2005]], winning a NYPL title in their first season. After the 2005 season the team was sold to a new ownership group based in [[University Park, Pennsylvania]], home of [[Pennsylvania State University|Penn State University]], and were relocated there to become known as the [[State College Spikes]]; the team remained there until the New York-Penn League was shut down in 2020.

===Home of the Sussex Skyhawks (2006–2010)===
On January 10, 2006, it was announced that Skylands Stadium would be the home to the newly named professional baseball team called the [[Sussex Skyhawks]] of the [[Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball|Can-Am League]]. On May 29, 2006, the Skyhawks played their first regular season game at Skylands Stadium, dropping an 18–11 decision to the [[North Shore Spirit]]. The Skyhawks won a Can-Am League championship in 2008, the ballpark's second title. In early January 2011, it was announced that the Sussex Skyhawks would be disbanding.<ref name="njherald1">{{cite web|url=http://www.njherald.com/story/news/12SKYLANDS |title=New Jersey Herald – Sussex County newspaper for news, sports, schools |newspaper=[[New Jersey Herald]] |date= |accessdate=2011-01-13}}</ref>

===Other teams===
The [[Sussex County Community College|Sussex County Community College (SCCC)]] baseball team, known as the Skylanders, plays its home games at Skylands Stadium. The Skylanders took part in the first-ever event at the ballpark, a doubleheader played on April 17, 1994. The Skyland Cardinals have also begun to play their home games in 2020 with the emergence of the All-American Baseball Challenge.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.njherald.com/story/13851444/looking-back-at-20-years-of-skylands-park-history|title=Looking back at 20 years of Skylands Stadium history |newspaper=New Jersey Herald |date=January 15, 2011 |accessdate=July 23, 2014}}</ref>

In 1998, Skylands Stadium was designated the home field for the New Jersey Diamonds of the [[Ladies League Baseball|Ladies Professional Baseball League]], a league for women that began play the previous year. However, the Diamonds played only eight home games before the league folded.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Millennium+Sports+Management,+Inc.+Announces+Cancellation+of+Ladies...-a020965851|title=Millennium Sports Management, Inc. Announces Cancellation of Ladies Professional Baseball Games at Skylands Park|publisher=thefreelibrary.com|accessdate=2011-04-04}}</ref>

In the summer of 1999, Skylands Stadium hosted several home games for the [[Newark Bears]], a minor league team affiliated with the [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball|Atlantic League]], as they awaited the completion of [[Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium]] in [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ballparkdigest.com/200908122089/independent-baseball/visits/ballpark-visit-skylands-park-sussex-skyhawks-1 | last=Cryan | first=Mark | publisher = Ballpark Digest | title = Skylands Park/Sussex Skyhawks | date = August 12, 2009 | accessdate = June 22, 2015 }}</ref>

Skylands Stadium also hosted the Sussex County Colonels of the [[Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League]], a [[List of collegiate summer baseball leagues|collegiate summer baseball league]], from 1995 to 1997. Skylands Stadium was also home to the Semi-Pro Football team the Sussex Stags. The Stags played at the stadium in 2010 when they were called the Jersey Stags. In 2015, the Stags re-branded as the Sussex Stags and played the 2015 season at Skylands Stadium while being part of the Empire Football League, the oldest running league in the Country. The Sussex Stags now call Newton High School the home stadium and in 2019 became the New Jersey Stags.

No professional baseball team played at Skylands Stadium from 2011 through 2014. The owners, Millennium Sports Management, put the stadium up for sale for $1.99 million, but no buyer was found at that price.<ref name="ledger1">{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/03/dreams_unfulfilled_frankfords.html |title=Dreams unfulfilled: Frankford's Skylands Stadium to remain vacant this summer | newspaper=The Star-Ledger |date=2012-03-11 |accessdate=2012-07-30}}</ref>
In March 2013, investor Mark Roscioli of 17 Mile LLC in [[Ardmore, Pennsylvania]] acquired the stadium for $950,000.<ref name="bpdigest1">{{cite web|url=http://www.ballparkdigest.com/201303176139/independent-baseball/news/skylands-park-sold-baseball-still-a-possibility |title=Skylands Stadium sold; baseball still a possibility |publisher=Ballpark Digest |date=2013-03-17 |accessdate=2013-03-19}}</ref> Negotiations were ongoing to determine how to bring baseball back to the site with either a new or existing pro league. Roscioli did not have prior experience running a ballpark.<ref name="starledger1">{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/sussex-county/index.ssf/2013/04/with_deal_closed_new_skylands_park_owner_exploring_all_possibilities.html|title=With deal closed, new Skylands Park owner exploring all possibilities | newspaper=The Star-Ledger |date=7 April 2013 |accessdate=7 April 2013|last=Moszczynski | first=Joe}}</ref> There was interest in a new [[Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League|ACBL]] franchise or a team in a revived version of the [[Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010)|Northern League]]. In October 2014, Roscioli sold the park to a group of investors led by Al Dorso for $850,000.<ref name=Bought2013/>
[[File:Skylands Stadium 3.jpg|thumb|right|The front entrance of Skylands Stadium]]

===Home of the Sussex County Miners (2015–present)===
The Can-Am League granted an expansion franchise to the new ballpark owners. The new [[Sussex County Miners]] played their first home game on Memorial Day, May 25, 2015.<ref name="YDKJ1">{{cite web|url=http://www.youdontknowjersey.com/?p=32022 |title=Sussex County Miners Take the Field for their Inaugural Season |publisher=You Don't Know Jersey, LLC |date=2015-06-01 |accessdate=2015-06-01}}</ref> The Miners defeated their geographical rivals, the [[New Jersey Jackals]] 4–1 in front of a crowd of 3,819 people for their first victory.<ref>{{cite web| last=Barbati | first=Carl | url=http://www.njherald.com/story/29152286/2015/05/25/miners-win-home-opener |title=Miners Win Home Opener |newspaper=New Jersey Herald |date=2015-05-25 |accessdate=2015-06-18}}</ref> In 2017, the Miners qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, playing their first playoff game at the stadium on September 7, 2017. However, the Miners got swept in the first round 3–0 by the eventual champions, the [[Québec Capitales]].

The Miners qualified for the playoffs again the following year, this time placing first in the league and winning the division for the first time in franchise history. In the opening round, they defeated the [[Trois-Rivières Aigles (Can-Am)|Trois-Rivières Aigles]] 3–2.

In the championship round, the Miners beat the defending champion Québec Capitales 3 games to 1 in a best-of-five series. Skylands Stadium served as the location for games 3 and 4, each resulting in a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Miners won Game 3 on a single by first baseman Daniel Mateo. Game 4 was filled with even more drama. With the Miners down two runs with two on and two out with a sold out crowd, the Miners third baseman Martin Figueroa stepped to the plate to hit a dramatic first-pitch, three-run home run, ending the game with a score of 6-5 and giving the Miners their first championship in franchise history.

On Sunday, June 16, 2019, the Sussex County Miners defeated the Shikoku Island Independents by a score of 5–2, exactly 25 years to the date of the first professional game played at Skylands Park which was between the New Jersey Cardinals and Hudson Valley Renegades.

After the 2019 season, the Can-Am League ceased operations, with the Miners and other teams slated to join the [[Frontier League]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://frontierleague.com/2019/10/16/frontier-league-can-am-league-to-join-forces/ |title=Frontier League, Can-Am League to Join Forces |date=October 16, 2019 |website=FrontierLeague.com}}{{Cite web |url=http://frontierleague.com/2019/10/16/frontier-league-can-am-league-to-join-forces/ |title=Frontier League, Can-Am League to Join Forces |date=October 16, 2019 |website=FrontierLeague.com}}</ref> However, due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], the Frontier League cancelled its 2020 season. The Miners instead fielded a team in the hastily-assembled [[All-American Baseball Challenge]], hosting games at Skylands Stadium despite a limit of 500 fans due to pandemic restrictions.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tredinnick |first1=Andrew |title=Miners make long-awaited return to Skylands |url=https://www.njherald.com/story/sports/2020/07/25/miners-make-long-awaited-return-to-skylands/42255061/ |access-date=10 January 2024 |work=New Jersey Herald |date=25 July 2020}}</ref> The Miners officially began play in the Frontier League in May 2021.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tredinnick |first1=Andrew |title=What to watch for when Sussex County Miners open play in new Frontier League next week |url=https://www.njherald.com/story/sports/minors/2021/05/20/sussex-county-miners-storylines-2021-season-new-frontier-league/5164193001/ |access-date=10 January 2024 |work=New Jersey Herald |date=20 May 2021}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.littleballparks.com/Stadium/2001/Augusta_NJ/AugustaNJ.htm Skylands Park Views – ''Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues'']
*[http://sussexcountyminers.com/ Sussex County Miners official website]
*[http://www.baseballstadiumreviews.com/Stadium%20Home%20Pages/Independent%20League%20Home%20Pages/Skylands%20Park-Sussex%20Skyhawks.html Skylands Park Review and Photos]

{{Frontier League Ballparks}}

[[Category:Minor league baseball venues]]
[[Category:Baseball venues in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Sussex County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Sussex County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Frankford Township, New Jersey]]
[[Category:1994 establishments in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1994]]
[[Category:Frontier League ballparks]]

Duly Health and Care Field

2025-05-28T20:30:44Z

70.29.98.129: Undid revision 1292786766 by 70.29.98.129 (talk)

{{short description|Minor league baseball stadium in Joliet, Illinois}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Duly Health and Care Field
| nickname =
| image = Duly Health and Care Field (June 2023).jpg
| image_size = 260px
| caption = Ballpark entrance, viewed from street level (June 2023)
| image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=250|zoom=10|type=point}}
| pushpin_map = USA Illinois#USA
| pushpin_relief = yes
| fullname =
| former_names = Silver Cross Field (2002–2017) Joliet Route 66 Stadium (2017–2019) DuPage Medical Group Field (2019–2022)
| address = One Mayor Art Schultz Drive
| city = [[Joliet, Illinois]]
| country = United States
| location =
| coordinates = {{coord|41|31|32.56|N|88|4|40.44|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline,title}}
| publictransit = {{rint|Chicago|HC}}{{rint|Chicago|RI}} {{rint|US|Amtrak}} at [[Joliet Gateway Center]]
| owner = City of Joliet
| operator = Joliet Slammers
| capacity = 6,740 (2002–2007) 6,016 (2007–present)
| record_attendance =
| dimensions = '''Left Field:''' {{convert|348|ft|m|abbr=on}} '''Center Field:''' {{convert|400|ft|m|abbr=on}} '''Right Field:''' {{convert|327|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| surface = Artificial Turf
| broke_ground = March 7, 2001
| opened = {{Start date|2002|06|06}} 
| renovated = 2018
| cost = [[United States dollar|US$]]27 million
| architect = Sink Combs Dethlefs
| tenants = [[Joliet Jackhammers]] ([[Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010)|NoL]]) 2002–2010 [[Joliet Slammers]] ([[Frontier League|FL]]) 2011–present [[Steel City FC (Illinois)|Steel City FC]] ([[Midwest Premier League|MWPL]]) 2021–present
| website = 
}}

'''Duly Health and Care Field''' is a [[Ballpark|baseball stadium]] located in [[Joliet, Illinois]]. The stadium was built in 2002 and holds 6,016 seats.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Duly Health and Care Field, Joliet, Ill. |url=https://www.charliesballparks.com/st/IL-Joliet-SilverCross.htm |access-date=2025-02-21 |website=www.charliesballparks.com}}</ref> It is the home of the [[Joliet Slammers]] of the [[Frontier League]] (FL).

==Stadium==

Duly Health and Care Field has two levels; the main level and a second level of suites. The main seating area runs from first to third base and there are about 20 rows. There is a general admission lawn area. There are no outfield seats, but there is a large picnic pavilion area beyond the left field wall. There is a concourse that goes completely around the field, but the concourse in right field is behind the fence and one cannot see the field from this area. After installation of artificial turf, the left field fence moved back {{convert|18|ft|m}} to a distance of {{convert|348|ft|m}}. This was one of the main adjustments made in the facility's US$1.6 million 2018 improvement plan, along with mostly repairs to stadium infrastructure. Since the 2018 renovations, there has only been one soccer tournament held and no lacrosse matches to date. Joliet Slammers Vice President of Marketing and Sales John Wilson has stated that the reason for lack of expanded sporting use is the high demand for baseball to be played on the field.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hasman |first=Eric |date=August 12, 2018 |url=https://stadiumjourney.com/stadiums/silver-cross-field-s234 |title=DuPage Medical Group Field - Joliet Slammers |work=Stadium Journey}}</ref>

The ballpark's original name was Silver Cross Field, with the naming rights belonging to [[Silver Cross Hospital]]. In November 2017, the City of Joliet announced their plan for rename the facility Joliet Route 66 Stadium, which included a new facade showcasing the area's automotive history centered around [[U.S. Route 66]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Bob |last=Okon |title=Joliet gives stadium a new name |work=[[The Herald-News]] |url=https://www.shawlocal.com/2017/11/07/joliet-gives-stadium-a-new-name/a8zd2ov/ |date=November 7, 2017 |access-date=November 8, 2017}}</ref>  In May 2022, the ballpark was renamed to Duly Health and Care Field, reflecting name change of DuPage Medical Group to Duly Health and Care in September 2021.<ref>{{cite news |first=Bob |last=Okon |title=Joliet Slammers' stadium gets new name |work=[[The Herald-News]] |url=https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/news/local/2022/02/23/joliet-slammers-stadium-gets-new-name/ |date=February 23, 2022 |access-date=May 25, 2022}}</ref>

==Ownership==
The city of Joliet owns the land and stadium. The city splits the naming rights revenue with the Joliet Slammers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Okon |first=Bob |date=December 4, 2019 |url=https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/03/joliet-gets-51-000-from-stadium-naming-rights-deal/a4dysky/ |title=Joliet gets $51,000 from stadium naming rights deal |work=[[The Herald-News]]}}</ref>

==Events==

Duly Health and Care Field also plays host to the [[University of St. Francis]] baseball team as well as local high school baseball games and competitions. It is the site of the annual 3A and 4A IHSA State Final Baseball Tournament that happens every summer. The Joliet Slammers, being the primary tenant, rent out the field to any teams that would like to play in a professional stadium. The facility also hosts several youth baseball leagues in the area as well certain special events, such as the annual Joliet Police Department vs. Joliet Fire Department rivalry nicknamed "Guns and Hoses".

The facility was slated to play host to a rock concert named the Joliet Slammers Fest on August 10, 2019, but plans fell through when concerns about damaging the newly-installed artificial turf arose. Bands such as [[Everclear (band)|Everclear]], [[Bowling for Soup]], and [[Alien Ant Farm]], among others, were slated to perform at what was supposed to be the first concert ever held at the stadium. Joliet Slammers management has remained verbally open to the possibility of hosting concert events in the future if proper safety measures can be taken to protect the turf surface. The facility also hosted a wedding in the summer of 2019. Joliet Slammers Director of Tournaments and Special Events Cori Herbert said he estimates that about 425 events were held at DuPage Medical Group Field in 2019 alone.<ref>{{cite news |last=Okon |first=Bob |date=August 13, 2019 |url=https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/08/13/slammers-get-more-use-out-of-joliet-stadium/arit9cs/ |title=Slammers get more use out of Joliet Stadium |work=[[The Herald-News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Okon |first=Bob |date=July 30, 2019 |url=https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/07/30/slammers-fest-moved-to-tinley-park/ajlffsb/ |title=Slammers Fest moved to Tinley Park |work=[[The Herald-News]]}}</ref> This field also hosts the SWILA leagues championship games, which is an in house league, based in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. The most recent summer champion is the New Lenox Rebels Black. The most recent fall championship is Whiteford 2, based in Joliet.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.jolietslammers.com/ Joliet Slammers website]

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{succession box
|title = Host of the [[Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010)#All-star_game|NoL All-Star Game]] Silver Cross Field
|years = 2004
|before = [[Haymarket Park]]
|after = [[U.S. Steel Yard]]
}}
{{succession box
|title = Host of the NoL All-Star Game Silver Cross Field
|years = 2009
|before = [[Canwest Park]]
|after = [[Hi Corbett Field]]
}}
{{end}}
{{Frontier_League_Ballparks}}
{{Joliet, Illinois}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Sports venues in Joliet, Illinois]]
[[Category:Minor league baseball venues]]
[[Category:Baseball venues in Illinois]]
[[Category:2002 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 2002]]
[[Category:Frontier League ballparks]]
[[Category:Soccer venues in Illinois]]

Cornwall Civic Complex

2025-05-07T03:59:46Z

70.29.98.129:

{{Short description|Arena in Cornwall, Ontario}}
{{Infobox venue
| image =
| stadium_name = Cornwall Civic Complex
| address = 100 Water Street East
| location = [[Cornwall, Ontario|Cornwall]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| broke_ground =
| opened = 1976
| owner = City of Cornwall
| operator =
| surface = 200' X 85'
| construction_cost =
| architect =
| tenants = [[Cornwall Royals]] ([[Quebec Major Junior Hockey League|QMJHL]]/[[Ontario Hockey League|OHL]]) (1976–1992) [[Cornwall Colts]] ([[Central Canada Hockey League|CCHL]]) (1992–1997, 2007–present) [[Cornwall Aces]] ([[American Hockey League|AHL]]) (1993–1996) [[Cornwall Comets]] ([[Quebec Senior AA Hockey League|LHSPAA]]) (2004–2006) [[Cornwall River Kings]] ([[Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey|LNAH]]) (2012–2016) [[Cornwall Nationals]] ([[Federal Hockey League|FHL]]) (2016–2018)
| seating_capacity = 4,000 (1976–2008) 5,800 (2008–present)
| record_attendance = 4,000+ (Game 7 of 1996 Bogart Cup Final)
}}

'''Cornwall Civic Complex''' is a sports facility located in [[Cornwall, Ontario|Cornwall]], [[Ontario]], Canada. The Complex has an NHL-sized rink named the Ed Lumley Arena that was built in 1976. It originally held 4,000 people, but in 2008, the city added an extra 1,800 seats to the arena to make the seating capacity to 5,800.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-06 |title=Civic Complex |url=https://www.cornwall.ca/en/play-here/civic-complex.aspx |access-date=2025-03-22 |website=www.cornwall.ca |language=en}}</ref>

The Complex also has an aquatic centre which was opened in September 2005.<ref>[http://www.cornwall.ca/en/recreation/aquaticcentre.asp Aquatic Centre]. City of Cornwall. Retrieved December 28, 2014.</ref> The Ed Lumley Arena is the home of the [[Cornwall Colts]] of the [[Central Canada Hockey League]].

==History of the Ed Lumley Arena==
The building was once home to several former [[ice hockey]] teams including: the [[Cornwall Royals]] of the [[Quebec Major Junior Hockey League]] and [[Ontario Hockey League]], the [[Cornwall Aces]] of the [[American Hockey League]], the [[Cornwall River Kings]] of the [[Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey]], and the [[Cornwall Nationals]] of the [[Federal Hockey League]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.standard-freeholder.com/2016/09/14/cornwall-city-hall-inks-deal-with-fhl-nationals |title=Cornwall city hall inks deal with FHL Nationals |publisher=Standard-Freeholder |date=September 14, 2016 |access-date=September 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917084122/http://www.standard-freeholder.com/2016/09/14/cornwall-city-hall-inks-deal-with-fhl-nationals |archive-date=September 17, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.cornwallseawaynews.com/news/local/2018/2/20/cornwall-nationals-fold.html |title=Cornwall Nationals fold |work=Cornwall Seaway News |date=20 February 2018 |language=en}}</ref> In May 2008, the Ed Lumley Arena was host to the [[Royal Bank Cup]].

The largest crowd recorded was during the 1996 Bogart Cup Finals against the [[Gloucester Rangers]], when a sold-out crowd of more than 4,000 people watched the Cornwall Colts defeat the Gloucester Rangers 4–3 in Game 7.

The Cornwall Civic Complex has also hosted such concerts as Country legend [[Charley Pride]], Canadian rockers [[Nickelback]], [[Bryan Adams]], and [[Rush (band)|Rush]], as well as other Canadian acts [[Great Big Sea]], [[Celine Dion]], [[Rita MacNeil]], [[Barenaked Ladies]], [[Hedley (band)|Hedley]], [[Lights (musician)|Lights]], and [[These Kids Wear Crowns]]. Legendary rocker [[Alice Cooper]] performed at the Cornwall Civic Complex in October 2006.

It has also held many [[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWE]] wrestling events and [[boxing]] events.

==The restaurant/bar inside the Complex==
The Complex had a restaurant/bar inside, on the southwest side of the building. The first restaurant was called "The Blue Room" during the days of the Royals. It was then changed to "Resto-Bar Jazzy". After Jazzy closed, it was empty for nearly five years. In 2005, a new sports bar and grill opened up, called [[Don Cherry's Sports Bar & Grill]], a franchise originally owned by former [[NHL]] coach and star of Coach's Corner on [[Hockey Night in Canada]], [[Don Cherry (ice hockey)|Don Cherry]]. In April 2009, Don Cherry's was renamed "On Tap Sports Bar & Grill", which has since closed.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Cornwall Aces]]
[[Category:Cornwall Royals]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Cornwall, Ontario]]
[[Category:Indoor arenas in Ontario]]
[[Category:Ice hockey venues in Ontario]]
[[Category:Ontario Hockey League arenas]]
[[Category:Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League arenas]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1976]]
[[Category:1976 establishments in Ontario]]