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American Association (21st century)
Encyclopedia
The American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, based in Durham, North Carolina
, is a professional baseball league founded in 2005 and independent of Major League Baseball (MLB). It operates in the Northern
, Midwestern
and Southeastern United States
and the Canadian
province of Manitoba
, mostly in cities not served by MLB teams or their minor league affiliates
.
Miles Wolff is the league's commissioner.
, five teams from that league joined with the four former Northern League franchises, and to even things out an expansion team was placed in St. Joseph, Missouri. The league began play in 2006, with a 96-game schedule. The Fort Worth Cats
defeated the St. Paul Saints
3 games to 2, to win the first league championship. The same two teams met for the 2007 title, with exactly the same result. In 2008, the Sioux Falls Canaries won the league championship series 3 games to 1 over the Grand Prairie AirHogs
.
since its inception. The venue changes annually.
The league's first All-Star game was played in El Paso, Texas
on July 18, 2006, which pit a team of American Association All-Stars against an All-Star team from the Can-Am League
. Its current format pits the all-stars from each division against each other. There was no All Star game in 2011.
Game results
Most Valuable Players
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, is a professional baseball league founded in 2005 and independent of Major League Baseball (MLB). It operates in the Northern
Northern United States
Northern United States, also sometimes the North, may refer to:* A particular grouping of states or regions of the United States of America. The United States Census Bureau divides some of the northernmost United States into the Midwest Region and the Northeast Region...
, Midwestern
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
and Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
and the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, mostly in cities not served by MLB teams or their minor league affiliates
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
.
Miles Wolff is the league's commissioner.
History
The American Association was founded in October 2005 when Northern League teams left that league. Following the folding of the Central Baseball LeagueCentral Baseball League
The Central Baseball League, formerly the Texas-Louisiana League, was a minor league whose member teams were independent of any Major League Baseball affiliations.In 1991, potential owners, Dallas businessman Byron Pierce and U. S...
, five teams from that league joined with the four former Northern League franchises, and to even things out an expansion team was placed in St. Joseph, Missouri. The league began play in 2006, with a 96-game schedule. The Fort Worth Cats
Fort Worth Cats
The Fort Worth Cats are a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. The Cats are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2002 season the Cats...
defeated the St. Paul Saints
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
3 games to 2, to win the first league championship. The same two teams met for the 2007 title, with exactly the same result. In 2008, the Sioux Falls Canaries won the league championship series 3 games to 1 over the Grand Prairie AirHogs
Grand Prairie AirHogs
The Grand Prairie AirHogs are a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas, in the United States. The AirHogs are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball , which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
.
Current franchises
| American Association of Independent Professional Baseball | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Team | Founded | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| North | |||||
| Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball... |
1996 | Fargo Fargo, North Dakota Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777... , North Dakota North Dakota North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S.... |
Newman Outdoor Field Newman Outdoor Field Newman Outdoor Field is a baseball stadium in Fargo, North Dakota. It is located on the campus of North Dakota State University and is the home of the independent league Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks baseball team and the North Dakota State Bison baseball team. The 4,513 seat facility was known as "The... |
4,513 | |
| St. Paul Saints St. Paul Saints The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball... |
1993 | Saint Paul Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city... , Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state... |
Midway Stadium Midway Stadium Midway Stadium is the name of two different minor league baseball parks in Saint Paul, Minnesota, one now demolished and the other still in active use. The name derives from the location of the stadium in St. Paul's Midway area, so named because it's roughly halfway between the downtowns of... |
6,069 | |
| Sioux Falls Pheasants | 1993 | Sioux Falls Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Sioux Falls is the county seat of Minnehaha County, and also extends into Lincoln County to the south... , South Dakota South Dakota South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over... |
Sioux Falls Stadium Sioux Falls Stadium Sioux Falls Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It originally opened in 1941 and was renovated in 2000. It holds 4,500 people.... |
4,500 | |
| Winnipeg Goldeyes Winnipeg Goldeyes The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a professional baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From 1994 to 2010, the team was a member of the Northern League.The... |
1994 | Winnipeg, Manitoba Manitoba Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other... |
Shaw Park | 7,481 | |
| Division | Team | Founded | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| Central | Gary SouthShore RailCats Gary SouthShore RailCats The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a professional baseball team based in Gary, Indiana, in the United States. The RailCats are a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. The RailCats have played their home games at... |
2002 | Gary Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known... , Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
U.S. Steel Yard U.S. Steel Yard U.S. Steel Yard is an open-air baseball stadium located in Gary, Indiana next to I-90. It is home to the Gary SouthShore RailCats, a professional baseball team and member of the American Association. It seats 6,139 people. It also hosts many Little League Baseball games as well as high school... |
6,139 |
| Kansas City T-Bones Kansas City T-Bones The Kansas City T-Bones are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Kansas, in the United States. The T-Bones are a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball... |
2003 | Kansas City Kansas City, Kansas Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified... , Kansas Kansas Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south... |
CommunityAmerica Ballpark CommunityAmerica Ballpark CommunityAmerica Ballpark is a multi-purpose stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, home of the Kansas City T-Bones of the independent American Association, and the temporary home of Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer. It is located in the Village West area at 1800 Village West Parkway... |
6,537 | |
| Lincoln Saltdogs Lincoln Saltdogs The Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team based in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the United States. The Saltdogs are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball... |
2001 | Lincoln Lincoln, Nebraska The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379.... , Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River.... |
Haymarket Park Haymarket Park Haymarket Park is a baseball and softball complex in Lincoln, Nebraska. It is half a mile west of the campus of the University of Nebraska in downtown Lincoln. It is named because of its location in Lincoln's historic Haymarket District.-Hawks Field:... |
8,000 | |
| Sioux City Explorers Sioux City Explorers The Sioux City Explorers are a professional baseball team based in Sioux City, Iowa, in the United States. The Explorers are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball.They were originally to be... |
1993 | Sioux City Sioux City, Iowa Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state.... , Iowa Iowa Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New... |
Lewis and Clark Park Lewis and Clark Park Lewis and Clark Park is a stadium in Sioux City, Iowa. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Sioux City Explorers minor league baseball team. It opened in 1993 and holds 3,631 people.... |
3,631 | |
| Wichita Wingnuts Wichita Wingnuts The Wichita Wingnuts are a professional baseball team based in Wichita, Kansas, in the United States. The Wingnuts are a member of the Central Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball.An expansion franchise in the... |
2008 | Wichita Wichita, Kansas Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area... , Kansas Kansas Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south... |
Lawrence-Dumont Stadium Lawrence-Dumont Stadium Lawrence-Dumont Stadium is a stadium in Wichita, Kansas. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Wichita Wingnuts independent baseball team. It was built in 1934, underwent renovations in 2001 which brought improvements to the stadium sound system, new infield turf, a new... |
6,400 | |
| Division | Team | Founded | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| South | Amarillo Sox Amarillo Sox The Amarillo Sox are a professional baseball team based out of Amarillo, Texas, and is set to play in the independent American Association in 2011. They will play their home games at Amarillo National Bank Sox Stadium in Amarillo, replacing the Amarillo Dillas of United League Baseball after that... |
2010 | Amarillo Amarillo, Texas Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census... , Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
Amarillo National Bank Sox Stadium | 8,500 |
| El Paso Diablos El Paso Diablos The El Paso Diablos are a professional baseball team based in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. The Diablos are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2005 season to the... |
2005 | El Paso El Paso, Texas El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States... , Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
Cohen Stadium Cohen Stadium Cohen Stadium is a stadium on the Northeast side of El Paso, Texas, by the Patriot Freeway, next to the Franklin Mountains. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the El Paso Diablos minor league baseball team. It opened in 1990 and holds 9,725 people... |
9,725 | |
| Grand Prairie AirHogs Grand Prairie AirHogs The Grand Prairie AirHogs are a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas, in the United States. The AirHogs are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball , which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball... |
2007 | Grand Prairie Grand Prairie, Texas Grand Prairie is a city in Dallas, Ellis, and Tarrant counties in the U.S. state of Texas and is a part of the Mid-Cities region in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Grand Prairie is a suburb of both Dallas and Fort Worth and had a population of 175,396 at the 2010 census.- History :The city of... , Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
QuikTrip Park | 5,445 | |
| Laredo Lemurs Laredo Lemurs The Laredo Lemurs are a professional baseball team based in Laredo, Texas, and is set to play in the independent American Association in 2012. They will play their home games at Laredo Ballpark in Laredo, replacing the Laredo Broncos of United League Baseball.-External Links:**... |
2012 | Laredo Laredo, Texas Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,... , Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
new ballpark. | 6,000 | |
| Shreveport-Bossier Captains | 2003 | Shreveport Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States.... , Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties... |
Fair Grounds Field Fair Grounds Field Fair Grounds Field is a stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Shreveport-Bossier Captains minor league baseball team. The site was formerly used in the 1950s as a neutral playing site for college football games between the University of... |
4,300 | |
Former teams
- Coastal Bend AviatorsCoastal Bend AviatorsThe Coastal Bend Aviators were a minor league baseball team which played in Robstown, Texas, in the United States from 2003 to 2007. They were a member of the Central Baseball League, then the American Association and were not affiliated with any Major League Baseball team.The team played at...
- founding member of league, originally from Central Baseball LeagueCentral Baseball LeagueThe Central Baseball League, formerly the Texas-Louisiana League, was a minor league whose member teams were independent of any Major League Baseball affiliations.In 1991, potential owners, Dallas businessman Byron Pierce and U. S...
, folded after 2007 - Pensacola PelicansPensacola PelicansThe Pensacola Pelicans were a minor league baseball team based in Pensacola, Florida. In various incarnations, they played in three different independent baseball leagues from 2002–2010...
- founding member of league, originally from Central Baseball LeagueCentral Baseball LeagueThe Central Baseball League, formerly the Texas-Louisiana League, was a minor league whose member teams were independent of any Major League Baseball affiliations.In 1991, potential owners, Dallas businessman Byron Pierce and U. S...
, folded in preparation for new Double-A Southern LeagueSouthern League (baseball)The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
teamPensacola Blue WahoosThe Pensacola Blue Wahoos are a minor league baseball team to be based in Pensacola, Florida. The Blue Wahoos will play in the Southern League and will be the Class Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds Major League Baseball team....
to begin play in 2012 - St. Joe BlacksnakesSt. Joe BlacksnakesThe St. Joe Blacksnakes, in Saint Joseph, Missouri, were a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.On December 16, 2005 the team announced that the primary owner would be Van Schley and that the field manager would be Chris Carminucci. On December 27, St. Joe...
- founding member of league, expansion franchise, folded after 2007 - Fort Worth CatsFort Worth CatsThe Fort Worth Cats are a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. The Cats are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2002 season the Cats...
- founding member of the league, had its membership revoked by the league on October 26, 2011 after failing to provide the league with a letter of credit.
Champions
- 2006 - Fort Worth CatsFort Worth CatsThe Fort Worth Cats are a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. The Cats are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2002 season the Cats...
- 2007 - Fort Worth CatsFort Worth CatsThe Fort Worth Cats are a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. The Cats are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2002 season the Cats...
- 2008 - Sioux Falls Canaries
- 2009 - Lincoln SaltdogsLincoln SaltdogsThe Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team based in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the United States. The Saltdogs are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
- 2010 - Shreveport-Bossier Captains
- 2011 - Grand Prairie AirHogsGrand Prairie AirHogsThe Grand Prairie AirHogs are a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas, in the United States. The AirHogs are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball , which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
All-star game
The American Association has hosted an annual All-Star GameAll-star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...
since its inception. The venue changes annually.
The league's first All-Star game was played in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
on July 18, 2006, which pit a team of American Association All-Stars against an All-Star team from the Can-Am League
Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball
The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, based in Durham, North Carolina, is a professional, independent baseball league located in the Northeastern United States and the Canadian province of Quebec. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is...
. Its current format pits the all-stars from each division against each other. There was no All Star game in 2011.
Game results
- 2006 - AAB 5, Can-Am 3
- 2007 - South 6, North 4
- 2008 - South 11, North 4
- 2009 - North 6, South 2
- 2010 - South 12, North 3
Most Valuable Players
- 2006 - Jake Whitesides, (St. Joe Blacksnakes)
- 2007 - Jorge Alvarez, (El Paso Diablos)
- 2008 - Brian Fryer, (Fort Worth Cats)
- 2009 - Trevor Lawhorn, (Sioux Falls Canaries)
- 2010 - Chris Garcia, (Shreveport-Bossier Captains)