The River City Rascals are a professional baseball team based in
O'Fallon, MissouriO'Fallon is a suburban city along Interstate 70 between Lake St. Louis and St. Peters in Saint Charles County, Missouri. It is part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census population of 79,329, it is the seventh largest city in the state and the largest in St. Charles...
, in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Rascals are a member of the West Division of the
Frontier LeagueThe Frontier League, based in Sauget, Illinois, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Midwestern United States, Western Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario. It operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either...
, which is not affiliated with
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. From the 1999 season to the present, the Rascals have played their home games at T.R. Hughes Ballpark.
Zanesville Greys
The franchise began in 1993 as one of the original six teams of the independent Frontier League in 1993 with teams from
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
,
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, and
West VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. The Greys played in
Zanesville, OhioZanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,586 at the 2000 census.Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio...
at Gant Municipal Stadium, a historic 4,000-seat multipurpose stadium built in 1940. The Greys were the first professional baseball team to play in Zanesville since 1950 and the
Zanesville IndiansThe Zanesville Indians were a Minor League Baseball Team located in Zanesville, Ohio. They played in the Ohio-Indiana League from 1944-1950. The team had affiliation deals with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Cleveland Indians....
.
The Greys won both halves of the 1993 season and defeated the
Ohio Valley RedcoatsThe Ohio Valley Redcoats are a minor league baseball team in the independent Frontier League which currently has suspended operations while in search of a new stadium.-Team history:...
in the playoffs to become the first champions of the Frontier League. Zanesville had five players hit over .300 as well as solid pitching, Kyle Shade was named Frontier League MVP and Tom Crowley was named Most Valuable Pitcher. The Greys also led the league in attendance with an average of 1,000 fans per game.
Despite a 35-28 record in the 1994 season, the team finished in third place in the North Division behind Ohio Valley and
Erie SailorsThe Erie Sailors was the name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Erie, Pennsylvania between 1906 and 1994.-Pre-1930s:Several unrelated teams used the Erie Sailors name in the Interstate League , the Ohio-Pennsylvania League , and the Central League .-1938-1963:During these years,...
. The team returned to the playoffs in 1995 after a season characterized by solid pitching and baserunning. Despite only recording 12 home runs, the Greys led the league with 137 stolen bases. Zanesville swept the Newark Buffaloes two games to none in the Division Championship Series before falling to the Johnstown Steal in the Frontier League Championship Series. Closing pitcher, Don Wolfe was named League MVP and Playoff MVP in 1995. Wolfe had a league-leading 21 saves during the 1995 season.
Zanesville pitching was again strong in the 1996 season. The Greys were led by Matt Baxter with a 9-2 record and 2.47 ERA while the
bullpenIn baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
was led by
Terry PearsonTerry Bobby Gene Pearson is former Major League Baseball pitcher. Pearson played for the Detroit Tigers in .-External links:*...
, who recorded 20 saves and a .50 ERA and stuck out 43 batters in 36 innings while only walking eight batters for the entire season. Pitching was not enough to make the playoffs and the team finished third in the FL East Division.
Although the team had a winning record in each of the three seasons in Zanesville, the franchise fell into financial trouble. This was partially due to the Greys' market being one of the smallest in the league with a population around 25,000. The franchise was inactive during the 1997 and 1998 seasons. On Tuesday October 27, 1998,
O'FallonO'Fallon is a suburban city along Interstate 70 between Lake St. Louis and St. Peters in Saint Charles County, Missouri. It is part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census population of 79,329, it is the seventh largest city in the state and the largest in St. Charles...
Mayor Paul Renaud announced the new name of the team to be the "River City Rascals." Initial ownership of the Rascals consisted of a local group headed by Ken Wilson.
River City Rascals
The Rascals began play in 1999 in the Western Division of the
Frontier LeagueThe Frontier League, based in Sauget, Illinois, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Midwestern United States, Western Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario. It operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either...
under manager
Jack ClarkJack Anthony Clark , also known as "Jack the Ripper," is a former Major League Baseball player. From 1975 through 1992, Clark played for the San Francisco Giants , St. Louis Cardinals , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox...
, pitching coach Greg Mathews, and first-base coach
Dick SchofieldRichard Craig "Dick" Schofield was a Major League Baseball shortstop who played 14 seasons, spanning from 1983–96. Schofield played the majority of his career with the California Angels, but also played on the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays team that eventually won the World Series...
Jr., all previous Major League Baseball players. . The first game played was on Wednesday, June 2, 1999 on the road against the Cook County Cheetahs of
Crestwood, IllinoisCrestwood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,251 at the 2000 census. In April 2009 the Chicago Tribune reported that for 20 years the city had been drawing its drinking water from a well that was contaminated with toxic chemicals.-Geography:According to the...
. Pitcher Joey Pipes pitched a complete game in losing by a score of 1-0. The first home game was played on Tuesday, June 8, 1999 at T.R. Hughes Ballpark at the Ozzie Smith Sports Complex in front of an overflow crowd of 4,173 (3,500 seat capacity). The Rascals beat the Dubois County Dragons by a score of 6-5 by rallying from a 5-1 deficit with William Black scoring on Tim Still's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning. This was the first minor league baseball game in Missouri since 1955. Under Clark, a former
St. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
slugger, the team led the Frontier League in home runs, however only two pitchers had ERAs under 5.00. The move of the franchise from Zanesville to O'Fallon saw a major increase in attendance. The team averaged more than 150,000 fans in 1999 and set new franchise records in 2000 and again in 2002. The Rascals were named Frontier League Organization of the Year in 1999 and 2000; and Pat Daly was named Executive of the Year in 1999 followed by Matt Jones in 2002.
Clark left after the 1999 season to join the
Los Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
as a hitting coach. He was replaced by Neil Fiala, who led the team to a West Division title in 2000 before losing in the first round of the playoffs to the
Evansville OttersThe Evansville Otters are a professional baseball team based in Evansville, Indiana, in the United States. The Otters are a member of the West Division of the Frontier League, an independent baseball league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
. The team just missed making the playoffs again in 2001, being eliminated on the last day of the season. The season was highlighted by outfielder Mike Robertson's 30-game hitting before being signed by the
Boston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
organization. Fiala resigned after the 2002 season and was replaced by former major-league catcher Marc Hill. Hill resigned after underperforming in the first half of the 2003 season and was replaced midseason pitching coach Randy Martz.
Former pitcher
Josh KinneyJoshua Thomas Kinney is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He throws a slider, 4-seam fastball, curveball, and a 2-seam fastball.-Early and personal life:...
who
played for the Rascals in 2001 (21 innings, 18 strikeouts, 1.71 ERA) became the first Rascal player, and second in franchise history, to make it to the Major Leagues. His contract was purchased from the
Memphis RedbirdsThe Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
on July 2, 2006 by the
St. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
where he appeared out of the
bullpenIn baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
during the
2006-Headline Event of the Year:*The 2006 World Baseball Classic final 4 teams are Japan, Cuba, Korea and the Dominican Republic, with the United States at 3–3 failing to qualify for the semi-finals. Under the leadership of manager Sadaharu Oh and veterans Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka, Japan ...
regular season. His first major league pitch (July 3, 2006) was hit for a
home runIn baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
by
Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
left fielder
Ryan LangerhansRyan David Langerhans is an American Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Langerhans was drafted in the third round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft by the Atlanta Braves...
; Kinney finished the 2006 season winning a championship ring with the Cardinals as
2006 World SeriesThe 2006 World Series, the 102nd edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, began on October 21 and ended on October 27, and matched the American League champion Detroit Tigers against the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals won the Series in five games, taking...
Champions.
Following the 2006 season the franchise was acquired by the group
PS and J Professional Baseball Club, LLC headed by Steve Malliet, an experienced minor league executive in both affiliated and independent baseball. After declining attendance and a number of seasons without a winning record Malliet hired former
Cincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
farmhand Toby Rumfield as the Rascals' manager for the 2007 season. Rumfield began remaking the team, with only a few players from the 2006 remaining on the roster. The rebuilding was not immediate and the team finished with a record of 36-60. The 2007 Rascals finished last in the league in both fielding and pitching and offense suffered after the team lost first baseman Bobby Mosby in a trade to the Northern League and outfielder Phil Laurent, who was signed by the
San Diego PadresThe San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. Under Rumfield, pitching improved in 2008 and closer Mike Benacka recorded 13 saves and a 0.35 ERA in 22 games before signing with
Oakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
half way through the season. The Rascals finished 4th in the West Division with a record of 47-49. Despite the improvement from 2006 Rumfield was replaced by Chad Parker, who previously managed the
Macon MusicThe Macon Music was a baseball team of the independent South Coast League, based in Macon, Georgia. They played at the Luther Williams Field. The league folded after the inaugural 2007 season....
of the
South Coast LeagueThe South Coast League of Professional Baseball , based in Conyers, Georgia, was a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Southeastern United States. It operated in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and was not affiliated with either. It folded...
.
Parker continued the rebuilding process and focused on adding speed and strengthen pitching. Under Parker, seven players reached double figures in steals, led by OF Scott Houin with 35.. Offense was led by Chad Maddox (.307) and Ryan Wehrle (.317), and in August, Frontier League all-star Ernie Banks was acquired from the
Washington Wild ThingsThe Washington Wild Things are a professional baseball team based in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The Wild Things are a member of the East Division of the Frontier League, an independent baseball league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
and hit .353 on the season. The Rascals clinched a division title late in the regular season, marking the first time since 2000. In the first round of the playoffs the team defeated the
Windy City ThunderBoltsThe Windy City ThunderBolts are a professional baseball team based in the Chicago suburb of Crestwood, Illinois, in the United States. The ThunderBolts are a member of the East Division of the Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, the first playoff series win since 1995 in Zanesville. In the Frontier League Championship Series the Rascals won the first two games of the series before
Lake Erie CrushersThe Lake Erie Crushers are a professional baseball team based in Avon, Ohio. It is a member of the independent Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball.The Crushers won the Frontier League Championship in their inaugural season...
rallied with three straight wins. The Rascals ended the 2009 season with a franchise record 56 wins and Parker was named Frontier League Coach of the Year.
Parker resigned following the season and was replaced by former River City pitcher Steve Brook. Brook continued the rebuilding from Parker and the team fished second in the West Division. The team won the first round playoff series against the
Southern Illinois MinersThe Southern Illinois Miners are a professional baseball team based in Marion, Illinois, in the United States. The Miners are a member of the West Division of the Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
and entered the Frontier League Championship Series for the second straight season, a first in franchise history. The Rascals defeated the Windy City ThunderBolts in four games and won the franchise's second championship and first as the Rascals.
Season-by-season record
Division Champions
|
Frontier League The Frontier League, based in Sauget, Illinois, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Midwestern United States, Western Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario. It operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either...
Champions
|
| Season |
League |
Division |
Regular season |
Post-season |
Awards |
| Finish |
Wins In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
|
Losses |
Win% In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
|
GB In sports, the phrase games behind or games back , is a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division...
|
>
| Zanesville Greys |
| 1993 |
FL The Frontier League, based in Sauget, Illinois, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Midwestern United States, Western Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario. It operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either...
|
West |
1st |
35 |
17 |
.673 |
— |
Won FLCS vs. Ohio Valley Redcoats The Ohio Valley Redcoats are a minor league baseball team in the independent Frontier League which currently has suspended operations while in search of a new stadium.-Team history:...
2-0 |
1993 Kyle Shade, Most Valuable Player
1993 Tom Crowley, Most Valuable Pitcher
1993 Tom Venditelli, Manager Of the Year |
| 1994 |
FL |
North |
3rd |
35 |
28 |
.548 |
6.5 |
|
|
| 1995 |
FL |
— |
3rd |
37 |
31 |
.544 |
8.5 |
Won first round vs. Newark Buffaloes 2-0.
Lost FLCS vs. Johnstown Steal 2-0. |
Don Wolfe, Most Valuable Pitcher |
| 1996 |
FL |
East |
2nd |
20 |
17 |
.541 |
6.5 |
|
|
>
| River City Rascals |
| 1999 |
FL |
West |
5th |
39 |
45 |
.464 |
5 |
|
|
| 2000 |
FL |
West |
1st |
46 |
36 |
.561 |
— |
Lost in first round vs. Evansville Otters The Evansville Otters are a professional baseball team based in Evansville, Indiana, in the United States. The Otters are a member of the West Division of the Frontier League, an independent baseball league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
2-0. |
Ryan Bauer, Most Valuable Pitcher |
| 2001 |
FL |
West |
2nd |
46 |
38 |
.548 |
2 |
|
|
| 2002 |
FL |
West |
4th |
39 |
45 |
.464 |
13 |
|
|
| 2003 |
FL |
West |
4th |
43 |
47 |
.478 |
8 |
|
|
| 2004 |
FL |
West |
3rd |
51 |
43 |
.543 |
6.5 |
|
|
| 2005 |
FL |
West |
4th |
42 |
52 |
.447 |
10 |
|
|
| 2006 |
FL |
West |
5th |
40 |
56 |
.417 |
9 |
|
|
| 2007 |
FL |
West |
3rd |
36 |
60 |
.375 |
29.5 |
|
|
| 2008 |
FL |
West |
5th |
47 |
49 |
.490 |
13 |
|
|
| 2009 |
FL |
West |
1st |
56 |
38 |
.596 |
— |
Won in first round vs. Windy City ThunderBolts The Windy City ThunderBolts are a professional baseball team based in the Chicago suburb of Crestwood, Illinois, in the United States. The ThunderBolts are a member of the East Division of the Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
3-0.
Lost in FLCS vs. Lake Erie CrushersThe Lake Erie Crushers are a professional baseball team based in Avon, Ohio. It is a member of the independent Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball.The Crushers won the Frontier League Championship in their inaugural season...
3-2. |
Chad Parker, Manager Of the Year |
| 2010 |
FL |
West |
2nd |
57 |
38 |
.600 |
6.5 |
Won first round vs. Southern Illinois Miners The Southern Illinois Miners are a professional baseball team based in Marion, Illinois, in the United States. The Miners are a member of the West Division of the Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
3-2
Won FLCS vs. Windy City ThunderBoltsThe Windy City ThunderBolts are a professional baseball team based in the Chicago suburb of Crestwood, Illinois, in the United States. The ThunderBolts are a member of the East Division of the Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
3-1 |
|
>
| Totals |
Wins |
Losses |
Win% |
| 40 |
34 |
.531 |
All-time Zanesville Greys record (1993–1996) |
| 542 |
547 |
.498 |
All-time River City Rascals record (1999-2010) |
| 15 |
9 |
.625 |
All-time franchise postseason record
|
Greys/Rascals in the MLB
- Justin Christian
Justin Barnett Christian is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants.-Baseball career:...
(River City 2003-04) played for the New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in 2008.
- Josh Kinney
Joshua Thomas Kinney is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He throws a slider, 4-seam fastball, curveball, and a 2-seam fastball.-Early and personal life:...
(River City 2001) Currently in the Chicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
system, pitched for St. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
from 2006-2009.
- Terry Pearson
Terry Bobby Gene Pearson is former Major League Baseball pitcher. Pearson played for the Detroit Tigers in .-External links:*...
(Zanesville 1995-96) Currently in Cincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
system, pitched for the Detroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
in 2002.
- Joe Thatcher
Joseph Andrew Thatcher is Major League Baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres. Nicknamed "The Prime Minister, and The Throw'in Kokomoan" he is 6'2" tall and weighs . In college, he pitched for Indiana State University...
(River City 2004-05) played for San Diego PadresThe San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
from 2007-09.
Official websites