Paducah Chiefs

Last updated
Paducah Chiefs
Chiefs Social Media Logo.png PADUCAH CHIEFS LOGO.png
Team logoCap insignia
Information
LeagueOhio Valley League (OVL South)
Location Paducah, Kentucky
Ballpark Brooks Stadium (1948–1955, 2016–present)
Founded1903;121 years ago (1903)
Former league(s) Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League, Mississippi–Ohio Valley League
ColoursRed, navy, white
   
General ManagerGreg McKeel
Website https://www.paducahchiefs.com

The Paducah Chiefs are a collegiate summer baseball team in Paducah, Kentucky. They are a member of the Ohio Valley League. [1] The Chiefs has been the primary nickname for various Paducah teams, who began play in 1897.

Contents

Early incarnations of the Paducah Chiefs played in the Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (KITTY League) in 1903 and 1912–1913, and in the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League in 1949–1950.[ citation needed ] [2] [3] The Chiefs competed in the KITTY League from 1951 until their disbanding in 1955.[ citation needed ] [2] [3]

The Chiefs, though finishing fourth in the regular season standings in 1949, went on to win the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League playoffs and championship. [4] [3] In 1950 the Chiefs again finished fourth in the regular season standings, [3] but made through the playoffs to the league championship series against the Centralia Sterlings; the championship series was cancelled due to bad weather. [4] After that season the Chiefs left the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League for the KITTY League. [4]

The Chiefs were the 1955 Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (KITTY League) champions with a 64–39 record, [5] and were the league runner up in 1952 (67–53).[ citation needed ] [6] [3]

The franchise was affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals (1952–1955), Brooklyn Dodgers (1939), St. Louis Cardinals (1938), Pittsburgh Pirates (1937) and Cincinnati Reds (1936). [2] [3]

The team was also known as the Paducah Indians for much of its history.

The Modern Era

In 1996, Dr. Frank "Doc" Hideg and a group of volunteers resurrected Brooks Stadium. It proved to be a vital step in bringing amateur baseball back to Paducah, as in 2015, the Brooks Stadium Commission was approached by the Ohio Valley League about adding a team in Paducah. Under the leadership of General Manager Greg McKeel and Brooks Stadium Commission President Doc Hideg, the Chiefs returned to Brooks Stadium in Paducah in the summer of 2016. [1]

The ballparks

The franchise played at numerous parks in Paducah.

From 1949 to 1955 Paducah teams played at Brooks Stadium , located at 25th Street and C Street, now 2400 Brooks Stadium Drive. [7] [8] Brooks Stadium hosted the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League All-Star Game in 1949. [9] The ballpark has remained in use to this day as the baseball home for the nearby Paducah Tilghman High School.

Brooks Stadium in June 2022 Brooks stadium june2022.jpg
Brooks Stadium in June 2022

Earlier, the team played at Hook's Park, located at 8th street and Terrell, from 1935 to 1941. [10] In 1922 and 1923 Paducah played at League Park. [11] Early teams played at Wallace Park located at Broadway and Labelle. [12]

Notable alumni

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quad Cities River Bandits</span> American Minor League baseball team

The Quad Cities River Bandits are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Their home games are played at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa, one of the Quad Cities.

The Mississippi–Ohio Valley League was a Class D level American minor league baseball league. Evolving from the renamed Illinois State League (1947-1948), the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League operated for seven seasons, from 1949 through 1955. In 1956 the league was renamed the Midwest League, which still exists today.

The Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League was a Class D level minor league baseball circuit that went through six different periods of play between 1903 and 1955. The League hosted teams in 29 cities from the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee.

The Union City Dodgers were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Class D Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League from 1935 to 1942 and 1946 to 1955. They were located in Union City, Tennessee, and played their home games at Turner Memorial Field. Originally known as the Union City Greyhounds, the team had affiliations with the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and Cleveland Indians. They changed their name to the Union City Dodgers upon becoming a Brooklyn Dodgers affiliate in 1953.

The Cairo Egyptians were a minor league baseball team from Cairo, Illinois, that played in the Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League on and off from 1903 to 1948 and in the Central League in 1897.

The Illinois State League (ISL) was a baseball minor league formed in 1947. The Illinois State League operated in 1947–1948 and evolved to become today's Midwest League. The Class D league was composed entirely of new franchises, each located in Southern Illinois. The charter franchises were in the Illinois cities of Belleville, Centralia, Marion, Mattoon, Mount Vernon and West Frankfort.


The Springfield Browns was a primary moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Springfield, Illinois between 1931 and 1950. Springfield teams played as members of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1931–1932), Mississippi Valley League (1933), Central League (1934), Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League and Mississippi-Ohio Valley League (1950), winning the 1939 league championship. Hosting home games at Reservoir Park, Lanphier Park and Jim Fitzpatrick Memorial Stadium, Springfield teams were an affiliate of the 1931 St. Louis Browns, St. Louis Cardinals (1933–1934), 1935 Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Browns.

The Keokuk Indians was a primary nickname of the various minor league baseball teams based in Keokuk, Iowa between 1875 and 1962.

Several different minor league ballclubs have been based in the town of Danville, Illinois, fielding teams in 38 seasons between 1888 and 1982 under various monikers. The Danville Suns (1982), Danville Dodgers (1975–1976), Danville Warriors (1970–1974), Danville Dans (1951–1954), Danville Dodgers (1946–1950), Danville Veterans (1922–1932), Danville Speakers, Danville Old Soldiers (1906), Danville Champions (1900) and Danville Browns were the minor league teams. Danville teams played at Soldiers Home Park (1922–1932) and Danville Stadium (1946–1982).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dubuque, Iowa minor league baseball</span> Minor league baseball team

Minor league baseball teams have operated in the city of Dubuque, Iowa under a variety of names in various leagues, playing in 52 seasons between 1879 and 1976. Dubuque teams were an affiliate of the Houston Astros (1975–1976), Kansas City Royals (1968), Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians (1961–1966), Pittsburgh Pirates (1959–1960) and Chicago White Sox (1954–1958).

The West Frankfort Cardinals were an American minor league baseball team based in West Frankfort, Illinois. The West Frankfort Cardinals played as members of the Illinois State League in 1947 to 1948 and the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League in 1949 and 1950, qualifying for the league playoffs twice. The two leagues were the direct predecessors to the Midwest League. West Frankfort was a minor affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals for their duration, while hosting home games at Memorial Stadium.

The Mattoon Phillies was a primary nickname for the minor league baseball teams based in Mattoon, Illinois between 1899 and 1957. Mattoon teams played as members of the Indiana–Illinois League (1899), Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (1906), Eastern Illinois League (1907–1908), Illinois State League (1947–1948), Mississippi–Ohio Valley League (1949–1955) and Midwest League (1956–1957).

The Marion Indians were a minor league baseball team based in Marion, Illinois. In 1947 and 1948, the Indians were charter members of the Class D level Illinois State League, which evolved into today's Midwest League. Hosting home games at Marion City Park, the Marion Indians were a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians in 1947 and qualified for the 1948 league playoffs.

J. Polk Brooks Stadium is a baseball stadium in Paducah, Kentucky. It is the home of the Paducah Chiefs. It is also used by college baseball, high school baseball, American Legion Baseball, and other amateur teams. It was built in 1948 and 1949 for the original Paducah Chiefs, who folded in 1955. The community kept the ballpark up over the years using it for amateur baseball, before the Chiefs were reorganized in 2016 in the Ohio Valley Summer Collegiate Baseball League.

The Canton Citizens were a minor league baseball team based in Canton, Illinois, United States. In 1952, the franchise was relocated from Vincennes, Indiana, during the season. The Canton Citizens played as members of the Class D level Mississippi–Ohio Valley League, predecessor to the Midwest League. The Citizens franchise then was disbanded after completing the 1952 season. Canton hosted 1952 minor league home games at Athletic Park.

The Vincennes Velvets was the final moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Vincennes, Indiana. From 1950 to 1952, Vincennes played as members of the Class D level Mississippi–Ohio Valley League, which evolved to become today's Midwest League. The 1951 team was known as the "Citizens."

The Vincennes Alices were a minor league baseball team based in Vincennes, Indiana.

The Madisonville Miners were a minor league baseball team based in Madisonville, Kentucky. Madisonville played in various seasons between 1896 and 1955. The Madisonville Miners teams played as members of the Class D level Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League. In 1896, the Madisonville team played as members of both the Kentucky-Indiana League and Pennyrile League.

Minor league baseball teams were based in Fulton, Kentucky in various seasons between 1911 and 1955. Fulton teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League under differing names in five different decades, winning three league championships and two league pennants. Fulton was a minor league affiliate of the Detroit Tigers from 1939 to 1942 and Washington Senators from 1948 to 1955. Fulton minor league teams hosted home games at High Street Park from 1922 to 1924 and Fairfield Park between 1936 and 1955.

Minor league baseball teams were based in Hannibal, Missouri in various seasons between 1908 and 1955. Hannibal teams played as members of the Illinois–Missouri League in 1908, Central Association from 1909 to 1912, Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League from 1916 to 1917, Central Association from 1948 to 1949 and the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League from 1952 to 1955. The Mississippi-Ohio Valley League evolved to become the Midwest League.

References

  1. 1 2 "About The Chiefs | Paducah Chiefs Baseball" . Retrieved 2022-07-19.
  2. 1 2 3 "Paducah, Kentucky Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN   978-1932391176.
  4. 1 2 3 Sumner, Benjamin Barrett. Minor League Baseball Standings:All North American Leagues, Through 1999. Jefferson, N.C.:McFarland. ISBN   0-7864-0781-6
  5. ↑ "1955 Paducah Chiefs Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. ↑ "1952 Paducah Chiefs Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  7. ↑ "Historic Brooks Stadium - Plan your Kentucky Vacation – Kentucky Tourism". www.kentuckytourism.com.
  8. ↑ "Brooks Stadium Minor League History | Baseball-Reference.com". Archived from the original on 2015-10-16.
  9. ↑ "Paducah, Kentucky, in the Midwest League | MWLguide.com". www.mwlguide.com.
  10. ↑ "Hook's Park Minor League History | Baseball-Reference.com". Archived from the original on 2015-10-14.
  11. ↑ "League Park Minor League History | Baseball-Reference.com". Archived from the original on 2015-10-13.
  12. ↑ "Wallace Park Minor League History | Baseball-Reference.com". Archived from the original on 2015-10-09.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.