The newest iteration of the Northern League–the former Midwest Collegiate League–is adding a new Crown Point (IN) team for the 2022 season. (more…)
Tag Archives | northern league
Midwest Collegiate League rebrands as Northern League
The Northern League name is back, as the Midwest Collegiate League is rebranding with the name of the former MiLB and indy-league circuit for the 2022 season and expanding its mission. (more…)
Wade Stadium renovations go live
Wade Stadium renovations will go live today, when the historic Duluth ballpark will host a college game after $4.6 million in offseason renovations. (more…)
New home plate laid in at Wade Stadium
The renovation of historic Wade Stadium this offseason continues, as a new home plate was installed into the new synthetic playing field at the home of the Duluth Huskies (summer collegiate; Northwoods League). (more…)
End of an era: Last Saints game in Midway scheduled
With a new ballpark on the way downtown, the St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) have scheduled their last home game at Midway Stadium: August 28, 2014. It surely will be an event. For all its faults — uncomfortable seating, lack of amenities like suites and a larger press box, small clubhouses — a lot […]
Broken Field of Dreams in Iowa
Since the 1989 release of Field of Dreams, there have been various efforts to monetize the Iowa cornfield used as a film set. The latest attempt, which includes 24 playing fields, an indy team and a $70M budget, appears to be in trouble as well. Ever since the world saw Kevin Costner greet the likes […]
Goldeyes welcome 5-millionth fan
What a great journey: the Winnipeg Goldeyes (independent; American Association) welcomed the 5-millionth fan in team history during today’s matinee. The Goldeyes were not an original member of the revamped independent Northern League, but entered the league in the second season after beginning life as the Rochester Aces, featuring a much younger Doug Simunic as […]
Atlantic League: Get the lead out!
The independent Atlantic League is implementing rule changes this year in an attempt to address a perennial concern: speeding up baseball games. We’ve written about the rule changes before; now that the season is imminent, it’s a good time to review them. The York Dispatch’s John Walk has a nice piece on the changes, complete […]
Joliet Slammers sale imminent
A sale of the Joliet Slammers (independent; Frontier League) is close to fruition, with changes to the Silver Cross Field memo of understanding expected to be approved Monday night by the city council. The city council doesn’t have a direct say in the sale of the Slammers, but does have an indirect one: if the […]
Simunic set to return to RedHawks
We don’t spend a lot of time covering managerial hirings, but this one is worth noting: Doug Simunic is set to return for three more years with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (independent; American Association). Simunic is one of the great characters of baseball and the winningest coach in independent baseball. He began his coaching career with the […]
Slammers hit bumps in second season
A sophomore slump can hit franchises, too, as the Joliet Slammers (independent; Frontier League) are seeing some setbacks at the gate and on the field. The team had a pretty good debut in 2011, drawing 2,311 fans a game and generating some genuine enthusiasm for the franchise after the old Joliet Jackhammers (independent; Northern League) […]
Atlantic League looks at speeding up games
The independent Atlantic League is tackling a common issue in pro baseball: whether games should be sped up and how to accomplish the task. It’s not a new problem: it seems every gathering of front-office types will include some discussion of whether games run too long, and the independent Northern League launched with the baseball […]
New Canadian pro league forming?
Rumors of a new Canadian independent baseball league are surfacing, as the region’s distance from existing circuits is forcing potential owners to stay close to home in search of markets. Several independent leagues — the Northern League, the Golden Baseball League and the North American League — have tried to work on schedules that included […]