The Amarillo Thunderheads , formerly known as the Amarillo Sox , were a professional minor league baseball team based in Amarillo, Texas . They were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball , an independent baseball league unaffiliated with Major League Baseball , and played their home games at Potter County Memorial Stadium .
22-730: The team relocated to Amarillo in 2011. They were previously known as the Pensacola Pelicans , based in Pensacola, Florida . On December 2, 2014, they changed their name to the Amarillo Thunderheads. Following the 2015 season, the team was merged into the Texas AirHogs . In 2010, businessman Quint Studer sold his American Association franchise, the Pensacola Pelicans , to the Amarillo group as part of
44-408: A minor league baseball team based in Pensacola, Florida . In various incarnations, they played in three different independent baseball leagues (leagues unaffiliated with Major League Baseball ) from 2002 to 2010. They played their games at Pelican Park . The initial incarnations Pelicans began play in 2002 as charter members of the new, independent Southeastern League . The league folded after
66-661: A move to bring Class Double-A affiliated baseball to Pensacola. The franchise became the Amarillo Sox for the 2011 season; the new team, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos , began play in 2012. The Pensacola Pelicans were incorporated in 2002, when the Southeastern League decided to place a team in the Pensacola area. Midway through the 2002 season, Quint Studer and his wife Rishy Studer bought
88-575: A new name would be chosen by fan contest. Per said contest, the team was named the Pensacola Blue Wahoos ; they began play in the Southern League in 2012. Orlando Rays The Orlando "Rays" and several different minor league baseball teams have called the city of Orlando, Florida home between 1919 and 2003. Most have played in the Florida State League . The original Orlando franchise played between 1919 and 1924 and
110-492: A series of purchases aimed at bringing an affiliated Double-A team to Pensacola. The franchise secured a lease to Amarillo National Bank Stadium, replacing the Amarillo Dillas of United League Baseball , who were evicted after missing payments on their lease. Former Amarillo Gold Sox and San Diego Padres pitcher Mark Lee was General Manager from 2006 to 2014. Stephanie Tucker, co-owner and General Manager of
132-720: Is now known as the Montgomery Biscuits . The Gulf Coast Braves also previously played in Orlando. On June 17, 2016 as part of a charity appeal following the Orlando nightclub shooting , the Tampa Bay Rays wore Orlando Rays caps during their game against the San Francisco Giants . The team also wore Orlando Rays caps in a spring training game on February 28, 2023, while playing home games at
154-708: The Amarillo Venom , was named Executive Vice President/General Manager of the Sox following Lee's departure. The franchise was originally going to be named the Amarillo Gold Sox after the longtime minor league team from the later 1930s through 1982. However, a trademark issue with the collegiate woodbat team the Marysville Gold Sox in California has forced the team to back away from using
176-612: The Atlanta Braves , attendance did not meet expectations; after trailing the Southern League in attendance in multiple years, the Rays' owners announced the team would move to Montgomery, Alabama in 2004 (terminating their 10-year lease with Disney after four seasons). Rays players who went on to the major-league level include Carl Crawford , Toby Hall , Trevor Enders , Jorge Cantú , Dewon Brazelton , Chad Gaudin , Matt Diaz , Jonny Gomes , B.J. Upton and Seth McClung . The team
198-571: The Lincoln Saltdogs in 5 games. In 2010 Studer orchestrated a complicated series of purchases and moves to bring affiliated Class Double-A baseball to Pensacola. First, he sold his American Association franchise to a group in Amarillo, Texas , where they became the Amarillo Sox , now known as the Amarillo Thunderheads. Then, he purchased the Carolina Mudcats , a Southern League team from Zebulon, North Carolina . To settle
220-784: The Toronto Maple Leafs . They were a Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate known as the Orlando Dodgers from 1959–1961 when this version of the team was discontinued. The last incarnation of the franchise began in 1963, when the Minnesota Twins (the former Senators) set up a new affiliate called the Orlando Twins . The franchise moved up to the Double-A Southern League in 1973. The Twins played at Tinker Field in downtown Orlando, near
242-670: The 2003 season, and team owner Quint Studer purchased a franchise in the Central Baseball League , moving the Pelicans to the new organization. When the CBL folded in 2004 the Pelicans joined the new American Association of Independent Professional Baseball . They won the Southeastern League championship in 2002. In 2010 Studer sold his American Association franchise to a group in Amarillo, Texas as part of
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#1732788075862264-581: The 2004 season, Pelicans owner Studer purchased the rights to the Springfield Ozark Mountain Ducks franchise, and the Pelicans took that team's spot in the league. Former major league standout Bernie Carbo was the team's manager and he was aided by former major leaguer Pedro Borbon as pitching coach. The CBL folded in 2005 and the Pelicans joined the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball after
286-549: The 2005 season, and named Kash Beauchamp as manager. After leading the Pelicans to a 39–57 season, Beauchamp was released of his managerial duties. The Pelicans were led by Mac Seibert in 2007 and 2008, finishing 39–56 in '07 and 43–53 in '08. Seibert left after his second year to take a job in the New York Mets organization. The Pelicans won the South Division in 2009, making the championship round before losing to
308-817: The AA and the Can-Am League (for which he is also commissioner) and that for the 2016 season the Thunderheads and the Grand Prairie AirHogs would operate as a joint team with 25 games in Amarillo and 25 games in Grand Prairie to make a 12 team league. Following the season the team announced that they would not be returning to Amarillo, and would play all games in Grand Prairie for 2017. Pensacola Pelicans The Pensacola Pelicans were
330-682: The Devil Rays), an American League expansion team in 1998, assumed the Orlando Rays' major-league affiliation the following year. The Orlando Rays' last season at Tinker Field was 1999. From 2000 to 2003, the Orlando Rays played in Kissimmee, Florida , in Champion Stadium at Walt Disney World Resort . Despite the fact that the team played in a state-of-the-art stadium that was built in 1997 and used during spring training by
352-842: The Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. In 1990, the team was renamed the Orlando Sun Rays . In 1993, the Chicago Cubs became the team's new major-league affiliate, and the team was renamed the Orlando Cubs . While still a Chicago Cubs affiliate, the team renamed itself once again in 1997 and became the Orlando Rays . The following year, for one season only, the Seattle Mariners were the Rays' major-league affiliate. The Tampa Bay Rays (then
374-474: The championship series. Before the 2004 season, the affiliated Orlando Rays of the Southern League moved to Montgomery, Alabama , the location of a key Southeastern League franchise. Unable to compete with an affiliated baseball club in one of its cities, the Southeastern League folded, and the Pelicans were left without a league in which to play. In order to join the Central Baseball League for
396-586: The deal, however, he had to facilitate the move of the Kinston Indians to Zebulon, where they took up the Mudcats name. Additionally, as Pensacola is within the franchise territory of the Mobile BayBears , he had to compensate that team. The arrangements cost Studer a total of $ 2 million. It was initially reported that Studer's team would take up the Pelicans name, but it was later announced
418-501: The name. Lee thus opted to name the team simply the Amarillo Sox, and revealed the team's name and logo at a January 5, 2011 press conference. Additionally, Lee named former California Angels player John Harris field manager. After the 2014 season, the Sox were renamed the Amarillo Thunderheads. On November 19, 2015, American Association commissioner Miles Wolff announced that there would no longer be interleague play between
440-618: The team from the league and was approved under the Commissioner James Gamble. The 2002 season was a very successful one for the Pelicans; they had the league's best record and won the championship in an extra-innings victory against the Montgomery Wings. The 2003 season was also successful, with the Pelicans once again claiming the league's best record, but losing to the Baton Rouge Riverbats in
462-585: Was alternately called the Caps, Tigers and Bulldogs . The Orlando Colts played between 1926 and 1928. The Orlando Gulls began in 1937 but changed their name the following year to the Orlando Senators when they became an affiliate of the Washington Senators . The Senators remained through 1955 (though the team name and league was shut down from 1943–1945 during World War II and the name
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#1732788075862484-849: Was changed to the Orlando C.B.s for 1954–1955). They won the FSL championship in 1940, 1946 and 1955 In 1956, they were an affiliate of the Diablos Rojos del Mexico of the Mexican League and were known as the Orlando Seratomas . As an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers they were the Orlando Flyers in 1957, a name that remained in 1958 when they were affiliated with the International League team,
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