The Wichita Aeros were an American minor league baseball franchise based in

Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. The Wichita metro area had a population of 647,610 in 2020. It is located in ...

, that played in the Triple-A

American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...

from 1970 through

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

. The Aeros were established as an expansion franchise when the Association grew from six to eight clubs after the

1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...

season. They were affiliated with the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...

(1970–71),

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...

(1972–80), Texas Rangers (1981),

Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in ...

(1982–83) and

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

(1984). The Aeros led the league in attendance in 1970 and from 1972–74, but a series of last-place teams during their years as a Cubs farm club drove down attendance throughout the rest of the 1970s. The Aeros won only one division title, and no league championships, during their 15-year history. Milton Glickman, father of former US Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman and grandfather of film producer Jonathan Glickman, owned the team from 1970–1984. Glickman sold the team to

Robert E. Rich Jr. Robert E. Rich Jr. (born January 25, 1941) is an American businessman, philanthropist and writer. He is currently chairman of the board and majority owner of Rich Products Corporation (Rich's), a large food processing company headquartered in Buf ...

in 1984. On September 14, 1984, the Aeros were transferred to

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from Sou ...

, and became the

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen F ...

, who are now members of the

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ( ...

. The Bisons had existed in some form since the 1870s and (at the time playing at the Double-A level) used the Aeros' franchise to return to Triple-A baseball. In 1987, the Beaumont Golden Gators of the Double-A

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

transferred to Wichita and remained there through the 2007 season as the Wranglers. The Wranglers moved to

Springdale, Arkansas Springdale is the fourth-largest city in Arkansas, United States. It is located in both Washington and Benton counties in Northwest Arkansas. Located on the Springfield Plateau deep in the Ozark Mountains, Springdale has long been an important ...

, in 2008. Wichita's current team is the Wind Surge of the

. The Wingnuts of the independent league baseball incarnation of the

played in Wichita between 2008 and 2019.

Notable alumni

* Buddy Bell *

Tom Browning Thomas Leo Browning (April 28, 1960 – December 19, 2022) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1984 to 1995, spending almost his entire career with the Cincinnati Reds. In his rookie season in 1985, ...

* Ray Burris *

Bill Caudill William Holland Caudill (born July 13, 1956) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Caudill was one of the top closers in Major League Baseball (MLB) from to . Early years Caudill attended Aviation High School in Redondo Beach, C ...

* Chris Chambliss * Eric Davis * John Franco *

Mark Gilbert Mark David Gilbert (born August 22, 1956) is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who served as the United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa from 2015 to 2017. Gilbert played for the Chicago White Sox in 1985.Larry Gura *

Pete LaCock Ralph Pierre "Pete" LaCock Jr. (born January 17, 1952) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman/ outfielder. He batted and threw left-handed. In 1975, LaCock hit the only grand slam of his career in the final appearance of St. Louis Car ...

* John Lowenstein * Donnie Moore * Bill North *

Paul Reuschel Paul Richard Reuschel (born January 12, 1947) is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball from 1975 to 1979. Reuschel began his professional career when he was drafted by the Chicago C ...

* Rick Reuschel *

Richie Scheinblum Richard Alan Scheinblum (November 5, 1942 – May 10, 2021), nicknamed "Shane", Whiting, Robert. ''You Gotta Have Wa'' (Vintage Departures, 1989), pp. 82-83. was an American professional Major League Baseball (MLB) player. In 1971, he won the A ...

* Lee Smith† *

Bruce Sutter Howard Bruce Sutter (; January 8, 1953 – October 13, 2022) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1976 and 1988. He was one of the sport's dominant relievers in the late 1970 ...

† * Dick Tidrow * Don Werner † – Member of the

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball ...

References

{{Reflist *Lloyd Johnson and Miles Wolff, editors. ''The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball'', 1997 edition. Durham, North Carolina:

Baseball America ''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...

. Baseball teams established in 1970 1984 disestablishments in Kansas Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates Cincinnati Reds minor league affiliates Cleveland Guardians minor league affiliates Defunct American Association (1902–1997) teams Montreal Expos minor league affiliates Professional baseball teams in Kansas

Aeros Aeros is a Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer founded by a group of ex- Antonov engineers in the early 1990s to build hang gliders. It is located in Kyiv.Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04'', page 41. Pa ...

Texas Rangers minor league affiliates Defunct baseball teams in Kansas 1970 establishments in Kansas Sports clubs disestablished in 1984