The Northern League was an
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States
* Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
minor professional baseball league. It was not affiliated with
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
or the
organized minor leagues. The league was founded in 1993 and folded after its 2010 season when financial stability became a problem. The three teams remaining in the league when it folded joined with the remaining teams in
United League Baseball
United League Baseball was an Independent league baseball, independent baseball league that operated in Texas. The league operated from 2006 to 2009. The league then temporarily merged with the Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010), Northern L ...
and the
Golden Baseball League to form a new independent organization called the
North American League.
History
The modern Northern League was founded by Miles Wolff. Wolff started the league after many
midwestern
The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
cities contacted him (through his affiliation with ''
Baseball America
''Baseball America'' (BA) is a sports publication company that covers baseball at every level, including Major League Baseball (MLB), with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) college, high school, and inte ...
'') asking how they could get a minor league team. After visiting some of them, most notably
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...
, and its
Wade Stadium
Wade Stadium is a baseball park located near the intersection of Grand Avenue and 34th Avenue West in the West Duluth neighborhood of Duluth, Minnesota. The stadium was built in 1941 and holds 4,200 people. It is the home of the Duluth Huskies ...
, he began contacting potential owners to start the league. The league was structured to where teams were not allowed to load their rosters with ex-pros. Players with five or more years of professional experience were labeled "veterans" and teams could carry no more than four. At least the same number of "rookies" (players with less than a year of experience) had to be on a team's roster. The rest of the roster was made up of "limited service" or "LS" players, each having a number from 1 through 5 attached to the LS depending on how long they had been in pro baseball.
The league began in 1993 with six teams:
Duluth–Superior Dukes
The Duluth–Superior Dukes were a professional baseball team based in Duluth, Minnesota. The Dukes were a charter member of the modern Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010), Northern League, which started play in 1993. The Dukes played their ...
(
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...
),
Rochester Aces (
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. It is located along rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a popul ...
),
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They previ ...
(
St. Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 311,527, making it Minnesota's second-most populous city a ...
),
Sioux Falls Canaries
The Sioux Falls Canaries are a professional baseball team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The Canaries are members of the North Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major ...
(
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls ( ) is the List of cities in South Dakota, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the List of United States cities by population, 117th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha Coun ...
),
Sioux City Explorers
The Sioux City Explorers are a professional baseball team based in Sioux City, Iowa, in the United States. The Explorers are inaugural members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseba ...
(
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury County, Iowa, Woodbury and Plymouth County, Iowa, Plymouth counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Iowa, fo ...
) and
Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks
One of the six founding members of the modern Northern League in 1993, the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks were league members from 1993 to 1998. They played their home games at Port Arthur Stadium in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
1993 season
The Whiskey ...
(
Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario. Its population i ...
,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
). The prospects for the league were originally "cloudy." Many forecast an early demise especially in St. Paul where competition with the
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
led many local sportswriters to consider it a "beer league." The league, however, was a relatively moderate success, with only the Rochester franchise struggling to draw crowds to their games. The first league title was won by St. Paul. After the season, the Aces were sold to an ownership group led by future
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
,
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...
mayor
Sam Katz
Samuel Michael Katz (born August 20, 1951) is a Canadian businessman and former politician who was the 42nd mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba from 2004 to 2014. He is the owner of the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the American Association, as well as the ...
and the team relocated to the city and became known as the
Winnipeg Goldeyes
The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Professional Baseball, which they joined in 2011. Previously, the Goldeyes were members of ...
, taking the name of the Winnipeg team that played in the original Northern League. The Goldeyes won the league championship in their first season in the new city.
The first wave of expansion to the league came in 1996 as the Northern League entered Wisconsin and North Dakota. The
Madison Black Wolf, based in the capital of Wisconsin, and
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major Lea ...
, based in
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the List of cities in North Dakota, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County, North Dakota, Cass County. The population was 125,990 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, which was e ...
, but named for the metropolitan area that includes
Moorhead, Minnesota
Moorhead ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, Minnesota, Clay County, Minnesota, United States, on the banks of the Red River of the North. Located in the Red River Valley, an extremely fertile and active agricultural region, Moo ...
, joined the league. The second wave of expansion came in 1999. First, the Whiskey Jacks left Canada and moved to
Schaumburg, Illinois
Schaumburg ( ) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, Cook and DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Per the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 78,723, making Schaumburg the most populou ...
, where they became known as the
Schaumburg Flyers
The Schaumburg Flyers were a professional baseball team based in Schaumburg, Illinois, in the United States. The team played in the Northern League from 1999 to 2010, with their home games at Alexian Field, near the Elgin O'Hare Expressway. T ...
. The bigger news, however, was that the
Northeast League
The Northeast League was a professional independent baseball league that operated in the Northeastern United States from 1995 until 1998 and from 2003 until 2004. Between 1999 and 2002, the league was part of the Northern League after the two le ...
, an independent league in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states also founded by Wolff, would merge with the Northern League and become the Northern League's East Division. The rest of the Northern League teams comprised the Central Division, and both division champions would meet in a league championship series. The merger lasted until 2002, and Northeast League teams won all four of the Northern League's championships in that time. Meanwhile, Madison's team moved to
Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The city covers and had a population of 291,082 as of the 2020 census. It is the state's List of cities in Nebraska, second-most populous city a ...
, in 2001 to become the
Lincoln Saltdogs
The Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team based in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the United States. The Saltdogs are in the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. Since the 2001 se ...
while teams were awarded to
Joliet, Illinois
Joliet ( ) is a city in Will County, Illinois, Will and Kendall County, Illinois, Kendall counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County, Illinois, Will County. It had a population of ...
, and
Gary, Indiana
Gary ( ) is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 69,093 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it Indiana's List of municipalities in Indiana, eleventh-most populous city. The city has been historical ...
, in 2002. The
Joliet JackHammers
The Joliet JackHammers were a professional baseball team based in Joliet, Illinois, in the United States. The JackHammers were a member of the Northern League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From 2002 to 2010, the JackHamme ...
made the playoffs in their first season while the
Gary SouthShore RailCats
The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a professional baseball team based in Gary, Indiana, in the United States. The RailCats are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The Ra ...
were forced to play an entire season on the road because the city of Gary did not have their stadium completed on time.
At the end of the 2002 season Miles Wolff resigned as commissioner of the Northern League to focus on his duties with the now-reinstated Northeast League. Mike Stone became league commissioner in 2003. Over the next two years the league entered three new markets. Charter member Duluth-Superior left Minnesota in 2003 to move to
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City (commonly known as KCK) is the third-most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is an inner suburb of the older and more populous Kansas City, Missouri, after which it is named. As ...
, and became known as the
Kansas City T-Bones
The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Kansas. Formerly known as the Kansas City T-Bones, they are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball; which, in 2020, became designated as a Majo ...
. For 2004, the league expanded its Canadian operations into the province of
Alberta
Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
and added the
Calgary Vipers
The Calgary Vipers were a professional baseball team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They were part of the Western Division of the independent North American League. The Vipers played all of their home games at Foothills Stadium. Previously, ...
and
Edmonton CrackerCats to the league.
Mike Stone left the commissioner's position in 2005 shortly after a dramatic move by several of the league's teams. Following the season's conclusion St. Paul, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, and Lincoln announced they were leaving the league to form a new independent league with five teams from the folded
Central Baseball League
The Central Baseball League, formerly the Texas–Louisiana League, was an independent baseball league whose member teams were not affiliated with any Major League Baseball (MLB) franchises.
In 1991, potential owners, Dallas businessman Byron ...
in the southern United States; the new league was to be known as the
American Association of Independent Professional Baseball
The American Association of Professional Baseball is an independent professional baseball league founded in 2005. It operates in the central United States and Canada, mostly in cities not served by Major League Baseball teams or their minor lea ...
. Stone was replaced by Jim Weigel, who in turn was replaced by Clark C. Griffith after one year in charge. Following the 2007 season, the league was left with six teams as Calgary and Edmonton left to join the
Golden Baseball League. This number grew to seven in 2009 as
Zion, Illinois
Zion is a city in Lake County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 United States census, the population was 24,655.
History
The city was founded in 1900 by John Alexander Dowie, a Scots-Australian evangelical minister and faith healer who had ...
, was granted an expansion team known as the
Lake County Fielders. In 2010 an eighth team was added when the
Rockford RiverHawks
The Rockford Aviators were a professional baseball team based in Rockford, Illinois that played in the independent Frontier League. Rockford previously had a team in the Frontier League called the RiverHawks (2002-2009). There was no Rockford tea ...
moved from the
Frontier League
The Frontier League (FL; French: ''Ligue Frontière'', LF) is a professional baseball league in North America composed of 18 teams – 15 in the United States and 3 in Canada. The FL is one of the eight independent baseball leagues in North Ame ...
.
Following the 2010 season, the Northern League announced that Winnipeg, Kansas City, Fargo-Moorhead, and Gary SouthShore would be leaving the league to join the
American Association. This left Rockford, Lake County, Joliet, and Schaumburg with decisions to make. The JackHammers were sold and renamed to the
Joliet Slammers
The Joliet Slammers are a professional baseball team based in Joliet, Illinois. The Slammers compete in the Frontier League (FL) as a member of the Midwest Division. The team plays their home games at the Duly Health and Care Field, and is owne ...
, and moved to the
Frontier League
The Frontier League (FL; French: ''Ligue Frontière'', LF) is a professional baseball league in North America composed of 18 teams – 15 in the United States and 3 in Canada. The FL is one of the eight independent baseball leagues in North Ame ...
. The other three franchises merged with the
Golden Baseball League and
United League Baseball
United League Baseball was an Independent league baseball, independent baseball league that operated in Texas. The league operated from 2006 to 2009. The league then temporarily merged with the Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010), Northern L ...
franchises to form the
North American League. However, things did not work out as planned. The Flyers were evicted from
Alexian Field, their home stadium, due to a large amount of debt owed to their home town of Schaumburg and eventually suspended operations. The RiverHawks decided to decline the invitation in the league and return to the Frontier League for 2011. The Fielders were the only team remaining from the original three merged into the new league but have since folded, meaning there are no longer any Northern League teams remaining in the North American League. As of the end of the 2011 season only one member of the North American League has, in fact, played in the Northern League – the Edmonton Capitals (the former Cracker-Cats). The fate of the North American League was also soon decided with the Golden Baseball League's teams disbanding and the United Baseball League decided to re-adopt their league name due to only UBL teams remaining in the ill-fated NAL after the 2012 season. The UBL itself folded after the 2014 season.
Over 12 seasons, over two dozen former Northern League players have played in Major League Baseball. These include players such as
J. D. Drew
David Jonathan "J. D." Drew (born November 20, 1975) is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder. He began his major league career in with the St. Louis Cardinals, and also played for the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and B ...
,
Kevin Millar
Kevin Charles Millar (; born September 24, 1971) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) and is a current analyst for MLB Network and NESN. He played in MLB for the Flor ...
,
Chris Coste
Christopher Robert Coste (born February 4, 1973), is an American author, professional baseball coach (baseball), coach, and former catcher who is currently the manager (baseball), manager for the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the American Associati ...
,
Jeff Zimmerman
Jeffrey Ross Zimmerman (born August 9, 1972) is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball from 1999 to 2001 for the Texas Rangers.
Baseball career
Independent baseball
Zimmerman played baseball in th ...
, and
Rey Ordóñez
Reynaldo Ordóñez Pereira (born January 11, 1971) is a Cuban former professional baseball shortstop. He played nine seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Chicago Cubs.
Early life
Ordóñez was a pro ...
. Several former MLB players played in the league including
Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd,
Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Eugene Strawberry Sr. (born March 12, 1962) is an American former professional baseball right fielder who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Throughout his career, Strawberry was one of the most feared sluggers in the sport ...
,
Jack Morris
John Scott Morris (born May 16, 1955) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers. Morris won 254 games throughout his career.
Arme ...
,
Pedro Guerrero,
Jermaine Allensworth
Jermaine Lamont Allensworth (born January 11, 1972) is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He played four seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1996 until 1999, for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals and the ...
,
Ken Harvey,
Mike Caruso,
Bo Hart
Bodhi J. "Bo" Hart (born September 27, 1976) is a former professional baseball player. He played second base in Major League Baseball in 2003 and 2004 for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Early years
Hart was born in Creswell, Oregon, in 1976, but spent ...
,
Leon "Bull" Durham, and
Brant Brown
Brant Michael Brown (born June 22, 1971) is an American professional baseball coach and former outfielder who is the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB from 1996 through 2000 for the Chica ...
. Former MLB players and coaches have also coached or managed in the Northern League including
Terry Bevington
Terry Paul Bevington (born July 7, 1956) is an American former professional baseball player, coach, and manager who managed the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1995 until 1997.
Early life
Bevington was born in Akron, Ohio. ...
,
"Dirty" Al Gallagher,
Jackie Hernández
Jacinto Hernández Zulueta (September 11, 1940 – October 12, 2019) was a Cuban professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop and third baseman from to , most notably as a member of the Pitt ...
,
Danny Jackson
Danny Lynn Jackson (born January 5, 1962) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1983 to 1997. He played for the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirat ...
,
Maury Wills
Maurice Morning Wills (October 2, 1932 – September 19, 2022) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop from 1959 to 1972, most prominently as an integral member of the Los Ange ...
,
Tim Johnson,
Ron Kittle
Ronald Dale Kittle (born January 5, 1958) is an American former left fielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was known for his home run hitting power, and was named the 1983 Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award ...
,
Hal Lanier
Harold Clifton Lanier (born July 4, 1942) is an American former infielder, coach and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Known as a brainy, defense-first player, he won National League Manager of the Year as a rookie manager for leading the ...
,
Darryl Motley,
Matt Nokes
Matthew Dodge Nokes (born October 31, 1963) is an American former professional baseball catcher and designated hitter. He played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants (1985), the Detroit Tigers (1986–1990), New York ...
, and
Wayne Terwilliger
Willard Wayne Terwilliger (June 27, 1925 – February 3, 2021), nicknamed "Twig", was an American professional baseball second baseman. He played nine seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1949 and 1960 for the Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dod ...
.
League structure
When the Northern League consisted of between eight and twelve teams, it played a split season 96-game schedule with two divisions from late May until early September. The division winners in each half qualified for the post-season, though if a team were to win both halves, the team with the best overall record, regardless of division, qualified as a wild card. Both the league semi-finals and Championship Series were best of five.
When the league dropped to six teams in 2008, it still played a 96-game schedule, but did not split the season and did not have divisions. Instead, the top four teams qualified for the playoffs. The first round consisted of a best-of-five series between the first and fourth-place finishers and between second and third-place finishers. The winners of the first round then played a best-of-five championship series.
In October 2009 the Northern League voted to expand from its 96-game season to a 100-game schedule, effective for the 2010 season. The playoff format was to remain the same, with the top four clubs making the playoffs.
Rosters
During the season, rosters were limited to 22 players, broken into seven classes based on a players years of service. One year of service was defined as one National Association (affiliated) season, or two independent league seasons.
*Rookie: A player with less than one year service. Each team must carry a minimum of five Rookies.
*LS-1: "Limited Service", a player with less than two years.
*LS-2: A player with less than three years.
*LS-3: A player with less than four years.
*LS-4: A player with less than five years. Only four players may be LS-4's.
*LS-5: A player with less than six years.
*Veteran: A player with six or more years. A maximum of four players may be veterans.
Former teams (1993–2010)
* Rochester Aces (1994 became
Winnipeg Goldeyes
The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Professional Baseball, which they joined in 2011. Previously, the Goldeyes were members of ...
)
* Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks (1999 became
Schaumburg Flyers
The Schaumburg Flyers were a professional baseball team based in Schaumburg, Illinois, in the United States. The team played in the Northern League from 1999 to 2010, with their home games at Alexian Field, near the Elgin O'Hare Expressway. T ...
)
* Madison Black Wolf (2001 became
Lincoln Saltdogs
The Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team based in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the United States. The Saltdogs are in the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. Since the 2001 se ...
)
* Duluth–Superior Dukes (2003 became
Kansas City T-Bones
The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Kansas. Formerly known as the Kansas City T-Bones, they are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball; which, in 2020, became designated as a Majo ...
)
*
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They previ ...
(2005 left to create
American Association)
*
Lincoln Saltdogs
The Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team based in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the United States. The Saltdogs are in the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. Since the 2001 se ...
(2005 left to create
American Association)
*
Schaumburg Flyers
The Schaumburg Flyers were a professional baseball team based in Schaumburg, Illinois, in the United States. The team played in the Northern League from 1999 to 2010, with their home games at Alexian Field, near the Elgin O'Hare Expressway. T ...
(folded in 2011 before joining North American League)
*
Sioux Falls Canaries
The Sioux Falls Canaries are a professional baseball team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The Canaries are members of the North Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major ...
(2005 left to create
American
Association)
*
Sioux City Explorers
The Sioux City Explorers are a professional baseball team based in Sioux City, Iowa, in the United States. The Explorers are inaugural members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseba ...
(2005 left to create
American Association)
*
Calgary Vipers
The Calgary Vipers were a professional baseball team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They were part of the Western Division of the independent North American League. The Vipers played all of their home games at Foothills Stadium. Previously, ...
(2007 left to join
Golden Baseball League, have since folded)
*
Edmonton Cracker-Cats
The Edmonton Capitals, originally the Edmonton Cracker-Cats, were a Canadian professional independent minor-league baseball team that played between 2005 and 2011 in several leagues.
The Capitals were based in Edmonton, Alberta. The team was fou ...
(2007 left to join
Golden Baseball League, has since changed name to Edmonton Capitals)
*
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major Lea ...
(2010 left to join
American Association)
*
Gary SouthShore RailCats
The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a professional baseball team based in Gary, Indiana, in the United States. The RailCats are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The Ra ...
(2010 left to join
American Association)
*
Kansas City T-Bones
The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Kansas. Formerly known as the Kansas City T-Bones, they are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball; which, in 2020, became designated as a Majo ...
(2010 left to join
American Association)
*
Winnipeg Goldeyes
The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Professional Baseball, which they joined in 2011. Previously, the Goldeyes were members of ...
(2010 left to join
American Association)
League timeline
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:25
Period = from:01/01/1993 till:12/31/2010
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:20 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 #> to display a count on left side of graph, use "left:20" to suppress the count, use "left:20"<#
Colors = id:barcolor
id:line value:pink
id:bg value:white
id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that was a final league member
id:Past value:rgb(0.4,0.80,0.67) # Use to indicate a former team
id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a second former team
PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
bar:1 color:Past from:01/01/1993 till:12/31/1993 text: Rochester
bar:1 color:Full from:01/01/1994 till:12/31/2010 text:Winnipeg Goldeyes
The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Professional Baseball, which they joined in 2011. Previously, the Goldeyes were members of ...
(1994-2010)
bar:2 color:Past from:01/01/1993 till:12/31/1998 text:Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks
One of the six founding members of the modern Northern League in 1993, the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks were league members from 1993 to 1998. They played their home games at Port Arthur Stadium in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
1993 season
The Whiskey ...
(1993-1998)
bar:2 color:Full from:01/01/1999 till:12/31/2010 text:Schaumburg Flyers
The Schaumburg Flyers were a professional baseball team based in Schaumburg, Illinois, in the United States. The team played in the Northern League from 1999 to 2010, with their home games at Alexian Field, near the Elgin O'Hare Expressway. T ...
(1999-2010)
bar:3 color:Past from:01/01/1993 till:12/31/2005 text:Sioux City Explorers
The Sioux City Explorers are a professional baseball team based in Sioux City, Iowa, in the United States. The Explorers are inaugural members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseba ...
(1993-2005)
bar:4 color:Past from:01/01/1993 till:12/31/2005 text:Sioux Falls Canaries
The Sioux Falls Canaries are a professional baseball team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The Canaries are members of the North Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major ...
(1993-2005)
bar:5 color:Past from:01/01/1993 till:12/31/2002 text: Duluth-Superior Dukes (1993-2002)
bar:5 color:Full from:01/01/2003 till:12/31/2010 text:Kansas City T-Bones
The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Kansas. Formerly known as the Kansas City T-Bones, they are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball; which, in 2020, became designated as a Majo ...
(2003-2010)
bar:6 color:Past from:01/01/1993 till:12/31/2005 text:St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They previ ...
(1993-2005)
bar:7 color:Past from:01/01/1996 till:12/31/2000 text: Madison Black Wolf (1996-2000)
bar:7 color:Past from:01/01/2001 till:12/31/2005 text:Lincoln Saltdogs
The Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team based in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the United States. The Saltdogs are in the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. Since the 2001 se ...
(2001-2005)
bar:8 color:Full from:01/01/1996 till:12/31/2010 text:Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major Lea ...
(1996-2010)
bar:9 color:Full from:01/01/2002 till:end text:Gary SouthShore RailCats
The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a professional baseball team based in Gary, Indiana, in the United States. The RailCats are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The Ra ...
(2002–2010)
bar:10 color:Full from:01/01/2002 till:end text:Joliet JackHammers
The Joliet JackHammers were a professional baseball team based in Joliet, Illinois, in the United States. The JackHammers were a member of the Northern League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From 2002 to 2010, the JackHamme ...
(2002–2010)
bar:11 color:Past from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2007 text:Calgary Vipers
The Calgary Vipers were a professional baseball team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They were part of the Western Division of the independent North American League. The Vipers played all of their home games at Foothills Stadium. Previously, ...
(2005–2007)
bar:12 color:Past from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2007 text: Edmonton CrackerCats (2005–2007)
bar:13 color:Full from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2010 text: Lake County Fielders (2010–2010)
bar:14 color:Full from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2010 text:Rockford RiverHawks
The Rockford Aviators were a professional baseball team based in Rockford, Illinois that played in the independent Frontier League. Rockford previously had a team in the Frontier League called the RiverHawks (2002-2009). There was no Rockford tea ...
(2010–2010)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/1993
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fontsize:L
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text:^"Northern League (Central Division) Timeline"
#> If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space. <#
Former Northern League East teams (1999–2002)
(Left to re-form
Northeast League
The Northeast League was a professional independent baseball league that operated in the Northeastern United States from 1995 until 1998 and from 2003 until 2004. Between 1999 and 2002, the league was part of the Northern League after the two le ...
, then later the
Can-Am League
The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, commonly known as the Can-Am League, was a professional baseball league with teams in Eastern Canada and Northeastern United States. Founded in 2005 in Dayton, Ohio, the league was for ...
)
*
Adirondack Lumberjacks
The Adirondack Lumberjacks were an independent baseball, independent professional baseball team based in Glens Falls, New York. The team moved to Bangor, Maine and became the Bangor Lumberjacks following the 2002 season. The team won the inaugura ...
(1995–2003); team later moved to Bangor, Maine and then folded
*
Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs
The Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs were an independent baseball league team based in Albany, New York from 1995 to 2002. The team played at Heritage Park in Colonie. The Diamond Dogs competed in the Northeast League from 1995 to 1998 and then i ...
(1995–2002); team later folded
*
Allentown Ambassadors
The Allentown Ambassadors were an independent baseball team that competed in the Northeast League and the Northern League from 1997 until 2003. They played their home games at Bicentennial Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
History
In 1996, ...
(1997–2003); team later folded
*
Berkshire Black Bears The Berkshire Black Bears were a minor league baseball team in the independent Northeast League.
The Berkshire Black Bears were one of many historical teams to have played in Wahconah Park, starting with the Pittsfield Electrics (1913–14) and ...
(2002–2003); team later moved to New Haven, Connecticut and then folded
*
Brockton Rox (2002–2011); team later played in
Futures Collegiate Baseball League
The Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) is a collegiate summer baseball league that began play in 2011. Entering the 2025 season, the league has two active franchises in Massachusetts, two in Connecticut, and one each in New Hampshire and ...
*
Catskill Cougars
The Catskill Cougars were a minor-league baseball team based in Mountaindale, New York, in the state's Catskill Mountains region. The Cougars played in the North Atlantic League in 1996 and the Northeast League (later known as the Canadian Ameri ...
(2000)
*
Elmira Pioneers
The Elmira Pioneers are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Elmira, New York. They have been affiliated with many major league teams throughout their history. Currently, Elmira Pioneers play as members of the Perfect Game Collegiate Base ...
(1996–2005); team now plays in
New York Collegiate Baseball League
The New York Collegiate Baseball League (NYCBL) is a collegiate summer baseball league founded in 1978 and sanctioned by the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball, National Amateur Baseball Federation and Major League Baseball. Each ...
*
Massachusetts Mad Dogs
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode Island to it ...
(1997–1999); team became inactive for three years
*
New Jersey Jackals
The New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team based in Paterson, New Jersey. The Jackals compete in the Frontier League (FL) as a member of the East Division in the Atlantic Conference. The team was founded in 1998 by Floyd Hall and is ...
(1998–)
*
Québec Capitales
The Québec Capitales ( French: Capitales de Québec and often referred to as the Caps) are a professional baseball team based in Quebec City. The Capitales compete in the Frontier League (FL) as a member of the North Division in the Atlantic Confe ...
(1999–)
*
Waterbury Spirit
Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Waterbury had a population of 114,403 as of the 2020 Census. The city is southwest of Hartford and northeast of New York City. Waterbury is the largest city in the Naugatuck Valley Plann ...
(1997–2000); team revived as North Shore Spirit in 2003 in Lynn, Massachusetts, later folded
Champions
*1993
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They previ ...
*1994
Winnipeg Goldeyes
The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Professional Baseball, which they joined in 2011. Previously, the Goldeyes were members of ...
*1995
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They previ ...
*1996
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They previ ...
*1997
Duluth–Superior Dukes
The Duluth–Superior Dukes were a professional baseball team based in Duluth, Minnesota. The Dukes were a charter member of the modern Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010), Northern League, which started play in 1993. The Dukes played their ...
*1998
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major Lea ...
*1999
Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs
The Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs were an independent baseball league team based in Albany, New York from 1995 to 2002. The team played at Heritage Park in Colonie. The Diamond Dogs competed in the Northeast League from 1995 to 1998 and then i ...
*2000
Adirondack Lumberjacks
The Adirondack Lumberjacks were an independent baseball, independent professional baseball team based in Glens Falls, New York. The team moved to Bangor, Maine and became the Bangor Lumberjacks following the 2002 season. The team won the inaugura ...
*2001
New Jersey Jackals
The New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team based in Paterson, New Jersey. The Jackals compete in the Frontier League (FL) as a member of the East Division in the Atlantic Conference. The team was founded in 1998 by Floyd Hall and is ...
*2002
New Jersey Jackals
The New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team based in Paterson, New Jersey. The Jackals compete in the Frontier League (FL) as a member of the East Division in the Atlantic Conference. The team was founded in 1998 by Floyd Hall and is ...
*2003
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major Lea ...
*2004
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They previ ...
*2005
Gary SouthShore RailCats
The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a professional baseball team based in Gary, Indiana, in the United States. The RailCats are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The Ra ...
*2006
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major Lea ...
*2007
Gary SouthShore RailCats
The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a professional baseball team based in Gary, Indiana, in the United States. The RailCats are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The Ra ...
*2008
Kansas City T-Bones
The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Kansas. Formerly known as the Kansas City T-Bones, they are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball; which, in 2020, became designated as a Majo ...
*2009
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major Lea ...
*2010
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major Lea ...
All-Star Game
The Northern League hosted an annual
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...
starting in 1997. The venue changed annually. Its format pitted the all-stars from each division against each other. In 2008 and 2009, there were no divisions during the regular season so the league temporarily split to have the "Chicagoland" clubs play the "I-29" clubs in 2008 and the "Great Lakes" clubs play the "Great Plains" clubs in 2009. In 2010, the Northern League played the
Golden League all-stars.
Game results
*1997 – East 2, West 1
*1998 – West 10, East 7
*1999 – Central 7, East 5
*2000 – East 10, Central 5
*2001 – East 7, Central 4
*2002 – Central 12, East 3
*2003 – East 4, West 2
*2004 – South 8, North 5
*2005 – North 5, South 1
*2006 – East 7, West 6
*2007 – South 7, North 5
*2008 – Chicagoland 6, I-29 5
*2009 – Great Lakes 5, Great Plains 5
*2010 – Northern League 9, Golden League 3
Most Valuable Players
*1997 – Nate Vopata, (Madison Black Wolf)
*1998 – Marc Gutfeld, (Sioux Falls Canaries)
*1999 – Bryan Warner, (Duluth–Superior Dukes)
*2000 – Jon Mueller, (Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs)
*2001 – Ryan Kane, (New Jersey Jackals)
*2002 – Brent Sachs, (Winnipeg Goldeyes)
*2003 – Cory Harris, (St. Paul Saints)
*2004 – Chris Weekly, (Schaumburg Flyers)
*2005 – Richard Austin, (Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks)
*2006 –
Stubby Clapp
Richard Keith "Stubby" Clapp (born February 24, 1973) is a Canadian professional baseball coach and former second baseman and Triple-A manager who is the first base coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played fo ...
, (Edmonton Cracker-Cats)
*2007 – Christian Snavely, (Schaumburg Flyers)
*2008 – Jay Pecci, (Gary SouthShore RailCats)
*2009 – Freddie Thon, (Joliet JackHammers)
*2010 – Jason James, (Rockford RiverHawks)
References
External links
Northern League official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Northern League (Baseball)
Defunct independent baseball leagues in the United States
Defunct professional sports leagues in the United States
Re-established companies
Sports leagues established in 1993
Sports leagues disestablished in 2010
1993 establishments in North America
2010 disestablishments in North America