Pensacola Pelicans
Encyclopedia
The Pensacola Pelicans were 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 2002–2010. 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 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 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
will begin play in 2012.
decided to place a team in the Pensacola area. Midway through the 2002 season, Quint Studer
and his wife Rishy Studer bought the team from the league and was approved under the Commissioner James Gamble which had founded the team. 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 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 key 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 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 2004 and the Pelicans joined the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball after the 2005 season, and named Kash Beauchamp as manager. After leading the Pelicanss 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 the Lincoln Saltdogs in 5 games.
, where they became the Amarillo Sox
. Then, he purchased the Carolina Mudcats
, a Southern League
team from Zebulon, North Carolina
. To settle the deal, however, he had to facilitate the move of the Kinston Indians
to Zebulon, where they will take up the Mudcats name. Additionally, as Pensacola is within the franchise territory of the Mobile Bay Bears, he had to pay that team a sum. 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 a new name would be chosen by fan contest. Per said contest, the team will be known as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos
and will begin play in the Southern League in 2012.
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team based in Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
. In various incarnations, they played in three different independent baseball leagues (leagues unaffiliated with Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
) from 2002–2010. They played their games at Pelican Park
Pelican Park
Jim Spooner Field is a stadium in Pensacola, Florida, USA that is primarily used for baseball, and is home field for the University of West Florida baseball team and was home to the Pensacola Pelicans. It opened in 1981 with a seating capacity of about 1,000 people. Over the years, that capacity...
.
The initial incarnations Pelicans began play in 2002 as charter members of the new, independent Southeastern League
Southeastern League
The Southeastern League was the name of three baseball circuits in minor league baseball league which operated in the Southeastern and South Central United States...
. The league folded after the 2003 season, and team owner Quint Studer
Quint Studer
Quinton D. Studer , formerly the president of , is a health care consultant and founder of the Studer Group. He and his wife Rishy bought the Pensacola Pelicans in 2002. In 2010 he purchased the Double A Affiliates of the cincinati Reds the Caroilina Mudcats...
purchased a franchise in the Central Baseball League
Central Baseball League
The Central Baseball League, formerly the Texas-Louisiana League, was a minor league whose member teams were independent of any Major League Baseball affiliations.In 1991, potential owners, Dallas businessman Byron Pierce and U. S...
, 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
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
as part of a move to bring Class Double-A affiliated baseball to Pensacola. The franchise became the Amarillo Sox
Amarillo Sox
The Amarillo Sox are a professional baseball team based out of Amarillo, Texas, and is set to play in the independent American Association in 2011. They will play their home games at Amarillo National Bank Sox Stadium in Amarillo, replacing the Amarillo Dillas of United League Baseball after that...
for the 2011 season; the new team, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Pensacola Blue Wahoos
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are a minor league baseball team to be based in Pensacola, Florida. The Blue Wahoos will play in the Southern League and will be the Class Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds Major League Baseball team....
will begin play in 2012.
Independent leagues
The Pensacola Pelicans were incorporated in 2002, when the Southeastern LeagueSoutheastern League
The Southeastern League was the name of three baseball circuits in minor league baseball league which operated in the Southeastern and South Central United States...
decided to place a team in the Pensacola area. Midway through the 2002 season, Quint Studer
Quint Studer
Quinton D. Studer , formerly the president of , is a health care consultant and founder of the Studer Group. He and his wife Rishy bought the Pensacola Pelicans in 2002. In 2010 he purchased the Double A Affiliates of the cincinati Reds the Caroilina Mudcats...
and his wife Rishy Studer bought the team from the league and was approved under the Commissioner James Gamble which had founded the team. 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 the championship series.
Before the 2004 season, the affiliated Orlando Rays of the Southern League
Southern League
Southern League may mean:*Southern League , a United States minor league baseball league**Southern Association, a United States minor league baseball league, was known as the Southern League from 1901–1919...
moved to Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, the location of a key Southeastern League franchise. Unable to compete with an affiliated baseball club in one of its key 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
Central Baseball League
The Central Baseball League, formerly the Texas-Louisiana League, was a minor league whose member teams were independent of any Major League Baseball affiliations.In 1991, potential owners, Dallas businessman Byron Pierce and U. S...
for the 2004 season, Pelicans owner Studer purchased the rights to the Springfield Ozark Mountain Ducks
Springfield Ozark Mountain Ducks
The Springfield/Ozark Mountain Ducks were an minor league team that previously played in Ozark, Missouri, a suburb of Springfield. The team was a member of the Central Baseball League from 1998 to 2003. The team played in Price Cutter Park....
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 2004 and the Pelicans joined the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball after the 2005 season, and named Kash Beauchamp as manager. After leading the Pelicanss 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 the Lincoln Saltdogs in 5 games.
Southern League
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, TexasAmarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
, where they became the Amarillo Sox
Amarillo Sox
The Amarillo Sox are a professional baseball team based out of Amarillo, Texas, and is set to play in the independent American Association in 2011. They will play their home games at Amarillo National Bank Sox Stadium in Amarillo, replacing the Amarillo Dillas of United League Baseball after that...
. Then, he purchased the Carolina Mudcats
Carolina Mudcats
The Carolina Mudcats are a minor league baseball team based in the eastern suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the Carolina League, are the Single-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians major-league club beginning in 2012.-History:...
, a Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
team from Zebulon, North Carolina
Zebulon, North Carolina
Zebulon is the eastern-most town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. In 2008, the population was estimated to be 4,732. Zebulon is part of the Research Triangle metropolitan region...
. To settle the deal, however, he had to facilitate the move of the Kinston Indians
Kinston Indians
The Kinston Indians were a minor league baseball team of the Carolina League , and the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. They were located in Kinston, North Carolina, and were named for their parent club...
to Zebulon, where they will take up the Mudcats name. Additionally, as Pensacola is within the franchise territory of the Mobile Bay Bears, he had to pay that team a sum. 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 a new name would be chosen by fan contest. Per said contest, the team will be known as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Pensacola Blue Wahoos
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are a minor league baseball team to be based in Pensacola, Florida. The Blue Wahoos will play in the Southern League and will be the Class Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds Major League Baseball team....
and will begin play in the Southern League in 2012.