Hamilton Cardinals

Last updated
Hamilton Cardinals
CardinalsLogo.png
Information
League Intercounty Baseball League
Location Hamilton, Ontario
Ballpark Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium
Founded 1958
League championships1
  • 1978
Former name(s)
  • Hamilton Cardinals (2012–present) (1975-2004) (1960-1961)
  • Hamilton Thunderbirds (2005-2011)
  • Hamilton Real McCoys (1973-1974)
  • Hamilton Marlins (1970-1972)
  • Hamilton Red Wings (1966-1969)
  • Hamilton Beavers (1958–1959)
ColoursRed, black
  
OwnershipEric Spearin, Carmens Group and Dennis Concordia
ManagerLen Picota
General ManagerGeorge Halim
Website www.iblcardinals.ca

The Hamilton Cardinals are a Canadian baseball team based in Hamilton, Ontario and a member club of the Intercounty Baseball League. Founded in 1958, [1] the club is the second oldest sports team in the city of Hamilton. Many are former major leaguers and minor professionals, as well as current and former NCAA or U Sports players. Home games are played at Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium.

Contents

The team has gone through several name changes over the years, most recently returning to the Cardinals name, after eight seasons as the Hamilton Thunderbirds. They were named the Thunderbirds when Drew Brady purchased the franchise on January 1, 2005, and the club adopted a new look with revitalized facilities and new uniforms. The Hamilton Cardinals played 1,490 games with a record of 525 wins and 965 losses before becoming the Thunderbirds, and winning the Intercounty title in 1978.

At a press conference on February 1, 2012, the club announced it would again be named the Hamilton Cardinals, because of the club's relationship with the Hamilton Cardinals youth rep program. [1] In late 2013, Gary Molinaro purchased the team and appointed his son JP Molinaro the new team president while also hiring Mike Fortuna as the new general manager.

The team has gone through ownership changes in recent years, first in 2018 when a community ownership group led by Carmens Group was formed, then again in September 2022 when the ownership structure was changed to include local businessman Eric Spearin as the majority owner with PJ Mercanti of Carmens Group maintaining a minority position. [2]

Shortly after the ownership change, the Hamilton Cardinals unveiled a new primary logo and uniforms for the 2023 season. The new logo features a strong modernized cardinal with a bat over its shoulder featuring a “hammer”-inspired bat weight. The logo emphasizes a new black and red colour scheme. [3]

Under Spearin's leadership, the 2023 season heralded significant advancements for the organization, as evidenced by the Cardinals setting new benchmarks in attendance, television viewership, and merchandise sales. [4] On May 21 2023, the Hamilton Cardinals retired #13 in honour of Dean Dicenzo. [5] This was the first jersey number retired in franchise history. On the field, outfielder Tyler Duncan was awarded the franchise's first IBL Most Valuable Player and John Bell Memorial Trophy, boasting a .355 batting average, 6 doubles, 5 triples, a league-leading 16 home runs, and 51 RBIs over all 42 regular season games. [6] Duncan's performance also established new franchise records in home runs and RBIs. Off the field, Spearin's contributions were recognized with the League's Executive of the Year award at the end of the 2023 season. [7]

The conclusion of the 2023 season also marked another significant change for the organization, with long-time Manager Dean Castelli stepping down to take on the role of Player Liaison Coordinator within the organization. Len Picota was subsequently appointed as the new Field Manager for the 2024 season. [8]

Roster

Hamilton Cardinals Roster
Active RosterInactive RosterCoaches
Pitchers:
  • 34 Rushil Bhat
  • 20 Connor Cory
  • 21 Brett Lawson
  • 38 Alex Lanigan
  • 19 Corben Peters
  • 31 Stefan Strecker
  • 26 Colby Ring
  • 41 Takaki Eguchi
  • 32 Casey Bouillere-Howard
  • 7 Drew Mainprize
  • 40 Christian Fava
  • 28 Callum Blue
  • 17 Akatsuka Mizuki
  • 10 Nick Davies


Catchers:
  • 14 Luis Bernardo
  • 33 Aidan Muir
  • 9 Andrew Johnston
  • 24 Connor Hicks


Infielders:

  • 1 Zach Marriott
  • 6 Laine Renaud
  • 44 Tanner Rempel
  • 8 Josh Williams
  • 30 Josh Niles
  • 97 Brendon Daley
  • 12 Jake Watson
  • 25 Brandon Latter


Outfielders:

  • 16 Dennis Dei Baning
  • 5 Tyler Duncan
  • 15 Connor Bowie
  • 3 Danny Berg
  • 4 Brandon Nicholson
  • Logan Walters
Field Manager:
  • Len Picota

Coaches:

  • Chris Piano (Associate Manager)
  • Dr. Mike Sonne (pitching consultant)

Head Athletic Therapist:

  • Carlo Cardelli

Team Massage Therapist:

  • Patrick Power

Team Chiropractor:

  • Dr. Brittany Boot

Season-by-season records

Hamilton Beavers
YearW-LPCT
19587-25.219
195914-14.500
Hamilton Cardinals
YearW-LPCT
196019-15.559
196119-15.559
Hamilton Red Wings
YearW-LPCT
196610-19.345
196711-17.393
196812-12.500
196916-12.571
Hamilton Marlins
YearW-LPCT
197013-17.433
197111-17.393
197210-18.357
Hamilton Real McCoys
YearW-LPCT
197314-16.467
197413-17.433
Hamilton Cardinals
YearW-LPCT
197511-17.393
19767-25.219
197715-17.469
197819-17.527
19799-21.300
198014-18.438
198114-20.412
19825-28.152
198312-22.352
19846-25.194
198512-24.333
19867-25.219
198710-24.294
198811-23.323
198910-24.294
199010-24.294
199112-22.353
19927-25.219
199316-19.457
199417-18.486
19958-27.229
199612-23.343
199714-22.389
19983-27.100
199915-20.429
200016-19.457
200111-21.344
200222-14.611
200319-17.528
200412-24.333
Hamilton Thunderbirds
YearW-LPCT
200516-18.471
200614-22.389
200716-20.444
200810-26.278
20097-29.194
201012-24.333
20117-28.200
Hamilton Cardinals
YearW-LPCT
20126-30.200
201316-26.381
201411-25.306
201513-23.361
20168-28.222
20179-27.250
201815-21.417
201920-16.556
2020Cancelled due to COVID
202111-19.367
202212-30.286
202319-23.452

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Branch Rickey</span> American baseball player, manager, and executive (1881–1965)

Wesley Branch Rickey was an American baseball player and sports executive. Rickey was instrumental in breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing black player Jackie Robinson. He also created the framework for the modern minor league farm system, encouraged the Major Leagues to add new teams through his involvement in the proposed Continental League, and introduced the batting helmet. He was posthumously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Batavia Muckdogs</span> Collegiate summer baseball team

The Batavia Muckdogs are a collegiate summer baseball team in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL). They are located in Batavia, a city in Genesee County, New York, United States. Their home field is Dwyer Stadium in the city of Batavia, built after the 1996 season to replace the original Dwyer Stadium that opened July 27, 1938 as home to the Batavia Bees, a semi-pro team in the Genesee County League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Conine</span> American baseball player (born 1966)

Jeffrey Guy Conine is an American former professional baseball left fielder / first baseman and current front office assistant for the Miami Marlins, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 17 seasons, with six teams. An inaugural member of the Florida Marlins who was with the franchise for both of its World Series titles, he was nicknamed "Mr. Marlin" for his significant history with the club.

The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) is a Canadian baseball league, comprising teams of college players and former professionals from North America and beyond. The teams are located in Southern Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Majors</span> Minor league baseball team based in London, Ontario

The London Majors are an independent, minor league baseball team of the Intercounty Baseball League. The team was founded in 1925, and is based in London, Ontario. They play their home games at the 5,200 seat Labatt Memorial Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Duncan (baseball)</span> American baseball player and coach (born 1945)

David Edwin Duncan is an American pitching consultant for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He is also a former professional baseball catcher and pitching coach. He began his MLB playing career in 1964 and played again consecutively from 1967 to 1976 for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Indians, and Baltimore Orioles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Phillips</span> American baseball player (born 1981)

Brandon Emil Phillips is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox. At 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 211 pounds (96 kg), Phillips batted and threw right-handed.

Robert Frank John Butler is a Canadian former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies. He is also a former player with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Intercounty Baseball League and currently serves as the team's manager.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kitchener Panthers</span> Minor-league professional baseball team in Kitchener, Ontario

The Kitchener Panthers are an independent, minor league baseball team of the Intercounty Baseball League based in Kitchener, Ontario. They play their home games at Jack Couch Baseball Park. The Panthers used to play at a ballpark in Victoria park before Jack Couch Park was built to replace the old Victoria Park stadium in 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Colman</span> Canadian baseball player (1918-1983)

Frank Lloyd Colman was a Canadian professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees during the 1940s. He batted and threw left-handed, was 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) tall and weighed 188 pounds (85 kg).

The 1934 St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 53rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 43rd season in the National League. The Cardinals went 95–58 during the season and finished first in the National League. St. Louis won 18 of their last 23 games to overtake the New York Giants the last two days of the season. In the World Series, they defeated the Detroit Tigers in seven games, winning the last 11–0.

The 1934 Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The team finished eighth and last in the National League with a record of 52–99, 42 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals. Their .344 winning percentage remains the lowest in franchise history and the 99 losses were the worst in franchise history until the 1982 Reds lost 101 games. Because the schedule did not have 162 games at this time, and the Reds only won 52 games this season compared to 1982, when they lost 101 games, when at the same time winning 61 games, nine more than this team, the 1934 Reds are actually a weaker team than the 1982 team, thus making this team the worst in franchise history overall.

The 1946 Boston Braves season was the 76th in the history of the Major League Baseball franchise, and its 71st season as a charter member of the National League. In finishing 81–72 (.529) and in fourth place, the Braves enjoyed their most successful year since 1933, and signaled the post-World War II renaissance of the franchise under its new ownership group, headed by Louis R. Perini, and its Baseball Hall of Fame manager, Billy Southworth, in his first year at the Boston helm after departing the St. Louis Cardinals. The 1946 team set a new club record for attendance, with 969,373 paying fans passing through Braves Field's turnstiles; it would break that record in 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Burgess (baseball)</span> Canadian baseball player

Thomas Roland Burgess was a Canadian professional baseball player, coach and manager. An outfielder and first baseman, Burgess had two trials in Major League Baseball (MLB); a 17-game stint with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1954, and a full season with the Los Angeles Angels in 1962. He then forged a long career as a minor-league manager, and served as a major-league third base coach for the 1977 New York Mets and 1978 Atlanta Braves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Louis Cardinals</span> Major League Baseball franchise in St. Louis, Missouri

The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central Division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals have played their home games at Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis. One of the nation's oldest and most successful professional baseball clubs, the Cardinals have won 11 World Series championships, the most of any NL team and second in MLB only to the New York Yankees. The team has won 19 National League pennants, third-most of any team behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. St. Louis has also won 15 division titles in the East and Central divisions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ottawa Fat Cats</span>

The Ottawa Fat Cats were a semi-professional baseball club in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The team began play on May 8, 2010, against the Guelph Royals, and played its home games at the Ottawa Baseball Stadium, the first home game was on May 15, 2010, against the Mississauga Twins. The team was a member of the Intercounty Baseball League but suspended operations at the end of the 2012 season. They were eventually replaced as the primary tenant of what is now Ottawa Stadium by the Ottawa Titans of the Frontier League.

Welland Jackfish Minor-league baseball team in Welland, Ontario, Canada

The Welland Jackfish are an independent minor-league baseball team based in Welland, Ontario, Canada. The Jackfish are a member of the Intercounty Baseball League, an independent baseball league established in 1919 which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcus Knecht</span> Canadian baseball player

Marcus Allen Knecht is a Canadian professional baseball outfielder for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL). Prior to beginning his professional career, he played college baseball at Oklahoma State University and Connors State College. Knecht has also competed for the Canadian national baseball team.

The St. Louis Cardinals, a professional baseball franchise based in St. Louis, Missouri, compete in the National League (NL) of Major League Baseball (MLB). Brewing magnate Gussie Busch's 37-year-long ownership of the club ended with his death in 1989, and his brewery, Anheuser-Busch (AB) took over. In 1995, an investment group led by Drew Baur and William DeWitt, Jr., purchased the team and have owned the club since. Shortstop Ozzie Smith – nicknamed "The Wizard" – collected a staggering array of defensive records and awards while performing acrobatic spectacles such as somersaults and flips that mesmerized Cardinal and non-Cardinal fans alike. In 1998, Mark McGwire and the Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa collocated national attention with their chase of Roger Maris' single-season home run record of 61. In addition, McGwire also set numerous team home run records. For the 1990s, the Cardinals captured one division title and finished above .500 five times for a .488 winning percentage

The St. Louis Cardinals, a professional baseball franchise based in St. Louis, Missouri, compete in the National League (NL) of Major League Baseball (MLB). After decades of early futility in the National League, St. Louis baseball encountered a renaissance with 11 World Series titles and 18 National League pennants since 1926. Sam Breadon's purchase of the majority stake in the club in 1920 spurred this revival; he then assumed the role as team president and assigned the young, enterprising Branch Rickey as his business manager, functioning as a prototype of today's general manager. In his tenure as owner until 1947, Breadon's Cardinals won nine NL pennants and six World Series titles. During this era in Cardinals franchise history, they also totaled 2,898 wins and 2,171 losses in the regular season for a .572 winning percentage.

References

  1. 1 2 "Hamilton Intercounty baseball team returns to Cardinals roots". Hamilton Spectator. 27 January 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  2. "News: Hamilton Cardinals Announce New Owners Partnership - Hamilton Cardinals".
  3. "The Hamilton Cardinals reveal a new look for a new season".
  4. "The Hamilton Cardinals thank fans".
  5. "Cardinals to retire Dean Dicenzo's #13 on May 21st".
  6. "Tyler Duncan Named IBL Most Valuable Player".
  7. "Hamilton's Eric Spearin Named IBL Executive of the Year".
  8. "Cardinals Name Lenin Picota New Field Manager".