The Heartland League was an independent baseball league that operated from 1996 to 1998 in the central United States

Central United States

The Central United States is sometimes conceived as between the Eastern United States and Western United States as part of a three-region model, roughly coincident with the Midwestern United States plus the western and central portions of the Southern United States; the term is also sometimes used...

.

The Heartland League was founded with teams in Lafayette, Indiana

Lafayette, Indiana

Lafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...

; Anderson, Indiana

Anderson, Indiana

Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses Madison county. Anderson is the headquarters of the Church of God and home of Anderson University, which is...

; Will County, Illinois

Will County, Illinois

As of the census of 2000, there were 502,266 people, 167,542 households, and 131,017 families residing in the county. The population density was 600 people per square mile . There were 175,524 housing units at an average density of 210 per square mile...

; and Dubois County, Indiana

Dubois County, Indiana

Dubois County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. The county seat is Jasper. As of 2010, the population was 41,889.Dubois County is part of the Jasper Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...

. Lafayette won the championship in 1996. In 1997 the Clarkville Coyotes, Tennessee Tomahawks, and Columbia Mules joined the league from the Big South League. The Altoona Rail Kings also joined the league from the North Atlantic League. The four teams from the previous year remained, giving the league eight teams. In 1997 the league drew over 210,000 fans, more than three times as many fans as in 1996. The league fielded six teams in 1998, but teams in Huntington, West Virginia and Booneville, Mississippi suspended operations midway through the season and the league suspended operations after the Cook County Cheetahs jumped to the Frontier League

Frontier League

The Frontier League, based in Sauget, Illinois, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Midwestern United States, Western Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario. It operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either...

. The Cheetahs moved to Crestwood IL and changed their name to the Windy City Thunderbolts. As of July 2008, the team play at Standard Bank Stadium (originally known as Hawkinson Ford Field).

The Mid-America League was based in Lafayette, Indiana

Lafayette, Indiana

Lafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...

, and was an independent

Independent baseball

Independent baseball leagues are professional baseball organizations located in the United States and Canada. They are not operated in conjunction with either a Major League Baseball team or an affiliated minor league team. Being independent allows teams to be located close to major-league teams...

 baseball league located entirely within Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

. The Mid-America League was the same league as the Heartland League with a different name and the same franchise. The Mid-America League operated in only four cities which were not served by Major

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...

 or Minor League Baseball

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...

 teams and is not affiliated with either.

MAL Teams

Team	City	Stadium
Anderson Lawmen	Anderson, Indiana Anderson, Indiana Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses Madison county. Anderson is the headquarters of the Church of God and home of Anderson University, which is...	Memorial Field
East Chicago Conquistadors	East Chicago, Indiana East Chicago, Indiana East Chicago is a city in Lake County, Indiana. The population was 29,698 at the 2010 census.-Geography:East Chicago is located at ....	E.J. Block Athletic Field
Lafayette Leopards	Lafayette, Indiana Lafayette, Indiana Lafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...	Loeb Stadium Loeb Stadium Loeb Stadium is a stadium in Columbian Park Lafayette, Indiana, United States. It was primarily used for baseball and was the home of Ohio Valley Redcoats and later the Lafayette Leopards.The ballpark had a capacity of 3,500 people and opened in 1940....
Merrillville Mud Dogs	Merrillville, Indiana Merrillville, Indiana Merrillville is a town in Ross Township, Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 35,246 at the 2010 census. Merrillville is located in the east-central portion of Lake County.-Geography:Merrillville is located at ....	Merrillville H.S. baseball stadium