Kannapolis Intimidators
Encyclopedia
The Kannapolis Intimidators are a minor league baseball
team in Kannapolis, North Carolina
. The team is a Class Low-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox
and has played in the South Atlantic League
under various names and team affiliations since its inception in 1995
.
, where they had been a Class A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies
. Debate raged in the Kannapolis area over what to name the team, with team officials finally decided to call the team the Piedmont Phillies for the 1995 season.
A name-the-team contest in the fall of 1995 drew thousands of entries, and team officials settled on the boll weevil
as the team's new mascot, indicative of Kannapolis' history as a textile
mill town (Kannapolis natives are even called "lintheads"). The Piedmont Boll Weevils would keep that mascot until after the 2000
season, when NASCAR racing legend Dale Earnhardt
purchased a share in the team's ownership. It was then that the name was changed to the Kannapolis Intimidators, in honor of Earnhardt's legendary nickname. It was also during that offseason that the team's parent club changed from the Phillies to the Chicago White Sox
, making the Intimidators the third White Sox farm team to be located in the Carolinas, following the Charlotte Knights
(who actually play their home games in suburban Fort Mill, South Carolina
) and the Winston-Salem Warthogs
, now called the Winston-Salem Dash.
Earnhardt, who drove the #3 car in NASCAR, was killed in an accident
at the Daytona 500
in February 2001. Following Earnhardt's death, the Intimidators avoided assigning the number 3 for team members. Team manager Razor Shines, originally slated to wear #3, subsequently changed his uniform number to #43. The team officially retired number 3 on May 15, 2002, in memory of their former co-owner, similar to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
retiring the number 26 (the 26th man) in honor of former owner Gene Autry
.
The team's logo was designed by Sam Bass, who has designed paint schemes and uniforms on many NASCAR, Champ Car, and IRL race cars.
The team plays in Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium
in Kannapolis. "The Cannon" was still under construction when the Piedmont Phillies began play in 1995. Upon completion in the winter of 1995, the stadium seated 4,700 fans.
Current or former Major League Baseball
players to pass through Kannapolis include Jimmy Rollins
and Dave Coggin
of the Philadelphia Phillies, as well as Jack Egbert
, Gordon Beckham
, Chris Getz
, Brent Morel
and Clayton Richard
of the Chicago White Sox. Also, NFL running back Ricky Williams
played for the Boll Weevils during the late 1996 and 1997 seasons while he was also playing college football
for the University of Texas
.
businessman Dale Smith and his son Brad (the team's President) bought the team from Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
and motorsports magnate Bruton Smith
in December 2004. Larry
and Sue Hedrick, the owners who bought the Spartanburg Phillies in 1993 and eventually moved them to Kannapolis, retained a minority share of the team's ownership.
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 in Kannapolis, North Carolina
Kannapolis, North Carolina
Kannapolis is a city in Cabarrus and Rowan counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina, northwest of Concord and northeast of Charlotte. The population was 42,625 at the 2010 census, which makes Kannapolis the 20th largest city in North Carolina...
. The team is a Class Low-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
and has played in the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
under various names and team affiliations since its inception in 1995
1995 in sports
1995 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Alberto Tomba, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:...
.
Team history
The Intimidators franchise moved to Kannapolis in 1995 from Spartanburg, South CarolinaSpartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
, where they had been a Class A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. Debate raged in the Kannapolis area over what to name the team, with team officials finally decided to call the team the Piedmont Phillies for the 1995 season.
A name-the-team contest in the fall of 1995 drew thousands of entries, and team officials settled on the boll weevil
Boll weevil
The boll weevil is a beetle measuring an average length of six millimeters, which feeds on cotton buds and flowers. Thought to be native to Central America, it migrated into the United States from Mexico in the late 19th century and had infested all U.S. cotton-growing areas by the 1920s,...
as the team's new mascot, indicative of Kannapolis' history as a textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
mill town (Kannapolis natives are even called "lintheads"). The Piedmont Boll Weevils would keep that mascot until after the 2000
2000 in sports
2000 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Renate Götschl, Austria-American football:...
season, when NASCAR racing legend Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
purchased a share in the team's ownership. It was then that the name was changed to the Kannapolis Intimidators, in honor of Earnhardt's legendary nickname. It was also during that offseason that the team's parent club changed from the Phillies to the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, making the Intimidators the third White Sox farm team to be located in the Carolinas, following the Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
(who actually play their home games in suburban Fort Mill, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
) and the Winston-Salem Warthogs
Winston-Salem Warthogs
The Winston-Salem Dash is a minor league baseball team in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League and have been a farm team of the Chicago White Sox since 1997...
, now called the Winston-Salem Dash.
Earnhardt, who drove the #3 car in NASCAR, was killed in an accident
Death of Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt was an American race car driver who gained fame driving stock cars for NASCAR and winning seven championships. He was involved in a car accident during the last lap of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2001. He was taken to Halifax Medical Center,...
at the Daytona 500
2001 Daytona 500
The 2001 Daytona 500, the 43rd running of the event, was held on February 18, 2001 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida over 200 laps on the 2.5 mile asphalt tri-oval. Bill Elliott won the pole. The race will be forever remembered for the final lap...
in February 2001. Following Earnhardt's death, the Intimidators avoided assigning the number 3 for team members. Team manager Razor Shines, originally slated to wear #3, subsequently changed his uniform number to #43. The team officially retired number 3 on May 15, 2002, in memory of their former co-owner, similar to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
retiring the number 26 (the 26th man) in honor of former owner Gene Autry
Gene Autry
Orvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s...
.
The team's logo was designed by Sam Bass, who has designed paint schemes and uniforms on many NASCAR, Champ Car, and IRL race cars.
The team plays in Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium
Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium
Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium is a baseball stadium in Kannapolis, North Carolina. It is the home venue for the Kannapolis Intimidators, the Class A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.-History:...
in Kannapolis. "The Cannon" was still under construction when the Piedmont Phillies began play in 1995. Upon completion in the winter of 1995, the stadium seated 4,700 fans.
Current or former 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...
players to pass through Kannapolis include Jimmy Rollins
Jimmy Rollins
James Calvin "Jimmy" Rollins , nicknamed "J-Roll", is an All-Star and former MVP shortstop, who most recently played for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball's National League....
and Dave Coggin
Dave Coggin
Dave Coggin , is a retired Major League Baseball player who played pitcher from -. He would play for the Philadelphia Phillies....
of the Philadelphia Phillies, as well as Jack Egbert
Jack Egbert
Jack Egbert is a Minor League Baseball pitcher for the New York Mets organization.A graduate of Rutgers University, in which he was a starting pitcher for them, he was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 13th round of the Major League Baseball draft.In 1995, Egbert led the Rutherford Little...
, Gordon Beckham
Gordon Beckham
James Gordon Beckham III is a baseball infielder, who plays for the Chicago White Sox.-Personal life:...
, Chris Getz
Chris Getz
Christopher Ryan Getz is a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Kansas City Royals. Getz bats left-handed and throws right-handed.-Early life:...
, Brent Morel
Brent Morel (baseball)
Brent Morel is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Chicago White Sox.-Career:Morel was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the third round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft...
and Clayton Richard
Clayton Richard
Clayton Colby Richard is a left-handed pitcher for the San Diego Padres. He is 6 feet and 5 inches tall, and weighs 240 pounds.-High school:Richard was awarded Indiana's Mr. Football and Mr...
of the Chicago White Sox. Also, NFL running back Ricky Williams
Ricky Williams
Errick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...
played for the Boll Weevils during the late 1996 and 1997 seasons while he was also playing college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Texas
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
.
Ownership
Smith Family Baseball, owned by IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
businessman Dale Smith and his son Brad (the team's President) bought the team from Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. was a NASCAR-related organization located in Mooresville, North Carolina, United States working to continue the legacy of Dale Earnhardt. It was originally formed in 1980 by seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt who died in a crash on the closing lap of the 2001...
and motorsports magnate Bruton Smith
Bruton Smith
Ollen Bruton Smith is a promoter and owner/CEO of NASCAR track owner Speedway Motorsports, Inc. He was ranked #207 on the Forbes 400 list with an estimated worth of $1.5 billion in 2005, and fell to #278 in 2006. He is divorced with four children...
in December 2004. Larry
Larry Hedrick
Larry Hedrick is a North Carolina-born businessman and former NASCAR team owner.In 1976, he formed Statesville Auto Auction, which became one of the largest and most profitable auto sales businesses until it was sold to Manheim Auctions in 1993...
and Sue Hedrick, the owners who bought the Spartanburg Phillies in 1993 and eventually moved them to Kannapolis, retained a minority share of the team's ownership.
Championship series
The Kannapolis franchise has appeared in two SAL championship series, winning one:- 1995 (Piedmont Phillies) – lost to AugustaAugusta GreenJacketsThe Augusta GreenJackets are a minor league baseball team that plays in Augusta, Georgia, as a Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Lake Olmstead Stadium has been the home of the GreenJackets since the 1995 season, although Augusta has fielded a team in the South Atlantic League since 1988...
3 games to 2 - 2005 (Kannapolis Intimidators) – defeated HagerstownHagerstown SunsThe Hagerstown Suns are a Minor League Baseball team based in Hagerstown, Maryland, United States. They play in Municipal Stadium, which was opened in 1930 and seats 4,600 fans....
3 games to 1
Batting
Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; BB = Base on balls; SO = Strikeouts; AVG = Batting average; SB = Stolen bases| Player | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Black, 1B | 135 | 510 | 82 | 146 | 41 | 6 | 18 | 98 | 50 | 109 | .286 | 7 |
| Michael Blanke, C | 47 | 170 | 22 | 44 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 11 | 28 | .259 | 0 |
| Kevin Dubler, C | 52 | 175 | 24 | 44 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 34 | .251 | 2 |
| Kyle Eveland, SS | 63 | 189 | 29 | 43 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 27 | 24 | 53 | .228 | 6 |
| Kenny Gilbert, RF | 56 | 183 | 25 | 47 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 26 | 12 | 48 | .257 | 0 |
| Miguel Gonzalez, C | 55 | 184 | 17 | 47 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 16 | 34 | .255 | 5 |
| Ryan Hamme, RF | 18 | 55 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 9 | .218 | 3 |
| Dusty Harvard, OF | 20 | 51 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 14 | .176 | 0 |
| Collin Kuhn, OF | 35 | 91 | 14 | 20 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 15 | 32 | .220 | 2 |
| Drew Lee, 2B | 94 | 325 | 49 | 89 | 17 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 17 | 79 | .274 | 3 |
| Jake Oester, 3B | 6 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | .105 | 1 |
| Leighton Pangilinan, 1B | 19 | 64 | 6 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 18 | .203 | 0 |
| Jose Ramos, C | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .167 | 0 |
| Rangel Ravelo, 3B | 43 | 161 | 11 | 51 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 12 | 19 | .317 | 0 |
| Carlos Sanchez, 3B | 63 | 264 | 44 | 76 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 27 | 15 | 49 | .288 | 7 |
| Marcus Seimen, SS | 60 | 229 | 35 | 58 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 26 | 22 | 53 | .253 | 3 |
| Brady Shoemaker, LF | 99 | 373 | 68 | 119 | 28 | 2 | 11 | 65 | 43 | 78 | .319 | 7 |
| Juan Silverio, 3B | 88 | 329 | 48 | 95 | 29 | 6 | 5 | 58 | 18 | 81 | .289 | 4 |
| John Spatola, OF | 42 | 121 | 20 | 31 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 12 | 28 | .256 | 0 |
| Trayce Thompson, CF | 136 | 519 | 95 | 125 | 36 | 2 | 24 | 87 | 60 | 172 | .241 | 8 |
| Rafael Vera, DH | 57 | 167 | 22 | 31 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 22 | 43 | .186 | 0 |
| Keenyn Walker, OF | 39 | 162 | 25 | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 14 | 64 | .228 | 10 |
| Ross Wilson, 2B | 79 | 287 | 43 | 77 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 26 | 31 | 55 | .268 | 7 |
| |
138 | 4634 | 697 | 1217 | 277 | 37 | 89 | 642 | 423 | 1109 | .263 | 75 |
Pitching
Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; HR = Home runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts| Player | W | L | ERA | G | GS | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer Arroyo | 10 | 9 | 3.70 | 28 | 27 | 0 | 170.1 | 188 | 88 | 70 | 18 | 41 | 130 |
| Jon Bachanov | 2 | 4 | 3.12 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 40.1 | 33 | 18 | 14 | 2 | 14 | 31 |
| Jimmy Ballinger | 2 | 3 | 2.18 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 20.2 | 26 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 14 |
| Chris Bassitt | 3 | 1 | 1.75 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 25.2 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 30 |
| Ryan Buch | 4 | 3 | 3.65 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 44.1 | 35 | 23 | 18 | 2 | 17 | 45 |
| Paul Burnside | 8 | 4 | 3.22 | 19 | 13 | 1 | 92.1 | 77 | 41 | 33 | 2 | 31 | 77 |
| Dexter Carter | 3 | 5 | 6.65 | 14 | 12 | 0 | 65.0 | 81 | 50 | 48 | 9 | 30 | 47 |
| Justin Collop | 1 | 0 | 3.55 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 12.2 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 11 |
| Chase Cooney | 2 | 2 | 4.10 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 48.1 | 44 | 28 | 22 | 6 | 33 | 47 |
| Brad Furnish | 0 | 2 | 5.10 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 30.0 | 35 | 18 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 19 |
| Matthew Heidenreich | 10 | 10 | 4.32 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 154.1 | 174 | 91 | 74 | 13 | 31 | 101 |
| Leroy Hunt | 1 | 0 | 5.79 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 9.1 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 13 |
| Garrett Johnson | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Reid Kelly | 1 | 0 | 3.72 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 19.1 | 17 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 22 |
| Terance Marin | 3 | 1 | 1.99 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 49.2 | 41 | 16 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 38 |
| Nick McCully | 5 | 2 | 3.17 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 54.0 | 39 | 21 | 19 | 0 | 11 | 47 |
| Kevin Moran | 1 | 2 | 7.33 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 27.0 | 29 | 23 | 22 | 0 | 17 | 25 |
| Miguel Negron | 1 | 0 | 6.23 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 8.2 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Phil Negus | 4 | 1 | 3.14 | 32 | 12 | 3 | 91.2 | 88 | 47 | 32 | 8 | 32 | 82 |
| Jacob Petricka | 3 | 1 | 2.81 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 41.2 | 39 | 14 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 48 |
| Addison Reed | 0 | 0 | 1.13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Orlando Santos | 2 | 0 | 1.08 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 25.0 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 22 |
| Steven Upchurch | 6 | 9 | 4.62 | 28 | 12 | 2 | 89.2 | 103 | 52 | 46 | 5 | 30 | 70 |
| Rafael Vera | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Wes Whisler Wes Whisler Wesley Guy Whisler is a Major League Baseball pitcher, currently playing in the Chicago White Sox organization. He is currently pitching for the Low A Kannapolis Intimidators.... |
0 | 1 | 2.49 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 25.1 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 17 | 24 |
| Jake Wilson | 4 | 2 | 1.47 | 36 | 0 | 9 | 49.0 | 24 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 25 | 62 |
| |
76 | 62 | 3.67 | 138 | 138 | 33 | 1205.1 | 1154 | 598 | 492 | 81 | 399 | 1025 |