Normal CornBelters
Encyclopedia
The Normal CornBelters are a professional baseball team based in Normal, Illinois
, which is part of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area. They began play in May 2010 as a member of the Frontier League
, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball
. The "CornBelters" name refers to Illinois' location in the Corn Belt
.
adjacent to Heartland Community College
on Raab Road. The CornBelters will share the facility with Heartland’s baseball, softball, and soccer programs. The facility is due for completion in May 2010 in time for the CornBelters' inaugural season.
On October 20, 2009, it was announced that the stadium would be known as The Corn Crib. The name was the result of a naming rights
partnership with the Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB). The naming rights agreement lasts for two years with an "automatic renewal". Both team and ICMB officials declined to disclose the financial terms of the partnership.
The CornBelters were named after a fan vote to determine the name. A publicity stunt occurred after the four finalists were unveiled:
Normal Nutz; an homage to the Beer Nuts brand based in nearby Bloomington (NOTE: The entries were originally "Nuts," but the ownership modified it to avoid conflict with the California League's Modesto Nuts)
Normal NightHawks; a popular alliterative nickname.
Normal CornBelters; a reference to Illinois' location in the Corn Belt. "Belt" is also a slang term meaning to hit the ball hard.
Normal Coal Bears; submitted by fans of political satirist and The Colbert Report host Stephen Colbert . Since the character often encourages these fans (known as the "Colbert Nation") to vote for things to be named after him, the team is hoping he'll give them some attention (similar to the Ontario Hockey League's Saginaw Spirit, whose mascot is named Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle and has gotten the team and league mentioned often on the show). [1] [2] In addition to the reference, Illinois (especially the west side of Bloomington-Normal) also has a strong heritage in coal mining, as reflected by future rival the Southern Illinois Miners. [3]
Voting was originally set to take place until April 27. On the first day of voting, the Coal Bears had a significant 95 percent lead in the poll. However, that lead would significantly decline in the next two days to 24 percent with "Nutz" leading at 75 percent. Many fans suspected voting fraud, as "Nutz" had business ties and an "anti-Coal Bears" conspiracy was suggested by the fan-run normalcoalbears.com. On April 24, owner Steve Malliet announced that due to these allegations, he was starting the poll over again, this time requiring every voter to submit various information to enforce a "one fan, one vote" policy. While "Nutz," "CornBelters," and "Coal Bears" were kept, "NightHawks" was dropped because of the term's other meaning as a position of responsibility in the Ku Klux Klan. In addition, two other choices were added:
Normal Fellers; an homage to Jesse W. Fell, the founder of Illinois State University (ergo, the founder of the city of Normal), as well as the term "Feller" referring to "regular guy".
Normal CamelBacks; an homage to Camelback Bridge, built to allow steam locomotives to pass underneath and currently arching over Constitution Trail. It is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
was announced as the team's first manager
on October 7, 2009. Lanier managed the Houston Astros
to a division title in 1986 and is a former Major League player and coach as well. Over 21 seasons as a major, minor and independent league manager Lanier has compiled a record of 1,338-1,033.
The Normal CornBelters' inaugural season schedule was released on October 16, 2009. The CornBelters' season opens at the Evansville Otters
on May 21, 2010. The home opener, the first in team history, will be played at 7 p.m. on June 1, 2010 against the Windy City ThunderBolts
. The team has 51 home games in 2010 and their season will end on September 5, 2010. The team finished with a 44-52 record. Two CornBelters were named 2010 All-Stars and played in the All-Star Game: RHP Tyler Lavigne & 3B Daniel Cox.
Catchers »
33 Jeff Dunbar 6' 4" 225 lbs C
13 A.J. Miller 6' 3" 215 lbs C
Infielders »
23 Brad Agustin 5' 10" 185 lbs 2B
24 Daniel Cox 6' 1" 215 lbs 3B
4 Tyler Keeble 6' 1" 165 lbs SS
5 Frank Martinez 6' 2" 188 lbs 2B
27 Steve Alexander 6' 4" 230 lbs 1B
Outfielders »
32 Asif Shah 6' 1" 195 lbs RF
34 Chris Brown 6' 2" 215 lbs OF
19 Colin Moro 6' 0" 205 lbs LF
25 Mike Mobbs 6' 3" 210 lbs OF
30 Alvaro Ramirez 5' 9" 160 lbs CF
Pitchers »
18 Brett Lester 6' 2" 200 lbs P
17 Tyler Lavigne 6' 0" 190 lbs P
8 Bobby Pritchett 5' 10" 160 lbs P
21 Liam Ohlmann 6' 2" 220 lbs P
12 Michael Click 6' 3" 210 lbs P
28 Jacob Liedka 6' 2" 195 lbs P
26 Jon Berger 6' 2" 220 lbs P
10 Donald Furrow 6' 4" 205 lbs P
11 Marshall Schuler 6' 0" 170 lbs P
44 Ryan Sheldon 6' 6" 220 lbs P
29 Jeremy Brewer 6' 3" 210 lbs P
35 Wade Morrison 6' 6" 210 lbs P
Normal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
, which is part of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area. They began play in May 2010 as a member of 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...
, which is not affiliated 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...
. The "CornBelters" name refers to Illinois' location in the Corn Belt
Corn Belt
The Corn Belt is a region of the Midwestern United States where corn has, since the 1850s, been the predominant crop, replacing the native tall grasses. By 1950, 99% of the corn was grown from hybrids. Most corn is fed to livestock, especially hogs and poultry. In recent decades soybeans have...
.
Stadium
On March 30, 2009 ground was broken for a $12 million multi-purpose stadiumMulti-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...
adjacent to Heartland Community College
Heartland Community College
Heartland Community College is a community college located in Illinois. Founded in 1991, Heartland Community College is a fully accredited institution with campuses located in Normal, Lincoln, and Pontiac.-History:...
on Raab Road. The CornBelters will share the facility with Heartland’s baseball, softball, and soccer programs. The facility is due for completion in May 2010 in time for the CornBelters' inaugural season.
On October 20, 2009, it was announced that the stadium would be known as The Corn Crib. The name was the result of a naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
partnership with the Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB). The naming rights agreement lasts for two years with an "automatic renewal". Both team and ICMB officials declined to disclose the financial terms of the partnership.
History
Name-the-team contest and surrounding controversyThe CornBelters were named after a fan vote to determine the name. A publicity stunt occurred after the four finalists were unveiled:
Normal Nutz; an homage to the Beer Nuts brand based in nearby Bloomington (NOTE: The entries were originally "Nuts," but the ownership modified it to avoid conflict with the California League's Modesto Nuts)
Normal NightHawks; a popular alliterative nickname.
Normal CornBelters; a reference to Illinois' location in the Corn Belt. "Belt" is also a slang term meaning to hit the ball hard.
Normal Coal Bears; submitted by fans of political satirist and The Colbert Report host Stephen Colbert . Since the character often encourages these fans (known as the "Colbert Nation") to vote for things to be named after him, the team is hoping he'll give them some attention (similar to the Ontario Hockey League's Saginaw Spirit, whose mascot is named Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle and has gotten the team and league mentioned often on the show). [1] [2] In addition to the reference, Illinois (especially the west side of Bloomington-Normal) also has a strong heritage in coal mining, as reflected by future rival the Southern Illinois Miners. [3]
Voting was originally set to take place until April 27. On the first day of voting, the Coal Bears had a significant 95 percent lead in the poll. However, that lead would significantly decline in the next two days to 24 percent with "Nutz" leading at 75 percent. Many fans suspected voting fraud, as "Nutz" had business ties and an "anti-Coal Bears" conspiracy was suggested by the fan-run normalcoalbears.com. On April 24, owner Steve Malliet announced that due to these allegations, he was starting the poll over again, this time requiring every voter to submit various information to enforce a "one fan, one vote" policy. While "Nutz," "CornBelters," and "Coal Bears" were kept, "NightHawks" was dropped because of the term's other meaning as a position of responsibility in the Ku Klux Klan. In addition, two other choices were added:
Normal Fellers; an homage to Jesse W. Fell, the founder of Illinois State University (ergo, the founder of the city of Normal), as well as the term "Feller" referring to "regular guy".
Normal CamelBacks; an homage to Camelback Bridge, built to allow steam locomotives to pass underneath and currently arching over Constitution Trail. It is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
2010 season
Hal LanierHal Lanier
Harold Clifton Lanier is a former infielder, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. From through , Lanier played for the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees...
was announced as the team's first manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
on October 7, 2009. Lanier managed the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
to a division title in 1986 and is a former Major League player and coach as well. Over 21 seasons as a major, minor and independent league manager Lanier has compiled a record of 1,338-1,033.
The Normal CornBelters' inaugural season schedule was released on October 16, 2009. The CornBelters' season opens at the Evansville Otters
Evansville Otters
The Evansville Otters are a professional baseball team based in Evansville, Indiana, in the United States. The Otters are a member of the West Division of the Frontier League, an independent baseball league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
on May 21, 2010. The home opener, the first in team history, will be played at 7 p.m. on June 1, 2010 against the Windy City ThunderBolts
Windy City ThunderBolts
The Windy City ThunderBolts are a professional baseball team based in the Chicago suburb of Crestwood, Illinois, in the United States. The ThunderBolts are a member of the East Division of the Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
. The team has 51 home games in 2010 and their season will end on September 5, 2010. The team finished with a 44-52 record. Two CornBelters were named 2010 All-Stars and played in the All-Star Game: RHP Tyler Lavigne & 3B Daniel Cox.
Roster
Normal CornBelters 2011 »Catchers »
- Name Height Weight Position
33 Jeff Dunbar 6' 4" 225 lbs C
13 A.J. Miller 6' 3" 215 lbs C
Infielders »
- Name Height Weight Position
23 Brad Agustin 5' 10" 185 lbs 2B
24 Daniel Cox 6' 1" 215 lbs 3B
4 Tyler Keeble 6' 1" 165 lbs SS
5 Frank Martinez 6' 2" 188 lbs 2B
27 Steve Alexander 6' 4" 230 lbs 1B
Outfielders »
- Name Height Weight Position
32 Asif Shah 6' 1" 195 lbs RF
34 Chris Brown 6' 2" 215 lbs OF
19 Colin Moro 6' 0" 205 lbs LF
25 Mike Mobbs 6' 3" 210 lbs OF
30 Alvaro Ramirez 5' 9" 160 lbs CF
Pitchers »
- Name Height Weight Position
18 Brett Lester 6' 2" 200 lbs P
17 Tyler Lavigne 6' 0" 190 lbs P
8 Bobby Pritchett 5' 10" 160 lbs P
21 Liam Ohlmann 6' 2" 220 lbs P
12 Michael Click 6' 3" 210 lbs P
28 Jacob Liedka 6' 2" 195 lbs P
26 Jon Berger 6' 2" 220 lbs P
10 Donald Furrow 6' 4" 205 lbs P
11 Marshall Schuler 6' 0" 170 lbs P
44 Ryan Sheldon 6' 6" 220 lbs P
29 Jeremy Brewer 6' 3" 210 lbs P
35 Wade Morrison 6' 6" 210 lbs P