Saskatchewan Silver Sox
Encyclopedia
The Saskatchewan Silver Sox are an independent professional baseball team based in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan
. They play in the developmental Arizona Winter League
, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the North American League
and compete in the International Division, as well as the Sonora Pilots
, Team Canada, Team Mexico
, Western Canada Miners
. They began playing their home games in 2009 at Desert Sun Stadium
in Yuma. (The Blythe Heat
, El Centro Imperials
and San Luis Atleticos
played home games on their own fields until 2011.) They are owned by Diamond Sports & Entertainment.
Reno
franchise and Reno's minor league team before them. The franchise began in the GBL as the Mesa Miners
in 2005 and played one season at HoHoKam Park
before relocating to Reno and becoming the new Silver Sox one year later. They played their home games at William Peccole Park
at the University of Nevada at Reno and won the GBL Championship in their first season there in 2006, but suffered for their last two seasons in Western Nevada. Following the relocation of the AAA Pacific Coast League
franchise the Reno Aces
from Tucson, Arizona
, in 2009, the team was purchased by Tucson Baseball owner Jay Zucker, relocated to Tucson and renamed the Tucson Toros
. The Silver Sox team name (owned by the league) has since been given to the current Saskatchewan team in the AWL, which has no ties to the original Reno franchise, yet could adopt the team history.
for the 2010 season.
Though nothing has been etched in stone, there has been talk between the GBL and a potential investor about bringing a franchise (possibly the Silver Sox) to play at Cairns Field
in Saskatoon. The dedicated fan base did catch the attention of Golden Baseball League commissioner Kevin Outcalt. He said in an interview, "The Silver Sox are also a bit of a nod by the Golden League that we'd love to be up in Saskatchewan, too, in Saskatoon or in Regina or Moose Jaw, if we had the right ownership group and ballpark."
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. They play in the developmental Arizona Winter League
Arizona Winter League
The Arizona Winter League is the short-season instructional independent winter professional baseball league affiliated with the independent North American League...
, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the North American League
North American League
The North American League is an independent baseball league that began play in the 2011 season...
and compete in the International Division, as well as the Sonora Pilots
Sonora Pilots
The Sonora Pilots are a professional independent baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona and represent Sonora, Mexico. They play in the International Division of the developmental Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league sanctioned by the North American League and they play...
, Team Canada, Team Mexico
Team Mexico (Arizona Winter League baseball team)
Team Mexico is a professional independent baseball team representing Mexico. They play in the developmental Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the North American League and play in the International Division along with the Saskatchewan Silver Sox,...
, Western Canada Miners
Western Canada Miners
The Western Canada Miners are a professional independent baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona, and representing western Canada...
. They began playing their home games in 2009 at Desert Sun Stadium
Desert Sun Stadium
Desert Sun Stadium is a stadium in Yuma, Arizona. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the North American League's Yuma Scorpions minor league baseball team and plays host to the Arizona Winter League and Arizona Summer League. The stadium, which originally opened in 1969,...
in Yuma. (The Blythe Heat
Blythe Heat
The Blythe Heat are a professional baseball team based in Blythe, California. They play in the Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the North American League. They began play in 2007 and play their home games at Alexander Field in Blythe...
, El Centro Imperials
El Centro Imperials
The El Centro Imperials are an inactive independent professional baseball team based out of El Centro, California. Founded in 1947 and revived on April 3, 2009, the Imperials were introduced as one of the four charter members of the new Arizona Summer League, an instructional summer professional...
and San Luis Atleticos
San Luis Atleticos
The San Luis Atleticos are a professional independent baseball team based in San Luis, Arizona, representing that city and Mexico. They play in the developmental Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the Golden Baseball League and play in the...
played home games on their own fields until 2011.) They are owned by Diamond Sports & Entertainment.
Team name
The Silver Sox brand belonged to the since-defunct Golden Baseball LeagueGolden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, was an independent baseball league. It later merged with the Northern League and the United Baseball League to form the North American League in the western United States, western Canada and Mexico....
Reno
Reno Silver Sox
The Reno Silver Sox were a professional baseball team based in Reno, Nevada, in the United States. They were a member of the North Division of the independent Golden Baseball League, which is not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball...
franchise and Reno's minor league team before them. The franchise began in the GBL as the Mesa Miners
Mesa Miners
The Mesa Miners are an independent professional baseball team that is based in Mesa, Arizona. They began as a member of the Arizona Division of the now-defunct Golden Baseball League in 2005...
in 2005 and played one season at HoHoKam Park
HoHoKam Park
HoHoKam Stadium also known as Dwight W. Patterson Field and formerly HoHoKam Park, is a park with a baseball stadium located at 1235 N Center St in Mesa, Arizona . The stadium was built in January 1997 and holds 13,074 people. It is the home of the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League...
before relocating to Reno and becoming the new Silver Sox one year later. They played their home games at William Peccole Park
William Peccole Park
William Peccole Park is a stadium in Reno, Nevada. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the University of Nevada, Reno Wolf Pack baseball team. It originally opened in 1988. It holds 3,000 people. It played host to the Reno Silver Sox professional baseball team of the...
at the University of Nevada at Reno and won the GBL Championship in their first season there in 2006, but suffered for their last two seasons in Western Nevada. Following the relocation of the AAA Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
franchise the Reno Aces
Reno Aces
The Reno Aces are a minor league baseball franchise based in Reno, Nevada, in the United States. The team is a member of the Pacific Coast League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks....
from Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, in 2009, the team was purchased by Tucson Baseball owner Jay Zucker, relocated to Tucson and renamed the Tucson Toros
Tucson Toros
The Tucson Toros are a professional baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. They are owned by Tucson Baseball, LLC with Jay Zucker as chairman of the board. Sean Smock is the team's general manager....
. The Silver Sox team name (owned by the league) has since been given to the current Saskatchewan team in the AWL, which has no ties to the original Reno franchise, yet could adopt the team history.
Team name origin
Unlike its GBL predecessor and name sake, the Silver Sox team name is based on the importance of the precious metal in Saskatchewan where significant silver ore deposits lie in the Canadian Shield in the eastern part of the province near Flin Flon, Manitoba. It is also a not too subtle hint that the summer professional Golden Baseball League, which already has teams in Victoria, Calgary, and Edmonton; would be very open to a new ownership group that would like to add an expansion team in Saskatoon or ReginaRegina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
for the 2010 season.
Attendance and possible relocation
Supported by throngs of Saskatchewan residents wintering in Arizona, the Silver Sox roster is reflective of the diversity of the province with players from Canada, Korea, Japan, the U.S. and Latin America and is striving to bring a professional baseball championship back to Saskatchewan. The Silver Sox lead the average attendance in 2009 with approximately 1,200.Though nothing has been etched in stone, there has been talk between the GBL and a potential investor about bringing a franchise (possibly the Silver Sox) to play at Cairns Field
Cairns Field
Cairns Field is a stadium in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It is primarily used for baseball and is the home of the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets of the Western Major Baseball League and the Saskatoon Tigers of Saskatoon Senior Baseball League...
in Saskatoon. The dedicated fan base did catch the attention of Golden Baseball League commissioner Kevin Outcalt. He said in an interview, "The Silver Sox are also a bit of a nod by the Golden League that we'd love to be up in Saskatchewan, too, in Saskatoon or in Regina or Moose Jaw, if we had the right ownership group and ballpark."
Season-by-season records
Arizona Winter League:| Season | W | L | Win % | Place | Playoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 10 | 10 | .500 | 2nd, International Division | Lost to San Luis in playoffs. |
Articles
- Sunshine boys eye Saskatoon, Kevin Mitchell, The StarPhoenix, October 27, 2007
- Saskatchewan's Silver Sox wrap up season, Ron Petrie, The Regina Leader-Post, March 2, 2009
- Can the Silver Sox find a new home in Saskatchewan?, Mike Summers, Southern Oregon Timberjacks GBL website, May 21, 2009