Southern Illinois Miners
Encyclopedia
The Southern Illinois Miners are a professional baseball team based in Marion, Illinois
, in the United States
. The Miners are a member of the West Division of the Frontier League
, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball
. From the 2007 season to the present, the Miners have played their home games at Rent One Park.
The "Miners" name refers to the Southern Illinois region's history of coal mining.
John Simmons, an Illinois lawyer, proposed the Marion ballpark originally for a relocated Major League-affiliated team, but that request was rejected by the Midwest League
. However, Simmons remained interested in bringing professional baseball to Marion, so he petitioned several independent leagues for membership. In August 2006, Marion was officially announced as an expansion franchise of the Frontier League, to begin play in 2007. The region's close proximity near existing teams made Southern Illinois a natural fit for the Frontier League.
The team set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007 by hosting 259,392 fans (the prior record was 217,500 set by the Gateway Grizzlies
in 2004). The Miners also became the first team in Frontier League history to average over 5,000 fans per game for a season (5,086). Southern Illinois Miners fans also contributed heavily to supporting their lead mascot Big John to become the record-setting overall winner of the Best Logo in Minor League Baseball, awarded April 2, 2008 by CNBC following their largest online poll ever.
The Miners games are broadcasted on five Withers radio stations as part of the Southern Illinois Miners Radio Network. The flagship station is 97.7 WQUL-FM in Marion. The Miners radio broadcaster and media relations director since 2008 is Scott Gierman. In 2010 he was joined in the booth by colorman Tony Piraro.
Marion, Illinois
The city of Marion is the county seat of Williamson County, Illinois. The 2010 census counted 17,193 residents, making Marion the 25th most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in Illinois, and the second most populous city in Southern Illinois, outside of the Metro-East, behind...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Miners are a member of the West Division 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...
. From the 2007 season to the present, the Miners have played their home games at Rent One Park.
The "Miners" name refers to the Southern Illinois region's history of coal mining.
History
The city of Marion has not hosted any professional baseball team since the departure of the Marion Indians after the 1948 season. The Indians played for only two seasons in the class D Illinois State League.John Simmons, an Illinois lawyer, proposed the Marion ballpark originally for a relocated Major League-affiliated team, but that request was rejected by the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
. However, Simmons remained interested in bringing professional baseball to Marion, so he petitioned several independent leagues for membership. In August 2006, Marion was officially announced as an expansion franchise of the Frontier League, to begin play in 2007. The region's close proximity near existing teams made Southern Illinois a natural fit for the Frontier League.
The team set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007 by hosting 259,392 fans (the prior record was 217,500 set by the Gateway Grizzlies
Gateway Grizzlies
The Gateway Grizzlies are a professional baseball team based in the St. Louis suburb of Sauget, Illinois, in the United States. The Grizzlies are a member of the West Division of the Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
in 2004). The Miners also became the first team in Frontier League history to average over 5,000 fans per game for a season (5,086). Southern Illinois Miners fans also contributed heavily to supporting their lead mascot Big John to become the record-setting overall winner of the Best Logo in Minor League Baseball, awarded April 2, 2008 by CNBC following their largest online poll ever.
The Miners games are broadcasted on five Withers radio stations as part of the Southern Illinois Miners Radio Network. The flagship station is 97.7 WQUL-FM in Marion. The Miners radio broadcaster and media relations director since 2008 is Scott Gierman. In 2010 he was joined in the booth by colorman Tony Piraro.