Peoria Chiefs

Peoria Chiefs Founded in 1983 Peoria, Illinois
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Class	High-A (2021–present)
Previous classes	Class A (1983–2020)
League	High-A Central (2021–present)
Division	West Division
Previous leagues	Midwest League (1983–2020)
Major league affiliations
Team	St. Louis Cardinals (2013–present)
Previous teams	Chicago Cubs (2005–2012) St. Louis Cardinals (1995–2004) Chicago Cubs (1985–1994) California Angels (1983–1984)
Minor league titles
League titles (1)	2002
Division titles (1)	2018
Team data
Name	Peoria Chiefs (1984–present)
Previous names	Peoria Suns (1983)
Colors	Red, navy, white
Mascot	Homer
Ballpark	Dozer Park (2002–present)
Previous parks	Vonachen Stadium (1983–2001)
Owner(s)/ Operator(s)	Peoria Chiefs Baseball LLC
General Manager	Jason Mott
Manager	Chris Swauger

The Peoria Chiefs are a Minor League Baseball team of the High-A Central and the High-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They are located in Peoria, Illinois, and were named for the Peoria Indian tribe for which the city was named. In 2005, the team replaced the indigenous imagery associated with the Chiefs name and moved to a logo of a Dalmatian depicted as a fire chief stating "The team was proactive in understanding and respecting Indian culture."^[1] The team plays its home games at Dozer Park which opened in 2002. The Chiefs previously played at Vonachen Stadium near Bradley University from 1983 through 2001.

The team was established in 1983 as the Peoria Suns.

History[]

Prior professional baseball in Peoria[]

The history of professional baseball in Peoria dates back to the late 19th century when the Peoria Reds, Peoria Canaries, and Peoria Blackbirds played in several early leagues during parts of 1878 to 1895. The first ballpark used by these teams was reportedly called Sylvan Park and was located at the corner of Northeast Glendale Avenue and Spring Street on the location of the present-day St. Augustine Manor.^[2] In 1883, the club moved a few blocks toward Peoria Lake, to a facility called Lake View Park, which would remain the home of various Peoria clubs for the next four decades.

The 1895, club was dubbed the Peoria Distillers, referencing the Hiram Walker plant. From 1891 to 1911, Frank E. Murphy from Green Bay, Wisconsin, became involved with baseball, beginning with the purchase of the Peoria team of the Midwest League, which he later renamed the . That nickname would stick with the various Peoria clubs for the next couple of decades, including their first stretch with the Three-I League from 1905 to 1917. After the resumption of following the peak of American involvement in World War I, the Peoria Tractors name gained favor in 1919, with the growth of the nearby branch of the company later called Caterpillar Inc.

In 1923, the team opened a new ballpark called Woodruff Field in honor of a long-time mayor of Peoria. The new park was just across the street from Lake View Park. The Tractors continued to play in several leagues before folding after the 1937 season. The city was then without professional baseball for the next 15 years. The name Peoria Chiefs first appeared with a new franchise in the Three-I League in 1953. This club disbanded after 1957, and Peoria was again without professional ball, for the next 25 years until the current Chiefs set up shop.

Current franchise[]

The Chiefs in action in 1990

The Peoria Suns were established in 1983. They played their home games at Meinen Field, built in 1968, near the Bradley University campus. The team's name was changed to the Chiefs in 1984. The 1984 team was managed by future Major League Baseball manager Joe Maddon.

The 1988 team, managed by future major league manager Jim Tracy, was the subject of the Joseph Bosco book The Boys Who Would Be Cubs.^[3]

Meinen Field was renovated before the 1992 season and renamed Vonachen Stadium in honor of Chiefs' owner Pete Vonachen. The team moved to a new park in downtown Peoria, Dozer Park, on May 24, 2002. They set a franchise attendance record of 254,407 people in the new park's first year and also won the Midwest League championship.

Former Cubs catcher Jody Davis managed the 2006 team. Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg was hired to manage the 2007 Chiefs. The team went 71–68 and finished the second half 40–30 in a tie for the division title, but missed the playoff on a tiebreaker. At the gate in 2007, the Chiefs broke their season attendance record with 259,794 and an average of 3,800 per game. Sandberg returned to manage the Chiefs in 2008. A Midwest League single-game attendance record was set on July 29, 2008, when the Chiefs drew a crowd of 32,103 to Wrigley Field in Chicago for a game against the Kane County Cougars.

The Chiefs affiliation with the Cubs ended following the 2012 season.^[4] They then entered into a new player development contract with the St. Louis Cardinals.^[5]

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Chiefs were organized into the 12-team High-A Central.^[6]

Chiefs' brawl on July 24, 2008[]

In the first inning of a game on July 24, 2008, against the Dayton Dragons, Chiefs' pitcher Julio Castillo hit Dragons batter Zack Cozart in the head. The night before, three Chiefs players had been hit by Dayton pitchers. Two batters later, he hit Angel Cabrera in the arm, and nearly hit another Dragon player in the head after that while Cabrera spiked the Chiefs shortstop at second base on a slide. At that point, Chiefs fill-in manager Carmelo Martinez began arguing with the umpire. This brought out the Dragons manager, Donnie Scott, and the two argued for a few minutes before the umpires broke it up.

During the coaches' argument, pitcher Castillo fired a ball at the Dragons' dugout. The ball struck a fan, who was taken to the hospital. Brandon Menchaca proceeded to tackle Castillo from behind as both benches cleared, delaying the game for 69 minutes. After the game, Castillo was arrested for felonious assault.^[7] The injured fan, Chris McCarthy, suffered a concussion but recovered.

On August 8, 2009, Castillo was convicted of felonious assault causing serious physical injury and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.^[8] In April 2010 a judge released Castillo from probation "on the condition that he leave the United States and not return for a minimum of three years."^[9][10]

Playoffs[]

Roster[]

Notable alumni[]

References[]

Sources[]

• Dinda, J. (2003), "Peoria, Illinois, in the Midwest League," http://www.mwlguide.com/cities/peoria/index.html
• Peter Filichia (1993), Professional Baseball Franchises, Facts on File Books, New York.
• Michael Benson (1989), Baseball Parks of North America, McFarland & Co., Jefferson, North Carolina.

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Peoria Chiefs.

• Official website
• Statistics from Baseball-Reference