Springfield-Ozark Mountain Ducks

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From English Wikipedia @ Freddythechick
For the Frontier League team of the same name, see Springfield-Ozark Ducks.
Springfield-Ozark Mountain Ducks
Team logo Cap insignia
Information
LocationOzark, Missouri
BallparkPrice Cutter Park
Founded1998
Disbanded2004
League championshipsNone
Division championshipsNone
Former name(s)Ozark Mountain Ducks (1999-2000)
Former league(s)
ColorsRoyal Blue, Yellow
  
OwnershipHorn Chen
($3 million purchase)[1]

The Springfield-Ozark Mountain Ducks was an unaffiliated minor league team that previously played in Ozark, Missouri, a suburb of Springfield. The team was a member of the Texas-Louisiana League, later named the Central Baseball League from 1999 to 2003. The team played in Price Cutter Park, now known as Ozark Mountain Sports Complex.

History

In April 1998, Texas-Louisiana League president and co-founder Byron Pierce announced that the league would put a new team in Ozark pending financing for a new ballpark. In August the funding was secured. Construction on the stadium started in late fall and took four months to complete.[2]

The peculiar team name and mascot was picked from a name-the-team contest in 1998. The winning entry—by Craig Cremer of Ozark—was picked out of 65,000 submissions. Cremer says the kid-friendly name was derived from a combination of the Ozark Mountains and the Ride the Ducks boat ride in Branson[3]

The Mountain Ducks played their inaugural game on May 27, 1999 on the road, a 7-4 loss to the Amarillo Dillas. Their first home game came two weeks later on June 10 in front of 4,764 people, a 5-2 loss, also against Amarillo.[4]

Success on the field was hard to come by for the team. The Mountain Ducks only made the postseason one time during its tenure, a first round exit in 2000.

Two players with Major League experience played for Springfield-Ozark: Outfielder Mel Hall (2002) played 13 seasons, mostly with the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees and Pitcher Mike Smith (1999-2001). Smith played in 15 games over two seasons with the Baltimore Orioles.[5]

The team joined the Frontier League for one final season in 2004. They disbanded when hotel magnate John Q. Hammons brought the Springfield Cardinals of the Double-A Texas League from El Paso, Texas to downtown Springfield. The Mountain Ducks rights to the club's spot in the CBL were sold in 2004 to the Pensacola Pelicans[6] of the discontinued Southeastern League.

Team Record

The Mountain Ducks had a combined record of 261-312 over six seasons.[citation needed]

Season Wins Losses Finish Manager Playoffs
1999 32 50 5th Barry Jones Missed Playoffs
2000 59 53 4th Barry Jones Lost First Round
Amarillo 1–2
2001 33 58 6th Barry Jones Missed Playoffs
2002 45 51 6th (3rd, East) Phil Wilson Missed Playoffs
2003 40 56 8th (4th, East) Phil Wilson Missed Playoffs
2004 52 44 6th (4th, West) Greg Tagert Missed Playoffs

All-Stars

1999: Brent Bubela, C; Sergio Cairo, OF; Mike Smith, P
2000: Mike Smith, P; Jim Wollscheid, P
2001: Andre Johnson, OF; Mike Smith, P
2002: None
2003: None
2004: None

References

  1. ^ https://sbj.net/stories/ducks-gm-wary-of-springfield-stadium,45578 [bare URL]
  2. ^ Shirley, Traci. "Sight for Ozark Ballpark Announced". Springfield News-Leader.
  3. ^ Puryear, Scott. "Mountain Ducks Make Nest in Ozark". Springfield News-Leader.
  4. ^ Bailey, Eric. "Ducks Come Up Short". Springfield News-Leader.
  5. ^ https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=smith-006mic [bare URL]
  6. ^ Schott, Ron. "Horn Chen sells Ducks". Christian County Headliner News.

External links

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