Skate To The Plate
August 7, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
WICHITA, KS- The Wichita City Council today, approved the Wichita Thunder ownership group to begin a new era of professional baseball in Wichita.
The Thunder group, led by owner Horn Chen and four local investors, will own and operate the city's seventh ever professional baseball team, when the yet-to-be-named franchise begins play in May as a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. As part of the agreement the Thunder will also lease the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series from the City of Wichita, ensuring that the event will remain in Wichita, where it was founded in 1931 as the National Semi-Pro Baseball Congress State Tournament.
The actual NBC World Series has been played at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium since 1935, when founder Raymond "Hap' Dumont offered Satchel Paige, considered the greatest pitcher of the day, $1,000 to bring his touring team from Bismarck, North Dakota. Paige struck out 60 batters and won four games, as his Corwin-Churchill team beat Duncan, Oklahoma, 5-2 in the finals.
The American Association (AA), originally started in 1902 - and reformed in 1969 - began its current stint in October, 2005. Based in Durham, North Carolina, the Independent League fields 10 other teams, including the Fort Worth Cats, El Paso Diablos, Lincoln Saltdogs, and the well-known St. Paul Saints. The league plays a 96-game schedule from May thru August and rosters typically feature a handful of well-known local players.
Chen, who has solely owned the Thunder since the franchise began Central Hockey League (CHL) play in the inaugural 1992 season, will maintain majority ownership of the baseball club. Steve Ruud, owner of the 46-year-old concrete company, R.A. Ruud and Son, Inc., spearheads the local ownership group. He is joined by Steve Carr, president of Community Bank of Wichita, Dan Waller, Vice President of Conco Construction and Gary M. Austerman, a partner in the law firm, Klenda, Mitchell, Austerman and Zuercher, L.L.C.
The American Association franchise will replace the Wichita Wranglers, who are relocating to Springdale, Arkansas following the 2007 Texas League season. The Wranglers have played in Wichita since 1989. They were preceded by the Wichita Pilots (1987-88), the AA's Wichita Expos (1983-84), the AA's Wichita Aeros (1970-82), the AA's Wichita Braves (1956-58), and the Wichita Indians (1950-55).
This Friday, Thunder Baseball will launch a name-the-team-contest, in conjunction with the Wichita Eagle and KAKE-TV. The fan who comes up with the winning selection will receive a prize package from Thunder Baseball, the NBC and Wichita Thunder Hockey. Thunder Baseball will unveil their official nickname, as well as the contest winner on Monday, September 17th; the same day www.360wichita.com launches the official Thunder Baseball website. In the meantime, fans can access information on the new baseball team at www.wichitathunder.com/wtBaseball.html.
The Thunder hockey team will begin their 16th CHL season with a home game on Saturday, October 20th. The 2006-07 CHL schedule is expected to be released this week. For more information on baseball or hockey, please call the Thunder office at 264-GOAL or visit our website at www.wichitathunder.com.
Central Hockey League Stories from August 7, 2007
- Reeder Returns To Land Of Enchantment - New Mexico Scorpions
- Skate To The Plate - Wichita Thunder
- Brahmas Announce First Ever Inter-League Game - Fort Worth Brahmas
- RiverKings Sign Two - Mississippi RiverKings
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