Toledo Mud Hens

Toledo Mud Hens Founded in 1897 Toledo, Ohio
Team Logo Cap Insignia
Class-Level
Triple-A (1902-1913, 1916-1955, 1965-Present)
Minor League affiliations
International League (1965-Present) West Division American Association (1902-1913, 1916-1955)
Major League affiliations
Detroit Tigers (1967-1973, 1987-present) Minnesota Twins (1978-1986) Cleveland Indians (1976-1977) Philadelphia Phillies (1974-1975) New York Yankees (1965-1966) Milwaukee Braves (1953-1955) St. Louis Browns (1932-1952)
Name
Toledo Mud Hens (1902-1913, 1919-1952, 1965-Present) Toledo Ironmen (1916-1918)
Ballpark
Fifth Third Field (2002-Present) Ned Skeldon Stadium (1965-2001)
Minor League titles
League titles	1968, 2005, 2006
Division titles	1967, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007
Owner(s)/Operated by: Toledo Mud Hens Baseball Club, Inc.
Manager: Larry Parrish
General Manager: Joseph D. Napoli

The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are currently associated with the major-league team the Detroit Tigers. The current team is one of several that have existed in Toledo over more than a century; the name "Mud Hens" was first used in 1896, after the team was bought by Charles Strobel. The park where the team played that year was adjacent to marshland which was inhabited by coots, also known as marsh hens or mud hens, from which the team adopted their name.

They won back-to-back Governors' Cup championships in 2005 and 2006.

The Mud Hens currently play at Fifth Third Field, at 406 Washington Street. The stadium, built in 2002, was named the best minor league ballpark in America by Newsweek. Fifth Third Field is in virtually the same location, between Washington and Monroe Streets in downtown Toledo, as the first professional baseball stadium in the city, built in 1883. The new stadium replaced Ned Skeldon Stadium, located in suburban Maumee, as the Mud Hens Home -- the older facility being best described as "quaint" or "rustic."

Team history

The Mud Hens have played in the International League continuously since 1965, when the New York Yankees' AAA club, the Richmond Virginians, transferred there. Although the Tigers have been the predominant MLB parent of the IL Mud Hens (1967-73 and since 1987), the team has also affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies (1974-75), Cleveland Indians (1976-77), Minnesota Twins (1978-86), and the Yankees (1965-66).

Toledo was without organized baseball for nine seasons (1956-64). Previously, the Mud Hens played in the American Association, the Midwest-based high-level minor league. The Mud Hens played in the Association from 1902-13, moved to Cleveland in 1914-15, and then returned to Toledo (initially as the Ironmen) from 1916 through June 23, 1952. This incarnation of the Mud Hens (who reverted to their traditional nickname in 1919) usually resided deep in the second division of the circuit, winning the AA pennant only in 1927 when the manager was Casey Stengel. After the farm system era began in the 1930s, the Mud Hens were usually affiliated with the St. Louis Browns, one of the worst teams in the American League.

By the early 1950s, Toledo annually trailed the other seven Association clubs in attendance. Finally, on June 23, 1952, the team moved to Charleston, West Virginia, and became the Senators. However, the city gained its second version of the American Association Mud Hens when the Boston Braves transferred to Milwaukee in March 1953, displacing their AAA club, the Milwaukee Brewers, which then shifted to Toledo. The relocated Brewers were loaded with talent, and the 1953 Mud Hens won their second Association pennant in their history, and drew over 343,000 fans — a 244 percent increase compared to 1951. But the Braves stayed only three seasons (1953-55) before moving the team to Wichita, Kansas, as the Wichita Braves.

The Mud Hens in popular culture

The mascot's name is Muddy, and the female mascot is named Muddonna. The logo for the Mud Hens has undergone several updates, "Mortimer" Mud Hen was used in the 1940's and 1950's. The logo was re-created by Gabriel Pinciotti in 1965, and since then has remained close to his design. The latest update took place for the 2006 season. The logo and name continues to be amongst the most popular and best selling in Minor League Baseball history.

The Mud Hens were the favorite team of the character Max Klinger, played by actor (and Toledo native) Jamie Farr on the television series M*A*S*H. The Mud Hens are also mentioned in the children's book Maniac Magee. In the motion picture Major League they were referenced as coach Lou Brown's former team. They were mentioned in the Richard Pryor movie Brewster's Millions, a movie about a career minor leaguer who suddenly has a chance to inherit a fortune. One of the most famous Mud Hens alumni is Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett.

In the comic strip Crankshaft, the title character Ed Crankshaft pitched for the Toledo Mud Hens in his younger days, and once struck out Hank Greenberg in an exhibition game.

Titles

The Mud Hens playing at Fifth Third Field on June 8, 2007.

The Mud Hens have won the Governors' Cup, the championship of the IL, 3 times, and played in the championship series 4 times.

• 1967 - Defeated Columbus
• 1980 - Lost to Columbus
• 2005 - Defeated Indianapolis
• 2006 - Defeated Rochester

Alumni

• Billy Beane 1986-1988
• Frank Catalanotto 1997-1998
• Tony Clark 1994-1996, 1999-2000
• Damion Easley 2002
• Juan Encarnacion 1998
• Dave Engle 1979-1980, 1982
• Robert Fick 1999-2000
• Travis Fryman 1990
• Karim Garcia 2000
• Alexis Gomez 2005-2006
• Curtis Granderson 2005
• Jason Grilli 2005
• Mike Henneman 1987
• Bobby Higginson 1994-1996
• Omar Infante 2002-2003
• Brandon Inge 2000, 2002-2003
• Jeff Jones 1987
• Gabe Kapler 1999
• Wilfredo Ledezma 2005-2006
• Jose Lima 1994-1996
• Nook Logan 2003-2006
• Luke Lucas 1929
• Mike Maroth 2001-2002
• Brian Moehler 2001-2002
• Craig Monroe 2002-2004
• Jamie Moyer 1992
• Mike Myers 1995
• Eric Munson 2002
• Phil Nevin 1995-1997
• Dean Palmer 2001
• Lance Parrish 1994
• Carlos Pena 2003-2005
• Kirby Puckett 1984
• Nate Robertson 2003
• Fernando Rodney 2002-2003, 2005
• Cody Ross 2003
• Alex Sanchez 2004
• Randall Simon 2001
• Steve Sparks 2000
• Casey Stengel 1926-1931
• Chuck Tanner 1953
• Marcus Thames 2004-2005
• Justin Thompson 1996
• Jim Thorpe 1921
• Frank Viola 1982
• Jamie Walker 2003
• Jeff Weaver 2000
• Eric Wedge 1996
• Hack Wilson 1925
• Joel Zumaya 2005
• Tom Matchick 1967,1970-1971

Active roster

Updated September 10, 2007

External links

• Toledo Mud Hens web site
• Toledo Mud Hens on MiLB.com
• Toledo Mud Hens All-Time Roster
• more Mud Hens info on Toledo.com
• Toledo Mud Hens at BR Bullpen
• TigsTown.com
• Toledo's Attic Online Museum

	Sports teams based in Ohio
Baseball	MLB: Cleveland Indians • Cincinnati Reds, IL: Columbus Clippers • Toledo Mud Hens, EL: Akron Aeros, NYPL: Mahoning Valley Scrappers, SAL: Lake County Captains, ML: Dayton Dragons, FL: Chillicothe Paints
Basketball	NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers, IBL: Dayton Jets • Marysville Meteors
Football	NFL: Cleveland Browns • Cincinnati Bengals, AFL: Columbus Destroyers af2: Cincinnati Jungle Kats • Mahoning Valley Thunder, CIFL: Marion Mayhem • Miami Valley Silverbacks, AIFA: Canton Legends
Hockey	NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets, AHL: Lake Erie Monsters, CHL: Youngstown SteelHounds, ECHL: Cincinnati Cyclones • Dayton Bombers, USHL: Ohio Junior Blue Jackets, NAHL: Mahoning Valley Phantoms, MAHL: Wooster Warriors
Soccer	MLS: Columbus Crew, USL-2: Cincinnati Kings • Cleveland City Stars, PDL: Cleveland Internationals
Softball	NPF: Akron Racers
Australian rules football	USAFL: Cincinnati Dockers
College athletics (NCAA Division I)	Akron • Bowling Green • Cincinnati • Cleveland State • Dayton • Kent State • Miami • Ohio • Ohio State • Toledo • Wright State • Xavier • Youngstown State

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