Fort Wayne TinCaps Baseball – Now a Team that Gets Around

The Fort Wayne TinCaps baseball club history has progressed to being a Class A farm team for The San Diego Padres. The TinCaps play their home games in Fort Wayne, Indiana at Parkview Field, which opened in 2009.

A Team with many Homes

The TinCaps began in 1947 as the Mattoon Indians, members of the Illinois State League. The was in Keokuk, Iowa, in 1958, becoming the Keokuk Cardinals. The Cardinals relocated to Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, in 1963. There they were christened the Wisconsin Rapids Twins. Next, the team moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 1984 and became the Kenosha Twins.

In 1993, the Twins moved the Kenosha Twins to Fort Wayne and renamed them the Wizards. The Wizards played at Memorial Stadium until 2008, when they moved into Parkview Field.

In 2009, the Wizards changed their name to the TinCaps.

Johnny Appleseed Connection

The name is a reference to Johnny Appleseed, who was born in Leominster, Massachusetts, in 1774. Appleseed was a pioneer who traveled the Midwest planting apple trees.

John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, lived from 1774 to 1845. He was a nurseryman and itinerant preacher who traveled throughout the Midwest, planting apple trees and spreading the Gospel.

In the early 1800s, Chapman began traveling throughout the Midwest, planting apple trees. He believed that apple trees would help to beautify the land and provide food for the settlers.

In 1845, Chapman died in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was buried in a cemetery there, and his grave is still a popular tourist destination today.

He has been pictured often wearing a tin cooking pan on his head. Hence the “tin cap”.

The Team and the Town

The TinCaps have won three Midwest League championships, in 2009, 2012, and 2017. They have also produced a number of major league players, including Torii Hunter, Justin Morneau, and Jake Peavy.

The TinCaps are a popular team in Fort Wayne. They have consistently ranked among the top minor league teams in attendance. In 2019, the TinCaps drew 378,529 fans, the most in the Midwest League.

The TinCaps are a part of the fabric of Fort Wayne. They provide a fun and affordable family entertainment option for the city. The team is also a source of pride for the community.