Schaumburg Flyers Professional Baseball

History

Flyers History by Year

1998

  • July 10, 1998: A stadium groundbreaking ceremony is held at a site that would later become Alexian Field.
  • July 23, 1998: Schaumburg Professional Baseball is awarded the nickname
    “ Flyers” at a “Name The Team Party” held at the Hyatt Regency-Woodfield in Schaumburg, IL
  • September 10, 1998: Former White Sox slugger Ron Kittle is hired as the first
    Manager in team history. Kittle would go on to lead the Flyers to an inaugural year playoff appearance and become a crucial component in the team’s marketing efforts.

1999

  • May 28, 1999: The Flyers open their inaugural Northern League season with a 6-0 victory over St. Paul. An excited sellout crowd of 7,028 looks on in Schaumburg. The Flyers become the first professional sports franchise in the Village of Schaumburg’s 43-year history.
  • June 19, 1999: Former Negro League star Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe takes the Schaumburg mound at age 96 and becomes the oldest player to ever appear in a professional baseball game. Radcliffe threw one pitch, a ball, to Fargo-Moorhead DH Matt Faulken before exiting the game to a standing ovation.
  • July 13, 1999: The Flyers clinch the East Division first-half title with a 12-6 victory over visiting Duluth-Superior. The win ensures Schaumburg of a playoff appearance in their first year of existence.
  • August 19, 1999: Flyers LHP Gino Caruso pitches a no-hitter against visiting Sioux City. The gem is the first ‘no-no’ in Flyers history.
  • August 31, 1999: The Schaumburg Flyers, in conjunction with the Village of Schaumburg & Schaumburg Park District, announce a 10-year stadium naming rights agreement with Alexian Brothers Health System, Inc.
  • August 31, 1999: CF Brian Ralph becomes the first Schaumburg player to hit for the cycle as the Flyers defeat visiting Madison 12-3.
  • September 1, 1999: The Flyers’ home stadium is re-dedicated as Alexian Field in a pre-game ceremony. Schaumburg then takes the field and defeats Madison in the ’99 regular season finale.
  • September 3-4, 1999: The Flyers host the first post-season games played at Alexian Field. Visiting Fargo-Moorhead wins both games en route to victory in the first-round Northern League playoff series.
  • September 14, 1999: Ralph & DH Jamie Lopiccolo are named to the Northern League-Central’s Post-Season All-Star Team after turning in great individual performances during the Flyers’ 2002 season. Ralph was also honored as the NL-Central Rookie of the Year.

2000

  • June 21, 2000: OF Harry Berrios re-writes the team and Northern League record books with a 4-home run performance against visiting Fargo-Moorhead. The single-game league home run record is tied later that summer.
  • August 27, 2000: Mike Trahan appears at all nine positions in a 4-3 win over Madison. The Flyers prevail in their final home game of the 2000 season.

2001

  • January 29, 2001: The Flyers sign former major league catcher Matt Nokes for the 2001 season. Nokes went on to put together the finest all-around offensive season in Flyers history, batting .354 with 16 HR-69 RBI in the 2001 campaign. The veteran represented Schaumburg on the Northern League-Central’s in-season and post-season All-Star teams.
  • September 6, 2001: Schaumburg RHP Billy Coleman is named Northern League-Central Rookie Pitcher of the Year after setting four new single-season marks in the Flyers’ record books.

2002

  • August 16, 2002: The Flyers turn the first triple play in team history. In a game at Alexian Field, Sioux Falls OF Trey Beamon hits a line drive at 2B Jeremy Smith. Smith gloves the liner and then starts a 4-6-3 triple play, ending the top of the 5th inning.
  • September 2, 2002: RHP Evan Fahrner takes the mound at Fargo and sets a new Northern League-Central record for most pitching appearances in a season. Fahrner’s outing against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks marks his 49th game of the year.
  • September 3, 2002: OF Jim Rushford becomes the first ex-Flyer to reach the major leagues. Rushford, a member of the 1999 Flyers, is called up to the Milwaukee Brewers and debuts at Wrigley Field against the Cubs.
  • September 2002: RHP Dusty Keppen becomes the second Flyer in as many years to win the Northern League-Central Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award.
  • December 12, 2002: Andy McCauley is hired as the third manager in Flyers history.

2003

  • July 3, 2003: Many long-time season ticket holders and veteran employees will call this the greatest night in the Flyers' five-year history. With an Alexian Field record crowd of 7,728 looking on, the Flyers score  four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat Winnipeg 10-9. LF T.J. Staton belts a dramatic two-out, two-run homer to give the Flyers an improbable win. Staton's celebratory curtain call leads directly to a post-game fireworks celebration.
  • August 27, 2003: The Flyers defeat St. Paul and are then pushed into the Northern League playoffs by events elsewhere. The team learns of the 'clinch' in the home clubhouse and a celebration ensues. The Flyers are playoff-bound for the first time since 1999.
  • September 2, 2003: The Flyers win Game 1 of their best-of-five first round playoff series in Fargo. It is the first playoff victory in franchise history.
  • September 7, 2003: A great season ends with a measure of disappointment as Fargo rallies from an early 3-0 deficit to beat the Flyers 10-3 and win the series 3-2. The visiting RedHawks had also won the night before to force a Game 5.

2004

  • July 5, 2004: Justin Hendrickson clubs three home runs in three consecutive bats, leading the Flyers to an 11-3 win over Lincoln in a critical first half pennant race game at Alexian Field. No Flyer has hit as many as three homers in a game since Harry Berrios belted four in 2000. Hendrickson had a fourth at-bat with a chance to tie Berrios’ mark but settled for a fielders choice RBI grounder.
  • July 8, 2004: On a flawless, sun-splashed afternoon, Schaumburg clinches a division tie with a 7-3 victory over Lincoln at Alexian Field. Chris Weekly goes deep to back the winning pitcher, Anthony Boughner. A weekday matinee crowd of over 6,800 looks on.
  • July 9, 2004: The Flyers clinch their first division title since 1999, wrapping up the South Division’s first half race with a 12-5 win at St. Paul. Four Schaumburg players go deep at Midway Stadium as the Flyers clinch a playoff spot for the second consecutive season.
  • August 28, 2004: Hank Woodman strikes out 16 Winnipeg batters to set a new team mark for strikeouts in a game. The previous record of 12 had stood since 2001. The Flyers win 4-1 in front of a paid attendance record crowd of 8,081.
  • September 4, 2004: Mario Delgado strokes a two-run single in the seventh inning off Joliet reliever Matt Miller, giving the Schaumburg slugger a new Northern League single season record for RBI in a season. Delgado reaches 104 RBI with the hit in Joliet and surpasses the previous record of 103 set by Darryl Motley of Fargo in 1996. The Flyers will go on to win 8-3.
  • September 5, 2004: Another milestone is reached in the regular season finale as shortstop Geoff McCallum singles in the sixth inning off Joliet RHP Matt Petrusek to set a new league record for hits in a season. McCallum’s 137 th hit of the season breaks the previous league mark set in 2001. He adds one more hit in the eighth as the Flyers lose the regular season finale in Joliet.
  • September 12, 2004: The Flyers win a playoff series for the first time in franchise history, pulling away late to defeat the Kansas City T-Bones by a convincing 8-1 final score in K.C. A road win the previous night had started Schaumburg’s comeback from a 2-1 series deficit as the Flyers take the best-of-five series 3-2.
  • September 13, 2004: Andy McCauley is named Northern League Manager of the Year and Mario Delgado is named NL MVP. The awards come to the Schaumburg franchise for the first time.
  • September 14, 2004: The Flyers open their first ever appearance in the Northern League Finals with an exciting 5-4 victory over St. Paul at Alexian Field. A solo homer by Kirk Pierce in the eighth inning is the difference.
  • September 17, 2004: The Flyers win Game 3 at St . Paul 8-7 to pull to within one victory of the Northern League title. Mario Delgado hits a grand slam to spark a comeback from a 6-1 deficit.
  • September 19, 2004: With the Northern League title just one strike away in two different at-bats, the Flyers allow seven two-out runs in the bottom of the ninth inning and lose Game 5 at St. Paul 10-6. The Saints win the championship series 3-2 as Marc Mirizzi belts a game winning grand slam off Lyle Prempas to end it. T. Brown’s RBI single off Brett Weber had tied the game at 6-6.

2005

  • May 22, 2005: Accomplished actor Nigel Thatch, best known as 'Leon' from the Budweiser television campaign, realizes a lifelong baseball dream by taking the mound in St. Paul for his professional debut. The right-hander tosses a scoreless inning in an eventual loss to the Saints. Thatch would go on to pitch in six more games in 2005. 
  • July 5, 2005: Manager Andy McCauley becomes the franchise's all-time leader in wins as the Flyers defeat Kansas City. McCauley's 120th victory vaulted him past Ron Kittle. He enters 2006 with 143 managerial victories in Schaumburg. 
  • July 14, 2005: Another Alexian Field single-game attendance record falls as 8,173 fans watch the Flyers beat Lincoln in a weekday matinee game.
  • September 1, 2005: RHP Nate Cotton saves a win at Joliet to set a new single-season team record for saves (11).
  • 2005 Season: RHP Matt Bailie wins the Northern League ERA title despite leaving the Flyers for the Baltimore Orioles organization on August 8. Bailie's 2.16 ERA makes him the first Flyer to lead in that category since Todd Genke in 2000. Slugging 1B-DH Justin Hendrickson hits 28 home runs and becomes the first Schaumburg player to win a Northern League home run title. The home run total is also a Flyers single-season record at the start of 2006.

2006

  • May 19-May 27, 2006: The Schaumburg Flyers explode out of the gates in 2006. The Flyers won a franchise best 8 games in a row starting with the second game of the year. Schaumburg uses their great start to seize first place and never look back.
  • July 4, 2006: The Flyers clinched the Eastern Division first half championship with an 8-4 victory over the Calgary Vipers at Alexian Field. Schaumburg clinched a postseason berth with five games left in the first half.
  • July 11, 2006: The Schaumburg Flyers team with LivePlanet Productions and MSN to launch FanClub: Reality Baseball, a groundbreaking new web-based show allowing fans to vote on the starting line-up. Fans go online to look up statistics and vote on who should play where. Camera crews begin following the team around the clock and chronicling their stories, which are told in webisodes on FanClub.msn.com.
  • July 18, 2006: Eight players represent the Schaumburg Flyers in the 2006 Northern League All-Star game at Community-America Ballpark in Kansas City, KS. Rob Watson, Eric Cole, Nelson Gord, Ben Van Iderstine, Chris Weekly, Dan Jackson, and Nate Cotton all participate in the Eastern Division victory.
  • July 27, 2006: LHP Matt Schweitzer ends a team record of 27.0 scoreless innings in a row. Schweitzer did not allow a run from June 20th until July 27th. He would later break the team record for appearances and finish with 50.
  • August 11, 2006: Nelson Gord breaks a Northern League record for most times being hit by a pitch. He absorbed his 26th HBP and would finish 2006 with 28.
  • September 3, 2006: Closer Nate Cotton picks up his 17th save on the final day of the regular season. His 17 saves set a new team record, breaking his old record of 11 set in 2005. Cotton shut down the JackHammers to secure a 1-0 Schaumburg victory.
  • September 10, 2006: The Flyers are eliminated from the playoffs in the divisional round following a game 5 loss to Gary. The Flyers took a 2-0 series lead by winning two exciting playoff games in front of the home crowd at Alexian Field but they couldn’t clinch the series win in Gary.
  • October 11, 2006: Steve Maddock is named the Schaumburg Flyers new field manager. Maddock becomes the 4th skipper in franchise history.

2007

  • May 19, 2007: Flyers’ shortstop Eric Riggs gets signed by the Florida Marlins just two games into the season. Riggs is sent to the Marlins’ AA club the Carolina Mudcats (Southern League).
  • June 22, 2007: The Flyers set a team record stealing 9 bases in front of a then season high 7,281 fans celebrating Bearon’s  9th birthday.
  • July 10, 2007: Three players and the Manager represent the Schaumburg Flyers in the 2007 Northern League all-star game at Newman Outdoor Filed in Fargo, North Dakota. Second baseman Demetrius Heath, left fielder Christian Snavely, pitcher Billy Keppinger, and manager Steve Maddock showed off their skills during the three-day All-Star Break.
  • July 14, 2007: A franchise record 8,459 fans pack Alexian Field to watch the Flyers take on Kansas City and for the best firework show in the Chicago area.
  • July 30, 2007: Flyers’ right-hander Nat Harris was named the Northern League Pitcher of the Week (July 23rd -29th) after making two starts and earning two wins in one week while maintaining a .66 ERA in thirteen and two-thirds innings pitched.
  • August 8, 2007: Flyers’ pitcher Brandon Villafurte is signed by the Florida Marlins. Villafurte is sent to the Marlins’ AA club the Carolina Mudcats (Southern League).

2008

  • April 28, 2008: Former Flyers pitcher Alberto Castillo makes his major-league debut with the Baltimore Orioles in a game against the Chicago White Sox. Not only does Castillo retire the only man he faces in the contest, he also earns hit first big-league win as well.
  • May 31, 2008: Former Flyers pitcher Brad Ziegler makes his major-league debut with the Oakland Athletics, throwing one-third of an inning of scoreless baseball against the Texas Rangers.
  • June 17, 2008: In a road game against the Kansas City T-Bones, Flyers starter Brad Mumma throws his first professional complete-game shutout. Mumma allows only five hits and one walk en route to a 5-0 victory.
  • June 23, 2008: Brad Mumma is named Northern League pitcher of the week for the week ending June 22nd. In two starts during that week, Mumma earned a 2-0 record with a 1.59 ERA in 17 innings pitched, and held opponents to a batting average of .210 while striking out 10.
  • July 7, 2008: Former Flyers pitcher R.J. Swindle makes his major-league debut for the Philadelphia Phillies in a game against the New York Mets.
  • July 8, 2008: Six players represent the Schaumburg Flyers at the Northern League All-Star Game, played at Canwest Park in Winnipeg, MB. Peanut Williams, Vince Harrison, Brad Mumma, Rontrez Johnson, David Byard, and Mark Haske all play on the victorious "Chicagoland" roster. Jermaine Allensworth is initially selected to represent Schaumburg but could not play in the game, so Haske plays in his place.
  • July 23, 2008: Flyers mascot Bearon and 8,636 of his closest friends celebrated Bearon's 10th birthday at Alexian Field. The attendance for the game between the Flyers and the Joliet JackHammers that day set a new franchise record.
  • July 27, 2008: In a 6-5 win over the Texas Rangers, former Flyers pitcher Brad Ziegler sets a new major league record for consecutive scoreless innings to start a career. Ziegler's 27 innings pitched without allowing a run eclipses the old mark of 25, set by Phillies reliever George McQuillan in 1907.
  • August 14, 2008: Brad Ziegler's scoreless innings streak ends in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The former Flyer's tally of 39.1 scoreless innings in a row to start a major-league career sets an all-time record.
  • August 25, 2008: Calvin Pickering is named Northern League Player of the Week for the week ending August 24th. In seven games that week, Pickering hit .480, blasting four home runs and driving in 11 Flyer runs.

2009

  • February 18, 2009: Flyers hold Grand Reopening of The Schaumburg Club to a record off-season crowd of over 300 fans. Mayor Larson was on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony and local band 7th Heaven entertained fans and community partners until late in the evening.
  • May 21, 2009: Flyers prepare to unveil their new logo, accompanied by a new black jersey to be worn for all Friday night home games. Along with this new look, the Flyers teamed up with Rainbow Play Systems and Finish Stong Sports Academy to expand their Kidz Zone, located along the left field line.
  • May 22, 2009: Flyers starter Dustin Glant goes the distance, allowing just two runs en route to a 6-2 Flyers home-opener victory over the JackHammers in front of 5,288 fans.
  • May 24, 2009: Glant earns season’s first Northern League Pitcher of the Week honor, going 2-0 with a sparkling 1.13 ERA in his first two starts of the campaign.
  • May 25, 2009: Flyers turn second triple play in franchise history. With runners on first and second and in motion, Joliet’s Wally Backman Jr. lined out to 2B Jose Valdez. Valdez threw to first for the second out, and 1B Jason Colson completed the play by firing to SS Travis Brown behind the lead runner at second. 
  • June 6, 2009: Richard Mercado blasts season’s first walk-off homer at Alexian to top Kansas City 7-5, extending the Flyers win-streak to a season-best eight games.
  • June 7, 2009: Flyers players sweep Northern League weekly awards, with Jeff Dunbar taking NL Player of the Week and Craig James earning NL Pitcher of the Week.
  • June 28, 2009: 43 year-old former big-leaguer and Flyers DH Felix Jose improves OBP to season-high .457, a .050 lead over the Northern League’s second best. 
  • June 30, 2009: A Northern League-best nine Flyers are named to the Great Lakes All-Star roster. Honorees are DH Felix Jose, 3B Vince Harrison, OF Jeff Dunbar, 2B Jose Valdez, OF Victor Ferrante, and pitchers Dustin Glant, Cephas Howard, Ed Almonte, and Craig James.
  • July 16, 2009: Hundreds storm the infield at Alexian for the first Richard Allen Jewelers Diamond Dig. Participants are given Popsicle sticks to dig the infield dirt in search of a $1,500 diamond gold ring, which becomes the property of the lucky finder, no strings attached.
  • July 27, 2009: An Alexian Field record crowd of 8,918 witnesses the much-anticipated Battle of the Sexes, as the National Pro Fast-Pitch Softball’s Chicago Bandits defeats the Flyers 4-2 in a game governed by official softball rules.
  • July 30, 2009: Mayor proclaims Rotary Night. Rotarians and their guests account for 5,000 of the 5,596 people at the game.
  • August 8, 2009: Flyers ride Dustin Glant to 7-2 win over Winnipeg, sealing their first series win at CanWest Park since 2006 and notching back-to-back victories for the first time in nearly a month.
  • August 25, 2009: Flyers RF Victor Ferrante named Northern League Player of the Week, leading the league during the seven-day stretch in total bases (23), RBI (9) and slugging percentage (.920),  while batting .440 (11-for-25) with seven runs scored, four doubles, a triple, and two home runs in the week.
  • August 31, 2009: Flyers lead the Northern league in win increase from 2008 to 2009 as well as highest attendance increase from 2008 to 2009.
  • September 16, 2009: Cephas Howard named Northern League Rookie Pitcher of the Year, and shortstop Travis Brown named Northern League Defensive Player of the Year  for the 2009 campaign.
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