Ottawa Lynx
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| Ottawa Lynx | ||
|
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| League | International League | |
| Division | North Division | |
| Year founded | 1993 | |
| Major League affiliation | Philadelphia Phillies | |
| Home ballpark | Lynx Stadium | |
| Previous home ballparks | ||
| City | Ottawa, Ontario | |
| Current uniform colors | black, red | |
| Previous uniform colors | ||
| Logo design | The wordmark "Lynx" in red outlined in black with the word "Ottawa" centered above. A lynx paw holding a baseball is centered below. | |
| Division titles | ||
| League titles | 1995 | |
| Manager | ||
| Owner | Ray Pecor, Jr. | |
The Ottawa Lynx is a minor league baseball team that competes in the AAA International League. Their home field is Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. From the 2003 to 2006 seasons, the team was the AAA-level minor league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.
In late August 2006, the league approved a sale of the team, which has now made it a Philadelphia Phillies affiliate. The Lynx will continue to play in Ottawa during 2007, but the new owners intend to move the team to Allentown, Pennsylvania for the 2008 season, when they will be known as the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. [1]
Contents |
[edit] History
The Lynx began play in 1993 and won their sole International League championship in 1995. From 1993 to 2002, they were the farm team for the Montreal Expos and featured such future Major League Baseball players as Rondell White, Cliff Floyd, Matt Stairs, Kirk Rueter, and F.P. Santangelo. The Lynx retired two numbers, Santangelo's 24, and Jamey Carroll's 3.
[edit] Ottawa parking controversy
The Lynx filed a lawsuit against the City of Ottawa on October 17, 2006 seeking $10.75 million. The team claimed that the city failed to provide enough parking spaces, which, they allege, was a violation of their lease.
[edit] Move to Allentown
In recent years, the club has had difficulty attracting fans, which was one of several factors in the decision to relocate the team. They are also the only International League franchise based in Canada. The Lynx had hoped to increase attendance when the nearby Montreal Expos major-league team moved to the United States (becoming the Washington Nationals), but these projections did not come true.
On August 28, 2006, the majority of the team was sold to Joseph Finley and Craig Stein. Finley and Stein intend to move the team to Allentown, Pennsylvania for the 2008 season when Allentown's new Lehigh County Ballpark is scheduled to be completed.[2][3][4] Under the league-approved terms of the new ownership, the team will play the 2007 season in Ottawa as the Phillies' AAA team and will then move to Allentown for the 2008 and future seasons as the Phillies' AAA affiliate.
[edit] Titles
The Lynx won the Governors' Cup, the championship of the International League, once in their history, defeating Norfolk to win the League in 1995.
[edit] Alumni
[edit] External links
- Ottawa Lynx Official Web Site.
- Lehigh Valley Baseball AAA Official Web Site.
- "Grand slam dunk: Team sale, groundbreaking date seal baseball deal for Allentown", The Morning Call, August 29, 2006.
- "Lynx sue Ottawa for $10.75M over parking", The Ottawa Citizen, October 18, 2006.
- "It's the...IRONPIGS", The Morning Call, November 12, 2006.
| Philadelphia Phillies Franchise | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| AAA | AA | A | Rookie |
| Ottawa Lynx | Reading Phillies | Clearwater Threshers Lakewood BlueClaws Williamsport Crosscutters | Gulf Coast Phillies |
| International League | ||||
| North Division | South Division | West Division | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bisons | Ottawa Lynx | Pawtucket Red Sox | Rochester Red Wings | Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons | Syracuse SkyChiefs | Charlotte Knights | Durham Bulls | Norfolk Tides | Richmond Braves | Columbus Clippers | Indianapolis Indians | Louisville Bats | Toledo Mud Hens | ||
