Midwest League (baseball) - Battle Creek Yankees

Michigan Battle Cats Change Name to Battle Creek Yankees

BATTLE CREEK, MI--After eight seasons, the Michigan Battle Cats are no more. The Midwest League baseball franchise has a new name, the Battle Creek Yankees. The name change comes after the single-A team switched affiliations from the Houston Astros to the New York Yankees after the 2002 season.

The Battle Cats had been affiliated with the Boston Red Sox for four years (1999-2002) and the Astros (1995-98) before recently signing a two-year Player Development Contract with the Yankees.

”The Yankees are a great organization with a great name,” said Battle Creek Yankees President Sam Bernabe. We’re excited about our new affiliation, and we’re excited about our new name. It’s going to be a great year for the big Yankees and the little Yankees.”

It is actually the third name for the team in the franchise’s short history. On November 28, 1994, the team unveiled its name for the inaugural season, the Battle Creek Golden Kazoos. But because of fan uproar and a trademark dispute, the Battle Creek Golden Kazoos lasted just 102 days. The Michigan Battle Cats name debuted March 9, 1995, and the team played its first game a month later.

The 2003 season also marks the debut of the Yankees in the Midwest League, more or less. In 1949, the Yankees were the parent team of the Belleville (Ill.) Stags of the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League, which the Midwest League claims as one of its predecessors. It was the last season for the Stags and professional baseball in Belleville. In 1957, the Yankees were the parent team of the Peoria Chiefs of the Three-I League. It was the last season for professional baseball in Peoria until the Chiefs joined the Midwest League in 1983.

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