Pensacola Pelicans

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Pensacola Pelicans
Pensacola Pelicans logo
Founded 2001
League Southeastern League (2001-2004)
Central Baseball League (2004-2005)
American Association (2006-present)
Ballpark Jim Spooner Field at Pelican Park
Team Colors teal, navy blue
Owner Quint and Rishy Studer
Manager Talmadge Nunnari
Championships 1 (2002)
Division Titles 1 (2009)
Mascot Scoop

The Pensacola Pelicans are a local minor league baseball team playing in the American Association. The team plays its home games at Jim Spooner Field at Pelican Park. The Pelicans are scheduled to move to Community Maritime Park in 2009, but the lack of construction shows that the only change in stadiums Pensacola will receive is the name change from Pelican Park to Jim Spooner Field at Pelican Park.

The Pensacola Pelicans were incorporated in 2001, when the Southeastern League decided to place a team in the Pensacola area. Area businessmen Quint and Rishy Studer bought the team from the league midway through the 2002 season. The 2002 season was very successful for the Pelicans; they finished with the best record in the league and won the championship in an extra-innings victory against the Montgomery Wings. The 2003 season was also successful, with the Pelicans once again claiming the league's best record, but losing to the Baton Rouge Riverbats in the championship series.

Before the 2004 season, the Orlando Rays of the Southern League moved to Montgomery, Alabama, the location of a key Southeastern League franchise. Unable to compete with an affiliated baseball club in one of its key cities, the Southeastern League folded, and the Pelicans were left without a league in which to play.

In order to join the Central Baseball League for the 2004 season, Pelicans owner Quint Studer purchased the rights to the Springfield Ozark Mountain Ducks franchise, and the Pelicans took that team's spot in the league.

The Pelicans joined the American Association after the 2005 season.

Pelican Park was renamed Jim Spooner Field at Pelican Park on the final day of the 2008 season, between doubleheaders.

The 2009 season saw the Pelicans capture the Southern Division title, only to fall to the Lincoln Saltdogs in the final game of the championship series. The team set a league high record for stolen bases with 161 on the season, and finished with an overall record of 53-43.

Schedules and scores

Current roster

External links

References