Sioux Falls Canaries | |||||
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League | American Association (North Division) | ||||
Location | Sioux Falls, South Dakota | ||||
Ballpark | Sioux Falls Stadium | ||||
Year founded | 1993 | ||||
Nickname(s) | "The Birds" | ||||
League championships | 2008 | ||||
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Colors | Blue, yellow, black, white |
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Retired numbers | 7 (Beau Torbert) | ||||
Ownership | Tom Garrity, Gary Weckwerth | ||||
Manager | Chris Patterson | ||||
General Manager | Duell Higbe | ||||
Media | KWSN 1230 AM, Sioux Falls Argus Leader | ||||
Website | www |
The Sioux Falls Canaries are a professional baseball team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The Canaries are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1993 season, the Canaries have played their home games at Sioux Falls Stadium, commonly known as The Birdcage. In the 2010, 2011, and 2012 seasons, the team was called the Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants.
Professional baseball in Sioux Falls dates back at least to 1902, when the original Canaries joined the Iowa–South Dakota League. That team and its league lasted just two seasons. Another team, known variously as the "Soos" as well as the Canaries, was a member of the Dakota League from 1920–1923, then moved to the short-lived Tri-State League in 1924.
The longest-lived Canaries prior to the current team were founded in 1933 as part of the Nebraska State League. They joined the Western League in 1939, then joined the original Northern League when the Western League folded after the 1941 season. The Canaries played in the Northern League in 1942 and again from 1946–1953.
The city was without a Northern League franchise until 1966. Then the Sioux Falls Packers began play, and spent six seasons in the circuit until the league ceased operations following the 1971 campaign.
A handful of independent baseball pioneers revived the Northern League in 1993. Sioux Falls competed in a six-team league, joining the St. Paul Saints, the Rochester Aces, the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks, the Sioux City Explorers and the Duluth–Superior Dukes.