Sioux Falls Canaries (1902–1953)
| Sioux Falls Canaries (1902–1953) | |
|---|---|
| |
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Class D (1902–1903, 1920–1924, 1938–1941) Class C (1942, 1946–1953) Class A (1966–1971) |
| League | Iowa–South Dakota League (1902–1903) South Dakota League (1920–1923) Tri-State League (1924) Nebraska State League (1933–1938) Western League (1939–1941) Northern League (1942, 1946–1953, 1966–1971) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Team | Chicago Cubs (1939, 1947–1953) Cincinnati Reds (1966–1971) |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (7) |
|
| Conference titles (2) |
|
| Division titles (1) | 1940 |
| Wild card berths (4) |
|
| Team data | |
| Name | Sioux Falls Canaries (1902–1903) Sioux Falls Soos (1920–1923) Sioux Falls Canaries (1924, 1933–1942, 1946–1953) Sioux Falls Packers (1966–1971) |
| Ballpark | The Oval (1902–1903) Nelson Field (1920–1924, 1938–1940) Sioux Falls Stadium (1941–1942, 1946–1953, 1966–1971) |
The Sioux Falls Canaries were a minor league baseball team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States, playing in six different leagues between 1902 and 1953.
In the era, the Sioux Falls Canaries played in Class D level leagues through 1941. Sioux Falls first played as members of the 1902 and 1903 Iowa–South Dakota League. After a period of time without a team, Sioux Falls resumed play in the South Dakota League from 1920 to 1923 and the short-lived Tri State League in 1924. The Canaries joined Nebraska State League in 1933 playing in the league through the 1938 season before competing in the Western League from 1939 to 1941. The Canaries then joined the Class C level Northern League in 1942 and resumed play in the league from 1946 to 1953 following World War II.
The Sioux Falls minor league team was known as the Soos while playing in the South Dakota League from 1920 to 1923. The Sioux Falls Packers played in the amateur collegiate Basin League in 1964 and 1965 before rejoining the professional Northern League in 1966. The Packers won the 1964 league championship. Sioux Falls resumed play in the reformed 1966 Class A level Northern League known as the Packers. The Packers ended their tenure when the Northern League folded following the 1971 season.
The Sioux Falls minor league teams won league championships in the 1902, 1923, 1924, 1937, 1940, 1947 and 1950 seasons, also capturing regular season pennants in 1935 and 1936.
The Sioux Falls Canaries played as a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs in 1939 and from 1947 to 1953. Resuming Northern League play, the Sioux Falls Packers were a Cincinnati Reds affiliate from 1966 to 1971. Several members of the 1975 and 1976 World Series champion Cincinnati Reds teams played for Sioux Falls.
In their first seasons of play, the 1902 and 1903 Sioux Falls Canaries hosted minor home games at a ballpark called The Oval. Sioux City teams next played home games at Nelson Field from 1920 through 1940, before moving to Sioux Falls Stadium. The Sioux Falls Stadium site has hosted the minor league teams since the 1941 season, with numerous ballpark renovations. Today, Sioux Falls Stadium hosts the Sioux Falls Canaries of the American Association of Professional Baseball league. The modern Canaries were formed in 1993, playing at the ballpark as members of the Northern League.
At 19 years of age, Baseball Hall of Fame member Don Sutton pitched for the 1964 Packers in the Basin League while still a collegiate player. In 1941, Hall of famer Dizzy Dean pitched in one home game for the Canaries at the conclusion of his pitching career due to injury.