Editing Chico Heat (section)

==History==
===The original Chico Heat (1997–2002)===
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Chico Heat cap.jpg|150px|right|thumb|Original Chico Heat cap]] -->
The team started as a professional independent baseball team operating in [[Chico, California]], in the [[Western Baseball League]].  They had no operating agreement with any [[Major League Baseball]] team.  They were founded on July 29, 1996, by Chico Heat Professional Baseball LLC, with former supermarket entrepreneur Steve Nettleton and his wife Kathy serving as principal owners.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20020603162719/http://www.chicoheat.com/history.asp Chico HEAT: A Brief History], Official website archives</ref>  General managers included Bob Linscheid (who would go on to become president of the WBL) and Jeff Kragel (now at [[Chico State University]]) and their mascot was the "Heater The Dragon" (not to be confused with the [[Bakersfield Blaze]] or [[Dayton Dragons]] mascots of the same name).  The team began operations in 1997.  The team immediately won the league championship in their inaugural season and, although they did not win a championship in the four subsequent years, they won the most regular season games in each of the following seasons.  They appeared in the championship series in five out of their six seasons in the league.  In 2002, Chico won its second league championship in the league's and the team's final season.  After leaving the financially troubled league and after efforts to join [[Minor League Baseball]]'s [[Class A-Advanced]] [[California League]] by trying to lure the [[Visalia Oaks]] to Chico failed, the Heat ceased operations effective immediately. <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20030123234614/http://www.chicoheat.com/ Chico Heat Official Website] Archive at Wayback Machine</ref>

The team played at [[Nettleton Stadium]], which is located on the campus of [[California State University, Chico]].  They were preceded by the [[Oroville Red Sox|Oroville]]/[[Chico Red Sox]] of the minor league's Class-C [[Far West League (1948–1951)|Far West League]] from 1948 to 1949 and were succeeded by the [[Chico Outlaws]] of the independent [[Golden Baseball League]], taking their place in 2005.  The Heat has been the most successful professional baseball franchise in the city's history.

On August 11, 2007, former Heat majority owner Steve Nettleton and former Heat players were honored as part of a celebration called "Remember The Heat Night" hosted by the Chico Outlaws as they faced the [[St. George RoadRunners]].  The original Heat mascot "Heater" even made an appearance.  The Outlaws won the ball game in front of over 3,500 fans at Nettleton Stadium.

===The Chico Heat of the GWL (2014–2018)===

On November 25, 2014, the  franchise announced its return to the field in the summer of 2016, but this time as a member of the summer collegiate wood bat league known as the [[Great West League]].  Steve Nettleton will return as a principal owner along with former [[Major League Baseball]] executive and Chico native [[Pat Gillick]].<ref>[http://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/baseball-returning-to-chico Baseball returning to Chico] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141128034915/http://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/baseball-returning-to-chico/ |date=2014-11-28 }}, News Staff, ''Action News Now'' website, November 25, 2014</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20141126063647/http://www.greatwestleague.pointstreaksites.com/view/greatwestleague/news-1647/news_237758 BASEBALL RETURNS TO CHICO WITH GWL FRANCHISE], Great West League website, November 25, 2014</ref>  The Heat's beloved mascot "Heater The Dragon" returned to the team after a 20-year absence.  They began play on the road in a loss to the rival [[Marysville Gold Sox]].  The Heat defeated the [[Medford Rogues (Great West League)|Medford Rogues]] 2 games to 1 to capture the inaugural GWL Championship.  It is the second time in franchise history that they won a championship in their first season.

On July 24, the Heat hosted the second annual GWL All-Star Game.  This year, the entire Heat team faced the best of the Great West League, a departure from the normal format.  The home run derby will also take place the same day.  <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170710144651/http://chicoheat.com/ CHICO HEAT TO HOST THE ALL-STAR GAME], Chico Heat website</ref>  The Heat faced the Rogues for the second straight season in the GWL Championship, this time falling to their rivals 2 games to 0.  In 2018, the Heat would return to the GWL Championship, this time against the [[Lincoln Potters]].  They downed the Potters 2 games to 0 to win their second and final championship.

On October 4, 2018, the Heat GWL team announced that they were suspending operations as a result of the Great West League itself suspending operations. <ref>[http://chicoheat.com/media/press-releases/?article_id=185 HEAT TO SUSPEND OPERATIONS], Chico Heat website, October 4, 2018</ref>

===Year-by-year record===
====Western Baseball League====
{| class="wikitable"
|- 
! Year !! League !! Affiliation !! Record !! Finish !! Manager !! Playoffs
|- align=center
| 1997 || [[Western Baseball League]] || none || 45–45 || 2nd South Division || [[Bill Plummer]] || defeated [[Reno Chukars|Reno]] 3–1 in championship
|- align=center
| 1998 || [[Western Baseball League]] || none || 63–26 || 1st South Division || [[Bill Plummer]] || lost to [[Sonoma County Crushers|Sonoma County]] 0–3 in semifinals
|- align=center
| 1999 || [[Western Baseball League]] || none || 63–27 || 1st overall  || [[Bill Plummer]] || lost to [[Tri-City Posse|Tri-City]] 0–3 in championship
|- align=center
| 2000 || [[Western Baseball League]] || none || 57–33 || 1st North Division || [[Charlie Kerfeld]] || lost to [[Zion Pioneerzz|Zion]] in championship
|- align=center
| 2001 || [[Western Baseball League]] || none || 56–34 || 1st North Division || [[Charlie Kerfeld]] || lost to [[Long Beach Breakers|Long Beach]] in championship
|- align=center
| 2002 || [[Western Baseball League]] || none || 55–35 || 1st North Division || [[Charlie Kerfeld]] || defeated [[Long Beach Breakers|Long Beach]] in championship
|}

====Great West League====
{| class="wikitable"
|- 
! Year !! League !! Affiliation !! Record !! Finish !! Manager !! Playoffs
|- align=center
| 2016 || [[Great West League]] || none || 34–23 || 2nd || Fred Ludwig || defeated [[Medford Rogues (Great West League)|Medford]] 2–1 in championship series
|- align=center
| 2017 || [[Great West League]] || none || 38–22 || 2nd || Fred Ludwig || lost to [[Medford Rogues (Great West League)|Medford]] 2–0 in championship series
|- align=center
| 2018 || [[Great West League]] || none || 43-14 || 1st || Fred Ludwig || defeated [[Lincoln Potters]] 2–0 in championship series
|}