Editing Kalamazoo Kings

{{Short description|Defunct professional baseball team in Kalamazoo, Michigan}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball team
|name             = Kalamazoo Kings
|founded          = [[2001 in baseball|2001]]
|folded           = [[2011 in baseball|2011]]
|city             = [[Kalamazoo, Michigan]]
|ballpark         = Homer Stryker Field
|logo             = KalamazooKings.png
|cap_logo         = KZO Kings.PNG
|league           = [[Frontier League]]
|division         = East
|former_leagues   = 
|nicknames        = 
|uniform          = 
|retired_numbers  = 
|colors           = Red, Black, White<br />{{color box|#8B0000}} {{color box|black}} {{color box|white}}
|former_ballparks = 
|league_champs    = 1 (2005)
|division_champs  = 3 (2005, 2008, 2009)
|owner            = Bill Wright (Majority Owner)
|gm               = 
|manager          = 
|media            = Kalamazoo Gazette
|website          = 
}}

The '''Kalamazoo Kings''' were a professional [[baseball]] team based in [[Kalamazoo, Michigan]], in the United States between 2001-2010.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79516923/the-herald-palladium/|title=Clipped From The Herald-Palladium|newspaper=The Herald-Palladium|date=July 22, 2001|pages=102|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/t-kk12292|title=Kalamazoo Kings minor league baseball Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref> The Kings were a member of the independent [[Frontier League]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79516752/battle-creek-enquirer/|title=Clipped From Battle Creek Enquirer|newspaper=Battle Creek Enquirer|date=July 27, 2002|pages=11|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79516855/battle-creek-enquirer/|title=Clipped From Battle Creek Enquirer|newspaper=Battle Creek Enquirer|date=July 27, 2002|pages=14|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> The Kings played their home games at [[Homer Stryker Field]].  A previous Frontier League team named the [[Kalamazoo Kodiaks]] had existed in Kalamazoo from 1996-1998, playing in the same stadium, before relocating to [[London, Ontario]] and being renamed the [[London Werewolves]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://frontierleague.com/league-history/|title=League History – Frontier League|access-date=2021-06-13|archive-date=2021-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610231805/https://frontierleague.com/league-history/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Team history ==

In their second Frontier League season, Kalamazoo hosted the 2002 Frontier League All-Star game on July 10.  The night before, the [[Major League Baseball]] [[2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] game ended in a controversial 7-7 tie after 11 innings. The Frontier League owners in attendance determined that their league All-Star Game should never end in a tie and designed a Home Run Derby to be the tie breaker. The game did end in a tie and the Home Run Derby took place.  Brody Jackson of the [[River City Rascals]] hit the eventual game winner for the West Division. The Derby drew national attention for the League immediately, with a 30-minute segment on [[Fox Sports Radio]]’s national broadcast and continuing to have the television footage shown the following afternoon on [[ESPN]]’s [[SportsCenter]]. Frontier League Commissioner Bill Lee did 12 radio interviews on stations throughout the country and interviews with several newspapers including The [[New York Times]] and [[Washington Post]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://frontierleague.com/league-history/|title=League History – Frontier League|access-date=2021-06-13|archive-date=2021-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610231805/https://frontierleague.com/league-history/|url-status=dead}}</ref> A derby has settled a tie in four Frontier League All-Star games - 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://frontierleague.com/hall-of-fame/|title=Hall of Fame – Frontier League|access-date=2021-06-14|archive-date=2021-04-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421021314/https://frontierleague.com/hall-of-fame/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79517564/st-louis-post-dispatch/|title=Clipped From St. Louis Post-Dispatch|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=July 12, 2002|pages=78|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

[[File:HomerStrykerField.jpg|left|thumb|Kings at Homer Stryker Field, 2007]]

The 2005 Kalamazoo season was the highlight for the franchise as the Kings won the Western division with a 53-43 (.552) record, advancing to the playoffs, defeating the [[Rockford RiverHawks]] 3-1 to advance to their first Frontier League championship series.  Kalamazoo would take the best-of-five series 3-2 against the [[Chillicothe Paints]] to take the title.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79485186/chillicothe-gazette/|title=Clipped From Chillicothe Gazette|newspaper=Chillicothe Gazette|date=September 20, 2005|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79485228/chillicothe-gazette/|title=Clipped From Chillicothe Gazette|newspaper=Chillicothe Gazette|date=September 20, 2005|pages=2|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>  The Kings were managed by former [[Richmond Roosters]] manager Fran Riordan where had won back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.milb.com/press-release/fran-riordan-returns-as-manager-of-the-las-vegas-aviators-for-2023-campaign | title=Fran Riordan Returns as Manager of the Las Vegas Aviators® for 2023 campaign! }}</ref> The 2005 Kings were led by pitcher Josh Beshears (13-3, 3.12 ERA), closer Josh Daws (7-2, 12 saves, 2.82 ERA), 1B Tim Brown (.323 BA, 16 HR, 71 RBI), and Frontier League MVP RF Pete Pirman (.347 BA, 23 HR, 100 RBI).

The Kings returned to the championship series again in 2008, winning the Eastern division with a dominating 60-36 (.625) record, but lost to the [[Windy City Thunderbolts]] 3-0.  John Brownell (11-2, 3.87 ERA), Brandon Parillo (1-3, 20 saves, 2.93 ERA) and Brendan Murphy (.332 BA, 16 HR, 77 RBI) paced the Kings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-kk12292/y-2008|title=2008 Kalamazoo Kings minor league baseball Statistics on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref>

With financial and attendance pressures, the Kings franchise folded operations for the 2011 season.<ref>{{cite web|title=KALAMAZOO TO CEASE OPERATIONS FOR 2011|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/kalamazoo-to-cease-operations-for-2011/n-4177309|website=oursportscentral.com|access-date=January 30, 2018|date=April 4, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ballparkdigest.com/201012203398/independent-baseball/news/whats-up-in-kalamazoo|title=What's up in Kalamazoo?|first=Kevin|last=Reichard|date=December 20, 2010}}</ref>
In 2012, Kalamazoo Baseball, LLC sued Frontier Professional Baseball, Inc. claiming that they purposely interfered with the sale of the Kalamazoo Kings in 2011, in order to remove the Kings franchise from the league. In the suit, Kalamazoo Baseball, LLC requested $25,000 in damages, as well as interest and attorney fees.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Thalmann|first1=Simon|title=Lawsuit by Kalamazoo Kings ownership says Frontier League and commissioner interfered with sale of team|url=http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2012/02/kalamazoo_kings_owner_sues_fro.html|website=mlive.com|access-date=January 30, 2018|date=February 1, 2012}}</ref>

The Kalamazoo Kings are represented in the Frontier League Hall of Fame by OF Pete Pirman, OF Willie Edwards, and manager Fran Riordan.

==Seasons==

{| class="wikitable" style="width:60%;"
|-
! colspan="5" style="text-align:center;"|'''Kalamazoo Kings ([[Frontier League]])'''
|-
! Year !! W-L !! PCT !! Place !! Postseason
|-
|2001||25-59||.298||6th in FL East||
|-
|2002||46-38||.548||3rd in FL East||bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Division Series: Lost vs. [[Washington Wild Things]] 2–0.
|-
|2003||33-56||.371||5th in FL East||
|-
|2004||51-45||.531||3rd in FL East||
|-
|2005||53-43||.552||style="background:#ffebad;"|1st in FL West||bgcolor="#FFCCCC"|Division Series: Defeated the [[Rockford Riverhawks]] 3–1.<br />Championship Series: Defeated the [[Chillicothe Paints]] 3–2.<br />'''Frontier League Champions'''
|-
|2006||47-49||.490||4th in FL East||
|-
|2007||51-45||.531||3rd in FL Central||
|-
|2008||60-36||.625|| style="background:#ffebad;"|1st in FL East||bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Division Series: Defeated the [[Gateway Grizzlies]] 3–1.<br /> Championship Series: Lost vs. [[Windy City Thunderbolts]] 3-0.
|-
|2009||58-38||.604|| style="background:#ffebad;"|1st in FL East||bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Division Series: Lost vs. [[Lake Erie Crushers]] 3-2.
|-
|2010||28-68||.292||6th in FL East||
|-
|||||||||'''3 Division Titles, 4 Playoff Appearances, 1 Championship'''
|}

==In popular culture==
The Kalamazoo Kings were referenced in the comic strip ''[[Gil Thorp]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/kalamazoo-kings-featured-in-gil-thorp/n-3690932|title = Kalamazoo Kings Featured in Gil Thorp|date = 28 July 2008}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.frontierleague.com/ Frontier League]
* [http://www.oursportscentral.com/sports/?t_id=812 Kings page at OurSports Central]

{{Clear}}
{{Frontier League}}

[[Category:Former Frontier League teams]]
[[Category:Defunct baseball teams in Michigan]]
[[Category:Sports in Kalamazoo, Michigan]]
[[Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 2008]]
[[Category:Baseball teams established in 2001]]
[[Category:2001 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Defunct independent baseball league teams]]
[[Category:Defunct Frontier League teams]]
[[Category:2008 disestablishments in Michigan]]