Lancaster Stormers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lancaster Stormers |
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| Information | |||||
| League | Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (North Division) | ||||
| Location | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | ||||
| Ballpark | Penn Medicine Park | ||||
| Year founded | 2003 | ||||
| League championships | (4) 2006, 2014, 2022, 2023 | ||||
| Division championships | (5) 2006, 2012, 2014, 2022, 2023 | ||||
| Former name(s) |
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| Colors | Red, black, gold, white |
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| Mascot | Cylo | ||||
| Retired numbers | 42 | ||||
| Ownership | Lancaster Baseball, LLC | ||||
| Manager | Ross Peeples | ||||
| Media | LNP | ||||
The Lancaster Stormers are a professional baseball team from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They used to be called the Lancaster Barnstormers. The team plays in the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. This league is a special "partner league" of Major League Baseball. The Stormers play their home games at Penn Medicine Park, a stadium built in 2005.
Contents
History of Baseball in Lancaster
Early Baseball Teams in Lancaster
Baseball first came to Lancaster County in the 1860s. Soldiers returning from the Civil War brought the game home. The first professional teams in Lancaster were the Lancaster Lancasters and the Lancaster Ironsides. Both teams started playing in 1884. The Lancasters joined the Eastern League in 1885, becoming rivals with the Ironsides. They competed fiercely for fans and money. In 1884, the Ironsides beat the Lancasters in a close seven-game series. Only the Lancasters continued playing the next season.
Later, other teams played in Lancaster. The Lancaster Chicks played in 1894 and 1895. An all-African-American team called the Lancaster Giants played in 1887. Many people in Lancaster supported the Giants. They even played exhibition games against the Philadelphia Giants.
Between 1896 and 1899, a team called the Lancaster Maroons played in the first Atlantic League. A second Maroons team played in 1905. In 1906, the Maroons changed their name to the Lancaster Red Roses. This name change made their rivals, the White Roses from York, very upset. Both names came from England's historic Wars of the Roses.
The Barnstormers Era
In 2003, the Atlantic League announced a new team for Lancaster. In 2004, the team signed Tom Herr as their first manager. Herr was a famous baseball player from Lancaster. The team, named the Barnstormers, started playing in 2005 at the new Penn Medicine Park.
Their first game was on May 11, 2005, which they lost 4–3 to the Atlantic City Surf. They finished their first season with 64 wins and 76 losses. In 2006, their second season, the Barnstormers had a great year. They won both halves of the season, earning a spot in the playoffs. They beat Atlantic City and then swept the Bridgeport Bluefish to win their first Atlantic League championship! This was Lancaster's first professional baseball championship since 1955.
The Barnstormers also reached the Atlantic League Championship Series in 2012. They set a league record with 88 wins that year. However, they lost to the Long Island Ducks in Game 5. They won more championships in 2014, 2022, and 2023.
Tom Herr managed the team for several years. Other famous coaches included Von Hayes and Rick Wise. The team was first owned by Opening Day Partners. In 2014, a new group called Lancaster Baseball, LLC, took over ownership.
Team Branding and Identity
From Barnstormers to Stormers
The team's first name, the Barnstormers, was chosen by fans. It came from the idea of "barnstorming" teams. These teams traveled around, playing exhibition games. This term was used for Lancaster baseball teams as early as 1906. The original team colors were red, navy blue, and khaki. These colors were also used by the old Lancaster Red Roses team. The name and logo also honored Lancaster's farming history.
After winning their second championship in a row in 2023, the team announced a big change. On February 15, 2024, they revealed a new name and new logos. The team is now known as the Lancaster Stormers.
New Logos and Uniforms
The main colors for the Stormers are red, black, gold, and white. These colors are similar to those used by the historic Red Roses team. The main logo shows the word "Stormers" in red with a white outline on a black background. The letters are in a special font inspired by Pennsylvania Dutch art. Below the name is a bull's head in red, black, and gold, with a lightning bolt across its forehead.
Other logos include a bull charging through a barn. There is also a round black logo with "Lancaster Stormers" in gold letters. Inside this round logo, you can see a baseball field with a red barn. The barn has two white "X" marks, which stand for the team's twentieth season. A rooster weathervane on top of the barn is being struck by lightning.
The Stormers' home cap is red with a white "L" that has black and gold outlines. The home jerseys are white with red trim and the "Stormers" name across the front. The away jerseys are gray with red trim and the "Lancaster" name. All uniforms include red belts, socks, and undershirts.
Team Success and Championships
The Lancaster Stormers have had many successful seasons. They have won the Atlantic League Championship four times: in 2006, 2014, 2022, and 2023. They have also won their division five times. Their overall record from 2005 to 2023 shows more wins than losses.
Team Culture and Rivalries
The War of the Roses Rivalry
The Stormers have a special rivalry with the York Revolution team. This rivalry is called the "War of the Roses." It's named after the historic conflict in England between the House of Lancaster (Red Rose) and the House of York (White Rose). This rivalry adds extra excitement to games between the two teams.
Mascot
The Lancaster Stormers' mascot is a red cow named Cylo. He wears the team's home jersey, striped socks, and cool sneakers. Cylo first appeared on March 4, 2005. His full name is Cyloicious L. Barnstormer. This name is a nod to famous baseball pitcher Cy Young and to silos, which are tall towers used on farms. Cylo's name also reminds us of Lancaster County's farming history.
Retired Numbers
The Stormers have retired one number:
- 42 (Jackie Robinson): This number was retired across all professional baseball on April 15, 1997. It honors Jackie Robinson, a very important player who broke barriers in baseball.
Images for kids
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The Lancaster Stormers team logo.
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The Lancaster Stormers cap logo.
See also
In Spanish: Lancaster Barnstormers para niños
