Tombstone
Born: 1993 – Northern League founding franchise
Moved: September 4, 2002 (Kansas City T-Bones)1Northern League’s Dukes leave Duluth for Kansas City”. The Times (St. Cloud, MN). September 5, 2002
First Game: June 15, 1993 (L 7-4 vs. St. Paul Saints)
Last Game: September 2, 2002 (W 7-2 vs. Gary SouthShore Railcats)
Northern League Champions: 1997
Stadium
Wade Stadium
Opened: 1941
Marketing
Radio (2001): WDSM (710 AM)
Broadcasters: Brian Prudhomme & Jeff Papas
Ownership & Affiliation
Owners:
- 1993: Bruce Engel
- 1994: Ted Cushmore
- 1995-1999: Jim Wadley
- 2000: Harry Stavrenos
- 2001-2002: John Ehlert
Major League Affiliation: Independent
Attendance
Tap (mobile) or mouse over chart for figures. Tilting your mobile device may offer better viewing.
Source: 2008 Northern League Media Guide & Record Book
Background
This long-running indy ball club lasted for ten seasons but never had a winning record. Nevertheless, the Duluth-Superior Dukes won one Northern League crown in 1997 and played for another in 2000.
The Dukes were a brand revival of the original D-S Dukes, who played from 1960 to 1970 as a Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox farm club. Like the Dukes of the 1960’s, the modern day Dukes made their home at historic Wade Stadium, a Depression era Works Progress Administration ballpark erected in 1940-1941.
Notable players included former Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Randy Tomlin (1997), female pitcher Ila Borders (1997-1998) and Jose Canseco’s twin brother Ozzie Canseco (1998).
Move To Kansas City & Aftermath
After years of poor attendance to match their losing records, owner John Ehlert moved the club in September 2002 to take advantage of a new minor league ballpark on offer in Kansas City. The team changed its name to the Kansas City T-Bones and played under that name through 2019.
Meanwhile, the Northern League went out of business in 2010 and T-Bones joined the rival American Association. When the former Dukes/T-Bones franchise returned to the field in 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic, it had changed its name to the Kansas City Monarchs, in tribute to the city’s former Negro League franchise of the same name.
Trivia
The Duluth-Superior Dukes lost their debut game in spectacular fashion on June 15th, 1993. Playing at home before 4,528 at Wade Stadium, the Dukes and the St. Paul Saints went into extra frames tied at 3-3. Dukes reliever Wayne Rosenthal served up a fastball to former Chicago Cubs All-Star Leon Durham who smashed a grand slam to spark St. Paul to a 7-4 opening day victory.
Duluth-Superior Dukes Shop
Links
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