Tombstone
Born: 1989 – Re-branded from Wichita Pilots
Moved: 2007 (Northwest Arkansas Naturals)
First Game: April 7, 1989 (L 3-2 @ El Paso Diablos)
Last Game: September 3, 2007 (L 2-1 @ Tulsa Drillers)
Texas League Champions: 1992 & 1999
Stadium
Lawrence-Dumont Stadium (6,111)11998 Jackson Generals Program
Opened: 1934
Demolished: 2018
Dimensions (1993): Left: 345′, Center: 404′, Right: 312′21993 Jackson Generals Program
Ownership & Affiliation
Owners: Bob Rich Jr. & Mindy Rich
Major League Affiliations:
- 1989-1994: San Diego Padres
- 1995-2007: Kansas City Royals
Background
The Wichita Wranglers were the longest-tenured of several franchises that kept affiliated minor league baseball at Lawrence Dumont Stadium for nearly four decades between 1970 and 2007. The Wranglers followed the Wichita Aeros (1970-1984) and the Wichita Pilots (1987-1988). The club served as a farm team for the San Diego Padres from 1989 until 1994 and for the Kansas City Royals from 1995 until its demise at the end of the 2007 season.
Key players to pass through Wichita during the Wranglers era included:
- Andy Benes (’89)
- Johnny Damon (’95)
- Carlos Beltran (’98)
- Alex Gordon (’06)
- Zach Greinke (’06)
Move To Arkansas & Aftermath
After years of declining attendance, long-time owners Bob & Mindy Rich moved the club to Springdale, Arkansas after the 2007 season. The franchise is now known as the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
The Texas League returned to Wichita in 2021 with the opening of the city’s new $75 million Riverfront Stadium and the complicated arrival of the Wichita Wind Surge. The Wind Surge were actually a transplanted Class AAA club formerly known as the New Orleans Baby Cakes, set to begin play in 2020 as the top farm club of the Miam Marlins. However, the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 Minor League Baseball season and killed Wind Surge owner Lou Schwechheimer that summer. Over the winter that followed, Major League Baseball radically re-organized the Minor League system. As part of those maneuvers, the Wind Surge were demoted from Class AAA to Class AA without ever having played a Triple-A game in Wichita. The Wind Surge are now members of the Texas League, as the Pilots and Wranglers were before them.
Wichita Wranglers Video
2007 KNWA (Arkansas) news feature on the impending move of the Wranglers to Springdale, Arkansas.
Downloads
April 1992 Wranglers vs. El Paso Diablos Game Notes
April 1992 Wichita Wranglers vs El Paso Diablos Game Notes
Links
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One Response
Hadn’t thought of the Wichita wranglers in a while. Not until I found my little blue baseball bat from the 1999 wranglers. It’s so cute and I call it my equalizer. Lol I’m almost 72 years old and was born in Wichita. I know a lot of people really miss having them here. Thanks for the years you gave us. God Bless.