Tombstone
Born: September 18, 1979 – Affiliation change from Cedar Rapids Giants
Re-Branded: November 13, 1992 (Cedar Rapids Kernels)1Koolbeck, Mike. “A nickname with ‘pop'”. The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA). November 14, 1992
First Game: April 12, 1980 (W 13-6 vs. Burlington Bees)
Last Game: September 14, 1992 (W 5-0 vs. Beloit Brewers)
Midwest League Champions: 1988 & 1992
Stadium
Veterans Memorial Stadium (6,000)21988 Cedar Rapids Reds Program
Dimensions (1990): Left: 325′, Center: 385′, Right: 324′31990 Rockford Expos Program
Ownership & Affiliation
Owner: Cedar Rapids Baseball Club
Major League Affiliation: Cincinnati Reds
Attendance
Background
The Cedar Rapids Reds were a long-time farm club of the Cincinnati Reds in the Class A Midwest League. Cincinnati replaced the San Francisco Giants as Cedar Rapids’ Major League parent club shortly after the 1979 season.
On To Cincinnati
A handful of future stars spent time at Cedar Rapids’ Veterans Memorial Stadium on their way up the ladder to the Major Leaguers. Some of the most notable include:
- Outfielder Eric Davis (Cedar Rapids ’82)
- Outfielder Paul O’Neill (Cedar Rapids ’82)
- Outfielder Kal Daniels (Cedar Rapids ’83)
- Third baseman Chris Sabo (Cedar Rapids ’83)
- Shortstop Kurt Stillwell (Cedar Rapids ’84)
- Relief pitcher Rob Dibble (Cedar Rapids ’85)
- Outfielder Reggie Sanders (Cedar Rapids ’90)
- Relief pitcher Trevor Hoffman (Cedar Rapids ’91)
Eric Davis, Paul O’Neill, Chris Sabo and Rob Dibble were all key contributors to Cincinnati’s 1990 World Series championship team.
Trevor Hoffman was enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a member of the 2018 induction class. Notably, Hoffman never played for Cincinnati. The Reds exposed him in the 1992 Major League Baseball expansion draft and Hoffman debuted with the expansion Florida Marlins in April of 1993. He was the last player to have played for the Cedar Rapids Reds to play in the Major Leagues when he recorded his final out in 2010.
Reds To Kernels
Following the 1992 season, during which Cedar Rapids won its second Midwest League title of the Reds’ era, Cincinnati departed as the club’s parent organization. The California Angels took over as Cedar Rapids’ Major League sponsor.
During this transition, the team embarked on a re-branding process. Local fans submitted more than 650 names which were ultimately whittled down to five finalists. The Kernels won out over the Dream, the Tornadoes, the Twisters and the Thunderbolts. The Kernels’ new colors would be blue, red and silver, a requirement dictated by the California Angels organization.44Koolbeck, Mike. “A nickname with ‘pop'”. The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA). November 14, 1992[/mfn]
The Kernels remain active today as a farm team of the Minnesota Twins. The club now competes in the High-A Central League, which succeeded the Midwest League in 2021 as part of Major League Baseball’s re-organization of the minors.
Cedar Rapids Reds Shop
Links
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One Response
I like this site for info about this Cedar Rapids Baseball team. Watched my first CR game in the early 80’s after I moved to Iowa City in 1978.Saw the Kernals on Aug. 16 as part of the Knights of Columbus. was the first time I saw them since Covid. Even though the Kernals lost, still a fun time for the group! Remember when the ball team played with the Reds, and then the Angels. I think the current Twins are a good fit for this team. Best wishes !!