Sioux Falls Canaries

History

Baseball beginnings in Sioux Falls

Early baseball town teams in Sioux Falls were playing in the 1880s. These early teams were nicknamed as the Hub City Nine and the Yellow Kids.

The first known professional baseball team was founded in Sioux Falls in 1889, with players receiving payment to play. The Sioux Falls baseball uniforms were bright yellow in color. Seeing the uniforms, Guy LaFollette, the sportswriter for the Sioux Fall Press, first suggested the nickname "Canaries" for the team based on their colors. LaFollette proceeded to refer to the team as the Canaries while covering the team for the newspaper. The local nickname from LaFollette caught on and remained the nickname for many future Sioux Falls professional teams to follow.

In the 1901 season, Sioux Falls hosted an independent semi-professional team. This team was again known as the Canaries. Sioux Falls began the season playing in a South Dakota league with teams from the South Dakota cities of Aberdeen, Flandreau, Madison and Mitchell. However, the league was informal and had no set schedule. On July 23, 1901, both the Mitchell and Madison teams were folded. Sioux Falls continued play and traveled to Minnesota and Iowa, playing the St. Paul Marquettes, a Waseca, Minnesota team and a Fort Dodge, Iowa team among others to finish their season. The Sioux Falls Canaries team ended their 1901 season with a 46-29 record and were the unofficial champions of the South Dakota League.

Third baseman George McBride and outfielder/pitcher George Disch played on the 1901 Canaries team. Disch batted .311 in 24 games and McBride hit .282 while playing in 21 games for Sioux Falls. After his tenure with Sioux Falls, McBride ended the 1901 season playing in the first season of the American League with the Milwaukee Brewers. After his season with the Canaries, Disch also moved to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1902.

1902 & 1903: Iowa–South Dakota League

After the 1901 team played in an informal league, minor league baseball began with the 1902 Sioux Falls Canaries, who became members of the Class D level Iowa–South Dakota League.

The Iowa–South Dakota League contained six teams in its inaugural minor league season. Sioux Falls joined the Flandreau Indians, Le Mars Blackbirds, Rock Rapids Browns, Sheldon and Sioux City Cornhuskers teams as league charter members in 1902. The newly formed league began its season schedule on May 27, 1902.

The National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, known today as Minor League Baseball, was organized at a meeting in Chicago, Illinois on September 5, 1901. The Iowa-South Dakota League was one of the original 14 minor leagues that began play in 1902. As the Iowa–South Dakota League teams were forming, Sioux Falls and Rock Rapids had conflicts over two players. Both Sioux Falls and Rock Rapids were attempting to sign Fred Carisch and Harry Swalm to their rosters. Eventually, Rock Rapids dropped their claim to Carisch who signed with Sioux Falls.

Sioux Falls native Bobby Warner became the 33-year-old player-manager of the Canaries in their first minor league season. Warner had previously played in the minor leagues with four different teams in the Western Association before his first stint as a manager with his hometown team.

During the 1902 season, Sioux Falls had league leading records of 23-5 on July 3 and 30-10 on July 18 in the first half standings. In the second half standings, Sioux Falls was 25-10, behind only the 26-7 Flandreau Indians on September 12 in the second half standings. On September 23, a newspaper article indicated that all of the league teams lost money except Sioux City, which claimed a $2,500 profit for the season.

In their first season of minor league play, the Sioux Falls Canaries won the 1902 South Dakota League championship. During the season, the Flandreau franchise did not join the league and begin play until June 29. After joining the league, Flandreau was awarded a record of 9-9 when beginning play. This made which made its overall first-half record 31-22. The Canaries had the league's best overall record, finishing 65-24 and a mere ½ game ahead of Flandreau. Sheldon won 15 total games and finished in last place, 49.0 games behind Sioux Falls. The Sioux Falls player/manager Bobby Warner appeared in 81 games and the team owner was Charles Craig.

1920 to 1923: Soos / South Dakota League

Minor league baseball returned to Sioux Falls in 1920. Known by a new nickname, a new Sioux Falls team was formed and began play as charter members of the Class D level South Dakota League, as the eight-team league was formed for the 1920 season. True to its name, Sioux Falls and the other seven member teams were all based in cities within the state of South Dakota. The 1920 South Dakota League created the opportunity for professional baseball to be played in the South Dakota for the first time in 16 years, since the demise of the 1903 Iowa-South Dakota League with Sioux Falls. The other seven South Dakota League members were hosting minor league teams in their cities for the first time.

The newly formed Sioux Falls team was known by the "Soos" nickname, a phonetic play on "Sioux." The nickname had been used previously by the nearby Sioux City, Iowa based Sioux City Soos teams. The Sioux Falls Soos joined with the Aberdeen Boosters, Huron Packers, Madison Greys, Miller Climbers, Mitchell Kernels, Redfield Reds, and Wessington Springs Saints teams as the 1920 South Dakota League charter franchises. The league began its first season schedule of games on May 18, 1920.

Former 1902 Sioux Falls catcher Fred Carisch returned to Sioux Falls to become the Soos' player-manager in 1920, having played seven major league seasons following his first tenure with Sioux Falls. Returning to the franchise he had played for in 1902, Carisch batted .275 for the Soos playing first base and catcher in 85 total games at age 38. Living in Minneapolis before beginning a three year tenure as the Sioux Fall player/manager, Carisch made his off-season home in Sioux Falls, where he worked selling Studebakers and Reo automobiles in the winter months.

In June, during the 1920 season, the ballpark grandstand at Nelson Field in Sioux Falls was struck by a tornado and destroyed.

In their first season in the new league, the Soos finished as the runner-up in the 1920 South Dakota League final standings. Sioux Falls ended the season with a 58-40 record and finished in second place under player/manager Fred Carisch. The Soos finished 3½ games behind the first place Mitchell Kernels in the final standings. Sioux Falls pitcher George Stueland had a strong season and led the South Dakota League with both 22 wins and 212 strikeouts.

1924: Tri State League Co-champions

After the folding of the South Dakota League in the middle of the 1923 season, Sioux Falls resumed play in 1924 in a newly formed league, with the team becoming known again by the "Canaries" nickname. The Canaries became members of the Class D level Tri State League. Sioux Falls won their second consecutive league championship in the new league.

A former minor league player, team owner Rex Stucker was also a former Sioux Falls player and established the Sioux Falls team in the new league. Stucker would remain as the owner of the Sioux Falls franchise until 1947.

The Sioux Falls Canaries joined the Beatrice Blues, Grand Island Islanders, Hastings Cubs, Norfolk Elk Horns and Sioux City Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals affiliate) teams in the newly formed league. The Tri State League season schedule began on May 4, 1924.

A veteran minor league manager joined Sioux Falls in 1924. Frank Boyle had first served as a player/manager in 1904 with the Fort Dodge Gypsum Eaters. The 47-year-old Boyle joined Sioux Falls after a four-year tenure as manager with the Marshalltown Ansons in the Class D level Mississippi Valley League.

The Tri State League season was short lived and the league folded July 17, 1924. The Sioux Falls Canaries finished in a virtual tie for first place with the Beatrice Blues when the league folded during the season. Both teams had identical records of 35-30, as Frank Boyle managed the Canaries for the totality of their shortened season. The Norfolk Elk Horns (31-30) finished in third place, ending the season 2.0 games behind the co-champions. Outfielder Graeme Snow of Sioux Falls won the Tri State League batting title, hitting .339 in the league season.

Following the folding of the Tri State League, Frank Boyle immediately returned to his former team and managed the Marshalltown Ansons for the remainder of their Mississippi Valley League season.

Frank Cleve played infield for the Canaries in 1924, batting .333 while appearing in 21 games. A multi-sport athlete, who was also a former college football, basketball and baseball player, Cleve graduated from St. Olaf College in the spring of 1924 prior to joining the Canaries roster. In 1925 after his season with Sioux Falls, Cleve became a collegiate coach and the athletic director at Spokane College, succeeding Abe Cohn in the role. He next served as the head football coach at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota from 1926 to 1935, compiling a record of 30–30–13. Cleve was simultaneously the head basketball coach at Concordia from 1927 to 1936, tallying a mark of 86–84.

1933: Canaries join Nebraska State League

After a nine-year absence from minor league baseball, the Sioux Falls Canaries joined a new league in 1933. The Canaries became members of four-team Class D level Nebraska State League for the 1933 season. Team owner Rex Stucker managed the team. The Nebraska State League reduced from a six-team league to a four-team league in 1933, after the Grand Island Islanders, McCook Generals and North Platte Buffaloes teams folded following the 1932 season. Sioux Falls was the only team not based in Nebraska and the Canaries joined the returning Beatrice Blues, Lincoln Links and Norfolk Elks teams in the league. The four Nebraska State League member teams were all noted to be affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1933.

During the 1933 season, former Chicago White Sox player Swede Risberg, who was banned from major league baseball due to his involvement due to the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, tried to take over the Canaries as manager, appealing to the team players and the owner/manager. The Sioux Falls owner/manager Rex Stucker kicked Risberg out of the locker room.

In their first season of Nebraska State League play, the Sioux Falls Canaries ended the season in third place, finishing the season 3.5 games behind the first place Norfolk Elks. The Canaries ended the season with a record of 57-49, playing under manager Rex Stucker. Sioux Falls finished 3.5 games behind Norfolk Elks and 3.0 games behind second place Beatrice in the overall standings. Sioux Falls did not qualify for the playoff where Beatrice defeated Norfolk 5 games to 4. Canaries pitcher Rip Schroeder won 20 games to lead the Nebraska State League, while teammate Sam Conaway had a league best 2.43 ERA.

Outfielder Oris Hockett played for the Canaries in 1933, batting .337 with 9 home runs in 103 games at age 23. After breaking into the major leagues at age 28, Hockett was a major league All-Star in 1944. Hockett played in the major leagues with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1938–1939), Cleveland Indians (1941–1944) and Chicago White Sox (1945), batting .276 in 551 career games.

1934 to 1938: Three Nebraska State League pennants

Sioux Falls continued membership, as the Nebraska State League played again as a four team, Class D level league in 1934.

The Canaries ended the season in third place with a record of 50-60. Managed by Rex Stucker, Sioux Falls finished 19.0 games behind the first place Lincoln Links in the final standings. No playoffs were held as Lincoln became the league champions. For the second consecutive season, the four Nebraska State League member teams were all cited as affiliates of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1934.

The 1935 Sioux Falls Canaries won the pennant in the four-team Nebraska State League. The Canaries won the league pennant in 1935 after they ended the regular season with a 72-40 record to finish in first place manager Ralph Brandon. Brandon began a five-season tenure as the Canaries' player-manager, that was marked by numerous pennants and a championship. Sioux Falls finished 11.5 games ahead of the second place Norfolk Elks in the standings. Sioux Falls then lost in the Nebraska State League final, where Norfolk defeated the Canaries 4 games to 3. Sioux Falls pitcher Claude Bradford compiled 17 wins to top the league in victories. His teammate Tony A. Johnson led Nebraska State League pitchers with 2.14 ERA.

Primarily a catcher, Ralph Brandon was a Sioux Falls resident who began first played with the Canaries in 1933, at age 28. Brandon began his professional baseball career with the 1925 Ottumwa Cardinals at age 20. With the Canaries Brandon batted .283 with 2 home runs in 98 games on the 1935 season in his role as player/manager.

The Sioux Falls Canaries won their second consecutive Nebraska State League pennant in 1936, as Ralph Brandon returned to serve as the player/manager. The league began the season as a six-team league, as Sioux Falls finished with a record of 71-49 to end the regular season in first place, 2.0 games ahead of the second place Mitchell Kernels. During the season, the Lincoln Links (26-38) and the Fairbury Jeffs (19-44) teams were both folded on July 16 and league continued play as a four-team league for the remainder of the season. In the four-team playoffs Sioux Falls first defeated, Beatrice 3 games to 2 to advance. In the final Mitchell defeated the Canaries 4 games to 2 to claim the championship. Sioux Falls pitcher Frank Wagner led the Nebraska State League with both 21 wins and 3.07 ERA, while his teammate Bobby Swan had a league leading 267 strikeouts. Player/manager Ralph Brandon batted .319 with 4 home, 71 RBIs and 96 walks in 113 games on the season, splitting time between first base and catcher.

1939 to 1941: Western League

The Canaries continued play in a newly named league in 1939, as the Nebraska State League was renamed and become known as the Western League. J. Roy Carter, who had served as president of the Nebraska State League since 1934, remained as president of the Western League, which formed as a Class D level league. Sioux Falls became an affiliate team for the first time, becoming a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs for the season. The Sioux Falls Canaries, Lincoln Links (St. Louis Browns), Norfolk Elks (New York Yankees) and Sioux City Cowboys (Detroit Tigers) franchises remained from the Nebraska State League. Those teams were joined in the new league by the Mitchell Kernels and Worthington, Minnesota based Worthington Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals).

In 1939, the Canaries had regular season record of 66-52 and placed second in the six–team Western League regular season standings, qualifying for the playoffs. Playing their final season with Ralph Brandon as player/manager Sioux Falls finished 8½ games behind the first place Norfolk Elks in the final standings. With their second-place finish, Sioux Falls qualified for the four–team playoffs. The Canaries lost in the first round of the playoffs 3 games to 2 to the Lincoln Links, who advanced to the final where they lost to the Sioux City Cowboys. Howard Conners of Sioux Falls won the Western League batting title, hitting.365. Canaries' pitcher Lawrence Kempe had 3.03 ERA to lead the league while compiling a record of 19-7 on the season.

Player/manager Ralph Brandon batted .226 in 77 games on the season. After leaving the Canaries, Brandon did not return to professional baseball in the 1940 season. Sioux Falls players Howard Connors hit .365 and Edward Wernet batted .362 to finish in the top four in the Western League.

Replacing Ralph Brandon, veteran minor league catcher Bob Fenner became the player/manager and the 1940 Sioux Falls Canaries won the Western League championship. The Canaries were unaffiliated in 1940, and the Class D level Western League was reduced to four teams, after the Lincoln Links and Mitchell Kernels did not return. Norfolk remained as a New York Yankees affiliate and Worthington a St. Louis Cardinals affiliate. The Canaries ended the regular season with a 59–50 record, placing second in the four–team Western League final standings. With Fenner leading the team for the entire 1940 season as manager, Sioux Falls finished 16½ games behind the first place Norfolk Yankees in the overall regular season standings.

1942: Canaries join Northern League

In 1942, Rex Stucker remained as the team owner and the Sioux Falls Canaries continued play in a new league following the folding of the Western League.

The Sioux Falls Canaries joined the Northern League in 1942, beginning a long tenure of numerous Sioux Falls teams playing in different incarnations of the league, a longevity of league membership that stretched to the 2005 season. In 1942, the Sioux Falls team replaced the folded Crookston Pirates franchise in the eight-team Class C level league. Sioux Falls joined with he Duluth Dukes (St. Louis Cardinals affiliate), Eau Claire Bears, Fargo-Moorhead Twins, Grand Forks Chiefs, Superior Blues (Chicago White Sox), Wausau Timberjacks (Cleveland Indians) and Winnipeg Maroons teams in the league. The Northern League began its schedule on May 7, 1942.

First baseman Joe Bosse became the Canaries' player-manager for the 1942 season, as Tony Koenig remained on the team as a player. Bosse had played for Sioux Falls in 1933 and returned as a player in 1941, before gaining his new position with the team.

In their first season of Northern League play, Sioux Falls qualified for the four-team playoffs with their fourth-place regular season finish and advanced to the Final. The Canaries ended the season under .500, with a record of 57–60 record. Led by player/ manager Joe Bosse, Sioux Falls finished 15½ games behind the first place Eau Claire Bears. In the four-team playoffs the Canaries were tied 2 games to 2 with the Winnipeg Maroons. The winner was set to play the Wausau Timberjacks, who had just defeated Eau Clarie 4 games to 1. However, Wausau folded following their series victory. As a result, the Winnipeg-Sioux Falls was extended into a Final. Winnipeg then defeated Sioux Falls 5 games to 4 in the extended series to win the league championship. Player/manager Joe Bosse hit .276 in 113 games with 11 triples and 0 home runs, playing in his final season at age 32. In his fifth total season with Sioux Falls at age 32, Frank Wagner won 17 games, second in the league and had a 2.52 ERA, third best in the league while pitching 239 innings for the Canaries.

Playing in his ninth overall season for his hometown team, Ralph Brandon returned briefly, playing his final season for the Canaries in 1942 at age 37. A resident of Sioux Falls, Brandon was killed on August 24, 1945, he was when struck by a car just outside of Sioux Falls. Brandon was walking back to town after his car had broken down on the highway and was struck. Brandon is buried in the St. Michael Cemetery in Sioux Falls.

1946: Northern League resumes play

After a three-season hiatus, the Class C level Northern League resumed play in 1946 following the conclusion of World War II. The eight-team league reformed with the Aberdeen Pheasants (St. Louis Browns affiliate) and St. Cloud Rox (New York Giants) teams replacing former league member Wausau and Winnipeg teams. The Sioux Falls Canaries resumed league membership as an unaffiliated team along with the Duluth Dukes (St. Louis Cardinals), Eau Claire Bears, Fargo-Moorhead Twins, Grand Forks Chiefs (Brooklyn Dodgers) and Superior Blues (Chicago White Sox), who all resumed league play as well. The reformed Northern League began its schedule on May 19, 1946.

Outfielder Lynn King became the Sioux Falls player/manager in 1946. King had previously played for Sioux Falls in 1933, when he hit .309 as an outfielder. Following his first season with the Canaries, King played briefly with the St. Louis Cardinals (1935–1936, 1939), batting .208 in 175 career games. The 1949 season was the final season of King's career at age 38.

After completing his four-year military service in World War II, pitcher Red Anderson returned to Sioux Falls and played a final season in 1946 at age 34. Anderson began the season pitching with the Aberdeen Pheasants before returning to the Canaries. He compiled a 12–13 record with a 3.63 ERA in 32 games in his final professional season.

In returning to Northern League play, the Canaries ended the 1946 season in seventh place in the eight-team league. Sioux Falls ended the season with a record of 41–68, playing the season under player/manager Lynn King. The Canaries finished 34½ games behind the first place St. Cloud Rox (71–31) in the regular season. With their seventh place finish, Sioux Falls did not qualify for the four-team playoffs won by St. Cloud over Fargo-Moorehead in the finals. Appearing in 60 games as an outfielder, player/manager Lynn King batted .333, with 0 home runs and 27RBIs. King also made the first pitching appearances of his career, throwing 15 total innings in 5 appearances on the mound. In his first professional season, pitching in 171 innings at age 23, Sioux Falls pitcher Stanley King surrendered 162 total runs, with 54 of the runs being unearned. King finished the season with 9–13 record and a 5.68 ERA.

1947: Northern League championship

Prior to the 1947 season, longtime owner Rex Stucker sold the Sioux Falls Canaries franchise to Mory Levinger. Lovinger was a local businessman and the owner of Mory's Happy Hour Bar in downtown Sioux Falls. After obtaining ownership of the Canaries, Levinger reached agreement with the Chicago Cubs for the Canaries to again become an affiliate of the Cubs. After obtaining the team, Levinger remained as the Sioux Falls team owner until 1953.

Levinger's establishment, Mory's Happy Hour Bar was located at 303 South Phillips in Sioux Falls. The bar had a phrase: "Mory, among his assets likes to count the only one that money cannot buy YOUR GOOD WILL... and we extend to you, not as a customer, but as a friend, our best wishes and hospitality." The bar opened with Levinger as an owner in 1940 and it operated until 1972. Upon opening the bar in May of 1940, Lovinger obtained exclusive rights in Sioux Falls for Michelob and Budweiser beer. Levinger insisted that all whiskey served be at least 4 years old and stipulated that 15 brands of Scotch be available at all times. The drink menu included a drink called the "Blitzkreig." Only one Blitzkreig was allowed to be served to a customer. The drink was "expensive," but the drink price also included "taxi fare home."

Veteran baseball man Jim Oglesby began a successful two season stint as the Sioux Falls manager in 1947. A long-time minor league player, who played briefly for the 1936 Philadelphia Athletics, Oglesby was in his first managerial role at age 41, having last played in 1942.

Led by Oglesby, Sioux Falls continued their Northern League membership in 1947 and won the league championship. Playing as a Chicago Cubs affiliate, the Canaries ended the eight-team Northern League regular season with a record of 75–43, placing second in the regular season standings. The Canaries finished 7.0 games behind the first place Aberdeen Pheasants and qualified for the playoffs, as Jim Oglesby served the entire season as the Sioux Falls manager. In the four-team playoffs the Canaries defeated the Duluth Dukes 3 games to 1 in the first round to advance. In the playoff finals Sioux Falls won the championship by beating Aberdeen 4 games to 2. With the franchise continuing to host their minor league home games at Sioux Falls Stadium, the Canaries drew a total of 116,683 in their 1947 championship season.

Dick Triptow played in the outfield for the championship Canaries team in 1947, batting .273, with 10 triples, 5 home runs and 63 RBIs in 93 games. A multi-sport athlete, also playing as a star softball player and basketball player, the 1947 season was Triptow's final professional baseball season at age 24. Prior to joining the Canaries for the 1947 season, Triptow played the professional basketball season with the 1946–47 Chicago Gears, who won the championship in the National Basketball League, defeating the Rochester Royals in the finals, led by Hall of Famer George Mikan. Triptow and Mikan had been college basketball teammates and co-captains on the DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball team under coach Ray Meyer. Triptow played professional basketball with the Chicago American Gears (1944–1947), Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (1947–1948), Tri-Cities Blackhawks (1948), Fort Wayne Pistons 1948–1949) and Baltimore Bullets (1949). Triptow became a high school and collegiate basketball coach after his playing career concluded. From 1959 to 1973 he served as the head coach of the Lake Forest University Foresters men's basketball team.

1948 to 1952: One Northern League championship

The Canaries were the defending league champions, as Jim Oglesby returned as the Sioux Falls manager in 1948. The Canaries had a seventh-place finish, missing the Northern League playoffs. Continuing as a Chicago Cubs affiliate, the Sioux Falls Canaries ended their 1948 Class C level league season with a record of 45–75. Their seventh-place finish in the regular season saw them complete the season 35½ games behind the first place Grand Forks Chiefs in the final standings. The Canaries did not qualify for the four-team playoffs won by the Grand Forks Chiefs who swept the Aberdeen Pheasants in the final.

Sioux Falls again missed the playoffs in 1949, while continuing Class C level Northern League play,The Chicago Cubs affiliate Sioux Falls Canaries of the Northern League ended the 1949 season in sixth place in the eight-team league with a record of 58–67, finishing 14.0 games behind the first place Eau Claire Bears. The Canaries were managed by Irvin Fortune and Lee Eilbracht during the season. With their sixth-place finish, Sioux Falls did not qualify for the four-team playoffs won by the Aberdeen Pheasants.

Both Irwin Fortune and Lee Eilbracht were catchers for the Canaries in 1949, as well as managing the team. Fortune began the season as the player/manager and appeared in 51 games with Sioux Falls, batting .281 before being elevated by the Cubs organization from Sioux Falls to the Class B level Springfield Cubs of the New England League to finish the season. In 1950, Fortune became the player/manager of the Nazareth Barons of the Class D level North Atlantic League.

Replacing Fortune as manager, Lee Eilbracht began a three-year tenure as the Sioux Falls' player/manager at age 25, batting .227 in 23 games in 1949. Eilbracht had played the previous season with the Class D level Clinton Giants], batting .315 on the season for Clinton.

Shortstop Sammy Gee played in 12 games for Sioux Falls in 1949 at age 21. Gee batted .135 before moving to the Grand Rapids Jets to conclude the season. Gee had played a portion of the previous season for the New York Cubans of the major league Negro National League, batting .200 for the Cubans in 12 games. Gee also played for the Olean Oilers in 1948, batting .321 in 21 games.

1953: Northern League season / franchise relocated

For of the Canaries, the 1953 season proved to be the end of their tenure for their first span of membership in the Northern League. In their final season as a Chicago Cubs affiliate, Dale Lynch became the Sioux Falls player/manager and the team missed the four-team playoffs.

On opening day, May 6, 1953, the Fargo-Moorhead Twins defeated the Canaries at Fargo-Moorhead by the scored of 12–3 with 10,123 fans in attendance Barnett Field. Playing for the Twins, Roger Maris had his first professional baseball hit against the Canaries.

The Sioux Falls Canaries placed fifth in the Northern League regular season with a record of 59–65. Sioux Falls finished 26½ games behind the first place Fargo-Moorhead Twins in the final regular season standings. The Canaries missed the four-team playoffs with their fifth place finish as the Fargo-Moorhead Twins went on to sweep their playoff series en route to the championship. At age 33, Dale Lynch played the infield for Sioux Falls in his only career season as a player/manager. Lynch batted .324 with a .425 OBP with 2 home runs and 75 RBIs and had 72 bases on balls against 23 strikeouts at the plate in 124 games.

Infielder Sammy Gee returned to Sioux Falls in 1953, his second stint with the Canaries. Gee played briefly for the Canaries in 1953, appearing in 4 total games.

Following the 1953 season, Mory Levinger sold the franchise to new owners located in Winnipeg, Canada. Six years after selling the team, Levinger died on June 23, 1959, of a heart attack.

After Levinger sold the franchise, Sioux Falls was replaced in the 1954 Northern League season by the Winnipeg Goldeyes franchise. Winnipeg had previously been a member of the ManDak League, before joining the Northern League and becoming a St. Louis Cardinals affiliate.

1964 & 1965: Sioux Falls joins amateur Basin League

In the winter of 1961, the Minnesota Twins and owner Clark Griffith explored locating a minor league team in Sioux Falls, but deemed the original ballpark at Sioux City Stadium unworthy and expressed the need for a stadium improvement in order to place a team in the city. This led to a local investment to totally rebuild the ballpark.

In 1964, with Sioux Falls Stadium newly remodeled, Sioux Falls resumed play as the Sioux Falls "Packers" collegiate amateur team was formed and became members of the six-team Basin League. The Basin League had been formed in 1954 as an invitation collegiate summer league. Team rosters initially had a few professional players on each roster joining with the collegiate players who were invited to join. Baseball Hall of Fame pitchers Bob Gibson and Jim Palmer had played in the league as amateurs prior to Sioux Falls becoming a league member.

The Sioux Falls "Packers" nickname corresponded to local industry as Sioux Falls was home to livestock and related meatpacking businesses beginning in the 1800s. John Morrell and Company opened a Sioux Falls operation in 1909 and became the city's primary industry employer, providing work with its Stockyards and adjacent meat packing facilities.

When Sioux Falls joined the league in 1964, the Basin league had evolved to become totally amateur, with collegiate players making up the totality of the team rosters. The league was an early incarnation of what is known today as collegiate summer baseball. In the era, the Basin League was praised as the top summer college league in the country. Contemporary leagues were the Cape Cod League and the Alaska Baseball League.

On June 18, 1964, the Sioux Falls Packers hosted their first home game at the rebuilt Sioux Falls Stadium. The Packers were victorious in their home opener 2-1 over the Rapid City Chiefs, with a crowd of over 1,300 in attendance. The Packers' Clyde Wright scored the winning run in the 10th inning. Later in their initial season, the Packers hosted an opening ceremony at the newly remodeled ballpark on July 4, 1964. Sioux Falls lost the game that day 4-1 to the Pierre Cowboys.

In their first season of play in the league, the Sioux Falls Packers won the 1964 league Basin League championship, with Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton on their roster at age 19. The Packers finished third in the regular season standings and qualified for the four-team playoffs. In the finals Clyde Wright pitched a four-hitter in the clinching game as Sioux Falls defeated the Valentine Hearts 3-2 to win the league title. Wright struck out the side in the 9th inning to end the final game.

1966: Rejoin Northern League

Owned by a group of Sioux Falls businessmen in 1966, the Sioux Falls Packers left the Basin League and resumed minor league play, rejoining the Northern League, which expanded. Sioux Falls continued play at the upgraded Sioux Falls Stadium with financial help from numerous local businessmen, including Isadore Pitts and Ray Syverson, who each donated $100,000. Becoming a Cincinnati Reds minor league affiliate team, Sioux Falls joined the six-team, Class A level (equivalent of the former Class D level leagues) Northern League. The league expanded, from a four-team league, with the league adding Sioux Falls and a Bismarck, North Dakota based team.

In the newly expanded league, the Packers and the Bismarck-Mandan Pards (Houston Astros minor league affiliate) joined the returning Aberdeen Pheasants (Baltimore Orioles affiliate), Duluth-Superior Dukes (Chicago Cubs), Huron Phillies (Philadelphia Phillies), and St. Cloud Rox (Minnesota Twins) teams in the league. The Northern League played a short season schedule, with the league games beginning on June 26, 1966.

On August 26, 1966, the Packers played the Bismarck-Mandan Pards and a pitcher's duel resulted in a total of 37 strikeouts in their 9-inning efforts between the two pitchers. With 133 fans in attendance at Bismarck, Sioux Falls pitcher Gary Nolan and Scipio Spinks of the Pards faced off. Spinks set a record in the Northern League by striking out 20 Sioux Falls batters in the game, while Nolan tallied 17. With both pitchers removed after 9-innings, Bismarck scored a run in the bottom of the 10th inning to win the game 1-0.

Jim Snyder began a four-season tenure as the Sioux Falls manager in 1966 as the Canaries finished with a 26–41 record. Their record placed Sioux Falls in fifth place, finishing 23.0 games behind the first place St. Cloud Rox in the final standings. No league playoffs were held with the short season schedule in the Northern League. Sioux Falls would remain in the league as a Cincinnati Reds affiliate through the 1971 season.

Jim Snyder was a former minor league infielder who began his managerial career with Sioux Falls in 1966. Following his tenure with the Packers, he became manager of the 1976 Indianapolis Indians and later managed the Triple-A with the Oklahoma City 89ers. He became a major league coach with the Chicago Cubs in 1987. He then joined the Seattle Mariners' 1988 staff as first-base coach under Hall of Fame manager Dick Williams. On June 6, 1988, Williams was fired, with the Mariners at 23–33. Snyder was promoted to manage Seattle for the remainder of the 1988 season. Jim Lefebvre was hired as the Seattle manager in 1989 replacing Snyder.

1967 to 1970: Northern League

Clarence Burnell Erickson served as president of the Sioux Falls Packers. Continuing play in the 1967 Northern League, the Packers finished with a record of 35–33. Managed by the returning Jim Snyder, their record saw Sioux Falls end the season in third place. The Packers ended the season 8.0 games behind the first place St. Cloud Rox and 1.0 game behind the second place Mankato Mets. Sioux Falls pitcher Steve Blateric led the Northern League with 118 strikeouts.

Catcher Fred Kendall began his professional career with Sioux Falls in 1967 at age 18. Kendall batted .301 with 2 home runs and 31 RBIS in 62 games for the Packers. Kendall went on to a lengthy major league career, playing with the expansion team and remaining with the San Diego Padres for eight seasons (1969–1976), followed by stints with the Cleveland Indians (1977), Boston Red Sox (1978) and a return to the San Diego Padres (1979–1980). In his major league career, Kendall batted .234 with 31 home runs.

At age 18, pitcher Wayne Simpson played for Sioux Falls in 1967, after being the 8th overall pick in the first round of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft after graduating from high school in Compton, California. Simpson pitched in 12 games for Sioux Falls, compiling a 4–3 record with a 2.84 ERA. Simpson became an All-star in pitching in the major leagues with the Cincinnati Reds (1970–1972), Kansas City Royals (1973), Philadelphia Phillies (1975) and California Angels (1977). In his rookie season, after being selected for the 1970 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at age 21, Simpson tore his rotator cuff on July 31, 1970. After the injury, he continued to try and pitch but was only able to appear in two games and ended the season with a 14–3 record. Simpson's injury predated the advancements in rotator cuff surgery. Simpson later pitched his final professional season in 1979 for the Tigres Capitalinos in the Mexican League and there he developed thoracic outlet syndrome, a diagnosis which threatened the loss of his arm and possibly his life. But, Simpson recovered after several surgeries.

Remaining a Cincinnati Reds affiliate in 1968, the Packers ended the Northern League season in third place. With a record of 41–29, playing under Jim Snyder, Sioux Falls ended the season 2.0 games behind the champion St. Cloud Rox and 1.5 games behind the second place Mankato Mets in a close race in the six-team Class A level league.

1971: Final Northern League season

Continuing play at Sioux Falls Stadium, the Packers played their final Class A Northern League season in 1971, as the league itself folded following the season.

Former minor league catcher Dave Pavlesic became the Sioux Falls manager for the 1971 season. Pavlesic had been the manager of the Billings Mustangs in the Pioneer League in 1970. At age 33, the 1971 season was his final season in professional baseball. Pavlesic authored a book titled I Was Born to Play Baseball that chronicles his career.

In the final season in their first tenure of Northern league play in 1971, the league became a four-team league, beginning play on June 23, 1971. The Duluth-Superior Dukes and Huron Cubs teams did not return to the 1971 league. Remaining as a Cincinnati Reds affiliate, the Packers ended the season with a record of 34–37, playing under manager Dave Pavlesic. Sioux Falls ended the season in third place, finishing 8.5 games behind the first place St. Cloud Rox and 1.0 game behind the second place Aberdeen Pheasants. Sioux Falls pitcher Ken Hansen led the league with a both a 1.76 ERA and 135 strikeouts, appearing in 24 games and 87 innings playing at age 22. Hansen also walked 71 batters. Hansen had been drafted by the Reds that summer out of Arizona State University.

Third baseman Ray Knight played for the Packers in their final season. In his first professional season at age 18, Knight batted .285 with 6 home runs and 36 RBIs in 64 games. Knight became a two-time all-star playing 13 major league seasons with the Cincinnati Reds (1974–1981), Houston Astros (1982–1984), New York Mets (1984–1986), Baltimore Orioles (1987) and Detroit Tigers (1988). Knight is known for scoring the winning run in game 6 of the 1986 World Series and was the World Series Most Valuable player. Knight later managed the Cincinnati Reds from 1996 to 1997 and 2003.

Pitcher Joaquín Andújar played for the Packers in 1971. Andújar gave little indication of his future successes, having 6.36 ERA in 19 games for Sioux Falls. Andújar became a four-time major league all-star pitching for the Houston Astros (1976–1981), St. Louis Cardinals (1981–1985), Oakland Athletics (1986–1987) and Houston Astros (1988). He had a career record of 127–118 with a 3.58 ERA and won a Gold Glove Award. Andújar was known throughout his career as a highly competitive and outgoing pitcher.

The ballparks

Sioux Falls minor league teams played at three different ballparks in the decades from 1902 to 1971. One ballpark has been home to teams since 1941.

In their first two seasons, the 1902 and 1903 Canaries teams played home games in Sioux Falls at a ballfield called The Oval.

In 1920, Sioux Falls teams began hosting minor league home games at Nelson Field. The ballpark was located within the Nelson Park parcel at 11th Street & Cliff Street in Sioux Falls. During the 1920 season, the ballpark grandstand was hit by a tornado and carried onto the nearby street. Today, Nelson Park is still in use as a public park with amenities located at 200 South Fairfax Avenue.

In 1941, Sioux Falls began hosting home games in a newly built Sioux Falls Stadium that was built to attract minor league affiliate baseball to the city. Sioux Falls Stadium was built in 1941. It was first remodeled in 1964 as the Sioux Falls Packers resumed play. The ballpark was remodeled again in 2000 receiving a 5.6-million-dollar upgrade.

During the six-season run of the Sioux Falls Packers, the ballpark was nicknamed Packers Stadium.

In his final professional season as a player Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean pitched for Sioux Falls in front of a crowd of 3,000 at the new ballpark in July 1941.

Spurred in 1961 by the Minnesota Twins expressing a desire to place a team in Sioux Falls if a more suitable ballpark was constructed, the stadium was totally redesigned with blueprints completed and construction started in 1963. Working summer jobs as teenagers while playing for the amateur team, Sioux Falls Packers' pitchers Hall of Famer Don Sutton and Clyde Wright were credited with building the new pitcher's mound on the new field. On June 18, 1964, the new ballpark hosted its first game. The grandstands were totally completed in 1965,

Today, Sioux Falls Stadium is still in use and has been remodeled continuing to serve as home to the Sioux Falls Canaries beginning in 1993. and in 2017 gaining the collegiate Sioux Falls Cougars as a host. Today, the ballpark has been nicknamed as "The Birdcage." The ballpark is located at 1001 NW Avenue Service Road in Sioux Falls.

Notable alumni

Dizzy Dean (1941) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1953

Don Sutton (1964) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1998