Toledo Mud Hens

Toledo Mud Hens Founded in 1883 Toledo, Ohio
Team logo Cap insignia
Class-level
Current	Triple-A (1946–1955, 1965–present)
Previous	Double-A (1908–1913, 1916–1945) Single-A (1902–1907)
Minor league affiliations
League	International League (1965–present)
Division	West Division
Previous leagues	American Association (1902–1913, 1916–1955)
Major league affiliations
Current	Detroit Tigers (1934–1935, 1949–1951, 1967–1973, 1987–present)
Previous	Minnesota Twins (1978–1986) Cleveland Indians (1932, 1976–1977) Philadelphia Phillies (1974–1975) New York Yankees (1965–1966) Milwaukee Braves (1953–1955) St. Louis Browns (1936–1948) New York Giants (1930)
Minor league titles
League titles (4)	1927 1968 2005 2006
Division titles (5)	1967 2002 2005 2006 2007
Team data
Nickname	Toledo Mud Hens (1902–1913, 1919–1952, 1965–present)
Previous names	Toledo Iron Men (1916–1918) Toledo Sox (1953–1955)
Colors	Navy, red, white, gold
Ballpark	Fifth Third Field (2002–present)
Previous parks	Ned Skeldon Stadium (1965–2001) Swayne Field (1909–1955) Armory Park (1897–1908) Bay View Park (1896) Whitestocking Park (1894–1895) Olympic Park (1892) Speranza Park (1888–1890) League Park (1883–1885)
Owner(s)/ Operator(s)	Toledo Mud Hens Baseball Club, Inc.
Manager	Lloyd McClendon
General Manager	Erik Ibsen

The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the Detroit Tigers franchise of Major League Baseball, based about 50 miles (80 km) north of Toledo.

History

Professional baseball had been played off and on in Toledo since 1883, but the Mud Hens era began in 1896 with the "Swamp Angels", who played in the Interstate League. They played in Bay View Park, which was outside the Toledo city limits and therefore not covered by the city's blue laws. The park was located near marshland inhabited by American coots, also known as "mud hens." For this reason, the local press soon dubbed the team the "Mud Hens"—a nickname that has stuck to Toledo baseball teams for all but a few years since. After only one year, though, the team moved to Armory Park.^{[1]:10; 17}

Notable players

• Billy Bean
• Billy Beane
• Moe Berg
• Tony Clark
• Octavio Dotel
• Doug Fister
• Curtis Granderson
• Mike Hessman
• Omar Infante
• Gabe Kapler
• Shane Loux
• Craig Monroe
• Bobby Murcer
• Kirby Puckett
• Max Scherzer
• Casey Stengel
• Tom Underwood
• Jim Walewander
• Hack Wilson

Current roster

Toledo Mud Hens roster
Players				Coaches/Other
Pitchers 18 Ruben Alaniz -- Chad Bell 48 Matt Boyd * 16 Drake Britton 11 Jeff Ferrell * 26 Preston Guilmet 47 Logan Kensing 35 Dustin Molleken 43 Daniel Norris * 39 Bobby Parnell 54 Bruce Rondón * 20 Warwick Saupold 37 Josh Turley 32 Thad Weber		Catchers 13 Miguel Gonzalez  7 Humberto Quintero Infielders  3 Argenis Díaz 28 Thomas Field 17 Chad Huffman  6 Dixon Machado * 31 Casey McGehee Outfielders 36 Wynton Bernard * -- Tyler Collins * 14 Cameron Maybin #* 44 Steven Moya * 22 Nate Schierholtz 24 Jordany Valdespin		Manager -- Lloyd McClendon Coaches 10 Leon Durham (hitting) -- Jeff Pico (pitching) 30 Basilio Cabrera (third base) 7-day disabled list * On Detroit Tigers 40-man roster # Rehab assignment ∞ Reserve list ‡ Restricted list † Temporary inactive list Roster updated May 3, 2016 Transactions → More MiLB rosters → Detroit Tigers minor league players

Popular culture

• M*A*S*H character Maxwell Klinger (played by Jamie Farr) hailed from Toledo and often mentioned the Mud Hens as his favorite baseball team throughout the series. He was often seen wearing a Toledo Mud Hens jersey and cap. Like Klinger, Farr was born and raised in Toledo. The Mud Hens retired jersey #1 in Farr's honor.
• The title character of the comic strip Crankshaft was a pitcher for the Mud Hens just before World War II when he enlisted in the Army. He invariably wears a Mud Hens cap in the strip, and reminisces often about his playing days.
• Lou Brown, manager of the Cleveland Indians in the film Major League, managed in Toledo prior to managing the Indians.
• Richard Pryor's character, Montgomery Brewster, in the 1985 film Brewster's Millions was said to have previously pitched for the Mud Hens.

See also

• List of baseball parks in Toledo, Ohio
• Current and former Toledo Mud Hens players

References

1. Husman, John (2003). Baseball in Toledo. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0738523275.

• The Toledo Baseball Guide of the Mud Hens 1883–1943, Ralph Elliott Lin Weber, 1944.
• www.baseball-reference.com

External links

• Toledo Mud Hens web site