Ottawa Champions
| Ottawa Champions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||
| Information | |||||
| League | Can-Am League | ||||
| Location | Ottawa, Ontario | ||||
| Ballpark | Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Park | ||||
| Founded | 2014 | ||||
| Disbanded | 2020 | ||||
| Nickname(s) | Champions, Champs | ||||
| League championships | 1: (2016) | ||||
| Colours | Blue, red, white
| ||||
| Mascot | Champ | ||||
| Playoff berths |
| ||||
| Manager | Sebastien Boucher | ||||
| Media | Ottawa Citizen, Le Droit, CKDJ-FM, CJFO-FM | ||||
| Website | www.ottawachampions.ca | ||||
The Ottawa Champions Baseball Club (French: Les Champions d'Ottawa) were a professional baseball team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The Champions made their debut as a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball (Can-Am League) in 2015.[1] They won their first league championship in 2016 defeating the
After the 2019 season, the Can-Am League merged with the
History
The City of Ottawa granted a 10-year lease of the Ottawa Baseball Stadium to establish a Can-Am Baseball League team for the 2015 season in September 2013.[2]
In June 2014, the Ottawa Champions team name was announced followed by the unveiling of the team logo that August.[3][4][5]
The Champions announced the signing of
The Champions played their first game in franchise history on May 22, 2015, at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Park against the Sussex County Miners.[11]
In the 2016 season, the Champions qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. In the opening round, the Champions defeated the
On June 28, 2017, Phillippe Aumont threw the first no-hitter in Ottawa Champions history against the Dominican Republic national baseball team.
After the 2019 season, The Can-Am League merged with the Frontier League. However, the Champions were left off the 2020 Schedule.
Shortly after the Champions were left off the 2020 schedule, Winnipeg Goldeyes owner Sam Katz was attempting to bring either an Atlantic League or a Frontier League franchise to Ottawa by 2021. Then, Katz became the owner of the Ottawa Titans of the Frontier League.
Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Park renovations
The Ottawa Champions played their home games at RCGT Park, a 10,000-seat baseball stadium just east of downtown Ottawa. As part of the plans to revitalize baseball in Ottawa, the city and the team invested more than $2 million worth of renovations into the stadium. These renovations included a brand-new video scoreboard.[12]
Along with the stadium renovations, the city built a new pedestrian bridge to help make it easier to get to the ballpark using public transit. The pedestrian bridge crosses over Highway 417 to connect the ballpark to the Transit Way and is named in honour of the late Max Keeping.[13]
Season-by-season records
| Ottawa Champions (2015–present) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Total | Finished | Playoffs | ||
| 2015 (6 Teams) | 46-50 (5) | .479 | Did not qualify | ||
| 2016 (6 Teams) | 51-49 (4) | .510 | Won Opening Round over Rockland Boulders 3-2
| ||
| 2017 (6 Teams) | 42-56 (5) | .429 | Did not qualify | ||
| 2018 (8 Teams) | 41-60 (6) | .406 | Did not qualify | ||
| 2019 (9 Teams) | 41-54 (5) | .432 | Did not qualify | ||
| Regular Season Totals | 221-269 | .451 | |||
| Postseason Totals | 6-3 | .667 | |||
| Combined Totals | 227-272 | .455 | |||
Logo
The baseball cap logo is a detailed representation of Ottawa’s traditional landscape with the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill as the focal centrepiece. The Peace Tower is surrounded by a red ‘O’ representing the Ottawa name. The background is filled with a maple leaf, which will proudly display the Champions’ Canadian pedigree as they travel all over North America for regular season games.
The brand logo displays the Champions name in bold and clear lettering allowing for easy recognition throughout the community and the CanAm League. The bottom distinguishes the baseball identity with home plate and white lines indicating the first and third base sides.
See also
- Ottawa Voyageurs 2009
- Ottawa Lynx, 1993–2007
- Ottawa Rapidz, 2008-2009
- Ottawa Fat Cats, 2010–2012
References
- ^ "Ottawa Stadium new baseball tenants are the 'Champions'". CBC News. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ Willing, Jon. "City proposes 10-year lease with Can-Am to bring pro baseball back to Ottawa". ottawasun.com. The Ottawa Sun. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
- ^ Warren, Ken. "Pro baseball returns to the plate in Ottawa". ottawacitizen.com. Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
- ^ "Ottawa takes a swing at professional baseball one more time". CTV News. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- ^ "Championship stuff: New Ottawa baseball team unveils logo". ottawacitizen.com. Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
- ^ "Ottawa Champions name Hal Lanier as first manager".
- ^ "Hal Lanier Stats - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Hal Lanier Managerial Record - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ Desaulniers, Darren. "Hal Lanier named Ottawa Champions manager; team signs Sebastien Boucher (with video)". ottawacitizens.com. Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
- ^ "Ottawa Champions Baseball unveils logo". Orleans Star. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- ^ "Ottawa Champions come out swingin'". 22 May 2015.
- ^ "Mobile Uploads". facebook.com. The Ottawa Champions Baseball Club. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
- ^ Hempstead, Doug. "Mayor boasts about 'plain-Jane bridge'". ottawasun.com. Ottawa Sun. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
