Brooklyn Cyclones
From SoSH
| Location: | Brooklyn, NY |
| Established: | 1986 |
| MLB Affiliation: | New York Mets |
| League: | New York-Penn League |
| Level: | A |
| Ballpark: | KeySpan Park |
| Championships: | 1 (2001) |
| Division Titles: | 4 |
| Wild Card: |
The Brooklyn Cyclones are a Minor League Baseball team that plays in the New York-Penn League, and are a Single-A affiliate to the New York Mets.
Contents |
Franchise History
In 1999, New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani announced a deal that would bring two minor-league baseball teams to the outer boroughs of the city. New stadiums would be constructed for the Staten Island Yankees and an as-yet-unnamed team to play at Coney Island. A name-the-team contest was held, and the club became known as the Cyclones, named for the famous Cyclone roller coaster at nearby Astroland amusement park on Coney Island.
The Cyclones began as the St. Catharines, Ontario-based St. Catharines Stompers (formerly St. Catharines Blue Jays) in 1986 as a team in the New York - Penn League. Sold by Toronto in 1995 and bought out by local investors, including former Toronto Blue Jay Ernie Whitt. In 1999 the team was bought and moved to Brooklyn. The club played its 2000 season at St. John's University in Jamaica, in the borough of Queens, remaining a Toronto Blue Jays affiliate for one last season. During this time, the club was known as the "Queens Kings".
By 2001, the new park was completed, and many Brooklynites eagerly awaited its opening. There had been no professional baseball in the borough – indeed, no professional sports at all – since the Dodgers had left Ebbets Field for California.
Major League Affiliations
- New York Mets (2001- )
- Toronto Blue Jays (1977-2000)
Team Names
- Brooklyn Cyclones (2001-present)
- Queens Kings (2000)
- St. Catharines Stompers (1987-1998)
- St. Catharines Blue Jays (1986)
Notable Alumni
Notable Red Sox Who Played Here
Trivia
- On August 23, 2005, The Cyclones and KeySpan Park hosted the first-ever New York-Penn League All-Star Game, which was won by the National League NYPL Team by a score of 5-4.
- On July 20, 2006, the Cyclones and the Oneonta Tigers took part in the longest game in the history of the New York-Penn League, a 26-inning marathon that the Cyclones lost, 6-1. The game took 6 hours and 40 minutes to complete. The Cyclones scored their run in the first inning; Oneonta tied the game in the fourth and then did not score again until they scored five runs in the top of the 26th. Cyclones manager George Greer was ejected from the contest in the first inning for arguing an umpire's call on a force play at second base.
- The team has two seagull mascots, Sandy and Pee Wee, homages to former Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Fame players Sandy Koufax and Pee Wee Reese, respectively.
