Evansville Triplets

Evansville Triplets 1970–1984 Evansville, Indiana
Team Logo Cap Insignia
Class-level
Triple-A (1970–1984)
Minor league affiliations
American Association (1970–1984) Eastern Division
Major league affiliations
Detroit Tigers (1974–1984) Milwaukee Brewers (1971–1973) Minnesota Twins (1970)
Name
Evansville Triplets (1970–1984)
Ballpark
Bosse Field (1970–1984)
Minor league titles
League titles	1972, 1975, 1979
Division titles	1972, 1975, 1979, 1981

The Evansville Triplets were a minor league baseball team of the American Association from 1970 to 1984. In its last season, Evansville was the Triple-A farm team for the Detroit Tigers. In 1985, the Triplets were purchased by Larry Schmittou and moved to Nashville, Tennessee to become the Nashville Sounds.

Schmittou and team owners arrived at terms in June 1984 to purchase the Evansville Triplets of the American Association, with plans to move the franchise from Evansville, Indiana, to Nashville for the 1985 season. In order to prove to the team's Nashville banks, which would back the purchase, that the move was financially viable, Schmittou commissioned a survey to evaluate the potential turnout for a Triple-A team versus a Double-A team. Though the research proved to team owners that the move was a sensible decision, the banks were not impressed. As a result, the team switched banks and went ahead with the purchase and relocation. The Triplets' legacy was retired, and the team that was moved to Nashville, the Triple-A Sounds, carried on the history of the Double-A team that preceded it.

Schmittou considered moving Nashville’s existing Southern League (AA) franchise back to Evansville but city leaders declined improvements to aging Bosse Field, currently the 3rd oldest ballpark in continuous operation behind Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. City leaders in Huntsville, Alabama, including then Mayor Joe W. Davis were instrumental in building a new stadium there and Schmittou moved the team to Huntsville where it became the Huntsville Stars. The stadium was named after the mayor (Joe W. Davis Stadium). It stands today as the home of the Stars, although it is currently the oldest stadium in the Southern League. Former Major Leaguer Don Mincher, a native of Huntsville was the team's first General Manager.

Jim Leyland managed the Triplets for three years (1979-1981).

Alumni from the 1984 Championship Detroit Tigers

• Rod Allen
• Juan Berenguer
• Tom Brookens
• Marty Castillo
• Barbaro Garbey
• Kirk Gibson
• Howard Johnson
• Ruppert Jones
• Aurelio Lopez
• Dwight Lowry
• Jack Morris
• Lance Parrish
• Dan Petry
• Milt Wilcox
• Carl Willis

Other alumni

• Fernando Arroyo
• Rich Auerbach
• Doug Baker
• Bert Blyleven
• Mark Fidrych
• Mike Laga
• Gene Lamont
• Ron LeFlore
• Charlie Manuel
• Darrell Porter
• John Wockenfuss

See also

• Sports in Evansville

External links

• Evansville at The Baseball Cube