Erie SeaWolves - History

History

The Erie SeaWolves were founded in 1989 in Welland, Ontario as the Welland Pirates as a member of the Short-Season New York–Penn League. The team played at Welland Stadium from 1989 to 1994 and were affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates. When the Welland Pirates relocated to Erie, Pennsylvania in 1995, they were renamed the "Erie SeaWolves." The relocation of the team from Welland to Erie forced the Frontier League incarnation of the Erie Sailors to relocate Johnstown, Pennsylvania where they became the Johnstown Steal (this team is now known as the Florence Freedom, based in Florence, Kentucky). Before that, there was another team called the Erie Sailors which played in the New York - Penn League. However, they relocated to Wappingers Falls, New York (becoming the Hudson Valley Renegades) because the team's owner Marvin Goldklang did not upgrade Ainsworth Field to Major League Baseball specifications. Once the civic government secured an $8 million grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to build Jerry Uht Park, the Welland Pirates moved to Erie. While Erie lacked affiliated baseball in 1994, the city fielded a new independent baseball franchise in the Frontier League and reused the "Sailors" name. The SeaWolves succeed various Erie-based baseball franchises, namely every version of the Erie Sailors (the New York–Penn League franchise was also known as the Erie Orioles) and the Erie Cardinals (now known as the State College Spikes).

The SeaWolves served as a Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate from 1995 to 1998. In 1999, the Double-A Eastern League added two expansion franchises, with Erie gaining one of them. The team joined the Eastern League after it moved up from the Short-Season A level to the Double-A level. Therefore, the current SeaWolves organization is considered a continuation of the former one even though it changed classes. Minor League Baseball allowed Erie to keep their New York–Penn League records and history as a member of the Eastern League. Subsequently, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers replaced them in the New York-Penn League, which is officially considered an expansion franchise rather than a continuation of the SeaWolves.

The SeaWolves became an affiliate of the Anaheim Angels after moving to the Double-A level. The team switched to the Detroit Tigers in 2001, of whom they are still currently affiliated with.