History of Pro Baseball in Colorado Springs

From 1950 to 1958, the original incarnation of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox were a Class A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox in the Western League. The Sky Sox's nickname originated with their affiliation with the White Sox. The Pikes Peak region was without professional baseball for 30 years until 1988, when the Hawaii Islanders of the PCL relocated to Colorado Springs and became the second incarnation of the Sky Sox. From 1988 to 1992 the Sky Sox were the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. When Denver was awarded a major league franchise for the 1993 season, the new Colorado Rockies arranged for the Sky Sox to become their top farm team.

During their first season, the Sky Sox moved from Spurgeon Stadium (in Memorial Park) to the brand new Sky Sox Stadium, later known as Security Service Field. The ballpark, on the eastern edge of Colorado Springs, cost US$3.4 million[2] to build and held 8,500 spectators. In later years, the Sky Sox invested over $8 million in ballpark renovations which included a new video scoreboard, redesigned entrance plaza, new picnic facility and banquet hall. It has the highest elevation of any professional ballpark in the United States: its natural grass field sits at 6,531 feet (1,991 m) above sea level.

On June 21, 2017, team owner David G. Elmore announced the relocation of the Sky Sox Triple-A franchise to San Antonio, Texas, in 2019, with the team continuing to compete in the Pacific Coast League as the San Antonio Missions, who were previously members of the Double-A Texas League.[3] Concurrent with this move, the Rookie Helena Brewers of the Pioneer League relocated to Colorado Springs, operating as the Rocky Mountain Vibes.

The Vibes played one year in the Pioneer League in 2019. The Entire Minor League Schedule was canceled in 2020 due to COVID19. On September 30, 2020, Minor League Baseballs agreement with major league baseball expired. Major League baseball elected to continue minor leagues under their own umbrella which includes only 4 levels of teams. The Pioneer League was contracted from Minor League Baseball.

Spurgeon Field

The original home of the Triple A Colorado Springs Sky Sox when the team return to the city in 1988, Spurgeon Field will serve as the home for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs for the inaugural season in 2017. Owned and operated by the City of Colorado Springs, the facility is the showcase field for the city’s parks and recreation department and has the largest seating capacity among the venues at Memorial Park.

The Sky Sox played in the facility in 1950 when the team was affiliated with the Chicago White Sox, and the team returned in 1988 from Hawaii as an affiliate with the Cleveland Indians. The team eventually moved to Security Service Field in northeast Colorado Springs, where UCCS will finish the regular season in a single, nine-inning game with NCAA Division I Air Force on May 2.

The field is part of the larger amenities provided in Memorial Park, which features the 7-Eleven Velodrome, the state’s second-largest skate park and the Sertich Ice Center. The park hosts the Labor Day Lift Off balloon festival and the Pikes Peak Celtic Festival.

The park includes Prospect Lake for swimming, boating and fishing, on land that was donated by Colorado Springs founder General William Jackson Palmer. The park also honors heroes with the International Association of Fire Fighters’ Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial and the Veterans Memorial for each branch of military service.

The Colorado Springs Snowsox are a Professional Baseball Team in the Pecos League of Professional Baseball Clubs. Other teams in the Pecos League include: (Alpine Cowboys, Bakersfield Train Robbers, California City Whiptails, Colorado Springs SnowSox, Garden City Wind, High Desert Yardbirds, Martinez Sturgeon, Monterey Amberjacks, Roswell Invaders, San Rafael Pacifics, Santa Cruz Seaweed, Santa Fe Fuego, Trinidad Triggers, Tucson Saguaros, Wasco Reserve, White Sands Pupfish). The Pecos League was founded in 2010. To learn more about the Pecos League (Visit Here.)

See Colorado Springs Snowsox All Time Opponents See Colorado Springs Snowsox All Time Managers The Colorado Springs Snowsox play at Spurgeon Field 1605 E. Pikes Peak Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80903

(2021) SNOWSOX