Does Indiana Have A Pro Baseball Team?

As of right now, Indiana does not have a professional baseball team. However, there are several minor league teams in the state, including the Fort Wayne TinCaps and the South Bend Cubs.

Introduction

Indiana does not have a professional baseball team. The state’s minor league baseball teams are the Fort Wayne TinCaps, the Gary SouthShore RailCats, the Indianapolis Indians, and the South Bend Cubs.

The History of Professional Baseball in Indiana

While Indiana may not currently have a professional baseball team, the state has a long and rich history with the sport. Professional baseball first came to Indiana in 1887 with the formation of the Indianapolis Hoosiers. The Hoosiers were a charter member of the newly formed Northwestern League and went on to win the league’s first pennant.

The Hoosiers were so successful that they were invited to join the major leagues in 1889 as a part of the National League’s expansion. However, after just one season, the Hoosiers were booted out of the National League for allegedly playing games on Sunday (a taboo at the time).

The Hoosiers would reformed in 1891 as a part of the Western Association, but this version of the team only lasted two seasons before folding. Professional baseball wouldn’t return to Indiana until 1902 when Indianapolis once again fielded a team in the Western Association. This team, known as the Indians, would go on to win the league title in their first season.

The Indians would continue to play in the Western Association until it folded in 1918. Following the disbandment of the Western Association, Indianapolis was without a professional baseball team for 14 years. Finally, in 1932, Indianapolis once again had a professional baseball team when it fielded a squad in the newly formed Negro National League.

This team, known as the ABCs (after their owner’s three initials), would go on to win three straight Negro National League championships from 1933-1935. Unfortunately, due to financial difficulties, the team was forced to sell off its best players and disbanded after just four seasons.

Since 1935, there has not been another professional baseball team in Indiana. However, that doesn’t mean that there hasn’t been any attempt to bring pro baseball back to the state. In fact, there have been multiple tries over the years, but all have ultimately failed.

The Current State of Professional Baseball in Indiana

As of 2020, there are no professional baseball teams in Indiana. However, there have been several minor league teams throughout the state’s history. The most recent team was the Fort Wayne TinCaps, who played in the Low-A Midwest League from 2009 to 2020.

While Indiana does not currently have a professional baseball team, there is hope that this will change in the future. In 2019, a group called Indy Ball Corp proposed building a stadium for a potential independent league team in Gary, Indiana. As of 2020, the plans for this stadium are still in development.

Whether or not Indiana will eventually have a professional baseball team remains to be seen. However, it is clear that there is interest in bringing such a team to the state.

Conclusion

After much research, it seems that the answer to this question is no, Indiana does not currently have a professional baseball team. There have been several low-level minor league teams in the state over the years, but nothing at the major league level. Given the state’s strong college baseball tradition and love for the sport in general, it’s surprising that there isn’t a pro team yet. Perhaps someday soon Indiana will have its own professional baseball team to root for.