The Ottawa Lynx were a Minor League Baseball team that competed in the Triple-A International League (IL) from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa,

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

. Over 15 seasons, the team was an affiliate of the

Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...

(1993–2002),

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...

(2003–2006), and Philadelphia Phillies (2007). At the time, it was the only IL franchise in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. In late August 2006, the league approved the conditions to negotiate the sale of the team. The new owners moved the team to Allentown, Pennsylvania, beginning with the 2008 season, where it became known as the

Lehigh Valley IronPigs The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and are named in reference to pig iron, used in the ...

History

In 1991, Ottawa businessman and then Ottawa 67's owner Howard Darwin was successful in applying to the IL for an expansion franchise to begin play in 1993, at a cost of $5 million. The Lynx became the second IL franchise to play in Ottawa, after the former

Ottawa Giants The Ottawa Giants were a professional minor-league baseball team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada that operated in 1951 after the relocation of an existing Triple-A team, the Jersey City Giants. It played at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa and finishe ...

and

Ottawa Athletics The Ottawa Athletics (also known as the Ottawa A's) were a professional minor-league baseball team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, that operated from 1952 to 1954. The team played at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa and was a member of the Triple-A Inte ...

of the 1950s. The application was contingent on the City of Ottawa building a baseball stadium for the team. Lynx Stadium was completed in time for the 1993 season. The Lynx began play in

1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peacefu ...

, serving as the top farm team for the

. The team won the International League championship in 1995, the only time it would do so. During this period, the Lynx featured such future

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

players as

Rondell White Rondell Bernard White (born February 23, 1972) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder and designated hitter. As well as being a solid defensive player, White also had a batting ave ...

Cliff Floyd Cornelius Clifford Floyd Jr. (born December 5, 1972) is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for 17 seasons, most notably for the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins and New York Mets. He is currently a baseball analyst who co-hosts ...

Matt Stairs Matthew Wade Stairs (born February 27, 1968) is a Canadian former professional baseball outfielder, first baseman, and designated hitter, who holds the record for most pinch-hit home runs in Major League Baseball (MLB) history with 23. His pinc ...

Kirk Rueter Kirk Wesley Rueter ( ; born December 1, 1970), nicknamed "Woody", is an American former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Rueter played for the Montreal Expos and the San Francisco Giants. Early life Rueter was born in Centralia, Illi ...

, and F.P. Santangelo. The Lynx eventually retired two numbers: Santangelo's 24, and Jamey Carroll's 3. In 2000, Darwin sold his shares in the team to Ray Pecor for $7 million. According to news reports, Pecor lost $1 million annually on the team due to low attendance. In 2003, the Lynx were not given any assurances from either the Montreal Expos or Major League Baseball on the long-term future of the Expos. They became the Triple-A affiliate of the

on September 24, 2002. As a result, Montreal shifted its affiliation to the

Edmonton Trappers The Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in Edmonton, Alberta. They were a part of the Triple-A level in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Their home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton. T ...

of the Pacific Coast League. The Lynx's working agreement with the Orioles ended when the latter signed a Player Development Contract with the

Norfolk Tides The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapea ...

on September 25, 2006. In 2006, the ball club was sold to Joe Finley and Craig Stein, while Pecor maintained a minority stake. Finley and Stein declared their intention to move the team to Allentown, Pennsylvania, for the 2008 season, where a new stadium was set to begin construction that September (now built as

Coca-Cola Park Coca-Cola Park is an 8,278-seat baseball park in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It is the home field for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Triple-A level Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Coca-Cola Park accommodates 10,17 ...

). The owners, facing a lawsuit from the City of Ottawa if they moved the Lynx, filed a lawsuit of their own against the City of Ottawa on October 17, 2006, seeking $10.75 million in damages claiming that the city failed to provide enough parking spaces, which, the team alleged, was a violation of its lease. The location far from the city centre might have contributed to the attendance problem. The team played its last game in Ottawa on September 3, 2007, in front of a crowd of 7,461 people, losing to the

Syracuse Chiefs Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York * Syracuse, Indiana *Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Miss ...

, 8–5. The Ottawa Lynx ultimately won exactly 1,000 games before leaving Ottawa.

Titles

The Lynx won the Governors' Cup, the championship of the International League, once by defeating the

in 1995.

Season-by-season records

Alumni

(1993) –

Outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to c ...

designated hitter The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...

first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...

for

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple ...

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, Oakland, Chicago Cubs,

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee ...

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...

, Kansas City,

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...

, and

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...

(1993–94) – Outfielder/designated hitter for Montreal, Chicago Cubs,

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United State ...

, Kansas City, Detroit, and

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

(1993–1996) – Pitcher for Montreal and

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

(1993; 1996) – First baseman/outfielder/designated hitter for Montreal,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, Boston,

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

, Chicago Cubs, and

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...

* F.P. Santangelo (1993–95; 1998) – Outfielder/ second baseman for Montreal, San Francisco,

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...

, and Oakland * Curtis Pride (1993–95; 2001) – Outfielder/designated hitter for Montreal, Detroit, Boston,

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, New York Yankees, and Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim *

Ugueth Urbina Ugueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal (; born February 15, 1974) is a Venezuelan former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. A two-time All-Star, Urbina led the National League in saves with 41 in the 1999 season and helped the Florida Marlin ...

(1995–96) –

Pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

for Montreal, Boston, Texas, Florida, Detroit, and

* José Vidro (1997–98) – Second baseman/

third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...

/designated hitter for Montreal/

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

and

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

* Orlando Cabrera (1997–98; 2000) – Gold Glove shortstop for Montreal, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, and San Francisco Giants * Javier Vázquez (1999) – Pitcher for Montreal, New York Yankees,

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

, and

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...

* Michael Barrett (2000) – Catcher for Montreal, Chicago Cubs, and

* Jamey Carroll (2000–02) – Third baseman/shortstop/second baseman for Montreal/Washington, Cleveland Indians, and

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

Brandon Phillips Brandon Emil Phillips (born June 28, 1981) is an American professional baseball second baseman and partial owner of the Lexington Legends of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland ...

(2002) – 2-time Gold Glove winner at second base for

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

* Rick Bauer (2003–05; 2007) – Pitcher for

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

and Texas * Eli Whiteside (2005–06) – Catcher for Baltimore and San Francisco *

Adam Loewen Adam Alexander Loewen (born April 9, 1984) is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher and outfielder. He pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles from 2006 to 2008, before converting to a position player and playin ...

(2006) – Baltimore Orioles pitcher and outfielder, Toronto outfielder * Hayden Penn (2006) – Pitcher for Baltimore and Florida * Chris Coste (2007) – Houston Astros

catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the ca ...

* Zack Segovia (2007) – Philadelphia Phillies pitcher * J. D. Durbin (2007) – Philadelphia Phillies pitcher *

Clay Condrey Clayton Lee Condrey (born November 19, 1975) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies. Condrey featured five pitches: a sinker, cutt ...

(2007) – Philadelphia Phillies pitcher * Mike Zagurski (2007) – Philadelphia Phillies pitcher * Yoel Hernández (2007) – Philadelphia Phillies pitcher * Brian Sanches (2007) – Philadelphia Phillies pitcher * Kane Davis (2007) – Philadelphia Phillies pitcher * Chris Roberson (2007) – Philadelphia Phillies outfielder * Fabio Castro (2007) – Philadelphia Phillies pitcher * Geoff Geary (2007) – Pitcher for Philadelphia and

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...

* John Ennis (2007) – Philadelphia Phillies pitcher * J. A. Happ (2007) – Pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, and Minnesota Twins.

References

External links