The Québec Capitales (

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

: ''Les Capitales de Québec'') are a professional baseball team based in

Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the metropolitan area had a population of 839,311. It is t ...

, Quebec, Canada. The Capitales have been members of the

Frontier League The Frontier League is a professional independent baseball league with teams in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Eastern Canada. Formed in 1993, it is the oldest currently running independent league in the United States. The le ...

since the 2020 season after a merger between the

Can-Am League The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, commonly known as the Can-Am League, was a professional, independent baseball league with teams in the Northeast United States and Eastern Canada, founded in 2005 as a reorganization of ...

and the Frontier League in October 2019. Since the 1999 season, the Capitales have played their home games at Stade Canac. The team was established in 1999 as a member of the independent

Northern League Northern League may refer to: Sport Baseball * Northern League (baseball, 1902–71), a name used by several minor leagues that operated in the upper midwestern U.S. and Manitoba from 1902 to 1971 * Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010), an indep ...

. Their mascot is Capi the Lion.

History of baseball in Quebec City

Québec City has been home to many baseball teams. The Québec Athletics played in the Québec Provincial League during the 1940 season, and in the Canadian-American League from 1941 to 1942. The Québec Alouettes followed as a member of the Canadian-American League from 1946 to 1948. The Quebec Braves played from 1949 to 1950, as they too were part of the Canadian-American League, and from 1950 to 1951 in the Provincial League. The Québec Indians played in the Provincial League from 1958 to 1970. The Québec Carnavals were the AA 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 ...

from 1971 through 1975, as members of the

Eastern League Eastern League may refer to: Baseball in the United States ''Most recent leagues listed first'' * Eastern League (1938–present), a minor league established in 1923 and renamed Eastern League in 1938, at the Double-A level * Eastern League (1916� ...

. In 1976, the team changed its name to the Québec Metros and continued to play until 1977.

Quebec Capitales

Andrew Scheer at a Capitales game (48406983352)

In 1999, the Capitales joined the

(East Division) as an expansion team. The Capitales are one of two Canadian teams in the league, the other being the Trois-Rivieres Aigles. As of 2019, the Capitales are the most successful team in the Can-Am League on and off the field, having won the League championship more times (7) than any other team and being among the tops in attendance every season averaging over 3,000 fans per game since 2001. Since 2000, the Capitales have made the playoffs 16 times. In 2006, the Capitales won their first championship in team history. Although the team had the second-worst record in team history they still qualified for last postseason spot with a 44–44 record. They defeated the top seed

North Shore Spirit The North Shore Spirit was a minor-league baseball team based in Lynn, Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. The Spirit played in the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball (the "Can-Am League," also known as the Northeast League), an ...

in dramatic come from behind fashion winning the last two games to win the series 3 games to 2. In the championship series, the Capitales took a 2 games to none advantage before the

Brockton Rox The Brockton Rox are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Brockton, Massachusetts, United States. Formerly a professional baseball franchise, the Rox were a member of the independent Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, fr ...

came back to even the series. In the final and decisive game, the Capitales defeated the Rox on their home field by coming from behind and won by a score of 5–4 to win the Can-Am League Championship 3 games to 2. Dmarte 02a

In 2009 the Capitales became the first franchise in the reborn Can-Am League to win multiple championships and the fourth team in the entire history of the Northeast/Can-Am League to win more than one championship (joining the

New Jersey Jackals The New Jersey Jackals are an American professional baseball team based in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. The team was founded in 1998 by Floyd Hall and is owned by Al Dorso, a businessman who also owns the Sussex County Miners, Sk ...

, who won two Northeast League and two Northern League championships, the

Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs The Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs were an independent baseball league team based in Albany, New York from 1995 to 2002. The team played at Heritage Park in Colonie. The Diamond Dogs competed in the Northeast League from 1995–98 and then in the ...

, who won the first Northeast League Championship and one Northern League Championship, and the Adirondack Lumberjacks, who won one Northeast League and one Northern League championship). The Capitales won the 2nd half regular-season championship and finished the season with the 3rd best overall record (53-41). The Capitales eliminated the Brockton Rox 3 games to 1 in the opening round. In a rematch of the 2005 championship, the Capitales got revenge by eliminating the

Worcester Tornadoes The Worcester Tornadoes were a professional baseball team based in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Tornadoes were a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent baseball league which wa ...

3 games to 1. In 2010, the Capitales obtained a second consecutive championship, passing by the Pittsfield Colonials 3 games to 1. In 2011, the Capitales won their third championship in a row (fourth in all) by defeating the New Jersey Jackals 4 games to 1. In 2012, the team again defeated the Jackals 4 games to 1, thus winning their fourth championship in a row. A fifth championship in a row materialized in 2013, the Capitales defeating again the New-Jersey Jackals 4 games to 3. In 2017, the Capitales captured their seventh championship in franchise history by sweeping the Rockland Boulders 3–0. In 2020, the Capitales moved to the

following the merger of the Can-Am League with the Frontier League. However, due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

and extended closure of the

Canada–United States border The border between Canada and the United States is the longest international border in the world. The terrestrial boundary (including boundaries in the Great Lakes, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts) is long. The land border has two sections: ...

, the league announced that the Capitales (along with the

Trois-Rivières Aigles The Aigles de Trois-Rivières (English: ''Three Rivers Eagles'') were a Canadian Minor League Baseball team of the Eastern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds from 1971 to 1977. They were located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, ...

) would be unable to compete for the 2020 season (which was later cancelled). The club later announced they intended to organize a separate league in Québec for the summer as an alternative, but these plans were eventually scrapped by both clubs. In 2021, the Capitales again saw their season canceled due to the ongoing closure of the Canada-US border. Canadian players signed by the

and the

Ottawa Titans The Ottawa Titans Baseball Club (French: ''Les Titans d'Ottawa'') is a professional baseball team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The Titans made their debut in 2022 as a member of the independent Frontier League, which is an official MLB Pa ...

had the opportunity to join the Capitales (who started the season as a traveling team known as ''Équipe Québec'', playing exclusively in the United States), while all other non-Canadian players on the roster were subject to a proposed dispersal among the 13 United States-based teams. They started the season as a traveling team, and as of July 30, 2021, they have played a total of 21 home games including 10 at Stade Canac, and 11 at Stade Quillorama. During the July 30 game, Équipe Québec hosted the

New York Boulders The New York Boulders are an American independent professional baseball team playing in the Frontier League based in Pomona, Rockland County, New York. The team was founded as a member of the Can-Am League, beginning play in the 2011 season as t ...

at Stade Canac and won the game 10-8 in front of a full house of 2,800 spectators, the maximum during sanitary measures. On September 12, 2021, Équipe Québec qualified for the playoffs. They faced the

Washington Wild Things The Washington Wild Things are a professional baseball team based in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The Wild Things are a member of the Frontier League, an independent baseball league which, as of 2020, is an official Partner Le ...

in the semi-finals and lost 4-0 in Game #5. The crowd of 3,619 gathered at Stade Canac during game #3 represented 800 more spectators than the number allowed due to sanitary measures. Équipe Québec finished the season with a record of 52 wins and 44 losses with an average of 2,215 fans in 21 home games. In 2022, in their first season in the Frontier League, as a local Quebec team, the Capitales are taking their first steps in this new league. On September 19, 2022, the Capitales won their 8th championship in their history, in front of their supporters thanks to a victory in the 9th round from Ruben Castro. Noise levels in the stadium allegedly reached as high as 110 decibels when the Capitales scored runs, but most notably, when Ruben Castro hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the 9th inning the previous day on September 18 when 4,428 fans were crammed into the stadium.

Season-by-season record

Records as of May 11, 2022 1: In 2021, Équipe Québec, a combination of the Capitales and the

, played in the Frontier League. With a record of 52—44, they finished first in the Atlantic Division, and lost the Division Series to the

3-2.

Logos and uniforms

Andrew Scheer at a Capitales game (48406982707)

The official colours of the Québec Capitales are navy blue and gold. The primary logo consists of a white baseball diamond with navy blue pinstripes. The "Capitales" wordmark is superimposed over the diamond in navy blue outlined in gold. The wordmark is underlined by a navy blue ribbon with the word "Québec" centred on it in white, with the French word "de" centred in between. A navy blue

fleur-de-lis The fleur-de-lis, also spelled fleur-de-lys (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a lily (in French, and mean 'flower' and 'lily' respectively) that is used as a decorative design or symbol. The fleur-de-lis has been used in the ...

is centred above the wordmark, with a stylized depiction of home plate centred below. The Québec Capitales uniforms are traditional in design. The caps are navy blue throughout with the scripted "Q" cap logo centred on the front in gold with a white centre incorporating a navy blue fleur-de-lis and red baseball threading. The home jerseys are white with navy blue pinstripes, with the "Capitales" cursive script wordmark centred across in navy blue with gold outline. The alternate jersey is navy blue with gold piping with the cap logo centred on the left-side chest.

Rivalries

Over the years, the Capitales have had several rivalries. One significant rivalry is against the

. They have both won four league championships in their histories. The Capitales defeated the Jackals three times in the championship series, 2011, 2012, and 2013. The Capitales also have a rivalry with the

. This is because both teams are geographically in the same province of

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirte ...

. Another rivalry was against the

Ottawa Voyageurs The Ottawa Voyageurs, previously the Ottawa Rapidz, were a professional baseball team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada under the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball or Can-Am League. As a Can-Am team, the team played one seaso ...

. Even though the Voyageurs played in the Can-Am League for only two seasons, it was still a significant rivalry due to both teams playing in the same country and the closeness of both provinces of

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 Ca ...

and

. When the

were formed in 2022, this sparked another rivalry for the Capitales because they have both the same mascot names, and are both in the same country.

Current roster

Broadcasting

Capitales games can be heard on CHYZ-FM, and all home games are presented on the CHYZ 94.3 FM website and app.

Notable alumni

* Mitch Lyden (1999) * José Núñez (2001) *

Darryl Motley Darryl DeWayne Motley (born January 21, 1960) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played six seasons for the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves between and . In his MLB career, Motley played in 413 games, hit 44 home runs, 324 ...

(2002) * Jeff Harris (2003–2004) *

Juan Melo Juan Esteban Melo (born November 11, 1976) is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball. He played for the San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. Th ...

(2004) * Marty Janzen (2005) * Éric Cyr (2006, 2008) * Éric Gagné (2009) *

Pete Laforest Pierre-Luc "Pete" Laforest (born January 27, 1978) is a Canadian former professional baseball catcher and was the first manager of the Trois-Rivières Aigles. Career Laforest is a graduate of Fort Scott Community College. He was a draft pick of ...

(2009, 2010–2012) *

Andrew Albers Andrew William Albers (born October 6, 1985) is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, and Seattle Mariners, as well as in the KBO ...

(2010) *

Troy Cate Troy Patrick Cate (born October 21, 1980) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals. He went to school and played baseball at Ricks College. After finishing school there, he served as a Mormon mission ...

(2010) * Steve Green (2010) * Max St. Pierre (2012) *

Jonathan Malo Jonathan Joseph Malo (born September 29, 1983) is a Canadian professional baseball shortstop who is a free agent. Malo has competed for the Canada national baseball team. Career Malo went to Collège Montmorency. He enrolled at Miami-Dade College ...

(2012–2019) *

Kalian Sams Kalian Rivalino Sams (born August 25, 1986) is a Dutch professional baseball player for L&D Amsterdam of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse. He played for Team Netherlands in the 2019 European Baseball Championship, and at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qua ...

(2015–2018) * Yordan Manduley (2015–2019, 2022–present) * Jorge Reyes (2016) * Yurisbel Gracial (2016–2017) *

Marcus Knecht Marcus Allen Knecht (born June 21, 1990) is a Canadian professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. Prior to beginning his professional career, he played college baseball at Oklahoma State University and Connors State College. ...

(2016–2017) *

Jordan Lennerton Jordan M. Lennerton (born February 16, 1986) is a Canadian former professional baseball first baseman. He had been in the Detroit Tigers' organization from the time he was drafted in 2008 until 2015. Amateur career Lennerton grew up in Langley, ...

(2016–2018) * Matt Marksberry (2017) *

Lázaro Blanco Lázaro Blanco Fuentes (April 1, 1938 – May 4, 2011) was a Mexican photographer. Blanco was born in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of soverei ...

(2017–2018) *

Josh Vitters Joshua Warren Vitters (born August 27, 1989) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs in 2012. Amateur career Vitters was an AFLAC All-American Prep Third Baseman fo ...

(2018) * Tyson Gillies (2019) *

Dustin Molleken Dustin Douglas Molleken (born August 21, 1984) is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, and in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tiger ...

(2019) *

Jonathan de Marte Jonathan de Marte (born April 29, 1993) is an American-Israeli professional baseball pitcher and pitches for Team Israel. He is 6-1 and weighs 205 lbs.Scott Richmond Scott Daniel Richmond (born August 30, 1979) is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays. Career College, independent, and minor league career Richmond's high school did ...

(2019) *

Andrew Case Andrew Paul William Case (born January 6, 1993) is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays as an undrafted free agent in 2013. College Case attended Lethbridge College in Lethbridge, Alb ...

(2021–2022) *

Gift Ngoepe Mpho' Gift Ngoepe (mm-POH, n-GO-pay; born 18 January 1990) is a South African former professional baseball shortstop and second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays. In 2017, he beca ...

(2021) *

Evan Rutckyj Evan P. Rutckyj (born January 31, 1992) is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher for the Niigata Albirex of the Baseball Challenge League. He was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 16th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft. Car ...

(2021) *

Jared Mortensen Jared Paul Mortensen (born June 1, 1988) is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Career Mortensen played college baseball at Mount Olive College and the Louisiana State University in Shreveport. After going undrafted in th ...

(2021) * Tristan Pompey (2022–present)

Attendance

As of September 4, 2022 *played with limited capacity (2,800 people) **only counts Équipe Québec games played at Stade Canac

References

External links

* {{Baseball in Canada Frontier League teams Baseball in Quebec City Baseball teams in Quebec Sports teams in Quebec City Baseball teams established in 1999 1999 establishments in Quebec