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Evansville Otters
Frontier League baseball team in Evansville, Indiana
Frontier League baseball team in Evansville, Indiana
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Evansville Otters |
| founded | 1993 |
| founding city | Lancaster, Ohio |
| city | Evansville, Indiana |
| based | 1995 |
| ballpark | Bosse Field (1995–present) |
| logo | EvansvilleOtters New.png |
| uniformlogo | EvansvilleOttersCapLogo.png |
| class level | Independent (1993–present) |
| league | Frontier League (1993–present) |
| division | Central Division |
| conference | Midwest Conference |
| nickname | Evansville Otters (1995–present) |
| pastnames | Lancaster Scouts (1993–1994) |
| colors | Dark blue, red, white, light blue, dark brown, light brown, off-white |
| pastparks | Beavers Field (1993–1994) |
| leaguechamps | |
| leaguenum | 2 |
| divisionchamps | |
| divnum | 3 |
| owner | Wilfred “Bill” Bussing III |
| manager | Andy McCauley |
| media | Evansville Courier & Press |
| website | |
| gm | Brycen Moore |
The Evansville Otters are a professional baseball team based in Evansville, Indiana. They compete in the Frontier League (FL) as a member of the Central Division. Since their relocation from Lancaster, Ohio in 1995, the Otters have played at Bosse Field, which originally opened in 1915. The Otters are the oldest current team in the Frontier League and have reached the postseason fourteen times, winning Frontier League championships in 2006 and 2016.
History
The Otters franchise history began with the Lancaster Scouts, a founding member of the Frontier League in 1993. After their second year playing in Lancaster, Ohio, and drawing a league-low 261 fans a game, the franchise relocated to Evansville, Indiana and renamed themselves the Otters. The name was chosen via a Name the Team contest, with Otters beating out Pioneers, River Pilots, and Wolves. Otters were extirpated from Southern Indiana in the late 19th century, but one had recently been spotted in the region and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources was working to re-introduce them.
When the Otters began play in 1995, they returned professional baseball to Evansville for the first time in a decade. The city had been without a team since the Evansville Triplets of the American Association relocated to Nashville, Tennessee following the 1984 season.
The Otters named Boots Day their manager in December 1994. Day was a former Evansville Triplet and had previously managed for the Bristol Tigers of the Appalachian League from 1982 to 1983.
The Otters drew 90,943 fans in their first season, more than the entire Frontier League had in its inaugural season two years earlier. Their 2,675 fans a game was third among all independent baseball teams in 1995, behind only the St. Paul Saints, Winnipeg Goldeyes, and Sioux City Explorers. The Otters' general manager, Jim Miller, was awarded the Frontier League's 1995 Executive of the Year award.
The first Evansville Otters game was played on June 15, 1995. The Otters were awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year Award in 1997, and the Commissioner's Award of Excellence in 2004. They earned their 689th win, a league record, on August 18, 2011. The team hosted the largest crowd ever at Bosse Field on July 24, 2013, with 8,253 fans in attendance. The Otters welcomed their 2,000,000th fan to the ballpark on August 18, 2013.
The Otters have promoted over 50 of their players to Major League Baseball franchises. Four Otters have gone on to careers at the major league level including George Sherrill, Andrew Werner, Brandyn Sittinger, and Randy Wynne.
The success of the Otters in Evansville led to the move of more Frontier League teams to larger cities, many of which have built new ballparks, leading to the increased stability and success of the league in recent years.
On May 27, 2014, the Otters became the first team in the Frontier League to reach 800 wins.
The Otters reached the Frontier League Championship Series in 2023 for the first time since 2016 but lost in five games to the Quebec Capitales.
Ballpark
Main article: Bosse Field
The Evansville Otters have played their home games at Bosse Field since they moved to Evansville in 1995. It was built in 1915 and is the third oldest ballpark still in use by a professional team, trailing Fenway Park and Wrigley Field.
Season-by-season records
| Year | Division | W–L | Win % | Place | Postseason | Source | Lancaster Scouts | Total | — | 47–72 | .395 | — | — | Playoffs | — | 2–3 | — | .400 | 1 Playoff appearance, 0 Championships | Evansville Otters | Total | — | 1,298–1,337 | .496 | — | — | Playoffs | — | 24–28 | .462 | — | 14 Playoff appearances, 2 Championships | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | West | 22–33 | .400 | 3rd | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994 | West | 25–39 | .391 | 2nd | Won 1st Round Playoff vs. Chillicothe Paints 2–1. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost Frontier League Championship vs. Erie Sailors 2–0. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | — | 31-38 | .449 | 6th | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996 | West | 34–40 | .459 | 3rd | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | West | 46–33 | .582 | 1st | Won 1st Round Playoff vs. Richmond Roosters 2–1. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost Frontier League Championship vs. Canton Crocodiles 2–0. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | West | 43–36 | .544 | 3rd | Lost 1st Round Playoff vs. Springfield Capitals 2–1. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | West | 43–41 | .512 | 1st | Lost 1st Round Playoff vs. Chillicothe Paints 2–0. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | West | 45–38 | .616 | 2nd | Won 1st Round Playoff vs. River City Rascals 2–0. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost Frontier League Championship vs. Johnstown Johnnies 3–1. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | West | 44–40 | .524 | 4th | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | West | 33–51 | .393 | 6th | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | East | 51–37 | .580 | 3rd | Won 1st Round Playoff vs. Chillicothe Paints 2–1. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost Frontier League Championship vs. Gateway Grizzlies 3–0. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | East | 54–42 | .562 | 2nd | Won 1st Round Playoff vs. Washington Wild Things 3–0. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost Frontier League Championship vs. Rockford Riverhawks 3–0. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | East | 52–43 | .547 | 4th | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | West | 46–50 | .479 | 2nd | Won 1st Round Playoff vs. Rockford Riverhawks 3–2. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Won Frontier League Championship vs. Chillicothe Paints 3–0. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | West | 34–62 | .354 | 4th | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | West | 39–57 | .406 | 6th | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | West | 28–66 | .298 | 6th | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | West | 35–59 | .372 | 6th | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | West | 39–57 | .406 | T-5th | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | East | 45–50 | .474 | 5th | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | East | 51–45 | .531 | 4th | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | East | 57–37 | .606 | 2nd | Lost East Division Wild Card Game vs. Washington Wild Things. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | East | 48–48 | .500 | 4th | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | West | 55–40 | .579 | 2nd | Won 1st Round Playoff vs. Joliet Slammers 3–1. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Won Frontier League Championship vs. River City Rascals 3–2. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | West | 52–44 | .542 | 2nd | Lost 1st Round Playoff vs. Schaumburg Boomers 3–1. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | West | 51–45 | .531 | 2nd | Lost 1st Round Playoff vs. Washington Wild Things 3–0. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | West | 57–39 | .531 | T-1st | Lost 1st Round Playoff vs. River City Rascals 3–0. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | West | - | - | - | Season not played due to COVID-19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | West | 57–39 | .594 | 2nd | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | West | 52–44 | .542 | 3rd | Lost Wild Card Game to Schaumburg Boomers 5–1. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | West | 52–44 | .542 | 3rd | Won Wild Card Game over Schaumburg Boomers 4–3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Won 1st Round Playoff over Gateway Grizzlies 2–1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost Championship vs. Québec Capitales 3–2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | West | 41–55 | .427 | 6th | Did not qualify | title=2024 Frontier League | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=dd4bd050 | website=Baseball-Reference.com | access-date=November 8, 2025}} | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | Central | 40–56 | .417 | 4th | Did not qualify | title=2025 Frontier League | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=c1d3115c | website=Baseball-Reference.com | access-date=November 8, 2025}} |
Current roster
‡
‡
‡
(assistant) (assistant hitting) (assistant) (pitching) (hitting) (assistant)
Notable alumni
- George Sherrill (1999–2000)
- Andrew Werner (2009–2010)
- Brett Marshall (2015)
- Ty Hensley (2018)
- Randy Wynne (2018–2019)
- Brandyn Sittinger (2019)
- Boots Day (2021)
References
References
- "Frontier League Official Colors (1993 through present)".
- "Bosse Field Facts". Evansville Otters.
- "Evansville Otters reveal branding for 30th Season".
- (October 2, 1994). "Frontier League OKs Evansville". Evansville Courier and Press.
- (December 29, 1994). "Evansville brings Otters to the Frontier". Evansville Press.
- (December 29, 1994). "Team to be called Otters". Evansville Courier and Press.
- (June 16, 1995). "Listen; it sounds like pro baseball's back". Evansville Courier and Press.
- (December 30, 1994). "Newspapers.com by Ancestry My Clippings Finally, someone says 'yes' to Boots Day". Evansville Courier and Press.
- "Frontier League History". Frontier Professional Baseball.
- (August 29, 1995). "Otter players, fans end their season on a positive note". Evansville Press.
- (September 10, 1995). "Top attendance earns Otters' Miller Frontier's Executive of Year honor". Evansville Courier and Press.
- (June 26, 2023). "Former Otter Randy Wynne makes MLB Debut with Cincinnati Reds".
- (May 27, 2014). "EVANSVILLE OTTERS FIRST IN FRONTIER LEAGUE HISTORY TO 800 WINS". Frontierleague.com.
- Napier, Briar. (September 18, 2023). "Le Québec est Magnifique Again With Repeat Frontier League Title".
- Engelhardt, Gordon. (August 2, 2014). "Bosse Field still shines after all these years". [[Evansville Courier & Press]].
- "2024 Frontier League".
- "2025 Frontier League".
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