Getting to Know You: Ten Things to Know in the American Association This Week

The American Association of Professional Baseball (@AA_Baseball) season is in full swing, as the MLB Partner League began play earlier this month. Already the sports world has taken notice, with broadcast news, partnerships and the planned induction of a new American Association Hall of Fame class highlighting early news.

Here are 10 Things to Know about the American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB):

• By way of a primer, for those less familiar with the AAPB, the original American Association was formed in 1902 as an independent minor league circuit for Midwestern U.S. cities like Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Louisville and others. After several iterations, the realignment of Major League Baseball in 1997 spelled the end of the venerable league in that form. But in 2006, a new league formed using that great name, the result of a merger between two other “independent” leagues. Today, the AAPB is 12 teams strong and is a Major League Baseball Partner League operating in nine states and one Canadian province.
• By the end of 2023, more than 55 players with AAPB experience made MLB debuts after having played in the Association.
• The Kansas City Monarchs, named after the legendary Negro League franchise, are the defending AAPB champions. The team’s iconography closely mirrors that of its namesake.
• The AAPB made broadcast news at the start of the season, announcing that fans worldwide can watch every regular season game live for free via AABaseball.tv, the league’s streaming service. Additionally, Gray TV partnered with the AAPB to deliver free, over-the-air local stations in numerous Midwestern markets and sports networks.
• The AAPB All-Star Game is set for July 23 at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kans. As part of the festivities that week, five new members will be inducted into the American Association of Professional Baseball Hall of Fame: David Espinosa (player), Sam Katz (owner), Hal Lanier (manager), Ben Moore (player) and Curt Smith (player).
• On Monday, the entire Winnipeg Goldeyes team visited Siloam Mission, a humanitarian organization that alleviates hardships & provides transition opportunities for those experiencing homelessness.
• The Kane County Cougars are partnering with the Kane County (Ill.) Health Department to educate fans about the dangers of opioid misuse and the importance of overdose prevention.
• The AAPB recently announced several new partners, including HotelPlanner, a leading travel technology platform and hotel booking engine, for AAPB fans to book lower hotel rates, Baseball America for media and social media content, and SponsorCX, providing teams an end-to-end sponsorship management software solution.
• The Sioux City Explorers added some new fare at Lewis & Clark Park, the “Bratzilla,” a foot-long, nine-ounce bratwurst from Tiefenthaler Quality Meats of Holstein, Iowa.
• On the food front, the Lake Country (Oconomowoc, Wis.) DockHounds are sourcing all of their produce at Wisconsing Brewing Company Park through local farmers. The Dockhounds use spent grains from its local brewery to fertilize local crops.
• The Kane County (Ill.) Cougars are celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the Cougars Reading Club, an eight week incentive program with schools being able to select their own time frame for reading between the months of January and April. Students from Pre-K through 8th Grade are eligible to participate.