The Merrillville Muddogs of Merrillville, Indiana are the only professional baseball team the town has had, and they lasted one summer. They were one of four clubs in a new independent league that played entirely within Indiana in 1995, alongside the Lafayette Leopards, Anderson Lawmen and East Chicago Conquistadors. The season opened June 13 and ended August 28.
The draw was the manager. Ron Kittle ran the club, twelve years after he won the 1983 American League Rookie of the Year award with the White Sox and next door to his hometown of Gary. He also put himself on the mound for the Muddogs that summer. His pitching coach was Steve Trout, who was fired before the season ended. Trout was another familiar Chicago name, having pitched five seasons each for the White Sox and Cubs.
Home games were played at Merrillville High School. The Muddogs finished third at 27-31, 6.5 games behind pennant winner Lafayette, in a league that held no playoffs. They scored 267 runs and allowed 310. They led the league in attendance at 18,351, which was more than Lafayette (7,624) and East Chicago (5,444) combined.
Five Muddogs were named All-Stars: catcher Donnie Diffenbaugh (.322), third baseman Craig Tucker (.276), shortstop Jeff Laschinski, and pitchers Ryan Lewis (3-2, 4.08) and Javier Gomez (5-4, 2.43). Gomez led the league in ERA and was named pitcher of the year.
There was no second season. Two of the four clubs carried on in the Heartland League in 1996: Lafayette and Anderson. Merrillville and East Chicago did not.
Retro Baseball Revival celebrates historic baseball teams with unique apparel, honoring their legacy and bringing history to one-of-a-kind clothing with our old school retro baseball tees from defunct Minor League Baseball teams. All of our high quality apparel is designed, printed, and shipped within the USA. This collection features 100% original designs based on the history and nicknames of historic minor league teams.
Our standard (non-premium) hoodies are classics that anyone is sure to recognize. They are thick, durable Gildan brand hoodies. They are a cotton/poly blend that stands the test of time and feature the 'kangaroo pouch' on the front with a draw string hood.
Size Guide: True to size, roomy
- Brand: Gildan | Product ID: G18500
- Made with a medium-heavy fabric (8.0 oz/yd² (271 g/m²)) that consists of 50% cotton and 50% polyester for that cozy feel and warmth you need in a hoodie.
- The classic fit along with the pouch pocket and the tear-away label make for a highly comfortable, scratch-free wearing experience.
- The color-matched drawcord and the double-lined hood add a stylish flair and durability that tie everything together.
- Made using 100% ethically grown US cotton. Gildan is also a proud member of the US Cotton Trust Protocol ensuring ethical and sustainable means of production. The blank tee's dyes are OEKO-TEX-certified dyes with low environmental impact.
- Tumble dry: medium; Iron, steam or dry: low heat; Do not dryclean; Machine wash: cold (max 30C or 90F); Non-chlorine: bleach as needed.
