Mannheim Tornados

The Mannheim Tornados are a professional baseball and softball club from Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg. Founded in 1975, it is the oldest continuing baseball club in Germany.[2] The first men's team plays in the first division of the Baseball Bundesliga and has won 11 championships, the most of any club to reach the top tier of German baseball. The team won every championship between 1984 and 1989. However, the Tornados have not won a championship since 1997, though they perennially make the playoffs.[3]

Mannheim Tornados
Information
LeagueBaseball-Bundesliga (Bundesliga Süd)
LocationMannheim
BallparkRoberto Clemente Field, 1,000 capacity
Year founded1975
League championships1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997
Colorsred / black / white
ManagerGeorge Bull
General ManagerGeorge Bull[1]
Websitewww.tornados.de

Club structure

The full club consists of 12 teams:

  • 1st Men's, plays in Bundesliga's 1st Division
  • Men's Regional
  • Association Men's League
  • 1st Women's
  • Association Women's League
  • Juniors (16–18 years)
  • Youth (13–15 years)
  • Student (9–12 years)
  • Junior Women (17–19 years)
  • T-Ball (4–8 years)
  • 2 recreational teams (Slow Pitch)
  • Mixed Team League Softball Fast Pitch

Each member pays an annual club fee, ranging from €55 for ordinary members to €170 for active adult members.[4] The club also set up a separate organization, The Friends of the Baseball Club Tornados Mannheim eV. It is classified as a charitable organization by the City of Mannheim, and has an annual membership fee of €24.[5]

Season by season performance (1st Bundesliga)
YearRankGamesWLWin%Season Notes
20073281810.642Lost to Solingen Alligators in Quarterfinals, 1-3[6]
20083281810.642Lost to Regensburg Legionaere in Finals, 2-3[7]
2009324159.625Lost to Heidenheim Heideköpfe in Finals, 2-3[8]
20103281711.607Lost to Paderborn Untouchables in Quarterfinals, 2-3[9]

[10][11][12]

Retired numbers

The team has five retired numbers:

  • 30 - Frank Jäger, played 390 games with the Tornados from 1984 to 2000, batting .314 lifetime
  • 22 - Bernard Pickett, known as "Yogi," played 213 games with the Tornados and batted .413 lifetime
  • 20 - Stephan Jäger, hit .425 for the Tornados over 194 games
  • 35 - Eddy Polanco, hit .413 over 221 games for the Tornados[13]
  • 44 - Klaus Knüttel, played 498 games in his Tornados jersey, pitched 1121 strikeouts in 1129 innings. Also a power hitter, he had 97 home runs, 20 triples, and 9 doubles during his career.

References
  1. "Information aus der Mitgliederversammlung: Erhöhung der Mitgliedsbeiträge – Mannheim Tornados".
  2. "Information aus der Mitgliederversammlung: Erhöhung der Mitgliedsbeiträge – Mannheim Tornados".
  3. http://tornados.mailsys.de/uploads/fckeditor/Deutsche-Meister-Herren.htm%5B%5D
  4. "Information aus der Mitgliederversammlung: Erhöhung der Mitgliedsbeiträge – Mannheim Tornados".
  5. "Information aus der Mitgliederversammlung: Erhöhung der Mitgliedsbeiträge – Mannheim Tornados".
  6. "German Baseball: Final Standings « Mister Baseball".
  7. "Buchbinder Legionaere win German Championship with 10-0 shutout « Mister Baseball".
  8. "German Finals: Simon Guehring leads Heidenheim to Title « Mister Baseball".
  9. "German Quarters: Untouchables celebrate Comeback « Mister Baseball".
  10. "Bundesliga Results July 26/27 « Mister Baseball".
  11. "Recaps: Mainz Athletics clinch last Playoff Spot in Baseball-Bundesliga « Mister Baseball".
  12. "August « 2010 « Mister Baseball".
  13. "Mailsys GBR -".
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