Sky Sox Announce "Cheers to 45 More Years"

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Colorado Springs Sky Sox, Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, will pay tribute to professional baseball's history while celebrating the future of professional baseball in the Springs with their "Cheers to 45 More Years" campaign.
 "'Cheers to 45 More Years' is a 2018 campaign designed to share with and educate our fans about baseball's amazing history in Colorado Springs from the early days of the 1900's to today," said Sky Sox President and General Manager, Tony Ensor. "We want to honor this history in a fun and unique way while building excitement about our new future in the Springs beginning 2019."
Since the first professional baseball team was created in Colorado Springs in 1901 as the "Millionaires", the Springs has held a pro team for a total of 45 seasons, proving a long line of ancestry in the community that would continue into the '50s, '80s, 90's, 2000's, and present day era.
After the Millionaires left in 1916, the local area went without pro baseball until the game boomed after World War II. In 1950, thirty-four years after their departure, an affiliation with the Chicago White Sox brought professional baseball back to the Springs and the Sky Sox brand was born, as a member of the Western League. After the Sky Sox won the pennant in 1958, their third in eight seasons, the Pikes Peak region went without pro baseball again as the league folded and the team ceased operations. Thirty years later, in 1988, owner Dave Elmore brought the second incarnation of the Sky Sox back to town from Hawaii to play in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) as an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.
Following five seasons affiliated with the Indians (1988-1992), the Colorado Rockies (1993-2014) were born, introducing fans to a new generation of Sky Sox baseball, featuring a new look and personality in the '90's and again in the early 2000's. Following the 2014 season, the 2010-era Sky Sox brand was established with an affiliation with the Milwaukee Brewers, where it remains today.
"We haven't always been the Sky Sox, and we've had so many different levels of play, different identities, different affiliates, different uniforms, and even different stadiums over the course of our long history," said Ensor. "The only thing that has remained constant, other than change itself, is Colorado Springs and professional baseball. This campaign will recognize this great past and display the evolution of baseball in the Springs."
To pay homage and display the history of Colorado Springs professional baseball, the 2018 Sky Sox will wear uniforms of each team era every Friday home game. On Opening Day and every Friday in April, the team will take the field as the Millionaires' with a uniform look that hasn't been worn in over a century. The Sky Sox will continue the pattern by wearing the 1950's White Sox era replica in May, 1980's Cleveland Indians era replica in June, 1990's Rockies era replica in July, 2000's Rockies rebranded "Socko" jersey replica in August, and the current Milwaukee Brewers era jersey throughout September. At the end of each month, fans will have the opportunity to keep a part of Colorado Springs baseball history as each once-in-a-lifetime jersey will be auctioned to the public.
 "It's not just the uniforms, but we'll ask our staff, fans and community to join in on the fun and dress in period clothing from that era," Ensor said. "Our promotions will be centered on playing music from that era, inviting people back from those eras - players and dignitaries - and highlighting facts and history of Colorado Springs from those eras.
Following the 2018 season, Short Season Class-A Helena will move to Security Service Field as a new Rookie-Advanced member of the Pioneer League, which hosted notable alums including Kris Bryant, Josh Donaldson, Joey Votto, Ryan Braun, and Hall of Famers George Brett, Pedro Martinez, Frank Robinson, and Andre Dawson. Triple-A baseball will transition to San Antonio, Texas as members of the Pacific Coast League while Double-A will transfer from San Antonio to Amarillo, Texas.
"When you think about it, the past 45 seasons of professional baseball in Colorado Springs has been an incredible progression," said Ensor. "As this community has changed and grown, so has professional baseball. The 2019 season and beyond represents the next progression of professional baseball in this community, and we here at the Sky Sox couldn't be more excited for the next 45 years to come!"
The 2018 Sky Sox baseball season begins April 5 against the Omaha Storm Chasers. The home opener is scheduled for April 10 against the New Orleans Baby Cakes. For information about the Sky Sox and the 2018 season at Security Service Field, please call (719) 597-1449 or email [email protected]. Get the latest Sky Sox news online at www.skysox.com, like us on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter at @skysox.