The electric Sliders
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in “Minor-league miracles: The story of ‘Three-I’ baseball, where champions and spitballs ruled,” an article published in Illinois Heritage in 2003. No matter how successful the teams were, the Three-I league was not impervious to the realities of the world beyond the first- and third-base lines. The league halted play during the Great Depression and for World War II. The nation’s then-oldest class B minor league was finally disbanded in 1961. The next year, several Three-I teams would join the Class A Midwest League, and over the next three decades, Springfield would swing and miss with several other amateur and pro teams.

Before the Sliders, Springfield was home to the CICL’s Caps, from 1963 to 1978, and the Rifles, which played off and on from 1983 to 2006. The capital city would then host the AAA Springfield Redbirds from 1978 to 1981 then the Class A Springfield Cardinals — both teams were affiliated with St. Louis’ pro club — from 1982 to 1993. After the Cardinals left town, the Class A Midwest League Sultans, who were affiliated for one year each with the San Diego Padres and later the Kansas City Royals played here in 1994 and 1995. In 1997, the Capitals of the professional independent Frontier League filled the baseball void until the team was moved to Rockford in 2001. Sliders officials believe they’ll have a different story to tell, however.

“This isn’t a short term venture for us,” says team co-owner Bolder, who in addition to running the Sliders front office operations from Wisconsin, serves as chief operating officer of the Wausau-based Woodchucks Baseball Club, also a collegiate summer team. In fact, the Sliders signed a five-year $300 per game agreement with the Springfield Park District to play its home games at Lanphier Park. According to Feller, the difference between the Sliders and previous baseball