The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A baseball team nicknamed the Mud Hens has played in Toledo for most seasons since 1896, including a 50-year history as a member of the now-defunct American Association. The current franchise was established in 1965, joining the International League; this league was called the Triple-A East for the 2021 season.
Background Professional baseball had been played off and on in Toledo since 1883, and the Mud Hens era began in 1896 with the "Swamp Angels," who played in the Interstate League. They played in Bay View Park, which was outside the Toledo city limits and therefore not covered by the city's blue laws. The park was located near marshland inhabited by American coots, also known as "mud hens." For this reason, the local press soon dubbed the team the "Mud Hens"—a nickname that has stuck to Toledo baseball teams for all but a few years since. The name "Mud Hens" became permanent in 1965. After only one season, the team moved to Armory Park.
History 1896–1914 A Mud Hens team played in the Interstate League from 1896 through 1900, then a Toledo team known as the Swamp Angels played in the Western Association in 1901, followed by a Mud Hens team in the American Association from 1902 through 1913. The American Association Mud Hens moved to League Park in Cleveland in 1914 and became the Cleveland Bearcats, playing in Cleveland for two seasons. During the 1914 season, a Class C Mud Hens team played in the Southern Michigan League. No Toledo team was fielded in 1915.
1916–1952 The team resumed play in the American Association in 1916 as the Iron Men, a nickname they used through 1918. The Mud Hens name returned in 1919, and the team competed in the American Association until 1952.
Mid-season in 1952, team owner Danny Menendez moved the Mud Hens to Charleston, West Virginia, where they competed as the Charleston Senators through 1960. Toledo fielded a replacement franchise in the American Association from 1953 to 1955, the Toledo Sox, which was the former Milwaukee Brewers minor-league team. That franchise subsequently moved to Wichita, Kansas, for the 1956 season, where it competed as the Wichita Braves through 1958.
1965–present In 1965, the Richmond Virginians franchise of the International League moved to Toledo and became the current incarnation of the Mud Hens. They were based in Maumee, Ohio, at the converted Fort Miami Fairgrounds. The local ownership group led by Ned Skeldon signed with the New York Yankees to be its top farm team.
In 1967, the Detroit Tigers replaced the Yankees as their major league affiliate. That year, the team was third in the league but claimed the Governors' Cup via the four-team playoff. The next year, the team won a record 83 games and the league pennant but failed to repeat as Cup winners. The team was affiliated with Detroit through 1973. In 1974 and 1975, the Philadelphia Phillies affiliated with the Mud Hens, followed by two years affiliated with the Cleveland Indians. All four seasons were losing seasons.
The Minnesota Twins took over as the team's major league affiliate in 1978 and brought in Gene Cook as general manager, who was good at promoting the team, particularly as a family event. Cook also got Jamie Farr to incorporate the Mud Hens in Farr's M*A*S*H character's background. The Twins affiliation lasted through the 1986 season. The Mud Hens resumed their affiliation with the Tigers in 1987 and have remained in the Detroit organization since then.
In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Mud Hens were organized into the Triple-A East. Toledo won the Midwestern Division title by ending the season in first place with a 69–51 record. No playoffs were held to determine a league champion; instead, the team with the best regular-season record was declared the winner. However, 10 games that had been postponed from the start of the season were reinserted into the schedule as a postseason tournament called the Triple-A Final Stretch in which all 30 Triple-A clubs competed for the highest winning percentage. Toledo finished the tournament tied for 13th place with a 5–5 record. In 2022, the Triple-A East became known as the International League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.
Season-by-season records
Toledo Mud Hens seasons are listed below.
+Toledo Mud Hens season recordsSeasonWinsLossesLeagueDivision189686461st ISL—189783431st ISL—189886682nd ISL—189982584th ISL—190081583rd ISL—190178603rd WA—190242988th AA—190348918th AA—1904421098th AA—190560917th AA—190679694th AA—190788652nd AA—190881724th AA—190980866th AA—191091752nd AA—191178866th AA—191298662nd AA—191369 986th AA—191453 938th SML—191959 917th AA—192087 793rd AA—192180 887th AA—192265 1017th AA—192354 1148th AA—192482835th AA—192577906th AA—192687774th AA—1927101671th AA—192879886th AA —1929671004th AA —193088663rd AA —1931681008th AA —193287804th AA —19337083T-5th in AA —193468846th in AA —193564867th AA —193659928th AA —193789652nd AA —193879745th AA —1939471078th AA —194059907th AA —194182725th AA —194278734th AA —194376764th AA —194495582nd AA —194569846th AA —194669846th AAA —194761928th AAA —194861917th AAA —194964908th AAA —195065877th AAA —195170826th AAA —1952461078th AAA —1965 68787th IL —196671756th IL —196773663rd IL —196883641st IL —196968726th IL —1970 51898th IL —197160807th IL —197275695th IL —197365817th IL4th IL North 197470745th IL3rd IL North 197562787th IL —197655858th IL —197756848th IL —197874663rd IL—1979 63767th IL —1980 77632nd IL —1981 53878th IL —1982 60807th IL —1983 68725th IL —1984 74633rd IL —1985 71686th IL —1986 62776th IL —1987 70705th IL —1988 58848th IL4th IL West1989 69766th IL4th IL West 1990 58868th IL4th IL West1991 74705th IL3rd IL West 1992 64806th IL3rd IL West 1993 65777th IL5th IL West1994 63799th IL5th IL West 1995 71716th IL4th IL West 1996 7072T-5th IL3rd IL West 1997 68737th IL5th IL West 1998 528914th IL4th IL West1999 578714th IL4th IL West2000 558612th IL4th IL West 2001 657912th4th IL West2002 81634th IL1st IL West 2003 657811th IL3rd IL West2004 657814th IL4th IL West 2005 89551st IL1st IL West 2006 76665th IL1st IL West 2007 82612nd IL1st IL West 2008 75694th IL2nd in IL West 2009 73706th IL2nd IL West 2010 70739th IL4th IL West 2011677711th IL4th IL West 2012 608413th IL3rd IL West 2013 618313th IL4th IL West 2014 69748th IL3rd IL West 2015 618313th IL4th IL West 2016 68768th IL4th IL West 2017 70718th IL3rd IL West 201873 664th IL1st IL West20196674T-9th ILT-2nd IL West2020Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic202174566th1st AAAE Midwest202287632nd IL2nd IL West 2023707814th IL 8th IL West2024698015th IL 8th IL West202584667th IL 3rd IL West2026747412th IL 7th IL West
Rivalries Columbus Clippers The Mud Hens' rivalry with the Columbus Clippers dates back to 1977, when the Clippers joined the International League and were the second Ohio team in the league. The two teams play in the International League's West Division. The Clippers are an affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, who compete against the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central, adding another layer to the rivalry.
Indianapolis Indians The Mud Hens' rivalry with the Indianapolis Indians dates back to 1998, when the Indians joined the International League. They faced each other in the Governors' Cup Finals in 2005, which the Mud Hens won in a sweep. The following season, they faced each other in a play-in game—the winner would win the IL West Division and clinch a spot in the 2006 Governor's Cup playoffs—which the Mud Hens won, 4–0.
Playoffs The Mud Hens also won Interstate League playoffs in 1896 and 1897. While competing in the American Association, Toledo was the league champion in 1927, prior to the league having a postseason. Subsequently, Toledo reached the semifinals in 1937, 1943, and 1944. They reached the championship series in 1942. In 1967, Toledo played their first playoff game in the Governors' Cup playoffs. In 1968, the Mud Hens finished first for the regular season but lost in the playoff semifinals.
+Toledo Mud Hens playoff appearances Season Semifinals Finals Class Title Interstate League (Class–C), (Class–B)1896—W, 4–0, Wayne Farmers —1897— W, 4–0, Dayton Old Soldiers — American Association (AA)1937L, 4–2, Milwaukee Brewers — —1942W, 4–2, Milwaukee Brewers L, 4–0, Columbus Red Birds —1943L, 3–2, Indianapolis Indians — —1944L, 4–3, St. Paul Saints — — International League (AAA)1967W, 3–2, Richmond Braves W, 4–1, Columbus Jets —1968L, 3–1, Jacksonville Suns — —1978L, 3–2, Pawtucket Red Sox — —1980W, 3–1, Rochester Red Wings L, 4–1, Columbus Clippers —1984L, 3–0, Maine Guides — —2002L, 3–0, Durham Bulls — —2005W, 3–2, Norfolk Tides W, 3–0, Indianapolis Indians —2006W, 3–1, Charlotte Knights W, 3–2, Rochester Red Wings L, 1–0, Tucson Sidewinders2007L, 3–0, Durham Bulls — —2018L, 3–1, Durham Bulls — —
Retired numbers Toledo Mud Hens retired numbers No.PlayerPosition1Gene Cook General Manager15Larry Parrish Manager 27Mike Hessman 3B
Roster
Notable players
Mud Hens players who were later inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame include:
Roger Bresnahan Addie Joss Freddie Lindstrom Kirby Puckett Billy Southworth Casey Stengel Hack Wilson
Mud Hens players who were selected as MLB All-Stars during their careers include:
Steve Avery Nicholas Castellanos Tony Clark Pat Dobson Dave Engle Ed Farmer Travis Fryman Freddy García Curtis Granderson Riley Greene Shane Greene Marv Grissom Carlos Guillén Mike Henneman Willie Hernández John Hudek Omar Infante Gregg Jefferies Thornton Lee José Lima Mike Marshall J. D. Martinez Víctor Martínez Bobby Murcer Joe Nathan Phil Nevin Jeff Newman Joe Niekro Dean Palmer Lance Parrish Carlos Peña Dick Radatz Mark Redman Fernando Rodney Kenny Rogers Max Scherzer Rip Sewell Vern Stephens Dizzy Trout José Valverde Justin Verlander Frank Viola Dixie Walker Gary Ward Scott Williamson Dontrelle Willis Dmitri Young Al Zarilla
Mud Hens players who later managed MLB teams include:
A. J. Hinch Gabe Kapler Gene Lamont Torey Lovullo Sam Perlozzo Casey Stengel Ron Washington Eric Wedge Kirk Gibson
Other Mud Hens players of note: Billy Beane, three-time Sporting News Executive of the Year and subject of Moneyball Moe Berg, spy for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II Mike Hessman, International League All-Time Home Run leader Ralph Schwamb, convicted murderer Jim Thorpe, two-time Olympic gold medal winner and inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame Craig Monroe, broadcasts on Bally Sports Detroit Cameron Maybin, broadcasts on Bally Sports Detroit
In popular culture M*A*S*H character Maxwell Klinger (played by Jamie Farr) hailed from Toledo and often mentioned the Mud Hens as his favorite baseball team throughout the series. He was often seen wearing a Toledo Mud Hens cap (which bears a strong resemblance to a Texas Rangers cap) and jersey. In fact, Klinger feels so strongly about the Mud Hens that he gets put on KP duty for a month when he punches his archnemesis, Sgt. Zelmo Zale, who insulted the Mud Hens. Like Klinger, Farr was born and raised in Toledo, and the Mud Hens retired jersey No. 1 in Farr's honor. Colonel Sherman Potter (played by Harry Morgan) was also a fan of the Mud Hens and was seen wearing their swag on several episodes of the series. The title character of the comic strip Crankshaft was a pitcher for the Mud Hens just before World War II when he enlisted in the Army. He invariably wears a Mud Hens cap in the strip and reminisces often about his playing days. In the summer of 2016, the Mud Hens retired jersey No. 13 in Crankshaft's honor.