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Lakeland Flying Tigers

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox Minor League Baseball

|name = Lakeland Flying Tigers

|founded = 1960

|city = Lakeland, Florida

|misc =

|logo = Lakeland Flying Tigers.PNG

|uniformlogo = Flying Tigers cap.PNG

|class level = Single-A (2021–present)

|past class level= {{Plainlist|

}}

|current league = Florida State League (1960–present)

|conference =

|division = West Division

|past league =

|majorleague = Detroit Tigers (1963–present)

|pastmajorleague = {{Ubl

| San Francisco Giants (1962)

| Cleveland Indians (1960)

}}

|nickname = Lakeland Flying Tigers (2007–present)

|pastnames = {{Plainlist|

  • Lakeland Tigers (1963–2006)
  • Lakeland Giants (1962)
  • Lakeland Indians (1960)

}}

|ballpark = Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium (1966–2001, 2003–2015, 2017–present)

|pastparks = Henley Field (1960, 1962–1965, 2002, 2016)

|leaguenum = 4

|leaguechamps = {{hlist|1976|1977|1992|2012}}

|divnum = 1

|divisionchamps = {{hlist|2024}}

|firsthalfnum =

|firsthalfchamps =

|secondhalfnum = 2

|secondhalfchamps= {{hlist|2023|2024}}

|owner = Detroit Tigers

|gm = Zach Burek

|manager = René Rivera

|website = {{URL|https://www.milb.com/lakeland|milb.com/lakeland}}

}}

The Lakeland Flying Tigers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Lakeland, Florida, and play their home games at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.

History

The team was established in 1960 as the Lakeland Indians, an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. After a one-year hiatus, the team was restarted in 1962 as the Lakeland Giants, an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.

The franchise affiliated with the Detroit Tigers' farm system in 1963 and became known as the Lakeland Tigers before becoming the Flying Tigers in 2007. The relationship with Detroit is one of the two longest unbroken affiliate relationships currently existing.{{cite web|last=Hill |first=Benjamin |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-15011556 |title=PDC's make everything old new again, www.milb.com |publisher=Minor League Baseball |access-date=February 17, 2011}}

File:LAKELAND1996RGameWorn.jpg In 1997, playing with the Tigers, Gabe Kapler led the Florida State League in doubles and total bases, and tied for first in extra base hits.{{cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/seasons/review.asp?Y=1997&L=FSL&Page=Awards|title=1997 Florida State League - Season Review|website=www.thebaseballcube.com|access-date=November 2, 2017}}

In 2012, the Flying Tigers won their first FSL title in 20 years by defeating the Jupiter Hammerheads, three games to two. It was the fourth league title in club history.{{cite web| url = http://www.theledger.com/article/20120912/NEWS/120919715/1002/sports?Title=Flying-Tigers-Scrape-Two-Runs-Across-in-The-Eight-to-Win-FSL-Championship-Series |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014131339/http://www.theledger.com/article/20120912/NEWS/120919715/1002/sports?Title=Flying-Tigers-Scrape-Two-Runs-Across-in-The-Eight-to-Win-FSL-Championship-Series |archive-date=2012-10-14 |title=Flying Tigers Scrape Two Runs Across in The Eight to Win FSL Championship Series {{!}} TheLedger.com}}

In 2006, the team introduced a new name and colors to pay homage to the Lakeland School of Aeronautics, later the Lodwick School of Aeronautics. The school trained over 8,000 pilots between 1940 and 1945, some of whom later flew with the Flying Tigers in China during World War II,{{cite web|author=Benjamin Hill |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-143847 |title=Article |publisher=Minor League Baseball |date=November 13, 2006 |access-date=February 17, 2011}} and was actually located at the current site of Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.{{Cite web |url=http://www.lakelandgov.net/library/speccoll/exhibits/lodex_hist.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070225083813/http://www.lakelandgov.net/library/speccoll/exhibits/lodex_hist.html|url-status=dead |title=The Lodwick School of Aeronautics: A Photo Exhibit |archive-date=February 25, 2007|website=City of Lakeland}}

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Flying Tigers were organized into the Low-A Southeast at the Low-A classification.{{cite web |last=Mayo |first=Jonathan |title=MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/new-minor-league-baseball-structure |website=Major League Baseball |date=February 12, 2021 |access-date=June 30, 2024}} In 2022, the Low-A Southeast became known as the Florida State League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization, and was reclassified as a Single-A circuit.{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/news/minor-league-baseball-historical-league-names-to-return-in-2022 |title=Historical League Names to Return in 2022 |website=Minor League Baseball |date=March 16, 2022 |access-date=June 30, 2024}}

Roster

{{Lakeland Flying Tigers roster}}

Notable alumni

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable former ballplayers

{{div col end}}

Playoffs

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category|Lakeland Flying Tigers}}

  • {{Official website|http://www.lakelandflyingtigers.com}}
  • [http://www.tigstown.com TigsTown.com]
  • [http://www.apennysworth.com/?id=109 Interview with the General Manager of the Lakeland Flying Tigers]
  • [https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?city=Lakeland&state=FL&country=US Baseball Reference – Lakeland, Florida]

{{Detroit Tigers}}

{{Florida State League}}

{{Florida Sports}}

Category:Baseball teams established in 1960

Category:Professional baseball teams in Florida

Category:Sports in Lakeland, Florida

Category:Cleveland Guardians minor league affiliates

Category:Detroit Tigers minor league affiliates

Category:San Francisco Giants minor league affiliates

Category:Florida State League teams

Category:1960 establishments in Florida