South Bend Cubs


The South Bend Cubs are a U.S. Class A minor league baseball team, based in South Bend, Indiana, that plays in the Midwest League. Known for more than two decades as the "'Silver Hawks"', they ended their 17-year affiliation with the Arizona Diamondbacks in September 2014, signed a four-year player development agreement with the Chicago Cubs, and changed their name to the South Bend Cubs.

History

, was awarded a Midwest League franchise in 1988. Originally affiliated with the Chicago White Sox and bearing the name of the parent club, the team was renamed in 1994. The name "Silver Hawks" was chosen as an homage to the once popular Studebaker Silver Hawk automobile, which was manufactured in South Bend.
with the Silver Hawks in 2007
Notable former players include Brandon Webb, and Justin Upton, the #1 overall draft pick in 2005.
The team's home park is Four Winds Field. The stadium was built in 1987 and named for Stanley Coveleski, the Hall of Fame pitcher who retired to South Bend after a career in major league baseball that included pitching an amazing three complete games to help the Cleveland Indians win the 1920 World Series. On September 5, 2013, the South Bend Silver Hawks announced an agreement with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, owners of Four Winds Resorts, for naming rights to the field. The field is now known as Four Winds Field. As part of the agreement, a permanent bronze memorial bearing the name and likeness of Stanley Coveleski will be installed at the main entrance in his honor.
Despite playing through rumors of sale and relocation in the near future to Marion, Illinois, the Silver Hawks managed a championship season in 2005, beating the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and winning the 2005 Midwest League Championship. The team also won league titles in 1989 and 1993.
Former Indiana Governor Joe Kernan formed an investment group to purchase the Silver Hawks in 2005. At the time, Kernan made it clear that a principal objective of the group was to keep the team from leaving South Bend.

New ownership

In November 2011, Andrew T. Berlin of Chicago, a limited partner of the Chicago White Sox and Chairman/CEO of Chicago-based Berlin Packaging and the new owner of the team, ensured his commitment to the city of South Bend by signing a 20-year cumulative lease agreement for the use of Coveleski Stadium. He then added a public commitment to the citizens of the region that he would invest $2.5 million of his own money to make upgrades to the city-owned stadium.

Chicago Cubs

On September 18, 2014, the Silver Hawks and Chicago Cubs signed a four-year player-development contract through 2018. Owner of the team Berlin said in a statement. "Today is a turning point. I made a promise to the local community and government officials who welcomed me with open arms three years ago. I promised that I would return the team to its former glory days. And I promised that I’d do everything I could to bring people back to South Bend and prove that this is a wonderful place to invest in. Now one of the best and most beloved brands in the history of Major League Baseball is making a bold statement about this place too."
With the launch of the Marquee Sports Network, Marquee indicated that a package of the teams games would be carried on the channel while seeking carriage in the South Bend area.

Awards

After setting attendance records during the 2015 season, the South Bend Cubs won the 42nd John H. Johnson President's Award as the minor league's "most complete franchise". The award requires a team to succeed in financial stability, contributions to league stability, contributions to baseball in the community and promotion of the baseball industry. The president of the team, Joe Hart, said, "To be selected for this prestigious award over some of the best franchises across the nation is extremely humbling".

Mascot

The team has two mascots. One is Stu the Cub, who was selected following an online fan vote prior to Opening Day. The other is Swoop the Silverhawk, who was the mascot when the team was known as the Silverhawks, and was kept after the name change.

Roster

Playoffs

SeasonQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinals
1989-W, 2-0, RockfordW, 3-0, Springfield
1990-W, 2-0, MadisonL, 3-1, Quad City
1993-W, 2-0, RockfordW, 3-1, Clinton
2001W, 2-0, MichiganW, 2-0, DaytonL, 1-0, Kane County
2003L, 2-0, Lansing--
2004W, 2-0, Fort WayneL, 2-0, West Michigan-
2005W, 2-0, Southwest MichiganW, 2-0, West MichiganW, 3-2, Wisconsin
2006L, 2-0, Lansing--
2007W, 2-1, DaytonL, 2-0, West Michigan-
2008W, 2-1, West MichiganW, 2-0, DaytonL, 2-0, Burlington
2009L, 2-1, Fort Wayne--
2013W, 2-0, Great LakesW, 2-1, Fort WayneL, 3-0, Quad Cities
2016L, 2-1, West Michigan--
2019W, 2-0, Bowling GreenW, 2-0, Great LakesW, 3-0, Clinton

Notable alumni

Hall of Fame alumni
notable alumni