Chico Heat
Two independent baseball teams in Chico, California.
The Chico Heat name has been used by two different baseball teams based in Chico, California. The first was a professional independent club that played in the Western Baseball League from 1997 to 2002. The second was a summer collegiate wood bat team in the Great West League, which started in 2016 and folded in 2018. Golden Valley Bank served as the title sponsor for both teams, and Steve and Kathy Nettleton were the majority owners.
The original Chico Heat was founded on July 29, 1996, by Chico Heat Professional Baseball LLC. Steve Nettleton, a former supermarket entrepreneur, and his wife Kathy were the principal owners. The team had no affiliation with any Major League Baseball club. General managers included Bob Linscheid, who later became president of the Western Baseball League, and Jeff Kragel, now at Chico State University. The mascot was "Heater the Dragon," a name shared with mascots for the Bakersfield Blaze and Dayton Dragons but distinct from them. The Heat began play in 1997 and won the league championship that first season. Though they did not win another title for four years, they posted the best regular-season record each of those years. They appeared in the championship series four times in six seasons (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001). In 2002, the Western Baseball League folded mid-season and no official champion was declared. After the Western Baseball League ran into financial trouble, the Heat tried to join the Class A-Advanced California League by luring the Visalia Oaks to Chico, but those efforts failed, and the team shut down immediately.
The Heat played at Nettleton Stadium on the campus of California State University, Chico. They were preceded by the Oroville/Chico Red Sox, a minor league team in the Class-C Far West League from 1948 to 1949, and succeeded by the Chico Outlaws of the independent Golden Baseball League, who took over in 2005. The Heat remain the most successful professional baseball franchise in Chico’s history. On August 10, 2007, the Chico Outlaws hosted "Remember The Heat Night," honoring former majority owner Steve Nettleton and former Heat players. The original mascot Heater appeared, and the Outlaws won before more than 3,500 fans at Nettleton Stadium.
Quick Facts
- Firstseason
- 1997
- Lastseason
- 2018
- Allyears
- 1997–2002, 2016–2018
- City
- Chico, California
- Pastclasslevel
- Independent (1997–2002) / Collegiate summer baseball (2016–2018)
- League
- Western Baseball League (1997–2002) / Great West League (2016–2018)
- Pastnames
- Chico Heat (1997–2002, 2016–2018)
- Pastparks
- Nettleton Stadium (1997–2002, 2016–2018)
- Leaguechamps
- 4 (WBL: 1997, 2002; GWL: 2016, 2018)
- Divisionchamps
- 3 (WBL: 1997, 2002; GWL: 2018)
- President
- Bob Linschied (1997–1999) / Jeff Kragel (2000–2002)
- Manager
- Bill Plummer (1997–1999) / Charlie Kerfeld (2000–2002) / Fred Ludwig (2016–2018)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The original Chico Heat were founded on July 29, 1996, by Chico Heat Professional Baseball LLC, with Steve Nettleton and his wife Kathy as principal owners. They immediately won the league championship in their inaugural season and, although they did not win a championship in the four subsequent years, they won the most regular season games in each of the following seasons. They appeared in the championship series in four of their six seasons (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001). In 2002, the Western Baseball League folded mid-season and no official champion was declared. After leaving the financially troubled league and after efforts to join Minor League Baseball's Class A-Advanced California League by trying to lure the Visalia Oaks to Chico failed, the Heat ceased operations.
Reader's Guide
The Chico Heat represent a notable chapter in independent baseball, with two distinct incarnations spanning over two decades. The original team was a dominant force in the Western Baseball League, winning championships in 1997 and 2002, and appearing in the championship series five out of six seasons. Their success on the field and community support made them the most successful professional baseball franchise in Chico's history. The second Heat franchise continued that legacy in the collegiate wood bat Great West League, winning two championships in three seasons. Both teams were majority owned by Steve and Kathy Nettleton, with Steve Nettleton's involvement spanning from the team's founding in 1996 until his death in 2019. The Heat's home field, Nettleton Stadium on the campus of California State University, Chico, remains a venue for baseball. The team's mascot, Heater The Dragon, was revived for the second franchise. The Heat were preceded by the Oroville/Chico Red Sox (1948–1949) and succeeded by the Chico Outlaws (2005). The franchise's legacy includes a 2007 celebration night honoring former players and owner Steve Nettleton.
Did You Know?
- The original Chico Heat won the league championship in their inaugural 1997 season.
- The team's mascot was 'Heater The Dragon', not to be confused with the Bakersfield Blaze or Dayton Dragons mascots of the same name.
- On August 11, 2007, former Heat majority owner Steve Nettleton and former Heat players were honored at 'Remember The Heat Night' hosted by the Chico Outlaws.
- Steve Nettleton died on January 11, 2019, at age 79 following a long battle with Parkinson's Disease.
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