Thrillville Thrillbillies
Collegiate summer baseball team in Marion, Illinois.
The Thrillville Thrillbillies are a collegiate summer baseball team in the Prospect League, based in Marion, Illinois. They host games at Marion Stadium. The team, along with other collegiate summer leagues, provides top college players with a professional-style environment while preserving their NCAA eligibility. The Thrillbillies compete in the Prospect League’s Western Conference – South Division, alongside the Alton River Dragons, Cape Catfish, Jackson Rockabillys, and O'Fallon Hoots.
Marion previously had a professional independent team, the Southern Illinois Miners, which played in the Frontier League from 2007 until it disbanded in 2021. On October 6, 2021, the Miners folded after owners Jayne and John Simmons retired, leaving the city without a team. On August 24, 2022, the Prospect League granted a new franchise to Marion, with ownership by Black Diamond Family of Businesses, Rodney Cabaness, and Shad Zimbro. The team was officially named the Thrillbillies on February 24, 2023.
The Thrillbillies play at Marion Stadium, a 7,000-seat facility built in 2007 and located at 1000 Miners Drive. The stadium is owned and operated by Marion Stadium LLC.
- League
- Prospect League
- Division
- Western Conference – South Division
- Location
- Marion, Illinois
- Home Stadium
- Marion Stadium
- Stadium Capacity
- 7,000
- Stadium Address
- 1000 Miners Drive, Marion
- Stadium Built
- 2007
Quick Facts
- League
- Prospect League
- Division
- Western Conference – South Division
- Location
- Marion, Illinois
- Ballpark
- Marion Stadium
- Founded
- 2023
- League Champs
- 0
- Division Champs
- 2 (2023, 2024)
- Mascot
- Ryder the Rabbit
- Owner
- Rodney Cabaness, Shad Zimbro & Black Diamond Family of Businesses
- General Manager
- Ralph Santana
- Manager
- Patrick Morey
- Website
- https: · thrillbillies.com/landing/index
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Thrillville Thrillbillies were awarded to Marion on August 24, 2022, by the Prospect League, with ownership by Black Diamond Family of Businesses, Rodney Cabaness, and Shad Zimbro. The team was officially named on February 24, 2023. They replaced the Southern Illinois Miners, a professional independent team that played in the Frontier League from 2007 until its folding on October 6, 2021, when owners Jayne and John Simmons retired.
Reader's Guide
The Thrillville Thrillbillies represent a continuation of summer baseball in Marion, Illinois, following the folding of the Southern Illinois Miners in 2021. As a member of the Prospect League's Western Conference – South Division, they compete alongside the Alton River Dragons, Cape Catfish, Jackson Rockabillys, and O'Fallon Hoots. The team plays at Marion Stadium, a 7,000-seat facility built in 2007 and located at 1000 Miners Drive. Their significance lies in providing college players with a professional-like environment while preserving NCAA eligibility, filling a community void left by the Miners' departure. The franchise was awarded in August 2022 and named in February 2023, with local ownership ensuring a stable presence in the region.
Did You Know?
- The Thrillbillies were officially named on February 24, 2023.
- Their home stadium, Marion Stadium, has a capacity of 7,000 seats.
- The team replaced the Southern Illinois Miners, which folded on October 6, 2021.
- The Thrillbillies play in the Prospect League's Western Conference – South Division.
More in Prospect League teams 1-24
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