The Chillicothe Paints were one of the eight original franchises to begin Frontier League play in 1993. Two teams, the West Virginia Coal Sox and the Tri-State Tomahawks did not complete the season as the league struggled with stability.[3] In 1994, the Paints featured Brian Tollberg who went 7–4, 2.48 ERA, and was then signed by the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Tollberg would become the first Frontier League alumnus to make the majors when he started for the San Diego Padres on June 7, 2000, pitching 7 innings in a 3-1 Padres victory.[6][7]
The league solidified and the Paints found their footing by 1996 when Chillicothe dominated the league with a 48-26 (.649) record, advancing to the Frontier League championship, losing to the Springfield Capitals 3–0 in the best of five series.[8] This was the first of six championship series appearances for the Paints during the Frontier League era, none of which resulted in a championship. The 1996 Paints were led by a trio of power bats in Scott Pinoni (.384 BA, 11 HR, 65 RBI), Jackie Jempsen (.340 BA, 13 HR, 57 RBI) and Mitch House (.305 BA, 18 HR, 53 RBI).[9]
Manager Roger Hanners had the team in the championship series again in both 1998 and 1999, dropping the 1998 series to Springfield 2-1[10][11] and the 1999 title series to the London Werewolves 2–0 in a best of three.[12] The Paints were led at this time by the stellar hitting of Gator McBride, a former Atlanta Braves farmhand, who came to Chillicothe and would finish his Frontier League career with a .423 BA, .758 slugging percentage, 27 homers, and 111 RBI. The Boston Red Sox took notice of his resurrected career and signed him after 39 games of the 1999 season.[13][14] His career was cut short by injuries sustained in an automobile accident in February 2000, forcing him into retirement.[15][16][17]
The Paints returned to the Frontier League championship in 2001 with a division-winning 51-31 (.607) record, but were upset by the Richmond Roosters 2–0 in the series.[18] Rick Blanc (13-1, 3.24 ERA), Matt McKay (.345 BA, 1 HR, 48 RBI), Darin Kinsolving (.327 BA, 10 HR, 62 RBI) and Joe Colameco (.325 BA, 10 HR, 60 RBI) paced the balanced Chillicothe squad.[19]
Former major-leaguer Glenn Wilson took over as manager in 2005[20] and took the Paints to back-to-back championship appearances, dropping the 2005 series 3–2 to the Kalamazoo Kings[21][22] and the 2006 series 3–0 to the Evansville Otters.[23] John Martinez (16-4, 3.11 ERA), Jose Rodriguez (.380 BA, 5 HR, 36 RBI), and John Ramistella (.317 BA, 20 HR, 73 RBI) led the 2005 Paints,[24] while Kurt Hartfelder (10-5, 16.7 ERA) and Travis Garcia (.289 BA, 11 HR, 66 RBI) led the 2006 team.[25] VA Memorial Stadium had grass from 1993 to 2005, but the ballpark installed FieldTurf in 2006, the first baseball field in the United States to have a 100% FieldTurf playing surface, including base, mound and home plate areas.[26][27]
Paints outfielder in front of the VA Memorial Stadium scoreboard in 2006
The Frontier League had changed from predominately rural and smaller towns into a suburban league over the years, and the Paints faced financial and attendance challenges as a result.[28][29] Following the 2008 season, the ownership announced that they would leave the Frontier League, becoming an amateur collegiate summer baseball team. The Paints were the longest tenured franchise in the Frontier League in 2008 and the last remaining original Frontier League team in the league.[30][31][32]
The Paints are represented in the Frontier League Hall of Fame by owner Dr. Chris Hanners, 1B Scott Pinoni, infielder Mitch House, OF Willie Edwards, pitcher Bobby Chandler, OF Gator McBride, and 3B Travis Garcia.[33]
Prospect League era
Since 2009, the Chillicothe Paints have competed in the Prospect League, an amateur collegiate summer league. In 2010, the Paints won their first Prospect League championship against the Danville Dans on an 11th inning walk off home run by Ian Nielsen.[34] The 2010 Paints were led by OF Jeff Holm (.359 BA, 11 HR, 60 RBI), pitcher Blake Mascarello (7-1, 2.86 ERA) and closer Kyle Lindquist (4-1, 10 saves, 2.86 ERA).[35]
The Paints celebrated their 25th season in 2017. As part of the festivities, the Paints retired longtime coach Marty Dunn's number 25 in a pregame ceremony that included former players and staff throughout the first 24 seasons of Paints baseball. That season, the Paints averaged 1,959 fans per game, setting a franchise record in both average attendance and total attendance. The 58,755 total attendance marked a new Prospect League record. The Paints ranked in the top 10 of all summer collegiate teams nationwide in per-game attendance in 2017.[36][37]
After missing the playoffs in 2016 and 2017, Chillicothe made a return to the playoffs in 2018, losing to the Kokomo Jackrabbits two games to one in the East Division Championship Series. It was the first playoff appearance for manager Brian Bigam since he took over the reins in 2016. Jack Raines was named the Prospect League's Galen Woods Fireman of the Year (Reliever of the Year).[38]
The Paints began the 2019 season 2–7, but went 41-14 the rest of the campaign (including 3–1 in the playoffs) and defeated the Danville Dans in a one-game East Division Championship Game and then, after losing game one of the Prospect League Championship Series at home to the league's newest team, the Cape Catfish, the Paints won games two and three in Cape Girardeau, Mo., to capture the franchise's second league title. Trailing 2–1 in the middle of the game, Trey Smith hit a grand slam to put Chillicothe in the lead 5–2, the eventual final score.[39][40] Closer Nate Haugh was named the Prospect League's Galen Woods Fireman of the Year (Reliever of the Year) and the team was paced by C Cole Andrews (.320 BA, 11 HR, 61 RBI) and pitcher Austin Calopietro (6-1, 2.47 ERA).[41] For the first time in team history, the Paints averaged at least 2,000 fans per game (2,037) and totaled 57,040 for the season, leading the league and ranking 15th nationally in both categories among similar type teams nationwide.[42][43]
Retired numbers
20 - OF Gator McBride (All-Star and hit leader)
22 - P Brian Tollberg (first Frontier League player to make it to the MLB with the San Diego Padres)
24 - SS Travis O. Garcia (2007 FL Most Valuable Player)
25 - Bench Coach Martin Dunn (Paints' Bench Coach from 1993 to 2015)
27 - 3B Mitch House (3-time All-Star)
29 - OF Steve Martin (died during the 2006 season)[44][45]
30 - DH/1B Scott Pinoni (1999 Most Valuable Player; 3-time All-Star)
50 - Manager Roger Hanners (1993 FL Manager of the Year, managed Paints 1993–2000)
Won Ohio River Valley Division Championship (Johnstown) Won Eastern Conference Championship (Illinois Valley) Won Prospect League Championship (Alton)
Jackson White
2023†
1st
41
17
.707
Won Ohio River Valley Division Championship (Champion City) Won Eastern Conference Championship (Springfield) Won Prospect League Championship (Quincy)
