The Evansville Black Sox began as a "What If" concept at the November, 1992 PONY North Zone Meeting in Evansville, IN. Bob Doss, a PONY PALOMINO Field Director and Tournament Host for the PONY PALOMINO 17 & 18 Year Old WORLD SERIES in Greensboro, NC was promoting the expansion of the PALOMINO division of PONY Baseball. A local group of supporters, led by coach Jim Wittman and Field Director C.J. Johnson, accepted the challenge to field a well-funded, select team to compete at a level that would showcase the local high school athletes as potential college athletes. The yearly budget for the BLACK SOX has been $25,0000.00+. Corporate and personal donations have funded the cost for the first 7 years and we start the 2000 season in solid financial condition.

We fielded the first BLACK SOX team in 1993. Composed of 15 players willing to take a chance on a new, unknown program; we finished the season with a 8-14 record. We competed in the GREENSBORO, NC 4th of JULY INVITATIONAL, and the GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAIN CLASSIC in Knoxville, TN. We went looking for quality competition and college and pro scouts. WE FOUND BOTH. Our players were seen by scouts from all 28 Major League teams and over 100 college scouts and coaches. Short on pitching, we lost 3 games in Greensboro by a total of 4 runs. We lost two of the games in the bottom of the last inning. We ended our first season knowing we had a quality program that needed a few more quality players.

The 1994 BLACK SOX team finished with a 20-13 record. We competed in the CHIEF PONTIAC WATERFORD INVITATIONAL in Detroit, MI; the GREENSBORO, NC 4th of JULY INVITATIONAL; and the A.B. CHANDLER MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT in Lexington, KY. We finished tied for first in our division at the CHIEF PONTIAC tournament and also tied for first in our division at the A.B. CHANDLER tournament. We finished the season 6-0 versus local legion teams and common opponents. This included a 10-6 victory over perennial State Legion contender Newburgh, IN Kapperman Post #44.

The 1995 BLACK SOX team finished with a 26-16 record. We competed in the INDIANA BULLS HOOSIER CLASSIC, the GREENSBORO, NC 4th of JULY INVITATIONAL, the GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAIN CLASSIC, and the RUSSIAVILLE CUBS CLASSIC, BLACK SOX players Bryan Snapp, Andy Miller, and Aaron Wilson were named to the HOOSIER CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT team. We defeated the Great Britain National Team in Greensboro, NC. At the RUSSIAVILLE CUBS CLASSIC we outscored our opponents 48 runs to 18 runs in 5 games. We closed the season with a 2nd place finish at the PALOMINO North Zone Regional at Bosse Field.

The 1996 BLACK SOX had 11 returning players and we were hoping for our first 30 win season. We sanctioned both PALOMINO and NABF - National Amateur Baseball Federation. The NABF was established in 1914 and is the oldest continually operated national baseball organization in the country. The NABF had won the last two NAABT National All-Star Amateur Baseball Tournaments and allowed us the opportunity to compete against top-notch select teams that recruit statewide and nationwide. This gave us our highest competition level to date and maximum exposure to college and pro scouts. We completed the 1996 season with a 25-19 record and a 3rd Place finish at the PALOMINO North Zone Regional at Grand Ledge, MI.

The highlight of the 1996 season was the 1st Annual SHOELESS JOE BASEBALL CLASSIC hosted by us in June. This tournament brought together 24 select teams from throughout the Midwest for 62 action-packed games. We lost our first 2 games, but came back to win our final 3 games, including a victory over eventual 18 yr old runner-up Murfreesboro, TN Warriors. The teams in the Shoeless Joe Classic were affiliated with one or more of the following national organizations - AABC, American Legion, Babe Ruth, Dixie Baseball, NABF, and PONY Baseball. It was a great tournament with outstanding teams and competition.

The 1997 season brought our greatest challenge as a team and organization. The EVANSVILLE BLACK SOX were named as the host team for the 1997 NABF SENIOR DIVISION WORLD SERIES. We competed with the 7 NABF Regional winners in a round robin Olympic style tournament. This tournament brings together the best 18 & under amateur baseball teams and players in America. Our players had the opportunity to compete against 89 ea Division I and Major League prospects with the top college and pro scouts in the stands. This tournament truly defined what BLACK SOX BASEBALL is all about. We finished the season 30-12 including a championship victory at the KENTUCKY COLONELS CLASSIC in Bowling Green, KY.

The 1998 season was another great year on and off the field. Our regular season record was 25-7. We won the 22 team Southeastern Invitational in Knoxville, TN in July. We were 5-0 in this tournament including a victory over the Chicago White Sox's 1998 #3 draft pick. We won the PONY BASEBALL PALOMINO Regional and again hosted the 1998 NABF SENIOR DIVISION WORLD SERIES. We placed all ten of our graduating players in college programs with five of the players goint to DIVISION I programs.

The 1999 season was a rebuilding year for the Black Sox. We recruited several 16 year olds and often started a 16-17 year old infield. We finished with a 22-19 record going into the 1999 NABF SENIOR DIVISION WORLD SERIES. We won our first two games to qualify for the Final Four play-off. We lost to eventual World Series runner-up Norwood Blues. Highlights of the season included pitcher Steve Obenchain breaking the Black Sox season strikeout record and pitcher Bart Peach being drafted by the Kansas City Royals.

We look forward to the 2000 season with 5 returning players. Our 2000 schedule will include a tough regular season, our Evansville Black Sox Baseball Classic (formerly the Shoeless Joe Baseball Classic), the Memphis, TN All-American Classic Invitational, the Governor's Classic at Austin Peay University, and our Paul Bunyan Wooden Bat Classic. We will cap the season with the Mid-West NABF 18 & Under Regional tournament. We pride ourselves in continuing to play the toughest possible schedule with the ultimate exposure to college and pro scouts.

If you want to showcase your talent, the Black Sox team is the place to be.