The Hagerstown Flying Boxcars are a professional baseball team planned to begin play in 2024 in Hagerstown, Maryland. The franchise will compete in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in the North Division and play their home games at the under-construction Hagerstown Multi-Use Sports and Events Facility.
History
The team's creation was announced on September 1, 2021, with the intent to start playing in 2023. The delay to 2024 was announced in March 2022 based on the time needed to complete the stadium.
Flying Boxcars was announced as the team name on July 20, 2023. The name honors Fairchild Aircraft's production of C-82 and C-119 cargo planes at the Hagerstown Regional Airport. Fairchild Aircraft was at one point the largest employer in Washington County, Maryland, which Hagerstown is the county seat of. The Flying Boxcar became synonymous with Hagerstown, so much so that Hagerstown was occasionally referred to as the "Home of the Flying Boxcar." The name was chosen through a name the team contest, with the other choices being Battle Swans, Diezel Dogs, Haymakers, and Tin Lizards.
The Flying Boxcars unveiled team logos in September 2023 showing a pilot wearing an aviator hat and baseball uniform astride a C-119.
Management
The locally based ownership, Downtown Baseball LLC, consists of Howard "Blackie" Bowen (President), Don Bowman, James Holzapfel, and Frank Boulton.
In April 2023, David Blenckstone was named the team's general manager and first employee. Blenckstone stepped down as athletic director at St. Maria Goretti Catholic High School after 13 years. Blenckstone worked for 14 years for the Hagerstown Suns, a team his father owned from 1986 to 2001. He was the Suns' general manager from 1996 to 2001.
References
External links
Hagerstown Flying Boxcars (Official website) Atlantic League of Professional Baseball