Hamilton Cardinals

The Hamilton Cardinals are baseball team based in Hamilton, Ontario and a member of  the Intercounty Baseball League.

The club was founded in 1958 and is the second-oldest sports team in the city of Hamilton. Players range in age from 19-35. Some have been former major leaguers and minor-league professionals, as well as current and former NCAA or U Sports players.

The team has gone through several name changes over the years, most recently returning to the Cardinals name in 2012 after eight seasons as the Thunderbirds. The team had become the Hamilton Thunderbirds when Drew Brady purchased the franchise in January 2005, and the club adopted a new look with revitalized facilities and new uniforms.

However, the club announced in February 2012, that it would again be named the Hamilton Cardinals, because of the club’s relationship with Hamilton Cardinals youth rep program. In late 2013 Gary Molinaro purchased the team, but the club was on the verge of folding in 2018 before a Hamilton-based community group led by the Mercanti family stepped in to revitalize the team.

The Hamilton Cardinals won the Intercounty Baseball League title in 1978 and have finished second in the playoffs on three other occasions.

Hamilton’s home games are played at Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium, which has a capacity of 3,000.