Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Location: Springdale, AR
- League: Texas League 2008-2019; Double-A Central 2021; Texas League 2022-
- Affiliation: Kansas City Royals 2008-present
- Ballpark: Arvest Ballpark 2008-present
Team History[edit]
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals, of the Texas League and briefly in Double-A Central, adopted a 6-foot-9 Sasquatch named Strike as their mascot upon arriving from Wichita, KS. The Kansas City Royals farmhands play their home games at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, AR.
The team was named "Naturals" to honor the area's natural beauty. The logo includes a waterfall, as Arkansas is home to over 100 waterfalls. Their nickname also honors the Arkansas slogan "The Natural State" and the movie The Natural (1984) - which was shot mostly at the first home of the Nats' corporate sibling, the Buffalo Bisons - once the Wichita Aeros.
For years, the Nats' pocket schedules identified the Arkansas Travelers as "NLR" (for North Little Rock, AR) instead of "ARK" - which a staffer confirmed was a dig at the Travs for "claiming" the whole state as their own.
Two Nats pitchers combined on a no-hitter while their defense turned a triple play in the same July 19, 2011, game.
The Nats play Copa de la Diversión Hispanic engagement campaign games as Naturales del Noroeste de Arkansas (a straightforward translation of their name, although "Naturales" can also mean "Natives").
Year-by-Year Record[edit]
Related Sites[edit]
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