West Michigan Whitecaps

The West Michigan Whitecaps are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Detroit Tigers, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home games are played in Comstock Park, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids.

The Midwest League came to the Grand Rapids area in 1994 after a team previously based in Madison, Wisconsin (1982-93) moved there. The Whitecaps were affiliated with the Oakland Athletics before they joined the Tigers' farm system in 1997.

Their home ballpark is Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park. Before the 2002 season it was known as Old Kent Park; the name was changed when the park's title sponsor, Old Kent Bank, was purchased by Fifth Third Bank. Fifth Third also sponsors ballparks in Dayton and Toledo, Ohio.

The franchise attendance record of 547,401 was set in 1996.

Sources:

• Dinda, J. (2003), "Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the Midwest League," " class="external">http://www.mwlguide.com/cities/grandrapids/index.html

External links:

• http://www.whitecaps-baseball.com (the Whitecaps' official website)