Indianapolis Indians  The Indianapolis Indians are a professional Minor League Baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team plays in the International League. The Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Indians play at Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis. The team's mascot is Rowdie the Bear. Founded in 1902, the Indianapolis Indians are the second-oldest minor league franchise in American professional baseball (after the Rochester Red Wings). The 1902 and 1948 Indians were recognized as being among the 100 greatest minor league teams of all time. The first attempt at professional baseball in Indianapolis came in the 1870s, when a club called the Indianapolis Blues operated in the National League in 1878. After a hiatus, organized baseball began again in 1887, and the city has had pro ball almost every year since then. After 15 years of various franchises competing in various leagues (including four years in the National League and one year in the American Association), the current Indianapolis Indians franchise was founded as an original member of the American Association in 1902. That year's team won 95 games and the first of 21 pennants. The ballclub played its early seasons at several ballparks, including two on Washington Street, before Norm Perry, who took ownership of the team in 1929, built a new stadium on 16th Street in 1931, the Indians playing their first game there on September 5, 1931. He named the park Perry Stadium in honor of his brother James who had been killed in a plane crash. That ballpark was renamed Victory Field in 1942, and Bush Stadium in 1967, and remained the Tribe's home until July 1996. Norm Perry sold the team to Frank E. McKinney and Donie Bush in December 1941. Those two men ran the club for 10 seasons. The Cleveland Indians purchased the team in 1952, but after losing $500,000 on the operation over four seasons, looked to move the team. The Indianapolis community rallied to save the Indians. Funeral director Robert E. Kirby, Chairman of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce Athletic Committee, obtained an option to purchase the franchise from Cleveland. A broad-based sale of stock in the team was organized. Stock was priced at $10 per share with a 100-share limit on individual purchases. Kirby, William R. Kraft, David M. Lewis, Thomas A. Moynahan, and Thomas J. O'Brien got the ball rolling with investments of $200 each, and the certificate of incorporation for Indians, Inc. was received from the state of Indiana on November 9, 1955. Media promotion of the stock sale was intense.