San Antonio Missions

Professional baseball returned to San Antonio in 1968 when the current Missions franchise began play in the Texas League. Over the next quarter century, the team played at V.J. Keefe Memorial Stadium and served as the Double-A affiliate of several MLB organizations, including the Cleveland Indians, the Chicago Cubs, the Texas Rangers, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Seattle Mariners.

During the Dodgers affiliation (1977-1987), the Missions became a particularly productive development hub. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born pitcher who became one of baseball's biggest stars during "Fernandomania" in 1981, played in San Antonio in 1980. Orel Hershiser, Steve Sax, and Mike Piazza also wore Missions uniforms on their way to Dodger Stadium.

The franchise won Texas League championships in 1976, 1977, and 1978, establishing a winning tradition that would carry forward. By the early 1990s, the team was ready for a new home, and plans for a modern stadium took shape.

Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium opened on April 18, 1994, giving the Missions a modern, purpose-built ballpark with 6,200 fixed seats and a grass berm that can accommodate thousands more. The stadium was named for Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and became one of the Texas League's most popular venues.

The Missions continued cycling through MLB affiliations during this period, partnering with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1994-2000), the Seattle Mariners (2001-2006), and the San Diego Padres (2007-2018). Under the Padres affiliation, the team became an especially prolific development hub. Chase Headley was named the 2007 Texas League MVP, and the Missions won championships in 2002, 2003, 2007, 2011, and 2013.

Adrian Beltre, Fernando Tatis Jr., and dozens of other future major leaguers made San Antonio a key stop on their path to the big leagues. The franchise consistently drew strong crowds, benefiting from San Antonio's status as one of the largest cities in the United States without a major league baseball team.