Columbus RedStixx

After the 1990 season, the Columbus Mudcats of the Southern League relocated to Zebulon, North Carolina, becoming the Carolina Mudcats and leaving Columbus without a team.^[3] The South Atlantic League was required to expand due to its contract with Major League Baseball, and in January of 1991 placed expansion teams in Sumter, South Carolina and Columbus.^[4]

The team was affiliated with the Cleveland Indians, and for their first season carried their nickname as well, being known as the Columbus Indians. This was purely for practical reasons - with Opening Day ten weeks from when the team was established, there was no time to create new uniforms.^[5][6] The next year, the team held a name-the-team contest, which overwhelmingly voted to keep the name Indians. Despite this, the team chose the new name of the Columbus RedStixx, in an attempt to create an identity separate from their parent club.^[7] The name RedStixx was derived from Red Sticks, an early 19th century faction of the Muscogee tribe from the Southeastern United States.^[2]

In 2002, the team announced their intention to move to Eastlake, Ohio following that year's regular season. The team renamed themselves the Lake County Captains. Although the Redstixx left Columbus, the South Georgia Waves arrived in town the next year.

The RedStixx played at Golden Park (1991–1995, 1997–2002) and for one season (1996) at Ragsdale Field, of Columbus State University. Golden Park, opened in 1951, is still in use and is located at 100 4th Street, Columbus, Georgia 31901.

• C.C. Sabathia (1999) Elected Baseball Hall of Fame, 2025