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Texas AirHogs end run in American Association; 2011 champs leave lasting local mark
The AirHogs’ American Association chapter closed on October 23, 2020, when the club terminated its league membership, trimming the circuit for the following season [1].Grand Prairie first took the field in 2008, competing in the independent American Association and calling AirHogs Stadium home [2][3]. In 2016, operations were merged with the Amarillo Thunderheads for a season before the club returned exclusively to Grand Prairie in 2017 [2].The high-water mark arrived in 2011, when the AirHogs captured the American Association championship with a decisive Game 5 win over the St. Paul Saints [2][4].From 2018 through 2020, the roster carried an international edge via a partnership that placed Chinese national-team players with the club, a rare wrinkle in the league’s landscape [2].The final year brought upheaval across independent ball. The AirHogs did not take the field during the American Association’s condensed 2020 season and formally bowed out that October [2][1]. Earlier, Opening Night 2019 at AirHogs Stadium underscored the franchise’s close ties with the city and local fans [5].