▁spent ▁time ▁as ▁a ▁New ▁York ▁Yan kee ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁playing ▁career . ▁He ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁coach ▁for ▁the ▁St . ▁Louis ▁Card inals ▁and ▁won ▁a ▁World ▁Series ▁with ▁them ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁Houston ▁Ast ros ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 6 - 1 9 8 8 ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁N L ▁Manager ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁He ▁has ▁managed ▁numerous ▁independent ▁league ▁teams ▁before ▁including ▁the ▁W inn ip eg ▁Gol de yes ▁and ▁Can - Am ▁team ▁the ▁Sus sex ▁Sky h aw ks . ▁Al ong ▁with ▁Lan ier , ▁the ▁Champions ▁also ▁announced ▁the ▁signing ▁of ▁their ▁first ▁player , ▁G at ine au ▁native ▁OF ▁Sebast ien ▁B ouch er . ▁B ouch er ▁was ▁draft ed ▁ 2 1 3 th ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁ML B ▁D raft ▁and ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁Canada ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁Baseball ▁Classic ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁The ▁team ' s ▁found ing ▁president ▁is ▁David ▁G our lay . ▁ ▁The ▁Champions ▁played ▁their ▁first ▁game ▁in ▁franch ise ▁history ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁at ▁Raymond ▁Ch ab ot ▁Grant ▁Thor nt on ▁Park ▁against ▁the ▁Sus sex ▁Country ▁Min ers . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁season , ▁the ▁Champions ▁qualified ▁for ▁the ▁play offs ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in