George Deneau was a Canadian minor league baseball player, manager, and promoter who played on a number of Ontario and Michigan teams between 1898 and 1915. Known best by his nickname "Rube," he was born in Amherstburg, Ontario, about 20 miles downriver from Windsor, and died in 1926 at the age of 47. He was remarkably popular with fans in his day, and newspaper reports routinely refer to the teams he was on as "Deneau's Boys," "the Deneauites," and "Deneau's huskies."

The Battle Creek Crickets were a minor league baseball team based in Battle Creek, Michigan. From 1906 to 1915, the Crickets played as members of the Southern Michigan League for the duration of the league, winning the 1913 league championship. The Battle Creek Crickets teams hosted their home minor league games at Athletic Park.