Founded in 1975, it is the oldest continuing baseball club in Germany.

[2] The first men's team plays in the first division of the Baseball Bundesliga and has won 11 championships, the most of any club to reach the top tier of German baseball.

However, the Tornados have not won a championship since 1997, though they perennially make the playoffs.

[4] The club also set up a separate organization, The Friends of the Baseball Club Tornados Mannheim eV.

It is classified as a charitable organization by the City of Mannheim, and has an annual membership fee of €24.