This is truly humbling: for the sixth month in a row we’ve surpassed a million monthly page views on Ballpark Digest. Thanks once again: our readers rock. For the record, page views are up 68 percent over a year ago. We’ve surpassed a million page views every month in 2014. We’ve had plenty of excitement […]
Archive | The Front Office
Now available: Never a Bad Game: Fifty Years of the Southern League
We’re proud to announce the immediate availability of Never a Bad Game: Fifty Years of the Southern League, by the award-winning author Mark McCarter. Fans of the Southern League have seen it all since the circuit was founded 50 years ago: colorful characters, charming ballparks, and some of the best baseball players showing their potential. […]
Jose Canseco hits ballparks this summer — via RV
This is a pretty good idea: Jose Canseco will be traveling the continent via RV to appear at charity events and various minor-league/summer-collegiate ballparks under the Home Run Tour banner. The tour, put together by Jose Melendez and crew at New World Sports Management, will begin next week and run for over two months, as […]
Introducing Soccer Stadium Digest
We have another company announcement today: now live is our newest professional-sports website, Soccer Stadium Digest. Yesterday we announced the launch of a history project with the NY-Penn League (thanks for all the positive comments on that project by the way — yes, we are also excited!) and hinted at further announcements. More are on […]
The Week That Was: June 7
Visiting a historic old ballpark in Kenosha, remembering Don Zimmer, and the unveiling of a new ballpark plan in Hartford were the top stories of the past week on Ballpark Digest, as measured by page views. Here they are: Simmons Field / Kenosha KingfishIn memoriam: Don ZimmerOriole Park in line to host 2016 ASG?Hartford ballpark […]
In memoriam: Don Zimmer
Don Zimmer, who over the course of a 66-year baseball career virtually defined the term of baseball lifer, passed away last night. He was 83. Zimmer’s career began with a bang in 1949 after being signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers, with the beginning of a minor-league career that included an astounding 10 steals of home […]
MiLB Charities donates $10K to Florida flood relief
Minor League Baseball Charities is donating $10,000 to a nonprofit providing relief assistance to flood victims in Northwest Florida, with Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Class AA; Southern League) fans voting on the recipient. “After the storms and floods hit the greater Pensacola area, we reached out to our employees, fans and local non-profits to find out […]
Thanks a million — again
We hit a coveted milestone again this month, recording a million page views on Ballpark Digest. Thanks to each and every one of you for your patronage and support. We’re in the middle of what’s turning out to be a great season. We’ll have some book announcements this week, and some site announcements as well. […]
Feds target MLB teams, interns, clubbies over back pay
Better prepare: the Labor Department is targeting Major League Baseball teams for back pay to interns and clubhouse staff, bringing them to minimum wage. Let’s face it: lowly paid labor is a backbone of all professional sports, and many current front-office personnel spent their time toiling for low wages (or, going back some time, no […]
Japanese plan: boost economy with more baseball
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to boost the Japanese economy using a variety of tools, which may include the addition of four teams to the country’s major leagues. There are currently 12 teams in the Pacific League and the Central League, and a report to be considered by Abe calls for the addition of four […]
Professional Sports Catering acquired by Levy Restaurants
Some news on the corporate front: Levy Restaurants announced today the acquisition of Professional Sports Catering (PSC). Helmed by founder Tom Dickson, PSC will continue to focus exclusively on mid-sized baseball stadiums, an area that they have had tremendous success in over the past eight seasons. “PSC has a true passion for the minor league […]
Oprah, Larry Ellison and Team Cole among rumored Clippers owners
On our sister site Arena Digest we ran down the potential new owners of the Los Angeles Clippers should Donald Sterling sell the NBA franchise, but we omitted one suitor: Team Cole. Here’s the Arena Digest article. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned Clippers owner Sterling […]
Personnel news in Great Falls, San Rafael
We have a new general manager for the Great Falls Voyageurs (rookie; Pioneer League), while the San Rafael Pacifics (independent; Pacific Association) added two assistant GMs. Scott Reasoner is the new GM of the Voyageurs, replacing Katie Meyer, who is turning entrepreneur after buying a business in Great Falls. Reasoner had been assistant GM; replacing […]