New ownership of Wuerfel Park will be unveiled Wednesday, with a move of the Traverse City Beach Bums (independent; Frontier League) to the summer-collegiate Northwoods League also expected.
John and Leslye Wuerfel privately financed the construction of Wuerfel Park, which opened in 2006. Along with the construction of the ballpark, the Wuerfels financed the purchase and relocation of the Richmond Roosters (independent; Frontier League) to Traverse City, where the franchise was rebranded as the Beach Bums.
Their ownership of both the team and the ballpark has held ever since, but a new owner of Wuerfel Park is scheduled to be announced on Wednesday morning. While this information has not been announced by either circuit, it is also expected that the Beach Bums will depart the Frontier League for the Northwoods League. More from the Traverse City Record-Eagle:
A press conference scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at the ballpark is set to announce the new owners.
Players contacted by the Record-Eagle didn’t know the team’s fate.
Beach Bums pitcher Kenneth Knudsen said he heard the team was going to be part of the Northwoods League.
More information will be announced on Wednesday, but we understand that the ownership change involves a group of individuals that are associated with a current affiliated Minor League Baseball ownership group.