Nice promotion from the Traverse City Beach Bums (independent; Frontier League): the University of Michigan stalwarts are offering former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel the opportunity to join the Beach Bums for the 2011 season in the merchandise department. For those missing the news this weekend: Tressel resigned as the Ohio State coach because […]
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Cleveland State drops baseball
No more college baseball at Cleveland State University after this season, as the school announces it will drop the sport in order to cover shortfalls in the athletic budgets in upcoming years. It’s a borderline sport for the school, anyway: there’s no on-campus ballpark to call home, so the Vikings play at All Pro Freight […]
Rematch of diamond battle of the sexes in Rockford
It’s a rematch of a diamond battle of the sexes, as the Rockford RiverHawks (independent; Frontier League) will once again host the Chicago Bandits in an exhibition fastpitch softball game — a sport that perplexed the pro baseball players last year, as the Bandits trounced the ‘Hawks 5-0. This year’s rematch is scheduled for Tuesday, […]
Bull Barch is back!
This makes us very happy: “Bull” Barch is back in baseball as the Voice of the Lake Erie Crushers (independent; Frontier League), as he takes a break from calling Notre Dame College games to replace Tim Calderwood. Andy “Bull” Barch is currently the Assistant Sports Information Director at Notre Dame College and serves as the […]
Riverhawks leave NAL; new Riverhawks enter Frontier League
The Rockford Riverhawks have officially left the North American League and will go dark; meanwhile, a new group has acquired the lease to Road Ranger Stadium and other assets and will play in the independent Frontier League under the Rockford Riverhawks name. A little complicated, but let us explain. The transaction was similar to what […]
The Week That Was: April 3
The opening of the Major League Baseball season, the end of the Spring Training season and some potential shifts in the independent-baseball world made headlines this last week. The top stories on Ballpark Digest for the past seven days, as measured in page views. From the Frontier League to Cubs PA announcer Moreno: Time to […]
Calderwood new Voice of the RailCats
Tim Calderwood makes another stop on his tour of independent-baseball leagues, joining the Gary SouthShore RailCats (independent; American Association) as the team’s broadcaster for the 2011 season. Calderwood began his broadcast career as a broadcast intern and fill-in broadcaster for the Schaumburg Flyers (independent; Northern League). He comes to the RailCats after stints as the […]
Riverhawks to Frontier League for 2011?
Though nothing’s finalized, there’s a plan for a Chillicothe group to invest in the Rockford Riverhawks and shift the team to the Frontier League for 2011 — coming at the heels of the circulation of a 10-team North American League schedule that drops both Henderson and Rockford for the coming season. The move of the […]
Freedom: We’d welcome locked-out NFL players
In a nice promo, the Florence Freedom (independent; Frontier League) have sent an open letter to locked-out Cincinnati Bengals players, inviting them to suit up for baseball during the upcoming season while waiting for labor issues to end. Now, no one expects any Bengals to actually sign with the Freedom. Still, with Chad Ochocinco trying […]
From the Frontier League to Cubs PA announcer
Former Rockford RiverHawks (independent; Frontier League) public-address announcer Andrew Belleson is the new PA announcer for the Chicago Cubs and is slated to make his Wrigley Field debut on April 1. The 24-year-old Belleson spent part of five seasons in multiple broadcasting roles with the RiverHawks. At 15, Belleson joined RiverHawks home radio broadcasts in […]
Oremus moves forward on Schaumburg lease
Alan Oremus and his investors have 90 days to finalize a lease for Alexian Field, the former home of the Schaumburg Flyers (independent; Northern League), as both the Village Board and Park District gave initial approval to the group this week. The ballpark is available because the Flyers were evicted earlier this month for nonpayment […]
Joliet Slammers unveil logos, uniforms
The Joliet Slammers (independent; Frontier League) unveiled new logos, uniforms and team colors last night at an all-star gala, with John Dittrich leading the crowd through skits, celebrity appearances and more. Among the celebrities on hand at Joliet’s Rialto Theatre: White Sox organist Nancy Faust, Blackhawksʼ national anthem singer Jim Cornelison, and longtime Chicago broadcaster […]
American Association lands Schaumburg
In a surprising upset, the independent American Association lands the lease for Schaumburg‘s Alexian Field, despite not promising to field a team there for the 2011 season; Alan Oremus will own the team. Other leagues had made proposals for the lease, including the independent North American League and at least three groups with ties to […]