MGM Park To Host Gulf Coast Diamond Classic on May 21

The Biloxi Shuckers and BCSG 360 announced today they will host the Gulf Coast Diamond Classic on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at MGM Park. The Gulf Coast Diamond Classic will feature HBCUs Jackson State University (Jackson, MS) and Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, MS).

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

The contest will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. The gates at MGM Park will open one hour prior to game start time.

Fans have three ticket options for the Gulf Coast Diamond Classic:

  • Adult Ticket – $20 includes entry for game.
  • Youth Ticket – $10 includes entry for game.
  • Premium Ticket – $30 includes entry for game and premium seating access.

When purchasing tickets, unless buying premium tickets, select ‘BERM’ for your ticket option. For the Gulf Coast Diamond Classic, these will allow you to sit anywhere in the seating bowl that is not in the premium section.

Jackson State University will serve as the away team for the game and Mississippi Valley State University will be the home team.

ABOUT THE BILOXI SHUCKERS:

The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers are members of the Southern League and play at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. For more information please visit biloxishuckers.comand follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.

Rattlers Host Career in Sports Night on May 5

GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers will host a Career in Sports Night in the Fox Communities Credit Union Fox Club for fans looking to learn about job opportunities and receive tips and information on starting a career in sports on Thursday, May 5. The event will feature representatives from the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Brewers, and more with a panel discussion and a networking/career fair prior to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers game against the Fort Wayne TinCaps that night.

Fans interested in attending the Career in Sports events that night may order through this link using the promo code ‘sports’ and receive a box seat ticket to the game and admission to the panel discussion, the networking fair, and a tour of the stadium. Order prior to May 1 and the cost is just $15 per ticket. Any order after May first is $20 per ticket.

The schedule for the event is:

Gates for Event Open: 4:15pm
Panel Discussion: 4:30-5:30pm
Networking/Career Fair: 5:30-6:30pm
Stadium Tour #1: 6:00pm
Stadium Tour #2: 6:15pm
Game Time: 6:40pm

Confirmed attendees for the event include:

Green Bay Packers
Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Admirals
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
Green Bay Gamblers
Wisconsin Herd
Wausau Woodchucks
Lakeshore Chinooks
Green Bay Rockers
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters

Full-season, half-season, mini-ticket, flex packages, and individual games for the 2022 season are available online through timberrattlers.com, over the phone at (920) 733-4152, or in person at the Timber Rattlers Box Office located at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium now! The box office is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday and at 10:00am on Saturdays and Sundays when the Rattlers have a scheduled home game.

First Horizon Park to Host Clip In 4 The Cure

The Nashville Sounds Baseball Club announced today that First Horizon Park will host Clip In 4 The Cure on Saturday, March 26 at 8:00 a.m. Nashville’s inaugural relay-style cycling event supports cancer initiatives at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Participants can register as a team of four (4) or individually. Each bike allows for four team members, one for each cycling hour of the event. Each hour of the relay pairs a live DJ with a Nashville spin instructor, creating four exhilarating hours to sweat it out and help beat cancer.

The cycling sessions run in 45-minute increments beginning at 8:00 a.m. and finishing at 11:45 a.m. The stationary cycling will take place on the concourse level of First Horizon Park.

Registration is live and can be found here. All attendees will be given the opportunity and are encouraged to fundraise for their team. All registration fees will be credited toward fundraising, and every dollar raised will go directly toward lifesaving research and innovative patient care with the ultimate goal of creating a world without cancer.

Clip In 4 the Cure will continue to follow guidance from hospital leadership pursuant to CDC updates for social distancing, masking, vaccination and testing guidelines. Event organizers will communicate protocols and updates to participants via email prior to the event.

The Nashville Sounds are the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers and play at First Horizon Park. Season ticket memberships for the 2022 season are on sale now. Opening Day is scheduled for Tuesday, April 5 at 6:35 p.m. For more information call 615-690-4487 or e-mail [email protected].

Shuckers To Host Job Fair On March 24

The Biloxi Shuckers will host a job fair on Thursday, March 24 from 4 pm to 6 pm at MGM Park. The Shuckers are seeking seasonal employees for the upcoming 2022 season.

Available positions include ushers, ticket takers, ticket sellers, access control, camera operators, press box production, mascots, retail, grounds crew, bat boys/girls, entertainment team and on-field emcee. Interested applicants can enter through the visitors’ clubhouse on the north side of MGM Park and should bring a copy of their resume.

Spectra Food services will also be interviewing candidates for cooks, suite attendants, food runners, bartenders, dishwashers, warehouse workers and help with food preparation. Applications for Shuckers’ seasonal employment and Spectra are available on site but are also available online to download here.

The Biloxi Shuckers open their seventh season on the road against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Friday, April 8. Biloxi then returns to MGM Park for their home opener against the Mississippi Braves on Tuesday, April 12 at 6:35 pm. Individual tickets, Shuck Nation Memberships, Flex Plans and group outings are available for the 2022 season by calling (228) 233-3465 or visiting biloxishuckers.com.

ABOUT THE BILOXI SHUCKERS:

The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers are members of the Southern League and play at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. For more information please visit biloxishuckers.comand follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.

National Anthem Tryouts For Shuckers' Games Set For March 12



Prior to the start of their 2022 season, the Biloxi Shuckers will host auditions for National Anthem performers on Saturday, March 12 at MGM Park.

Auditions will take place from 11 am to 1 pm. Those wishing to audition can enter the ballpark through the north gate. Performers are expected to perform the entirety of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ in less than two minutes. Individual singers, instrumentalists and bands are all welcome to audition and are required to complete a contact form before auditioning.

Additionally, virtual auditions are open from March 7 through March 18. All virtual auditions must include an unedited video with all performers visible and a full performance of the ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ in under two minutes. As with in-person tryouts, individual singers, instrumentalists and bands are all welcome. Please submit virtual auditions to Allyson Staton at [email protected] with the subject line ‘2022 National Anthem Audition,’ an mp4 of your video and a completed contact form, available for download here.

The Biloxi Shuckers open their seventh season on the road against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Friday, April 8. Biloxi then returns to MGM Park for their home opener against the Mississippi Braves on Tuesday, April 12 at 6:35 pm. Single game tickets, Shuck Nation Memberships, Flex Plans and group outings are now available for the 2022 season. Event spaces at MGM Park can be booked for private events during the offseason by calling (228) 233-3465.

ABOUT THE BILOXI SHUCKERS:

The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers play at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. For more information please visit biloxishuckers.comand follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.

‘The Nine’ Greatest Black Athletes In Shuckers’ History

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

In no particular order, here is a look at nine of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for the Biloxi Shuckers.

Corey Ray

Ray spent the entire 2018 season with the Shuckers and put together one of the most impressive campaigns in Southern League history. Taken by the Brewers with the fifth overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft out of Louisville, Ray was named the Southern League MVP after notching 32 doubles, seven triples and 27 home runs while recording 74 RBI, 86 runs scored and 37 stolen bases in 44 attempts. He led the Southern League in total bases (254), extra-base hits (66), home runs and stolen bases, tied the league lead in doubles, was second in runs scored and slugging percentage (.477), fourth in RBI and tied for fourth in triples. The Shuckers’ outfielder also became the first player in Southern League history to lead the league in home runs and stolen bases in a single season.

During his breakout campaign, Ray was named the Southern League Player of the Week for July 16 through 22, earned recognition as the Southern League Player of the Month in July and was honored as a Midseason and Postseason All-Star en route to capturing the League MVP and the Brewers’ Robin Yount Minor League Player of the Year honor. Ray returned to the Shuckers for a brief spell in 2019 and has his name all over the Shuckers’ single season and career records. He holds the record for most home runs in a season, most RBI in a season, most runs scored in a season, most games played and at bats in a season, tied for the most triples in a season, second in doubles and stolen bases in a season and third in hits in a single season. In 146 career games with the Shuckers, he is third all-time in stolen bases (40) and fourth all-time in home runs and triples. Ray made his Major League debut with the Brewers on April 24, 2021.

Tyrone Taylor

A founding member of the Biloxi Shuckers, Taylor played in 128 games with Biloxi in 2015, 134 games in 2016 and 25 of his 32 games played in 2017. His name occupies many of the top spots in the Shuckers’ record books, leading the franchise in hits (247), doubles (41), games played (287) and at bats (1,004) while sitting second in runs scored (114) and fifth in RBI (83).

While playing in the Shuckers’ inaugural campaign in 2015, Taylor was a constant cog in an offense that won a league-best 78 games. Playing in all but three games during the season, the Torrance, CA native hit .260 with 20 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 43 RBI, 48 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. He was named the Southern League Player of the Week on June 15, hitting .423 for the week with four doubles, two home runs, eight RBI, two stolen bases and no strikeouts. During that week, Taylor helped the Shuckers clinch a series victory in their inaugural homestand at MGM Park and on June 14, he went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and a run scored in a 9-0 Biloxi victory that clinched the South Division First Half Title, giving the Shuckers a playoff berth in their inaugural season. Taylor made his Major League debut with the Brewers on September 7, 2019. In 130 games at the Major League level, Taylor has slashed .251/.324/.467 with 15 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs and 50 RBI.

Devin Williams

Devin Williams’ meteoric rise began in Biloxi during the 2019 season. After missing the entire 2017 season and appearing in just 14 games at High-A in 2018, Williams started the 2019 campaign on the Shuckers’ roster. By the end of the year, he was in the Brewers’ bullpen and pitching meaningful innings on a team headed to the postseason for a second consecutive year.

Williams primarily pitched in long relief to start the 2019 season, finishing the first half with a 2.91 ERA. After the All-Star Break, Williams was moved into a late-innings role and became the most dominant reliever in the league over that spell. During nine outings from June 21 to July 22, Williams went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and four saves in four opportunities. Across 10 innings, Williams surrendered just four hits, walked one batter and struck out 17. The righty was selected for the MLB All-Star Futures Game and shortly afterwards he was promoted to Triple-A San Antonio on July 26. After making just three appearances with the Missions, Williams had his contract selected by the Brewers and made his Major League debut on August 7, 2019.

In the 2020 season, Williams established himself as the most dangerous setup man in baseball, primarily fueled by his high-90’s fastball and unique changeup, which earned its own nickname, ‘The Airbender.’ In 22 appearances, Williams went 4-1 with a 0.33 ERA, allowing eight total hits, four runs and one earned run. The former second-round pick walked nine batters and racked up 53 strikeouts, earning both the National League Rookie of the Year award and the Trevor Hoffman Award, given to the National League’s top reliever, along with an All-MLB Second Team selection and NL Reliever of the Month honors in September of 2020.

Trent Grisham

Bearing a new last name when he arrived in Biloxi to start the 2018 season, Trent Grisham spent all of 2018 and the first half of 2019 in a Shuckers uniform. Much like Williams, Grisham’s ascension to the Major Leagues took off during the 2019 season. After slashing .223/.360/.348 with 10 home runs, two triples, seven home runs, 31 RBI and 45 runs scored in 107 games in 2018, Grisham returned to the Shuckers in 2019.

The outfielder was hitting .215 for the season on May 25 but caught fire and finished his time with Biloxi on an emphatic note. Across his final 20 games with the Shuckers, Grisham slashed .342/.479/.822 with seven doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 25 RBI and 20 walks with just eight strikeouts. He became just the second player in franchise history to homer in four consecutive games and was named a Southern League Mid-Season All-Star before earning a promotion to Triple-A San Antonio on June 20. On August 1, the Brewers selected Grisham’s contract and he made his Major League debut that same day. Despite playing the final month of the season with the Brewers, Grisham was selected as the Robin Yount Minor League Player of the Year for 2019 and would go on to win a Rawlings Gold Glove with the San Diego Padres in 2020.

Jake Gatewood

Gatewood claims the title of Home Run King for the Shuckers, mashing 36 homes runs during his time with Biloxi. The Clovis, CA native received a late promotion to the Shuckers in 2017, hitting four home runs in 23 games to end the season. He returned to Biloxi with vengeance in 2018, hitting 19 doubles, a triple and 19 home runs with 59 RBI in 94 games. Gatewood was named a Midseason All-Star but had his season cut short when he suffered an ACL tear in Jackson, Tennessee on July 24, 2018. At the time of his injury, Gatewood was tied for second in the Southern League in home runs, trailing only Corey Ray, was fourth in RBI and extra-base hits (39) and fifth in total bases (164).

Gatewood missed the first month of the 2019 season while rehabbing from his ACL tear but returned to the Shuckers on May 12. In his first at bat, Gatewood hit a solo home run to right field, one of 13 home runs for the season. He took sole possession as the franchise leader in home runs on July 27 when he hit a walk-off two-run homer against the Jackson Generals and is also the franchise leader in postseason home runs, hitting four during the Shuckers 2019 postseason run to the Southern League Championship Series. Gatewood is also second in Shuckers’ history in RBI (113), third in runs scored (103) and fifth in hits (174).

Johnny Davis

Johnny Davis is regarded as one of the fastest players ever to grace the field at MGM Park and justly carries the record as the all-time leader in stolen bases, swiping 68 bags across 202 games with the Shuckers. During the 2017 season, he set the Shuckers’ single season stolen base record, stealing 52 bags in 64 attempts, leading the Southern League in steals in the process. He is also second in franchise history in hits in a single season (133), trailing only Orlando Arcia, tied for second in triples (6) and third in games played in a season (133).

The speedster is also the franchise leader in triples, recording 10 three-baggers in his time with the Shuckers, and fifth all time in runs scored (95). For his dogmatic play and tenacity, Davis was awarded the Southern League Hustler of the Year as part of the leagues’ postseason awards in 2017. He also famously had the number one play on ESPN’s Sportscenter for a home run robbery he made on April 13, 2017 at MGM Park. A 22nd round pick by the Brewers in 2013, Davis made his Major League debut with the Tampa Bay Rays on September 11, 2019.

Troy Stokes Jr.

In one of his highlight catches of the season, Troy Stokes Jr. leaps before taking a seat in the left field corner. Stokes took home a Gold Glove for his efforts in 2018.
Michael Krebs

The primary left fielder during his 164 games with the Shuckers, Troy Stokes Jr. consistently made highlight-worthy plays in the outfield en route to a Rawlings MiLB Gold Glove in 2018. A fourth-round pick by the Brewers in the 2014 draft, Stokes earned a late promotion to Biloxi at the end of the 2017 and impressed in a small sample size, hitting .252 with nine doubles, six home runs, 18 RBI and 19 runs scored in just 35 games.

As part of an outfield that also featured Ray and Grisham, Stokes put together an All-Star campaign with Biloxi in 2018, earning a spot in the Midseason All-Star Game in Birmingham, AL. The Towson, MD native slashed .233/.343/.430 with 23 doubles, six triples, 19 home runs, 58 RBI and 19 stolen bases, helping the Shuckers secure both half division titles and a berth in the Southern League Championship Series. During the playoffs, Stokes hit .367 with three doubles, a home run, three RBI and a franchise postseason record 10 runs scored.

Along with his postseason records, Stokes is fifth in Shuckers history in home runs (25) and tied for fifth in triples (6) while also ranking second in a single season in walks (65) and third in runs scored (74). He made his Major League debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 9, 2021.

Dillon Thomas

Dillon Thomas’ nearly decade journey through the Minor Leagues saw him make his penultimate stop in Biloxi. He was added to the Shuckers’ postseason roster in 2018 and appeared in five games, hitting a home run in the ninth inning of Game 1 of the Southern League Championship Series against the Jackson Generals.

Thomas was assigned to Biloxi to begin the 2019 season and given consistent playing time for the first time in his entire career in affiliated baseball the outfielder thrived. Thomas jumpstarted his season by recording six RBI across two games of an Opening Night doubleheader against the Birmingham Barons and helped carry the Shuckers to a first-half South Division title, earning a spot as a Midseason All-Star. The Houston, TX native slashed .265/.339/.434 with 25 doubles, six triples, 13 home runs, 62 runs scored and 22 stolen bases. His 71 RBI are the second most in the single season in franchise history and he’s tied for second in triples (6) while ranking fourth in hits (119) and doubles.

Thomas delivered one of the most iconic moments in franchise history when he smashed a walk-off solo home run in the tenth inning of Game One of the South Division Championship Series against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, giving the Shuckers a thrilling 11-10 victory. He would go on to make his Major League debut with the Seattle Mariners on June 9, 2021 after playing 670 games in the Minor Leagues.

Chuckie Caufield

While Caufield has not actually played for the Shuckers, he’s been a vital part of the organization since joining the coaching staff in 2017. Caufield has served as a coach with an emphasis on outfielders and helped the likes of Taylor, Ray, Stokes, Grisham and Thomas on their journeys through Biloxi. He was named the Shuckers’ hitting coach heading into the 2020 season, a role he has held ever since.

Caufield also carries the distinction of serving as one of three managers in Shuckers’ history. The Ada, OK native stepped in and managed Biloxi on an interim basis during the entire month of April in 2019 while Mike Guerrero was sidelined with an injury. During the entirety of 2019, he also worked as Biloxi’s third base coach, high fiving players as they round third on home runs and even getting all the way on the ground to signal to players that they should slide into third base.

Originally selected by the Brewers in the 39th round of the 2006 draft out of the University of Oklahoma, Caufield spent six seasons in Milwaukee’s farm system and played in 221 games for the Huntsville Stars between 2009-11. The Stars ultimately relocated from Huntsville in 2015 and became the Biloxi Shuckers.

The Biloxi Shuckers open their seventh season on the road against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Friday, April 8. Biloxi then returns to MGM Park for their home opener against the Mississippi Braves on Tuesday, April 12 at 6:35 pm. Shuck Nation Memberships, Flex Plans and group outings are now available for the 2022 season and individual tickets will go on sale at a later date. Event spaces at MGM Park can be booked for private events during the offseason by calling (228) 233-3465.

ABOUT THE BILOXI SHUCKERS:

The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers play at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. For more information please visit biloxishuckers.comand follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.

The Nine: Former Mudcats making a difference with the Players Alliance

Founded in part by former Carolina Mudcats outfielder Cameron Maybin, the Players Alliance is a nonprofit that was formed in the summer of 2020 by a group of more than 100 current and former Black MLB and MiLB players.

The Players Alliance has since grown to over 150 members, and has made major strides in accomplishing the goals set forth at its inception. Those goals include using the collective voice and platform of its roster of participating players to create new opportunities for the Black community in all areas of baseball and society.

Cameron Maybin with the 2008 Carolina Mudcats
NIKOLAUS

The Players Alliance roster features several former Mudcats including Maybin (2008 Mudcats), Quintin Berry (2011 Mudcats), Devin Williams (2018 Mudcats), Monte Harrison (2017 Mudcats), Corey Ray (2017 Mudcats), Troy Stokes Jr. (2017 Mudcats), Dillon Thomas (2018 Mudcats), and Travis Demeritte (2016 Mudcats).

That extensive list of former Mudcats also includes catcher and utility man Zavier Warren who played for Carolina during the 2021 season.

“My involvement (with the Players Alliance) started the year I was drafted,” said Warren. “The Players Alliance reached out and invited all of the African-American players from that draft (2020) to join a Zoom call with guys like Curtis Granderson and Dusty Baker. They let us know that we could contact them if we ever needed anything. They also let us know about the history and goals of the Players Alliance program.”

“I thought it was important to join mainly because many of these guys have done what I’m hoping to do,” added Warren. “Their guidance is very helpful in helping me achieve my goal of making the big leagues. It’s great to have a network of guys to lean on and reach out to, especially other Black players.”

The Brewers selected Warren in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Central Michigan. He was primarily an infielder in college but was drafted by the Brewers as a catcher. Warren would later make his professional debut in 2021 with the Mudcats and split his playing time playing in the infield and behind the plate. He sees himself as a utility player moving forward, but is eager to continue on the catching path.

“There haven’t been many Black catchers,” said Warren. “It’s a small group of guys, and I want to see if I can join that group of big-league catchers. I think it can be impactful for me to make it as a catcher and maybe inspire a kid that might look like me to pursue that position as well.”

“That’s where I hope I can make an impact with the Players Alliance too. A big part of what they do is getting kids involved in the game at an early age.”

Warren appeared in 53 games and hit .251/.374/.471 with a .845 OPS, eight doubles, 10 homers and 30 RBI with the Mudcats in 2021. He later finished the season with High-A Wisconsin where he would hit .267/.357/.400 with a .757 OPS over 36 games.

Warren was also one of several top prospects selected by the Brewers to participate in “Build-Up Camp” and early Spring Training ahead of the 2022 season.

Read More about 2022 Build-Up Camp

Learn More about the Players Alliance

Black History Month: Flash of Excellence

 

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers continue Minor League Baseball’s celebration of Black History Month with Tom Gordon’s seventeen starts as an Appleton Fox and his quick rise to the Major Leagues in 1988.

Before Tom Gordon spent 21 seasons in the Major Leagues, he spent three months in Appleton, Wisconsin. Gordon was twenty years old with the Appleton Foxes in 1988 and racked up strikeout numbers and amazing starts in seventeen games that most players don’t reach over an entire season.

Gordon entered his season in the Midwest League with a lot of hype. His 1987 season with Eugene in the Northwest was incredible with a 9-0 record, a 2.86 ERA, and 91 strikeouts in 72-1/3 innings pitched over fifteen games. Plus, he added three starts in the Florida State League with Fort Myers with a 1-0 record.

Brian Poldberg, the manager of the Foxes in 1988, named Gordon as his Opening Day starter for a game on April 8 at Wausau Athletic Park against the Wausau Timbers. Gordon pitched four scoreless innings, allowed three hits, walked two, and struck out seven. The article in the paper noted that Gordon pitched his way out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the bottom of the fourth.

Gordon’s next start was on April 13 and it was his first Goodland Field appearance. This time out, Gordon allowed on hit, walked one, and struck out eleven over five scoreless innings. He even recorded four strikeouts in one inning. Gordon left after reaching his 85-pitch limit and had a no decision in Appleton’s 1-0 victory.

“I didn’t feel as loose as I did in my first start, but I had pretty good stuff,” Gordon told Gary Shriver of The Post-Crescent after the game. “I was using fastball, change. I did tighten up some at the end.”

The Foxes failed to score in Gordon’s next two starts: A 5-0 loss at Springfield on April 18 and a 2-0 loss to Madison at home. Gordon was charged with the loss in both games despite allowing three earned runs over twelve innings. He had just two strikeouts at Springfield – Gordon’s season-low in Appleton. He had eight punchouts against Madison while giving up just one run.

Appleton’s offense made up for the lack of support and Gordon earned his first Midwest League win at Kenosha on April 30. He worked 6-2/3 innings, struck out seven and gave up three runs – two earned – as the Foxes won 12-5.

Tom Gordon’s Starts in April, 1988

DATE OPPONENT DEC IP H R ER BB SO
4/8 @Wausau ND 4.0 3 0 0 2 7
4/13 Peoria ND 5.0 1 0 0 1 11
4/18 @Springfield Loss 6.0 4 3 2 3 2
4/25 Madison Loss 6.0 4 1 1 2 8
4/30 @Kenosha Win 6.2 6 3 2 1 7
1-2 27.2 18 7 5 9 35

That result launched Gordon on a four start stretch in May that leaves an observer looking back at just the numbers leave one amazed.

It all started at Goodland Field against Beloit on May 5. Gordon allowed one run on three hits with four walks and seventeen strikeouts for a no decision. He had a 1-0 lead going into the top of the ninth inning, but David Nilsson had an RBI triple to tie the game. Terry Shumpert won the game with an RBI double in the bottom of the seventeenth inning for a 5-4 Foxes win.

Gordon was understated in his comments to Dan Vanderpas of The Post-Crescent after the game.

“I had a pretty good night. I threw the ball well. I felt good,” Gordon said. “My fastball was my best pitch tonight – high 80s, lower 90s. A game like this feels good because you had a good outing but I wanted to win. The thing I was looking for was to go out there and improve.”

The win followed in his next start. He pitched a nine-inning complete game against Quad Cities on May 11 in front of 2,646 fans at Goodland Field. Once again, Gordon allowed just one run in the game. Plus, he added eleven strikeouts in a 6-1 victory.

“I’m not hurting, but some days you just don’t feel your best. I didn’t feel my best, but I do see this as one of my better (pitching) days,” Gordon told Vanderpas. “The fastball worked real good for me tonight. That’s the ball that struck out most of the guys. It wasn’t the fastball I’m used to having. I had to work on it. I had to think to win. I had to think a little better than they did. That’s basically what I did.”

On May 16, Gordon made another start at home and pitched nine more innings to defat Burlington 3-1. This time out the youngster from Florida scattered six hits, allowed one run, walked two, and struck out sixteen for a complete game on 127 pitches in just over two hours as a birthday present for fellow Foxes pitcher Tim Odom and his manager.

“The more they hit the ball, the better I felt. It was just my team helping me and me helping my team,” said Gordon. “you can do a lot with A3 run lead because they’ve got to play catch up in baseball three runs is not a lot but if you’ve got a good pitcher on the mound you can fairly get by most teams.”

Poldberg fielded a question about how much longer Gordon would be in Appleton while snacking on some birthday cake in the clubhouse after the game.

“We haven’t had too many quick games lately, but when Tommy comes out there and you score a couple of runs you have a good chance of winning the game,” said the Foxes skipper. “Right now (to be called up), it’s just a matter of him getting command of himself because the higher up he goes a lot of the hitters will be taking the high fastballs that the younger hitters are swinging at.”

The final start in this stretch was a legendary appearance. It was in Waterloo, Iowa on May 21. Gordon gave up one hit, walked three, and struck out NINETEEN over seven scoreless innings. The only thing wrong with this night was that the Foxes bullpen blew a 3-0 lead. Waterloo scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth and held on for a 5-4 win.

Gordon had three impressive strikeout streaks – five in a row, six in a row, and seven in a row – during his seven innings. The only hit off Gordon was a single in the fourth inning. Waterloo put just three balls in fair territory against Gordon.

Russ L. Smith of the Waterloo Courier wondered why Gordon came out of the game and Poldberg had the answer.

“You got a young kid like that, you’ve got to protect his arm,” said Poldberg. “He has an embargo of 130 pitches in a game and he had 125 after the seventh. There’s no use starting him out to throw five pitches in the eighth.”

The month of May ended with a no decision and a loss for Gordon. He allowed six runs in 4-1/3 innings at Cedar Rapids on May 26 and was uncharacteristically wild with five walks and five strikeouts in that game. Then, he lost to Kenosha on May 31 at home despite allowing three runs over six innings.

In May, Gordon pitched 44-1/3 innings and recorded 74 strikeouts against just 20 walks.

Tom Gordon’s Starts in May, 1988

DATE OPPONENT DEC IP H R ER BB SO
5/5 Beloit ND 9.0 3 1 1 4 17
5/11 Quad Cities Win 9.0 5 1 1 2 11
5/16 Burlington Wiin 9.0 6 1 1 2 16
5/21 @Waterloo ND 7.0 1 0 0 3 19
5/26 @Cedar Rapids ND 4.1 5 6 6 5 5
5/31 Kenosha Loss 6.0 5 3 3 4 6
2-1 44.1 25 12 12 20 74

In June, Gordon made six starts and he was 4-0 in his first four. The first of that quartet was his first nine-inning, complete-game shutout with the Foxes.

Riverview Stadium in Clinton, Iowa was the site. June 5 was the date. Gordon allowed two hits, walked four, and struck out twelve in a 7-1 win.

Less that a week later, the Clinton Giants made the trip to Goodland Field. Gordon allowed one run with no walks and eleven strikeouts on June 10 for another complete game despite not feeling like he would be able to do much before the game.

“I was weak tonight,” said Gordon. “I just felt weak. I just didn’t feel like it was my night to pitch.”

“He didn’t have the great fastball early in the game and he went to his curveball a little more than I would have liked him to,” said Poldberg. “But he knew he didn’t have his best pitch, so he went to his next best pitch and that’s the curveball.”

Next up for Gordon was a start at South Bend on June 15. This was another win for Gordon as he allowed two runs on three hits with a walk and ten strikeouts in seven innings. While not as dominant as his previous two starts, this one impressed White Sox manager Steve Dillard.

“I’ve been wanting to see him,” Dillard told Curt Rallo of the South Bend Tribune. “I know he signed two years ago and I heard he threw in the middle 90s. But now he’s got a curve and that might be his best pitch. He didn’t strike a guy out until the third inning and he ended up with ten. We were overmatched.”

The final game in this four-start winning streak was on June 20 against Beloit at Goodland Field. Gordon should have had six scoreless innings to go along with his seven strikeouts. However, Bobby Knecht, an infielder moved to the outfield after an injury to starting left fielder Mike Gassman, couldn’t find a flyball – as he said – “against that bright, blue sky” with two runners on and two outs. The routine ball dropped in and by the time it was retrieved the Brewers had a three-run, inside-the-park home run to cut Appleton’s 4-0 lead to a single run.

The bullpen preserved the win for Gordon with two scoreless innings from Doug Nelson and a scoreless ninth from Brian McCormack to send Gordon’s record to 7-3 and 3,509 Foxes faithful home happy.

Gordon’s final two starts with Appleton were both losses, but the offense scored two runs total. South Bend won 5-2 at Goodland on June 25 and Burlington won 2-0 in Iowa on June 30.

The loss to the Burlington Braves was no fault of Gordon’s. He pitched eight innings, walked one, allowed two runs – one earned, and gave up five hits while striking out fourteen. The Foxes offense managed just three hits.

Tom Gordon’s Starts in June, 1988

DATE OPPONENT DEC IP H R ER BB SO
6/5 @Clinton Win 9.0 2 0 0 4 12
6/10 Clinton Win 9.0 6 1 1 0 11
6/15 @South Bend Win 7.0 3 2 2 1 10
6/20 Beloit Win 6.0 4 3 3 3 7
6/25 South Bend Loss 7.0 5 3 3 5 9
6/30 @Burlington Loss 8.0 5 2 1 1 14
4-2 46.0 25 11 10 14 63

John Boles, the Director of Minor League Operations for the Royals, was asked about Gordon’s future for an article in the July 3 edition of The Post-Crescent. Boles was very direct in his response.

“Tommy Gordon is going to pitch in the major leagues. No doubt about it. He’s one of the best prospects in minor league baseball, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to be going to be moving anywhere soon.”

That last part from Boles is the only thing wrong in his quote.

Gordon missed his next Foxes start due to a strained leg muscle. Then, on July 12, he was added to the roster of the Memphis Chicks, Kansas City’s Double-A affiliate. Six starts and 62 strikeouts later, Gordon was promoted to Omaha in Triple-A.

Despite being almost 6-1/2 years younger than the league average of the American Association, Gordon was not intimidated. He was 3-0 in three starts, allowed three runs, and had 29 strikeouts.

In an August 28 article in the Kansas City Star, Gordon talks with Jack Etkin about his whirlwind of a 1988, “I wake up sometimes,” he admits, “ and say, ‘I can’t believe I’m in Omaha.’ People say, ‘Can Tom Gordon make it to the big leagues this year?’ It seems like it’s a dream. It’s unbelievable. There can’t be too many people at 20 who’ve moved from A ball to Triple-A and are being thought about to play in the big leagues.”

The call came after Omaha’s season ended and Gordon would make his MLB debut in relief of Brett Saberhagen on Sept 9 in Kansas City against the Oakland Athletics. He pitched two perfect innings on 23 pitches, including a three-pitch strikeout of Jose Canseco.

Dave Parker, who popped out against Gordon in the game, was informed that Gordon was just twenty and he responded, “If he’s that young, that’s an advantage. This guy’s got a good idea of what he wants to do from what I saw tonight. I was impressed with him.”

He wasn’t the only person impressed with Tom Gordon. Baseball America named Gordon their Minor League Player of the Year for 1988.

What a year! And it all started for Gordon with the Appleton Foxes.

Previous Articles for Black History Month 2022:

February 1: Top 5

February 8: Ervin Lee Ford

February 15: Deacon Jones & Bernie Smith Make History

MGM Park To Host High School Tournament On February 19

Greene County High School will host a six-team tournament on February 19 at MGM Park. The six teams will include Greene County, Pascagoula, Vancleave, Oak Grove, Sumrall and Lumberton.
The day kicks off at 11 am when Sumrall takes on Vancleave. Oak Grove will matchup against Pascagoula at approximately 2

Greene County High School will host a six-team tournament on February 19 at MGM Park. The six teams will include Greene County, Pascagoula, Vancleave, Oak Grove, Sumrall and Lumberton.

The day kicks off at 11 am when Sumrall takes on Vancleave. Oak Grove will matchup against Pascagoula at approximately 2 pm and the day draws to a close with a 5:00 pm matchup between Greene County and Lumberton.

“We put feelers out there for good programs that we had relationships with, and it has come together better in the first year than I expected,” said Greene County Head Coach Nick Chatham “We’ve got Sumrall who is a perennial powerhouse every year in 4A who played in the State Championship last year and won it the year before. Vancleave is obviously local and has a great program that won state a few years back. Oak Grove is a tradition rich baseball program and Pascagoula played for a State Championship last year. When you have good teams involved, most people want to be a part of that. And we wanted to have it at MGM Park to make it something special for those that participate.”

Tickets will be available for purchase on the day of the game at the northeast gate of MGM Park for $10 and will grant admission to all three games. The MGM Park concession stand will be open with a limited menu for the day.

The Shuckers open their seventh season on the road against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Friday, April 8. Biloxi then returns to MGM Park for their home opener against the Mississippi Braves on Tuesday, April 12 at 6:35 pm. Shuck Nation Memberships, Flex Plans and group outings are now available for the 2022 season and individual tickets will go on sale at a later date. Event spaces at MGM Park can be booked for private events during the offseason by calling (228) 233-3465.

Prior to the start of the Shuckers’ season, MGM Park will host a Top 25 college baseball matchup on March 8 and 9 as the defending national champion Mississippi State Bulldogs, ranked the #3 team in Baseball America’s preseason poll, take on the #23 ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Hancock Whitney Classic. Suites are sold out for both games, but individual tickets are available for both games at biloxishuckers.com.

ABOUT THE BILOXI SHUCKERS:

The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers play at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi and are members of the Double-A South. For more information, please visit biloxishuckers.comand follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.

Black History Month: Deacon Jones & Bernie Smith Make History

 

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers continue Minor League Baseball’s celebration of Black History Month with a pair of history making minor league managers.

The Danville Warriors rallied from a 7-2 deficit to defeat the Appleton Foxes 10-7 in a game at Danville Stadium on April 25, 1973. The Warriors scored four runs in the seventh and four runs in the eighth to score a comeback win in front of 619 fans.

Those are the game details for what would seem to be a routine Midwest League game in 1973. There is a story behind those details to make this game historic for baseball and it happened in a small city two and a half hours south of Chicago and located just west of the Indiana border.

Grover “Deacon” Jones was the manager of the Foxes. Bernie Smith was the manager of the Warriors. They were the first African-America managers in the Midwest League and April 25, 1973 was the first game played in MiLB history where Black skippers led both teams.

There wasn’t much fanfare for the first game. That was not the case when the Foxes hosted the Warriors from May 19-21 at Goodland Field.

Associated Press sent writer Mike O’Brien to the Fox Cities for the final game of the series. His article gets the thoughts of both Jones and Smith to share with newspapers from Maine to Washington and from Wisconsin to Mississippi.

Smith’s Danville Brewers were here Monday night to play Jones Appleton Foxes is in the Class A Midwest league.

No Black has ever managed in the majors and it is believed only two others, Jean Baker and Hector Lopez, have managed in the minors. Yet Jones and Smith speak with affection for baseball and with understanding of its resistance to change.

“When we played at Danville earlier this year, I kidded Bernie that we were making history,” Jones said. “Then the game started and we forgot all about it.”

“I definitely feel more Blacks should have had a chance to manage before this, more than 20 years after Jackie Robinson opened the gates as a player and took a lot of abuse,” Jones said.

Jones later shared a story about his love for baseball, the Chicago White Sox, and the city of Appleton.

“I have a bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy, but I can turn to physiotherapy at 60,” he said. “Baseball was my boyhood dream. It’s a great game and I’ll never knock it. The Sox organization has always been fair with me.”

Jones resolved to stay in baseball after an incident that almost forced him out in 1963. Playing first base for Indianapolis, Jones couldn’t complete a throw to the plate because of intense pain in his right arm. It cost a game and he was near tears later.

“Rollie Hemsley, the manager, told me to stay out there and I learned to throw left-handed,” he said. “I’d go out to the park early every night and practice throwing with the other hand. And do you know I played that way in the playoffs that year. I felt that if that man had that kind of faith and courage in me, I wouldn’t quit.”

He batted .343 that year and a few seasons later compiled averages of .353 and .352 at Appleton, a virtually all-white city he dearly loves.

“It’s always been fantastic here,” he said. “When we first came, my wife said she felt like she was on stage, with people turning their heads to look at us. But that’s a natural reaction. We’ve made intimate friends here.”

Bernie Smith was officially the first African-American manager in the Midwest League due to being announced a few days before Jones.

Smith, a Louisiana native and a college teammate of Lou Brock at Southern University, spent years in the New York Mets system, including winning the Eastern League MVP in 1967 when he hit .306, stole 22 bases, and struck out just 47 times in 451 plate appearances for Williamsport. He got his chance in the Majors with Milwaukee and was a Brewer player in 1970 and 1971 for a total of 59 games before joining the minor league coaching staff for 1972 and getting the call to manage Danville in 1973.

Smith’s comments to O’Brien are about why it took so long for baseball to hire an African-American manager.

Smith said he believed there had been reluctance to hire Blacks as manager because of “tradition and money.”

“As owners, they have a financial interest to uphold and if you look at fans percentage-wise – and I mean 80 to 20 – the greatest number are white,” he said. “There has been fear hiring a Black manager might hurt the white crowds.”

“But things have changed,” he said. “Like the kids I manage were brought up in mixed schools, so they think nothing of it to have a Black as a coach. They don’t even think about it unless it’s pointed out.”

The series at Goodland Field went to Jones and the Foxes as they won game one 1-0 and game two 5-3. Danville won the finale 6-4 in eleven innings on the Monday evening that Mike O’Brien attended.

There would be three more matchups between Jones and Smith in 1973. The Foxes would again win two of the three games in the series when Danville hosted Appleton on June 6 and June 7. The teams split a doubleheader the first night with the Foxes taking the finale with a 6-0 win.

Smith would lead the Warriors to a 66-57 record and the playoffs with a win over Decatur in the first round, but a loss to Wisconsin Rapids in the Finals. Smith never managed in the minors again and his story of life after baseball is covered in more depth at this link at Reflections on Baseball by Steve Contursi.

Jones was reassigned as a hitting coach in the White Sox organization on June 20, 1973 after a loss to Wisconsin Rapids at home left Appleton with a 14-38 record. Deacon and the Foxes could never dig all the way out of the hole after starting the season with fifteen straight losses and a 1-19 record in their first twenty games.

The Post-Crescent made sure to include this passage in their article announcing the managerial change.

Jones’s next assignment will be the Knoxville Double-A club, where Lamar Johnson and Fred Norton are having hitting problems.

Though the White Sox announcement made no mention of the Foxes’ last place record, observers here felt that it played a large part in the reassignment decision. Jones, one of the most popular figures in Foxes history, wasn’t blamed by area fans for the team’s poor record since fox is personnel hasn’t been up to usual White Sox standards. There has been a constant shuffling of players on and off the roster, and several key injuries have also handicapped the team.

Jones, like Smith, would never manage again. However, Jones would stay in baseball. He would continue to coach in the White Sox system before moving on to become an advance scout for the Baltimore Orioles for over twenty years.

If you would like to more about Grover “Deacon” Jones, click this link for his SABR Biography by Bill Nowlin for stories like the night Jones sat at a rest stop lunch counter only to have a gun pulled on him and a different night when Virginia, Deacon’s wife, and Alicia Buford, wife of Don Buford, decided they weren’t going to sit in the segregated seating area at the stadium in Savannah in 1962.

It would take just over one year from the end of the 1973 Midwest League Finals for Major League Baseball to hire their first African-American manager. Frank Robinson, who had been traded to Cleveland from the California Angels during the 1974 season, was hired by the Indians on October 3, 1974 to take over as their player-manager for 1975.

Previous Articles for Black History Month 2022:

February 1: Top 5

February 8: Ervin Lee Ford

Timber Rattlers Job Fair Scheduled for February 21 from 4-6pm

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI – Join the Timber Rattlers team this season! Attend the Timber Rattlers Job Fair on Monday, February 21 between 4:00pm and 6:00pm in the Fox Communities Credit Union Fox Club at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

The Timber Rattlers are accepting applications and conducting on-site interviews for part-time, seasonal, game day positions during the job fair. Here is a complete listing of jobs available this season:

Concessions Game Day/Evening Positions:

Kitchen managers, Cooks & Kitchen Staff – Primary responsibilities include planning, preparation, and cooking of meals for baseball games, banquet events, and special events. A basic understanding of the food service industry is preferred but not necessary. These individuals will need to be available for both day and night baseball games during the week and weekends so a flexible schedule is important. Availability starting in April.

Servers – Looking for those who are interested working PM’s and weekends but availability during the daytime is a plus. Must be eighteen, with some server experience. Completion of liquor license course a plus but not required. Availability starting in April.

Bartenders – Flexible with hours, but primarily looking for those who are interested working PM’s and weekends. Availability during the daytime is a plus. Must be eighteen, experience preferred but not required. Must complete liquor license course to sell beer. Availability starting in April.

Picnic Staff – Must be able to lift 50+ lbs. with help of others on staff. Availability starting in April.

Picnic Lead – Individual must be able to successfully run picnics throughout the stadium. Food & beverage experience required along with understanding of buffets. Must be available majority of games throughout the season. Availability starting in April.

Concession Stand Server – Responsible for the distribution of food and beverage out of concession or kiosks. Looking for those interested in working evenings and weekends. Daytime availability is a plus.

Concession Stand Register Operator – Primary responsibilities include taking food and beverage orders, cash handling, and customer interaction. Should be comfortable on computers. Looking for those interested in working evenings and weekends. Daytime availability is a plus.

Concession Stand Runner – Individuals are required to keep food and beverage product replenished during baseball games. Required to lift half barrels (161lbs) on occasion. The job also includes frequent walking and standing for extended periods of time.

All concession positions are primarily nights/weekends but occasionally have first shift hours available for workers.

In addition, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers banquet facility is looking for year-round, part-time employees in the following areas:

Bartenders – Day availability (at least one with lead bartender potential) – immediate start

Runners – Frequent walking and standing for extended periods of time, able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds – immediate start

Dishwashers – Mostly summer hours

Servers – Provide excellent food and beverage service for banquet events, assist with set-up of tables, linens, chairs, etc. for full service of banquet events and maintain back of house, front of house, and side work duties for productivity of banquet events – summer hours

Stadium Operations and Customer Service Game Day/Evening Positions:

50/50 Raffle Workers – Selling raffle tickets walking through the parking lot and stadium seating bowl. Cash handling experience and effective communication skills preferred. Ability to be on feet and walking up and down stairs for extended periods of time.

Custodial Crew – Responsible for cleaning the stadium following games, special events, banquets, etc. and as needed throughout the stadium.

Kids’ Zone – Responsibilities include setting up, monitoring, and putting away the inflatables, prize wheel, and basketball hoop for each game. Also greeting & assisting children in the Kid’s Zone with a need to be alert/attentive to any potential situations that may arise.

Snake Pit Team Store – The Timber Rattlers merchandise store needs helpful workers.

Security – Responsible for fan safety. Must be over 21, with some experience.

Ticket Sellers – Responsible for selling tickets to the walkup crowd on gamedays in the box office. Ideal candidates would be computer literate, friendly, and able to work in a fast-paced environment.

Ushers – Responsibilities include pre-game prep, greeting and assisting fans to their seats, watching crowd for problems or injuries during game, and assisting fans safely out at the end of the game.

Job seekers are encouraged to fill out their application before arrival at the job fair. Applications are available at the Timber Rattlers Front Office or a downloadable application can be found online at this link to the Timber Rattlers website. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age by April 8, 2022. Interested applicants should come prepared to interview with a Timber Rattlers staff member and bring a photo ID and Social Security Card.

Applicants should be energetic, friendly, dependable, and look forward to contributing to the welcoming atmosphere of Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The Timber Rattlers offer a fun-filled atmosphere and a unique employee experience for the summer months. The Rattlers are an equal opportunity employer.

Rattlers Celebrate Black History Month: Ervin Lee Ford: Appleton Pro Baseball Pioneer

 

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers continue Minor League Baseball’s celebration of Black History Month with a look at Ervin Ford, the first African-American to play for the Appleton Papermakers.

It was February 5, 1952. Travis Jackson had just stepped off the train in Appleton less than a week after the Boston Braves had named his as the manager of the Papermakers. One of his first questions for the Papermakers board was about the set-up in this northern city for Black players.

Jackie Robinson had broken the color barrier in Minor League Baseball in 1946 in Montreal and in Major League Baseball in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Papermakers, a team in Class-D, had been affiliated with the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, and St. Louis Browns between 1946 and 1951 and had never had an African-American player assigned to them by their parent club.

The Boston Braves has a different approach. According to Jackson, the Braves had signed as many as 20 Black players heading into 1952 and fans of the Papermakers should expect to see some heading their way.

Ervin Lee Ford, born in 1930 in Whiteville, North Carolina, was a graduate of North Carolina A&T University in 1949. He played baseball and ran track there. His speed was his calling card and that is what caught the eye of baseball scouts.

The first mention of Ford in The Appleton Post-Crescent was on April 23, 1952. It was a dispatch from Boston Braves minor league camp in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

John Roach appears to have nailed down an outfield post while Ervin Ford, the fastest man in camp, looks like he will patrol another field.

The second mention of Ford in The Appleton Post-Crescent was on April 24, 1952, just three days before the team was scheduled to arrive in Appleton after breaking camp.

The Appleton Papermakers suffered their first major injury of the baseball season on the eve of their departure from the Boston Braves’ minor league training camp at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Ervin Ford, fleet outfielder, suffered a fractured ankle sliding into second base at Myrtle Beach Wednesday, manager Travis Jackson told Appleton baseball club officials this morning.

This injury kept Ford from joining the team for Opening Day. He would not reach Appleton until July 13. There were a few days off for the Wisconsin State League All-Star Game and Ford didn’t get his first start until July 16.

Ervin Ford started his first game of ball since his injury in spring training…He got a big round of applause every time he came to bat but managed to get only one hit, an infield knock in front of the plate. He bats right and throws right.

The paper made note of Ford’s speed in an article about a game at Green Bay on July 27, 1952.

Highly touted as a speedster before he fractured his ankle in spring training, he gave the fans a look at what he can run like Saturday night when he singled to right in the ninth inning. The Green Bay outfielder bobbled the ball and the long, loose Ford, running like a foxhound on a fresh scent, went all the way to third.

Unfortunately, Ford’s season ended just a few days later:

Ervin Ford, Appleton Papermaker outfielder, dogged with bad luck all year, is being sent to his home in Whiteville, North Carolina with a broken ankle. Ward re-fractured his right ankle according to Dr. George Hegner, team physician. Hegner believes the break occurred in a game at Green Bay Thursday night. Ford complained of his ankle hurting him and he sat out the exhibition game with the Milwaukee Brewers Friday night. X-rays revealed that the ankle was broken.

The Post-Crescent states that Ford had appeared in thirteen complete games since joining the team, had a hit in all those games, and was the team’s leading hitter during that time.

Baseball-Reference has Ford 19-for-65 (.292) in sixteen games in his brief time with the Papermakers that season.

Ford started 1953 with Eau Claire in the Class C-Northern League and played ten games there with a .308 average before the Braves sent him back to Appleton on May 19 and he had two hits in that game at Fond du Lac. However, Ford wound up on the injured list in early June, would total just eight more hits over his next seventeen games while healthy for a .179 average, and the Braves would release him on June 16, 1953.

Ford would get back into baseball with the El Paso Texans of the Southwestern League in 1956 where he played 130 games, hit .347, knocked ten homers, drove in 73 runs, scored 102 runs, and stole 22 bases. He split time between El Paso and the Mexico City Reds of the Mexican League in 1957. In 1958, Ford finished his professional playing career with Mexico City.

The last mention that I could find of Ford is this story from Greenboro.com on September 26, 1998 about the North Carolina A&T University Sports Hall of Fame.

Ervin Ford, who graduated in 1949, who graduated in 1949, played baseball and ran track at A&T. he later played with the Negro League’s Indianapolis clowns, [the Appleton Papermakers and the Eau Claire Bears in the Boston Braves’ minor league system, and with the El Paso Texans and Mexico City Reds].

Ford and his wife of 47 years, Mary George Ford, have eight children, seventeen grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Ford has supported three children through A&T undergraduate program and currently is supporting his granddaughter, who is attending Graduate School at A&T

Appleton was a small part of Ervin Lee Ford’s life. However, he was an important part of Appleton’s baseball history and of Appleton’s overall story.

Nashville Sounds Foundation Now Accepting Scholarship Applications 

 

The Nashville Sounds Foundation announced today its 2022 Scholarship Program is now accepting applications. The foundation will award four scholarships worth $2,500 each to graduating high school seniors who plan to attend college in the Fall of 2022.

The program, which began in 2016, has awarded $60,000 in scholarships and is designed to assist deserving Nashville and Middle Tennessee students in paying for college tuition during their freshman year.

“The Nashville Sounds Foundation is proud to continue this impactful annual tradition for aspiring college students in the Middle Tennessee area,” said Nashville Sounds General Manager Adam English. “From the donations and fundraising efforts of the foundation to the thoughtful essays put together by students and the letters of recommendation from their teachers and coaches, this is truly a community-wide effort.”

Interested seniors must complete the application process here. The process includes submitting a 250-or-less word essay explaining how diversity and inclusion will impact their time at college.

In addition to the essay, each submission must include at least two letters of recommendation from a teacher and/or coach and an official high school transcript. The scholarship will be awarded based on the culmination of the student’s schoolwork, extracurricular activities and involvement in the community.

Each winner will receive tickets to a select 2022 Nashville Sounds game and a special surprise from the Nashville Sounds Foundation. The deadline to be considered for the 2022 scholarships is Friday, March 18, 2022. Scholarship winners will be notified no later than April 29, 2022.

Winners from 2021 include Solyana Asefa (Middle Tennessee State University), Mary Kathryn Walt (College of Charleston), Marvin Joseph Brown and Rebecca Williams (Columbia University).

The Nashville Sounds are the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers and play at First Horizon Park. Season ticket memberships for the 2022 season are on sale now. For more information call 615-690-4487 or e-mail [email protected].

About the Nashville Sounds Foundation:

The mission of the Nashville Sounds Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, is to utilize baseball to positively impact the communities throughout Middle Tennessee by emphasizing the importance of social responsibility, education and the power of sport to transform lives.

The Nashville Sounds Foundation is funded through monetary donations, private entities, memorabilia auctions and in-game custom public address announcements.

Job Fairs Set for Feb. 9 & Feb. 19 at Five County Stadium

 

ZEBULON – The Carolina Mudcats are hiring! The Mudcats are looking to add to the club’s part-time and seasonal full-time staff by hosting two job fair hiring events ahead of the upcoming 2022 season. Both events will be held at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, with the first scheduled for Wednesday, February 9 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and the second on Saturday, February 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Interested job seekers ages 16 and over wishing to work for the Mudcats are encouraged to attend the job fairs in person.

The Mudcats also request that applicants fill out an online application, or download, print and submit an employment application form found online at carolinamudcats.com before attending.

Through the job fair the Mudcats will look to fill multiple positions across various departments including stadium operations, video operations, promotions, ticketing, merchandise, and concessions. A full list of available positions, including job descriptions, can be found online at carolinamudcats.com. Additional information is also available by calling (919) 269-2287.

Interviews will take place at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, and are conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. Parking will be available in the main parking lot adjacent to NC Hwy 264 and near the team front office.

Applicants should arrive early; the interview segment of the first job fair on Wednesday, February 9 will begin promptly at 4:00 p.m. Additionally, the interview portion of the Saturday, February 19 job fair will begin at 10:00 a.m.

The Carolina Mudcats are the official Single-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. First established in 1991, the Mudcats are entering their 32nd year at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C. Season ticket packages for the 2022 season are on sale now at www.carolinamudcats.com/season and by calling (919) 269-2287. Opening Day 2022 is scheduled for Friday, April 8 against the Down East Wood Ducks at Five County Stadium. Follow the Mudcats online at www.carolinamudcats.com, and on social media at facebook.com/carolinamudcats, twitter.com/carolinamudcats, tiktok.com/@carolinamudcats and instagram.com/carolinamudcats.

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Biloxi Shuckers Join in Minor League Baseball’s “The Nine” 

 

Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and

Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine will connect MiLB teams’ existing, Black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign. The new inclusion initiative follows MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión Latino fan engagement platform introduced in 2017 that included 76 MiLB teams in 2021.

The Nine will recognize and honor numerous Black pioneers and trailblazing civil rights leaders in all 120 MiLB communities, ensuring the heroes of the past and their contributions continue to be celebrated through ceremonies and events at MiLB ballparks and in the community. Recent tributes and celebrations have included Negro Leagues commemorative games honoring the Austin Black Senators in Round Rock (TX), the Bradenton (FL) Nine Devils, and Page Fence Giants near Lansing (MI). Additional tribute games are being planned for the 2022 season and beyond.

“The Nine will shine bright spotlights on these successful initiatives and transform them into national campaigns reaching more fans and communities, further showcasing our teams’ commitment to representing, honoring, and welcoming all fans to MiLB’s unique brand of fun,” said Kurt Hunzeker, MLB’s Vice President of Minor League Business Operations. “The Nine is just the latest example of MiLB teams being true community champions.”

In addition to player- and team-related content, The Nine will focus heavily on creating new opportunities for youth participation among young Black boys and girls, particularly in communities where youth baseball and softball programming is either nonexistent or difficult to access.

Central to this youth-focused push is a planned expansion of Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program throughout MiLB’s national footprint. New competitions in MLB’s Pitch, Hit & Run and Junior Home Run Derby event series will also debut in MiLB markets beginning in 2022.

MiLB teams will continue to build relationships with local Black-owned and operated businesses, local artists and entertainers in an effort to embrace Black culture and make MiLB ballparks a hub for culturally relevant concerts, shows, and community events.

With several MiLB teams having a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in their community, opportunities will be provided for those schools to start internship and mentorship programs with their local team, creating opportunities for on-the-job experience for students prior to entering the job market. Additionally, MiLB recently partnered with TeamWork Online to create a more inclusive virtual job fair and ongoing talent pipeline that aims to recruit and position qualified and ready-for-hire candidates from across the country for potential management- and executive-level roles within MiLB team front offices.

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*About Minor League Baseball *

Minor League Baseball consists of 120 teams across four classification levels (Single-A, High-A, Double-A and Triple-A) that are affiliated with Major League Baseball’s 30 teams. Fans flock to MiLB games to see baseball’s future stars and experience the affordable family-friendly entertainment that has been a staple of MiLB since 1901. For more information, visit MiLB.com. Follow MiLB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.