By Josh:
For a lot of people when they hear about a Minor League Baseball team they limit their thinking to just the game on the field. However, Minor League teams across the country have a greater impact in local communities than just on the baseball field.
The Missoula Paddleheads, affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, are one such team. The Paddleheads play in the Rookie level Pioneer League and like teams across the nation the Paddleheads bring professional baseball to their community all summer long. Young players showcase their talents in hopes to someday make it to the major leagues. Since 1999 when the team moved to Missoula 82 alumni have made the Major Leagues as either a player or a coach.
The impact of the Paddleheads goes well beyond the field. In 2019 the Paddleheads helped raise and donate over $37,000 to local non-profit organizations and causes. Staff, coaches and players volunteered over 700 hours in the community. They were also able to collect over 350 pounds of food to be donated. These are things that get overlooked often times when we talk about minor league baseball.
Sure it is easy to see the on field product but we miss the community impact that also comes as a result of having these teams in our communities.
The Paddleheads also impact the game of baseball in positive ways. To grow the game and give back to the community the Paddleheads donate 20 tickets to every regular season home game to different non-profit organizations. Giving community members a chance to attend a game when they may not have been able to on their own.
Local teams have the ability to come meet the players and run out onto the field with the players at the start of the game. It may seem like a simple thing but memories like this build lifelong fans.
Impacting the game for the Paddleheads includes members of the front office being involved in the game at a community level. Three members of the front office staff have, or currently coach little league baseball. Two of those coach a Challenger Little League Team (designed for physical or intellectual challenged players to participate in baseball).
Due to the involvement of the staff the Challenger team gets to practice at the field a couple times a season and play a game (pre-game) in front of our fans.
If teams like the Paddleheads are lost the impact goes beyond just the game of baseball. Yes, it would hurt the game as the distance required for fans in Missoula to travel to another minor league team is over 3 hours to Spokane, WA, but there is even more that would be lost.
In 2020 go out and enjoy a game. If you live in the Missoula area catch a Paddleheads game. Who knows, I might just have to take a road trip from Kelso, WA to Missoula myself this summer.
(Side Note: If you are a member of a front office for a minor league team or college summer league team and would like to have your team profiled in this series please let me know. My goal is to profile as many teams as possible this off season and beyond.)