By Josh:
For a lot of minor league baseball teams they represent a long history of baseball in their communities. A history that has helped to shape and grow the community.
The Clinton LumberKings are a perfect example of this. Clinton, IA can trace its baseball roots back to the late 1800s with multiple teams in a variety of leagues playing in the city across the next 120+ years.
The current stadium that the LumberKings play in was built in 1937 and the Brooklyn Dodgers played there to open the ballpark.
Greats of the game, like Satchel Paige, have taken the field in Clinton. Over the course of its history, nearly 300 players who have played for a Clinton team have reached the Major Leagues.
Today the Clinton LumberKings remain as the last charter member of the Midwest League.
The LumberKings impact isn’t limited to the field. This past season the LumberKings hosted a Hometown Heroes night to honor a fallen firefighter. Raising money to help impacted families.
Through fundraising events held over the years hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised for various causes in the community.
Minor League teams also offer the opportunity for adults and kids alike to be outside, having fun and interacting with fans not just from the local community, but at times across the country. This has a real impact in the lives of kids.
“Just being always present in kids’ lives is huge. Home for 70 nights out of the summer, when kids are running around and learning how to interact socially with their peers and the game of baseball and life. We host kids’ days at games and allow them to grow to enjoy baseball. Youth teams have the opportunity to play games on the same field as the players they watch first-hand and current big league stars used to,” said Ted Tornow General Manager of the LumberKings.
The impact of Minor League baseball impacts a local community in so many ways, many that go overlooked. We see the jobs, the money donated for local charities, even the special events hosted at the ballpark. However, we can overlook the importance of providing activities for families, and how that can increase community unity, building relationships and giving kids the chance to dream about reaching new heights.