By CCL Reporter Sean Brennan
(LINCOLN, CA) – California Collegiate League baseball has quickly become the main event during summers in Lincoln, Calif.
On most nights from late May to early August, fans from all over Placer County pack the historic McBean Stadium to support the Potters, Lincoln’s CCL team.
Fans have mostly been treated to success during the CCL’s first three seasons in the Clay City – you’ll likely be hard-pressed to find a lot of empty seats when the Potters are playing at “The Bean.”
Though every summer of Potters’ baseball is memorable, the upcoming season will hold even more significance. That’s because the organization is dedicating the 2023 campaign to honoring baseball in Lincoln, which has a rich history dating back an entire century.
America’s favorite pastime has been ingrained into the fibers of the city since the early 1900s. In 1875, the establishment of Gladding McBean & Co., a renowned pottery company, put the then-small Northern California town on the map. The company assembled and funded a ball club years later in 1923, and just like that, a rich tradition of baseball in Lincoln was born.
“It [the club] wasn’t called the Potters for the first few years,” Potters general manager Matt Lundgren said. “The Potters came in with a similar logo to us and everything in the 40s (…) The Potters went all the way through the 60s and into the 70s. And then it [the club] went away for almost 50 years.”
The original Potters remained a mere memory in Lincoln until 2016, when the city, along with other entities, put money into revamping an outdated McBean Stadium that hadn’t seen renovations since the 1950s.
A revitalized ballpark and Lincoln’s interest in hosting a summer baseball team proved too lucrative of an opportunity for Lundgren’s camp to pass up. Then came the question – what would the team be called? But for Lundgren, the answer was a no-brainer.
“We’ve obviously adopted the name ‘Potters,’” Lundgren said. “We wanted to keep that tradition alive. We put in our logo,‘Established 1923.’ We’d like to pay homage to that. We still put the Gladding McBean patch on all of our uniforms, just like they did back in 1923.”
With a five-decade hiatus sandwiched between two iterations of the club, the Potters technically haven’t been around for 100 years. However, the celebration goes beyond just the team on the field. Look no further than the Lincoln community, which welcomed a new team in its city with open arms.
“When we started rebuilding everything at the end of 2016, it was very early on that we realized we were going to have the community’s support,” Lundgren said. “They came out, showed up and backed us from the beginning.”
Even with a strong base in Lincoln, Lundgren knew it was in the organization’s best interest to reach the surrounding communities. This proved a difficult task due to people in the area generally staying within their own towns. However, the fans in Lincoln helped “set the tone”, and all of Placer County soon became Potters Country.
“We just provided something that those communities didn’t have,” Lundgren said. “And once we got them out to the ballpark, you see the energy and the community coming together. So it’s really taken off and become a regional thing rather than just a Lincoln thing, which has been pretty cool.”
So what (and when) will this highly-anticipated 100th-year extravaganza be? According to Lundgren, the entire season will be one big celebration. The Potters will don a 100-year patch on their hats, and will hold other promotional events, such as giving away commemorative pins and a replica of McBean Stadium, throughout the summer.
Despite a milestone season just around the corner, the Potter’s main objectives remain player development and success on and off the field, with the hopes of winning the CCL State Championship. Last August, Lincoln hosted the West Coast World Series at McBean Stadium and went all the way, which is no minor feat. But Lundgren admits that earning the CCL Trophy would be even more special to his team and community.
“We want to win a championship,” Lundgren said. “You might think our sole care is how we do financially, which is super important. But we’re as competitive of a group as you can find, and we really want to bring a championship home to this community.”
(SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA) – Five teams will compete in a double-elimination tournament capped off by a winner-take-all title game to determine who will take home the 2022 CCL State Championship presented by Firestone Walker Brewing Company.
COMPTON, CA – The CCL’s talent was on full display Wednesday evening during the 2022 CCL Showcase Game presented by ABDG. Nominees from all 11 teams headed to the MLB Youth Academy in Compton, Calif. to showcase their skills in front of fans, scouts and a national audience on Bally Sports TV. Several key defensive plays along with offensive contributions from shortstop Miguel Santos (Foresters, Dallas Baptist) and right fielder Tyler Ganus (Oaks, Oregon) helped the South Division blank their counterparts from the North 2-0.
Santos’ clutch homer to extend the South’s lead to 2-0 earned him Offensive Player of the Game honors. Shortstop Kyson Donahue (Saints, Hawaii) won Defensive Player of the Game as he made two big assists to help keep the North Division off of the scoresheet. Receiving Pitcher of the Game honors was Matthew Maloney (Riptide, New Mexico State), who recorded three strikeouts while relinquishing two hits in an inning of work.
Jared Sundstrom (Prune Packers, UC Santa Barbara) and second baseman Hunter Baldwin (Mudcats, Harvard) also shined for the North Division during Wednesday’s game. Sundstrom went 1-2 at the plate with a double while Baldwin finished the evening with five assists, two putouts and a part in all three of his team’s double plays.
Much like last year, it quickly became apparent that both teams’ defenses came ready to play; the sides combined for one base knock, one walk and four strikeouts through the first two frames.
The contest opened up in the third when Ganus reached first due to an error by shortstop Alex Gouveia (Stompers, UC Davis). After third baseman Drew Cowley (Saints, Oregon) and catcher Griffin Everitt (Foresters, Nebraska) both picked up base hits, a fielders’ choice allowed Ganus to score and put the South Division up 1-0.
Despite giving up a run, the North Division got out of the half-inning in style, as Baldwin, Gouveia and first baseman JT Waldon (Potters, Undecided) combined for a flashy 4-6-3 double play.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, Gouveia and center fielder Jake Holcroft (Prune Packers, Portland) picked up the North Division’s first two hits. However, Maloney’s third strikeout of the inning helped keep the opposition off of the scoresheet. The junior right-hander stated that he was successful on the mound because his main goal was to “fill up the zone and throw strikes.”
The South Division threatened to score again in the fourth when first baseman Gavin Kash (Foresters, Texas Tech) doubled and center fielder TC Simmons (Riptide, Connecticut) drew a walk. Donahue then popped out before the Baldwin, Gouveia and Waldon trio struck again, combining for another inning-ending double play.
Relief pitcher Chris Stamos (Saints, California) was called upon in the sixth to preserve his team’s narrow 1-0 lead. And the left-hander did just that, retiring three of the four batters he faced in a dominant inning pitched. The North Division got their lone base knock of the frame when third baseman Trey Furrey (Potters, Oklahoma Baptist) sent a single into center field.
Both sides’ offenses then stayed quiet until the ninth, as there were only two hits during the sixth and seventh innings, both from the CCL South.
However, the final frame of the contest proved to be the most exciting. In his second at-bat of the evening, Santos launched a leadoff home run off of the left field scoreboard to increase the South Division’s lead to two. The Fort Worth, Texas native recalled that he saw the pitch all the way but initially wasn’t sure his homer had enough height on it.
“I saw it [the first pitch] pretty well, so I was just thinking low middle. [Davis] threw a slider outside and I put a swing on it. I didn’t know if it was going to be high enough but luckily it was,” said Santos.
Second baseman/pinch hitter Kamau Neighbors (Barons, Long Beach CC) followed up the homer by slamming a single over North Division second baseman Ryan Ellis’ (Crawdads, St. Mary’s) head. But Neighbors’ most impactful play came in the tail end of the inning.
After closer Nick Proctor (Foresters, California) picked up two straight K’s and was replaced by Aaron Rosales (Barons, Santa Anna College), first baseman Ryan DuRoff (Crawdads, Chabot) and designated hitter Cole Santander (Mudcats, Long Beach State) drew consecutive walks to keep the game going. The next batter, Ellis, sent the second pitch he saw sailing into right-center field. Standing in the way, however, was Neighbors, who leapt up and made a miraculous grab in midair, sealing the victory for the South Division.
Following the conclusion of the Showcase Game, the teams will enter into a two-week stretch leading up to the CCL State Championship presented by Firestone Walker Brewing Company, which is set to take place from August 4-6.
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Contributors:
July 16, 2022
The California Collegiate League Showcase Game Selection Committee has announced the participants for the 2022 CCL Showcase Game presented by the Amateur Baseball Development Group (ABDG):
[+ CLICK HERE TO VIEW ROSTERS]
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Team Designations // MLB – MLB Academy Barons, AS – Arroyo Seco Saints, CON – Conejo Oaks, HLD – Healdsburg Prune Packers, LIN – Lincoln Potters, OCR – Orange County Riptide, SLO – San Luis Obispo Blues, SBF – Santa Barbara Foresters, SOL – Solano Mudcats, SON – Sonoma Stompers, WCC – Walnut Creek Crawdads
LOS ANGELES, CA – The week of July 18 will be a memorable one for baseball fans in Southern California and around the world. For the first time in 42 years, Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game will take place at historic Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 19.
On Wednesday, July 20, some of college baseball’s top players will compete in the California Collegiate League’s premier event—the CCL Showcase Game presented by the Amateur Baseball Development Group (ABDG)—down the 110 Freeway at the MLB Academy in Compton, Calif. Sixty of the CCL’s most outstanding collegiate players from all across the country will display their talents before a national audience on Bally Sports TV. The first pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST. Tickets may be purchased at the gate.
California Collegiate League team managers have submitted their prospect list to the Showcase Game Selection Committee. Final North and South Division rosters will be announced on Saturday, July 16. The head coaches of the game will be decided by the winning percentage based on league wins up to July 15.
Los Angeles Angels radio broadcaster Trent Rush will be working with Denny Hocking, current USA Baseball 18u manager, and reporter Anna Connelly, to cover the CCL Showcase Game live on Bally Sports. Replays of the game will be broadcast regionally in July and August. Check your local listings for viewing instructions.
As part of USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP), CCL Showcase Game position players will take part in pre-game workouts at 2:30 p.m. in front of MLB scouts and college coaches. The PDP is a collaborative effort between Major League Baseball and USA Baseball that establishes an official identification and player development pathway for amateur baseball players in the United States.
There is a strong connection between the CCL and the MLB’s 93rd Midsummer Classic. Three CCL alumni – New York Mets left-fielder Jeff McNeil (Santa Barbara Foresters), St. Louis Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley (Santa Barbara Foresters), and Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (San Luis Obispo Blues) – were named to this season’s National League All-Star roster.
The CCL will be represented in the 2022 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, which is set to for Saturday, July 16, at Dodger Stadium. Three-time World Series Champion and Conejo Oaks co-founder, Mike Scioscia, will be at the helm of the National League Futures squad, while MLB Academy Barons manager and former MLB player, Kenny Landreaux, will serve on the coaching staff. Former Forester and Oregon Duck, Spencer Steer, now a Minnesota Twins prospect, has been selected to play in the game.
By CCL Reporter, Nicola Iannelli —
Santa Barbara, Calif. is not only home to picturesque white sand beaches, palm trees, and Mediterranean-style stucco buildings that reflect the city’s Spanish colonial heritage, but also to CCL perennial power—the Santa Barbara Foresters.
The Foresters are led by manager Bill Pintard and hold the most titles in the California Collegiate League with 11 under their belt since the league’s founding in 1993. Pintard has been the tenacious leader of this team since 1995 and has developed the Foresters into the organization they are today. Santa Barbara has chalked up over 1,000 victories including nine National Baseball Congress World Series Championships in 2021, 2020, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2008, and 2006.
But it was not always that glamorous starting out.
For Pintard, it all started in 1994. When he took over the Foresters with his then assistant Pat Burns, he had the goal to become the leader of a nationally recognized team. To accomplish this, Pintard knew they had to recruit the best players, so they took to the road. Pintard and Burns traveled from San Diego to Sacramento, spending up to 15 days non-stop on the road. The duo talked to coaches at USC, San Diego State, UC San Diego, Palomar Junior College, UCLA, and many more up and down the coast.
Pintard recalls traveling to UC Berkeley where his son was a student. “We slept on his couch for four days because there were a bunch of junior colleges and Stanford University up there,” said Pintard.
Both Pintard and Burns spent countless hours watching practices and inter-squad games scouting for their summer league team. Those long days of travel and patience paid off because Pintard made lifelong connections with many coaches and players. This period also served as the building blocks for what the Foresters are today.
Coaches took note of Pintard’s dedication and persistence. In 1995, one particular coach from Sacramento said, “You’re going to get my best players because anybody that’s going to work that hard and be that dedicated deserves to train my players.”
For 27 years Pintard has instilled into his teams hard work and perseverance.
No challenge is too big for Pintard and his club. Even with the setback of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Foresters fought through challenge after challenge. Though collaboration with the CCL, the Foresters put together a COVID-19 protocol that kept players, coaches, and staff members safe during the 2020 summer season. Remarkably, the Foresters had zero positive cases when the disease was at its peak and spreading rampant.
During that time, Pintard and the Foresters were able to accomplish an improbable feat. Santa Barbara was the only team in the league that played a full season of games that included non-league teams and a non-league schedule. Pintard reflected, “[That] was a tremendous achievement because there weren’t many teams playing that year, and we were able to play teams from all over the country, like Texas, and even won the [NBC] national championship that year in 2020.”
The success during the pandemic season carried over into the following year. The CCL resumed competition in 2021, and fans were able to come back and watch collegiate summer games again which made a tremendous difference. Pintard shared that playing without fans in 2020 felt abnormal and different. “There was no interaction before or after the games which was hard to adjust to because when the fans rally with the team, it gets everyone to be a part of the game and creates excitement in the air,” said Pintard.
In 2021, the Foresters won the CCL Southern Division championship highlighted by a 21-game winning streak toward season’s end, despite an initially slow start. Santa Barbara then headed to Wichita, Kan., at the conclusion of the CCL’s regular season for the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series. The trip resulted in back-to-back championships just like in 2011 and 2012. According to Pintard, the Foresters became the first team to win multiple back-to-back titles in the history of that tournament. “That was another one of the major highlights of the 2021 season,” said Pintard.
Another bright spot for the Foresters was the Hugs for Cubs, a program that supports children fighting childhood cancers, was back up and running again. Like in year’s past, Pintard arranged for a trip to Angel Stadium. Kids battling cancer were able to take their mind off of their day-in and day-out challenges and enjoy a Major League Baseball game in Orange County.
The 2021 summer season produced many highlights both on and off the field for the Foresters. They’re striving for 2022 to look the same.
By CCL Reporter, Sean Brennan —
Since joining the CCL in 2016, the Healdsburg Prune Packers have posted an impressive record of 191-56. In 2021, the team won their first CCL State Championship. While the Packers have enjoyed immense success during their first five seasons in the CCL, General Manager Joey Gomes does not see winning as his number one priority. Instead, his primary focus is to help his players develop as much as possible during their time in Healdsburg.
And Gomes says that developing players goes hand-in-hand with winning baseball games.
A large component of the Packers’ culture is putting their players first. The team encourages players to continue individualized training routines they bring from their colleges. Every season, Gomes makes it clear the organization’s primary focus is player development.
“When we first meet with the team, we let the players know, ‘We’re here for you; you’re not here for us… Whatever message your staff in the spring was trying to emphasize with you, let us just be an extension of that voice,’” said Gomes.
Gomes’ professional baseball background also shapes his method of developing players. Throughout his career, he noticed that many of the experienced coaches that influenced his coaching style were patient with their teams as long as there was progress. This understanding proved to be an important learning experience for Gomes, as he integrated patience into his own coaching philosophy.
“Over the years, I’ve grown as a coach to allow me to be more patient as long as progress was in the process,” explained Gomes.
The implementation of daily routines is another instrumental part of the Prune Packers’ culture. The team shows up at the field six hours before home games to go through position-specific drills and multiple batting practices. Daily routines like that, according to Gomes, benefit player development and are extremely rewarding when the team reaches the postseason.
“For our program, we do these daily routines to get a little bit better every day. At the end, if we’re fortunate enough, the work culminates in a postseason opportunity,” Gomes said.
Gomes went onto share, “A dividend from this summer-long process, hopefully culminating in a championship, is that the player returns to his school 10% better than last spring.”
Gomes acknowledged that his players will need to work extremely hard during the Packers’ season, as they will play 47 games in about two months. Going through the 10-week grind with a common goal will be extremely helpful in building team chemistry. While Gomes doesn’t think synergy alone wins championships, he says that not having it can be detrimental to a team’s success.
“We’ll say things like, ‘Look, we get that synergy doesn’t win a championship.’ But I remind guys that if you don’t have it, that will be the reason you won’t win one,” said Gomes.
There’s no doubt that the Prune Packers’ approach has resonated well with his players. This summer, 14 players from last season will rejoin the squad, many of whom specifically asked to return to Healdsburg. Gomes is extremely humbled by this, and views it as a testament to the Packers’ winning culture.
In 2022, the Packers will look to defend their CCL title and bring another championship back to Wine Country. Heading into the season, Gomes is most looking forward to meeting the new group and “seeing what they’re made of.”
For Gomes, it’s clear, the biggest victory of this summer will be improving his players as much as possible.
By CCL Reporter, Sean Brennan —
As the Orange County Riptide gear up for the 2022 CCL campaign, General Manager Moe Geoghegan is striving to create an identity for his team. He wants the Riptide to eventually become known as the best summer baseball team on the West Coast.
“Our goal is to be the gold standard, we want to be the top team in the CCL year in and year out. We’re not there yet, but we’re working on it every year to try and make that happen,” said Geoghegan.
One of the most important parts of the Riptide creating its brand will be coaching. During this past offseason, Tim Brown became the organization’s sixth head coach in seven years. However, Geoghegan believes that Brown’s coaching experience and care for his players make him the perfect candidate for a long-term coach.
“I think coach Brown understands players’ needs. I think he’s good at being that father figure, kind of the mature adult in the room,” explained Geoghegan. “He cares about his players…I think players like to play for a coach that actually cares about them.”
Geoghegan understands that keeping a coach with the team for multiple seasons is very important to recruiting. He looks at teams that have been successful in the CCL over the years and says that most of them have had the same coach for at least three years. In addition to helping with recruiting, coaching stability also helps management know what to expect for upcoming seasons.
“It would be nice to know what to anticipate the next year as a general manager, what you’re going to get out of your coaching staff, to have the same guy for a couple years…I’m hoping to have that with Tim,” said Geoghegan.
While coaching will be a vital component of the Riptide establishing its identity, Geoghegan also acknowledged the importance of off-the-field advantages. For example, the Riptide’s location greatly helps with recruiting, as Orange County is a popular area for collegiate baseball players to train during the offseason.
“I think that Orange County is a destination that players like to spend their summer…I’m not going to lie, that helps a lot with recruiting…We get a lot of players that call us and email us because they want to be in Orange County,” Geoghegan said.
Another victory for the Riptide has been improved fan engagement. Last season, the organization began selling alcohol and making food trucks available to fans. This decision, along with the team leaving a positive impression on baseball fans in the area, helped attendance at home games increase by 50% in 2021 despite the Riptide missing the playoffs.
The Riptide will look to returning players, such as outfielder T.C. Simmons (Connecticut) and catcher Blake Penso (UC Irvine), to help the team establish its identity this season. Geoghegan says that all of the players rejoining the team are ‘good foundation guys’ and will be role models for the new faces on the squad.
“These were dudes that were the first guys at the ballpark,” recalled Geoghegan. “Guys that never complained, even in a bad season…that’s important that you have a core of guys like that, that’ll set the standard for the new guys.”
Heading into the 2022 season, the Riptide’s management is optimistic about almost every aspect of the team. Geoghegan hopes that stable coaching, continued off-the-field victories and talented rosters each year will help his organization eventually become the gold standard of Summer League Baseball. And while he is looking into the future, he believes that this season will be the beginning of a new era for the Riptide.
Photo courtesy of Alina Nelson
By CCL Reporter, Nicola Iannelli —
Summertime in Northern California for the Potters’ Baseball Club feels like a family reunion. Not only do the players and coaches anticipate the season, but so does the city of Lincoln and surrounding communities. Fans look forward to coming together each year at McBean Stadium to watch top-notch collegiate summer baseball, their favorite players, and of course, Piper the Mascot.
The Potters exude a sense of a family thanks in large part to their detailed approach to their work and the commitment of their staff members. It’s that positive environment that is created that makes summers so enjoyable. Not only do the players request to come back, but the host families also request to have the players stay with them again.
This upcoming season the Potters are welcoming back several members that starred in the 2021 campaign including CCL Showcase participants Jeffrey David (New Mexico), Quinton Hall, and Mason Holt (Louisiana Monroe).
The bonds made between the players on and off the field are special.
Nolan Murphy, an assistant general manager and Potters alumnus, spoke on his personal experience as a player and member of the team. “To play for The Potters was very eye opening because of the fan base that Lincoln has. Being able to see people in the stands and have a minor league experience at the college level is immaculate,” said Murphy.
The Potters and General Manager, Matt Lundgren, are committed to offering players the best experience and consider their program as “a players’ program.” Lundgren describes how he has his players focus only on baseball and has their meals, travels, and most expenses covered so they can be fully focused on their development. The coaching and managing staff goes above and beyond to make sure every one of their players is taken care of.
Besides there being a close bond between the team and community, there is also a one between head coach Ryan Stevens and the team. Stevens is a decorated member of the baseball community and local to the Rocklin area. He has an impressive baseball career resume but has continued to add to it just this past year when he won his 100th game. Stevens values the relationships that grow from the unique opportunity of being called a coach. Nolan Murphy shared how he keeps in contact throughout the year with Stevens and so do the other players of the team.
Thanks to the Potters Baseball Club, the city of Lincoln and the players have something to look forward to every summer. With the start of the season and summer quickly approaching, the Potters are ready to be back in action and compete for the 2022 CCL State Championship.
Photo courtesy of Sara Nevis
By CCL Reporter, Kathryne Padilla —
Baseball in San Luis Obispo has brought the community together for decades, even dating back to the 1940s when the SLO Blues were created. When baseball was in jeopardy in the central coast of California, it was a no-brainer for Adam Stowe and his parents, Marianne and Keith, to step up and save the day.
Their swift action to take over the Blues was an act to help their community, and one that slowly developed into their entire family having a hand in keeping the organization alive and well.
Back in 2010, previous owner Jim Galusha was looking to sell the Blues. In hopes of saving baseball in San Luis Obispo, Adam was able to bring on three different investors to meet with Galusha. In the end, the investors backed out due to the terms set by Galusha, leaving only two options.
“We were kind of stuck and it was either; the Stowe’s buy the Blues, or the Blues fold,” Adam said.
The decision to take on the ownership of the Blues was not made by Adam alone. His parents, Marianne and Keith, were the key players to preserving the Blues’ future.
“Their decision saved baseball in San Luis Obispo, and there are many people that are very grateful for that,” Adam said.
Dating back to 1946, San Luis Obispo saw the creation of a baseball league following the end of World War II. Baseball filled the downtime soldiers were then experiencing after the war ended. There were enough men who wanted to play ball to create a team in SLO.
This was the start of the Blues, who were formally named the ‘Merchants,’ a name which was then later changed.
“A local sportswriter for the Tribune decided that [Merchants] was a terrible name for a baseball team. Unless anybody objected, he was going to call us the Blues due to our blue lettering and socks,” Adam said. “Hence, the San Luis Obispo Blues.”
From 1946 to the 70s, the Blues were a semi-professional team, and roughly around 1980 turned into a summer collegiate baseball team. The Blues celebrated its 75th-anniversary last year.
There was no intention of the Blues becoming a family-run organization. The Stowe’s looked at taking ownership and building a foundation to bring on other staff members. Adam shared that both his parents had the same mindset when they made the decision.
A small realization came to Marianne Stowe that would reel in her husband, Keith.
“Marianne pointed out, it would be fun, and we’ve only got so many years left in life,” Keith said. “I thought ‘she’s right.’ Money’s not the main concern. It’ll be fun. So, we did.”
Adam and his parents, before ownership, would attend Blues’ games in the summer when Adam would visit them while on break from college. During a visit to North Carolina and a Durham Bulls’ game, both Marianne and Keith recall the key moment that cemented their understanding of their son’s enthusiasm for the game of baseball.
Seeing the Bulls and their entire operation would influence how Adam, as general manager, would mold the Blues.
“We would go to their games and watch the in-between inning events, that kind of thing. We saw a lot of that with the Durham Bulls, and then Adam kind of built on that,” Marianne said.
Marianne and Keith always knew their son was always athletic and interested with the sport of baseball, so it was not surprising to them when he left his athletic department position at a college in Louisiana to become the general manager of the Blues.
Though there are times that Keith teases Adam Stowe on the decision he made, he understands why he did it.
While all of the prior owners of the Blues loved the game of baseball, the Stowe’s realized there needed to be more than the love for the sport to make the organization successful.
“They loved baseball, but they were not necessarily great businesspeople,” Marianne said. “You need to have somebody who’s watching the books.”
Marianne is the current Host family coordinator and her involvement with the Blues came to be seven years ago when Adam asked her to step in on a temporary basis. Keith has been a huge help behind the scenes with fundraising for the non-profit, as well as serving as the team’s unofficial utility man providing help wherever it’s needed. His biggest role has been in coordinating the Blues’ direct mail campaign to recruit sponsors.
“He sent out almost 1,500 targeted packets to local businesses this year; which has directly led to more than $25,000 in new sponsors this season. We’ve actually sold out of much of our available sponsorship inventory,” said Adam.
Even the Blues’ youngest intern is Adam’s 12-year-old daughter, Quinzi, who has attended more than 200 games. She values learning from all the college interns and hopes to learn more about the technology side of game-day operations in the future like working the scoreboard and keeping stats.
“I was born into the family. So, I’m involved with the Blues. I really enjoy it, and I’m glad that is in my life!” Quinzi said.
Thanks to the Stowe’s, the Blues remain an important part of the community and the culture of San Luis Obispo—and it looks like that will be the case for years to come.