MDN - Great Lakes Loons - April 2, 2022

Great Lakes Loons Mark 15th Season in 2022 Season Opens Friday, April 8 at Dow Diamond April 2, 2022

Great Lakes Loons

2 | Saturday, April 2, 2022

Midland Daily News | ourmidland.com

Dick Lebsack a Loons season ticket holder from the start Grace Butler for the Daily News

Midland in 1970. He’s always been a big baseball fan, especially of the Detroit Tigers.

Midland resident Dick Lebsack, a Great Lakes Loons season ticket holder ever since the team debuted in 2007, is especially excited to see the Loons embarking on their 15th season of play when their season opener arrives on April 8.

So, to hear an announcement in 2006 that a minor league team would start playing in Midland the following year was close to perfect for him.

Lebsack, a retired Dow High School teacher, moved to

“

“I always thought to myself, 'It’d be great if we had a minor league team here,'” Lebsack said. “They made the big announcement back in 2006. It was the most exciting news I had heard in a long time.”

The first few years, there was about six or seven of us guys, and we formed the ‘Dugout Dudes’, and we wound up buying tickets right down in section 110.

With different games every week, there is one thing that is consistent each game, and that’s a certain fan section who call themselves the “Dugout Dudes.”

Dick Lebsack, a Great Lakes Loons season ticket holder for all 15 seasons that the team has existed, poses for a portrait at his home in Midland. (Katy Kildee/Midland Daily News)

“The first few years, there was about six or seven of us guys, and we formed the ‘Dugout Dudes,’ and we wound up buying tickets right down in section 110,” Lebsack said.

The “Dugout Dudes” sit two rows behind the first-base dugout.

“We meet about a week before the season starts and pick our tickets, and we divide the tickets among us,” Lebsack said. “We rotate around drawing games and it works out fantastic.”

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Lebsack and his friends pick their seats based on where they can view the game the best.

“I love the atmosphere, and where we sit, we can see balls and strikes pretty good, and we can call a guy safe or out on second base before the umpire can,” Lebsack said.

“It’s a good social event, too,” Lebsack said. “Usually, I’ll get there early enough to get a parking place, and then I’ll get a gin and tonic, which is one of the best gin and tonics in town, and then I go down to the field to watch.”

Having attended almost 15 years of Loons games, Lebsack has had the chance to see a lot of eventual MLB stars.

“We’ve gotten to see some stars back here in Midland,” Lebsack said. “We got to see Clayton Kershaw when we were a Low-A team, and we got to see Corey Seager, who

A collectible Great Lakes Loons baseball is displayed inside a glass coffee table at the home of Dick Lebsack of Midland, a Loons season ticket holder for all 15 seasons that the team has existed.

(Katy Kildee/Midland Daily News) wound up playing for the Dodgers, and Kenley Jansen, too."

To Lebsack, the Loons have had staying power as an organization because of the environment that Midland brings to the table.

“I think this town is a sports town. Just look around at the facilities we’ve got here,” Lebsack said. “This town likes sports.”

See DICK LEBSACK page 10

ourmidland.com | Midland Daily News

Great Lakes Loons

Saturday, April 2, 2022 | 3

Loons manager Austin Chubb excited about his second season Grace Butler for the Daily News Austin Chubb is heading back to Dow Diamond in Midland to embark on his second year as manager of the Great Lakes Loons, the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Last year, Chubb saw the Loons hit a club-record 187 home runs and finish 63-57 but fall short of making the playoffs.

He has high hopes for another successful season in 2022. The Loon open at 6:05 p.m. Friday, April 8 at Dow Diamond against the West Michigan Whitecaps.

“We’re really excited about the players and group we have this year,” Chubb said in a phone interview from spring training in Arizona in mid-March.

Although Chubb couldn't name any specific players would be on the Loons roster at that time, he mentioned that the team and organization are deep at every level.

“Guys are competing for jobs right now in Arizona during spring training, and our High-A affiliate teams in the past have always had really good players and prospects,” Chubb said.

“I expect this group to be deep in starting pitching, and I think we’ll have really good arms and good position players.”

Great Lakes Loons manager Austin Chubb is shown during a game against Lake County last season at Dow Diamond.

(Austin Chastain/Austin.Chastain@hearstnp.com)

Despite the MLB’s recent lockout, the players on the minor league side weren’t affected too much and continued to play throughout it. Chubb noted that he was able to communicate with minor league players just fine during the lockout, other than players on the Dodgers' 40-man roster.

“Eddys Leonard, Jorbit Vivas and James Outman were all players on the Loons and they got added to the 40-man roster, so no one in the organization was allowed to have any contact with those guys, and that was a little strange,” Chubb said.

“We got out here to Arizona during the normal time and it was a little weird because the big league team wasn’t here,” Chubb said. “Then a few days ago, they just showed and we had already been here for three weeks.”

“It was a little different, but from our standpoint, it didn’t really affect anything,” Chubb added.

In 2021, the Loons returned to the diamond after a 604-day pause from baseball due to the global effects of COVID-19. That was their first time competing since 2019, and the Loons didn’t get to welcome a full-capacity crowd until June last year.

“We’re looking forward to a normal-type season this year,” Chubb said. “It was a strange year because of COVID, and we felt like we were a playoff team last year.

“At the end of the day, the most important thing for us is to get through a season healthy, especially because the last few years were pretty crazy for everyone,” he added.

But winning a High-A Central championship would be nice as well. The Loons' only league championship came six years ago in 2016.

“We feel like there’s unfinished business and we want to bring a championship back for Loons fans,” Chubb said.

Great Lakes Loons

4 | Saturday, April 2, 2022

Great Lakes Loons pitcher Bobby Miller pitches the ball during the Loons’ opening day game against Dayton Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at Dow Diamond in Midland. (Katy Kildee/kkildee@mdn.net)

Midland Daily News | ourmidland.com

Great Lakes Loons outfielder Andy Pages swings at a pitch during the Loons’ opening day game against Dayton Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at Dow Diamond in Midland. (Katy Kildee/kkildee@mdn.net)

Loons manager likes having 6-game series format throughout season Grace Butler for the Daily News With the Los Angeles Dodgers’ minor league spring training coming to a close in Arizona, the Great Lakes Loons, who are in the High-A Central league, are getting ready to embark on their season at Dow Diamond in Midland.

The Loons will play a 132-game schedule, with 66 of those games being played at Dow Diamond and 66 on the road.

“We have 12 more games than we had last year on the schedule, which is a really good thing,” second-year Loons manager Austin Chubb said.

“Overall, I was a big fan of the schedule, and I think our players really liked it as well,” Chubb said.

“We know it’s different for the affiliates and the Loons front office, but we talked to the front office and we made the adjustment, and that’s how it will be moving

forward,” Chubb added.

The 2022 schedule will kick off with a three-game home series against the West Michigan Whitecaps, who are the Detroit Tigers’ Single-A team.

a lot of sense just because during travel in the minor leagues there can be some really long bus rides, so in years past, the travel was pretty tough,” Chubb added.

“

players, especially because this league has a lot of history and greatness behind it, so missing out on a home run derby and an all-star game is unfortunate,” Chubb said.

From our standpoint on the player development side, we

“That time off is obviously valuable for staff and players, but I do think not having an all-star game is kind of disappointing,” Chubb added.

After the three-game think that this schedule is beneficial for the players as far series, the schedule as travel goes and getting to settle in at a certain place. reverts back to a sixgame series against one team every week (a format adopted in 2021), with every Unlike in the past, when Great Lakes The Loons’ game times will stay similar to Monday as a league-wide off-day. played in the Midwest League from 2007last year's: 1:05 p.m. on Sundays, 6:05 p.m.

“From our standpoint on the player devel- 19, there is no all-star game in the High-A on weekdays and Saturdays from April Central, the successor to the Midwest opment side, we think that this schedule 8-May 21, and 7:05 p.m. on weekdays and League. The minor league break will coinis beneficial for the players as far as travel Saturdays from May 31-Sept. 3. cide with the Major League Baseball Allgoes and getting to settle in at a certain Star Game break, which is July 18-21, but place,” Chubb said. “When you’re on the Notably, the Loons will be home the there will not be any minor league games road, you get familiar with the clubhouse weekend of July 1-3, including an Indeduring that four-day period. Instead, the and the field (over the course of a sixpendence Day Celebration and postgame break will be a time for players and staff to game series), and at home it’s the same fireworks the night of July 2. The last home have some time off. thing.” game of the season will be on Sunday, “We feel like overall logistically, it makes “I think it’s kind of unfortunate for the Sept. 4, the day before Labor Day.

ourmidland.com | Midland Daily News

Great Lakes Loons

Saturday, April 2, 2022 | 5

Actor Dennis Haskins, known for his role as Mr. Belding from the sitcom Saved by the Bell, sings “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” with Lou E. Loon and young fans at Dow Diamond as part of the Celebrity Guest Series in a past sesason. (Danielle McGrew/For the Daily News)

Return of celebrity guests highlights Loons’ 2022 promotions Grace Butler for the Daily News With the Great Lakes Loons' 15th season kicking off soon, get ready to meet characters like "Perd Hapley" and "Uncle Rico" at Dow Diamond.

The Loons are bringing back their Celebrity Guest Series for the first time since 2019.

On the four nights this season that fea-

ture a celebrity guest actor, the games will include a theme night that corresponds to the show or movie that the guest is from.

Fans of TV shows "Parks and Recreation" and "The Office" and movies "Napoleon Dynamite" and "Happy Gilmore" will be especially pleased with this season’s lineup: • Thursday, June 2: Midland Parks and Recreation Night with actor Jay

Jackson (Perd Hapley from Parks and Recreation) • Thursday, June 30: Vote for Pedro Night with actor John Gries (Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite) • Thursday, July 28: Office Professionals Night with actress Kate Flannery (Meredith Palmer from The Office) • Saturday, August 27: Shootah!

Night with actor Christopher McDonald (Shooter McGavin from Happy Gilmore) On these celebrity nights, fans will also get a chance to meet the actors on the Dow Diamond concourse.

“On each of those nights, fans will have an opportunity to get a photo or autograph with the celebrity,” Loons See CELEBRITY GUESTS page 10

Great Lakes Loons

6 | Saturday, April 2, 2022

Midland Daily News | ourmidland.com

Longtime host family Michelle and Chuck Servinski, center, are pictured with Great Lakes Loons players Cody Thomas, far left, and Mitchell Hanson, far right. (Photo provided

by Michelle Servinski)

Kathy Biskupski, left, and her husband Tony Bikupski, right , sit together at their home in Midland, where they have hosted many Great Lakes Loons players over the years. (Katy Kildee/Midland Daily News)

Local families welcome Loons players into their homes Dan Chalk Midland Daily News For Michelle and Chuck Servinski of Midland, the 50 or so Great Lakes Loons minor league baseball players who have stayed with them since 2008 have become like children to them.

"My husband and I don’t have kids, so that’s why we’ve (hosted Loons players)," Michelle Servinski said. "They're like my sons."

The Servinskis are among the families who will welcome another player, or perhaps two, into their home next week when the Loons travel from spring training in Arizona to Midland to get ready for their season opener at Dow Diamond on Friday, April 8.

Michelle and Chuck never know for sure how long a player they are hosting will be with the Loons before being moved to a different team in the system of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have been the Loons' major league partner from the beginning in 2007.

The Loons are part of the High-A Central

league, so from there, players potentially move up to the AA and AAA levels before reaching the Dodgers' major league team.

"You could have 4-5 different kids (in a given season) because they move around (within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization)," Michelle explained.

If you see a 2012 yellow Camaro convertible pulling into the Dow Diamond parking lot, chances are it's a player who is staying with the Servinskis. They decided to buy the car so that it would be available for the players when they needed it.

"People know us by that (car)," Michelle said.

Loons players may range in age from their late teens to mid-20s, so they are pretty independent, notes Kathy Biskupski of Midland, who along with her husband, Tony, has also hosted Loons players every year since 2008. Kathy and Michelle also serve as coordinators to match up players with host families each year.

"It’s not a huge imposition to your family," Kathy said of hosting players. "It's not like (the players) need a mom and dad. They just need a home to stay. And you're going to fall in love (with them), even if they're only with you for a few weeks. These are my boys," she added fondly.

In fact, Kathy has made a habit of putting together scrapbooks to give to each Loons player when they depart, as a memento of their time with the Loons and the Biskupskis.

"I’m a big scrapbooker, so every year, I make each of my players a scrapbook.

That’s especially great for the (players') moms," Kathy said.

And the bond between host family and player sometimes continues after the season is over or after the player has departed.

That has been the case for both the Biskupskis and the Servinskis.

"We’ve been to (players') weddings.

We've become really good friends with their parents," Michelle said. "It's a big

commitment for us, but it’s worth it, because we’re helping the kids, you know."

The Servinskis planned to visit the Dodgers' spring training complex near Phoenix, Arizona, this past week to catch up with players whom they had hosted.

"It's kind of nice to reconnect with any of your kids that are still in the (Dodgers) system," Kathy said. "We always take them out to dinner (when we see them in Arizona). After a year or so, most of them are engaged or married. It's just nice to catch up and see how things are going."

When asked what a first-time host family should expect of the experience, Michelle said she and Chuck recommend having "an open mind."

"You just have to be ready to adapt to changes and help them the best you can," she said.

Anyone who is interested in hosting a Loons player can call Kathy Biskupski at 989-708-9655 or send an email to loonshostfamily@yahoo.com.

ourmidland.com | Midland Daily News

Great Lakes Loons

Saturday, April 2, 2022 | 7

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Wackerly St Jet’s Verizon Pizza

8 | Saturday, April 2, 2022

Great Lakes Loons

Midland Daily News | ourmidland.com

Great Lakes Loons President and General Manager Chris Mundhenk poses for a portrait Thursday, April 22, 2021 at Dow Diamond.

Loons president pumped about franchise’s 15th season Grace Butler for the Daily News Great Lakes Loons President Chris Mundhenk, who has been working with the franchise since the summer before its first season, is excited for this year for a number of reasons.

“This is a significant milestone for us having our 15th season, and a lot has transpired that is now a part of our history and is ingrained in our organization,” Mundhenk said.

“There’s a number of former Loons that have gone on and played Major League

Baseball, and there’s a significant number of former Loons that now make up a key part of the Dodgers' roster,” Mundhenk added. “That speaks to the history.”

With the Loons marking their 15th season, fans can expect new food and drinks, fun theme nights and Dow Dia-

mond being in tip-top shape.

To Mundhenk, a 15th season is almost hard to fathom, just given the reality of the sports world over the last two years because of the pandemic.

“It’s nice to be able to have a full off-sea-

ourmidland.com | Midland Daily News son to plan and recommit to doing great things and having unique and exciting promotions,” Mundhenk said. “We got to put a lot of thought into our food and beverages offerings and the commitment to our fans on being a food destination for them.

“This is kind of our Loons 2.0 for our fans as they come into the ballpark this year and they’re going to see a lot of the new things,” Mundhenk added.

“

Great Lakes Loons

ers of the Diamond, so the Loons are part of this program.”

The Loons will have three new Marvel theme nights this year: On June 18 they’ll bring in Thor, on July 23 they’ll bring in Captain Marvel, and on August 13 they’ll bring in Black Panther.

“As part of this initiative, we’re working with Marvel and they’re creating alternate Loons logos and identities,” Mundhenk said.

My staff and I in general are excited because we get to get back to what we are really good at, and that is entertaining our guests on a nightly basis and really putting forth our best efforts to provide a good quality atmosphere for our fans.

“We will have Marvelised Loons logos that are associated with each Marvel theme night, and that’s something we are really excited about,” he

With a shortened season last year, starting in May instead of April and including only 120 games, there was not much time to plan and layer in all the engaging promotions that the Loons organization usually does.

added.

“My staff and I in general are excited because we get to get back to what we are really good at, and that is entertaining our guests on a nightly basis and really putting forth our best efforts to provide a good quality atmosphere for our fans,” Mundhenk said.

“You can walk into Dow Diamond today and it will look as nice and clean as it did (when it opened) in 2007,” Mundhenk said. “That commitment is what our fans really appreciate and look forward to year after year.”

The Loons had a total home attendance of 124,806 fans last season. With a number like that, Mundhenk said that the Loons organization as a whole keeps a high standard for those fans’ experiences every game.

“We have a lot of new promotions, a celebrity guest series and theme nights,” Mundhenk said. “A few other new initiatives for us will be that Major League Baseball has forged a partnership with Marvel Comics.”

“Marvel and our organization created a new initiative called the Marvel Defend-

Saturday, April 2, 2022 | 9

Along with the entertainment aspects, the Loons organization also has been maintaining Dow Diamond in top shape as a state-of-the-art facility.

Constant maintenance and upkeep go into Dow Diamond on a daily basis. The stadium is power-washed after every game and every seat is hand-wiped and cleaned to ensure that when guests come in, it’s an inviting atmosphere.

“We always commit to it being pristine for our guests,” Mundhenk said.

“There’s a lot of ongoing stadium maintenance, whether it’s related to the field, the player areas, the clubhouse, or the club levels,” Mundhenk said. “We’re currently focused on a capital plan to bring Dow Diamond up to some of the MLB facility standards.”

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Great Lakes Loons

10 | Saturday, April 2, 2022

David “The Bullet” Smith launches himself out of a cannon after the Great Lakes Loons’ game against the Lansing Lugnuts Friday, August 20, 2021 at Dow Diamond. (Katy Kildee/kkildee@ mdn.net)

Midland Daily News | ourmidland.com

Collectible Great Lakes Loons baseballs and mini bats are displayed at the home of Dick Lebsack of Midland, a Loons season ticket holder for all 15 seasons that the team has existed.

(Katy Kildee/Midland Daily News)

CELEBRITY GUESTS Continued From Page 5

President Chris Mundhenk said. “We’re also building a ticket package around it, which includes a priority meet-and-greet with the celebrities.”

“We will have an alternate identity on three specific nights throughout the season where we will take on a new team name and likeness,” Mundhenk said.

These priority passes, which are limited to 100 passes per celebrity, guarantee fans an opportunity to meet the celebrity and jump to the front of the line.

“It will vary from what you would normally see from the Loons color palette because it will include very vibrant colors and completely different names that will be tied into the Copa program,” Mundhenk added.

“It’s a really unique lineup, and folks that watch these shows and movies will know who they are right away,” Mundhenk said. “For people that watch Parks and Rec, they’ll know right away that it’s Perd Hapley."

“

On each of those nights (Celebrity Guests Nights), fans will have an opportunity to get a photo or autograph with the celebrity.

“When you think of Napoleon Dynamite and Happy Gilmore, the characters that are coming almost have a cult following because they were very iconic in those movies,” Mundhenk added. “And the same goes with Meredith from The Office.”

Along with the celebrity guest appearances, the Loons will also participate in Minor League Baseball’s Copa de la Diversión program, which translates to “Fun Cup.” This is a specific program that honors, values and engages the Hispanic/Latino communities.

“We’re really excited, and we’ll have very specific food offerings and unique entertainment those nights,” Mundhenk said.

For the Copa de la Diversión nights, the Loons will wear new uniforms with new logos, and there will also be limited-edition merchandise for fans.

The Loons’ promotional schedule will also include weekly events: • Tuesday’s Hometown Heroes (military, veterans, first responders and frontline healthcare workers receive a free meal) • Wednesday’s Paws and Claws (50% off of White Claw, and dogs allowed at the game) • Thirsty Thursdays (50% off of draft beer) • Feast Fridays ($2 hot dogs, $1.50 chips, $1 soft drinks and $1 ice cream sandwiches) • Saturday Fireworks starting June 4 (along with select Thursdays and Fridays) • Sunday Kids Eat Free and Run the Bases

Dick Lebsack, a Great Lakes Loons season ticket holder for all 15 seasons that the team has existed, poses for a portrait at his home in Midland.

(Katy Kildee/Midland Daily News)

DICK LEBSACK Continued From Page 2

“I enjoy going to games for the atmosphere, knowing the people who work there, and the food is good,” he added.

Along with Lebsack’s great seats with his friends, he also pays homage to Dow Diamond for being a fantastic facility.

“I was at the meeting where they announced that it will be built in one year, and I thought, 'Okay, I’d like to see this,'” Lebsack said. “And they did it. In one year. Can you believe that? They built that diamond in one year, so I’m really impressed with that.”

As Shoeless Joe Jackson once said, “If you build it, he will come.” Midland has its own "Field of Dreams" at Dow Diamond, and the fans keep coming.

ourmidland.com | Midland Daily News

Great Lakes Loons

Saturday, April 2, 2022 | 11

Celebrating 15 seasons of fun in the Great Lakes Bay Region The crack of a bat connecting with the ball. The aroma of fresh popcorn. The cheers in the stands and the giggles on the playground. The beauty of a sunset over Dow Diamond.

The Great Lakes Loons deliver it all – and DCECU is proud to be a part of it!

Your child aged 3-12 could be a 2022 Rookie of the Game!

Learn more: loons.com/dcecu

989.835.7794 | 800.835.7794 | dcecu.org | Membership eligibility required. | Photo courtesy of the Great Lakes Loons.

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