By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
A new team will bring an old sound of the ageless game of baseball back to Galion’s Heise Park this summer. The Galion Graders are a new franchise in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Baseball League.
The wooden bat league features college baseball players from all over the country. The Graders home opener is June 6 versus the Southern Ohio Copperheads at Heise Park.
“I think it’s a chance to get out there and see a quality of life component,” said Gary Frankhouse Jr., who is the Crawford County Economic Development Director. “We’re going to do things like postgame fireworks on June 6, July 5 and July 25. There’s going to be a lot of on-field promotions, more of a minor league ballpark environment. I think once they see that they’ll be drawn to the baseball play and you’re going to see good baseball played.”
Frankhouse and Mike O’Leary have been forces behind bringing the Great Lakes League and its level of play to Galion. O’Leary became acquainted with collegiate wooden bat summer leagues while umpiring in the minor leagues and sought to bring that experience to his home town.
To take that idea from the discussion stage to the actual ball field has meant lots of work and raising funds. Several area businesses have jumped on board and so have other organizations like the Cleveland Indians Charities who provided a sizable donation. Frankhouse cited the backing of local physician Dr. James Heddleson, who enjoyed his own baseball experience so much he wanted others to have the same chance.
“It made for a nice fit for the culture and experience we want for the people of Galion and Crawford County,” Frankhouse said. He added that like arts, music and other components, sports add to the local quality of life and can also serve to make the community attractive to others.
Having the Graders is already having an impact on the local community. Literally having to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for improvement in lighting and the field itself which in turns benefits the local high school program, the Graders will at some point add portable bleachers to be shared with the neighboring football field.
A significant amount of money is being spent in the community for items like team clothing and feeding players. Frankhouse and others involved in the effort are hoping that impact is not only noticed in the local economy, but is something that will grow with the following and popularity of the team over the years.
“I think there’s going to be a family bounce house component. We’re working on some specialty concessions,” Frankhouse said. “It’s going to make it an environment of vitality, a place for the community to gather.”
But the hope is the franchise will also have an impact on youngsters and one not limited to an interest in playing the game at a higher level. The Graders will have internships in areas such as sports management, broadcasting and facilities management. They have also hired professional public address announcer to do the games. In addition, WQEL will broadcast all 19 home games live online at www.wqel.com.
“So we’re not doing this small scale. We’re doing it very professional, trying to make it something the community can be proud of,” Frankhouse said.
The Graders will be coached by the ultra-successful Sandusky Perkins High School coach, Ray Perkins. Perkins is no stranger to the Great Lakes League having been involved in the 1990s. The 30-man roster includes four players with local roots – Austin Prosser of Galion, Austin Adams from Colonel Crawford, Mitch McCrystall from Ontario and Shelby’s Justin Lewis.
All the players on the roster are currently playing college baseball, some in the Ohio Athletic Conference, the MAC and the Big 10. They come from as far away as North Dakota State and Lenoir Rhyne.
Game times are 7:05 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students. The Graders are associated with Galion Youth Baseball. The Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Baseball League is the second-oldest such organization in the country. It has a working relationship with Major League Baseball and the league Web site is www.greatlakesleague.org.
Galion Graders 2015 Roster
Player – College
Zach Gunter – Charleston
Mark Walton – Otterbein
Aaron Caputo – Ohio Wesleyan
Alexander Malonsky – Penn State
Mark Delas – Toledo
Dylan Slack – Lenoir Rhyne
JT Core – North Dakota State
Kevin Shrock – Findlay
Tyler Ocker – Charleston
Brandon Wright – West Virginia State
Colton Carney – Seton Hill
Zach DeThomasis – Akron
Jake Krupar – Toledo
Nicholas Riotto – Penn State
Hunter Clanin – Bowling Green State University
Austin Adams – Findlay
Brody Bassilone – Sinclair State
Ben Hamilton – Otterbein
Austin Prosser – Bluffton
Mitch McCrystall – Mount Union
Trent Downs – Rio Grand
AJ Cecil – Findlay
Tyler Hall – West Virginia State
Josh Peterson – Ohio University
William Orr – West Virginia State
Cody Brown – Bowling Green State University
Justin Lewis -Otterbein
Matt Sullivan – Lenoir Rhyne
Nick Muse – Otterbein