Hot start! That’s the best way I can describe the 2019 Fish season so far. As we write, the team is 9-0, off to its best start in Fish history. Internally we’ve been saying that 34-0 would be cool, but totally unnecessary. This is baseball, after all – it’s a game of failure, and we expect to take some lumps…but right now things are way fun.
What is interesting about this team is that it has a really observable new “core” – amateur baseball is somewhat generational. This is the 12th season of Fish baseball, and a new core of players emerges every 4-5 years. There are always the mainstays and crusty old veterans who stick around (looking at you Josh, Joel, Brian, Doorny, and Gutt, ya bums!) but they are surrounded by a new group of college kids over time. Some of those college kids continue on to be crusty veterans themselves – others get jobs out of the area, have injuries, meet girlfriends who make them quit (TRAGEDY), or for other reasons stop playing. Here’s how the Fish roster history breaks down into eras:
2008-2011: The Original Townies: Gilbertson brothers, Giebel, Kempf, Gutting, and Stuessel era
2012-2016: The Professionals, Who We Love but Barely Knew Ye: Herum brothers, JP Feyereisen, Alex Call, Colin Pechacek, Brian Grove Era (catch them sooner than later on TV!)
2017-Current: The Generation Y-ers to Be Named Later: Luedtke, Trey Larson, and the band of roving Mitchells, Westons,Jaxins, and Dylans who followed
With each group, there has been a distinct personality and way they approach the game. For those of us who have been around too long, we’ve had the opportunity to see each group bring new energy and renewal to the team. What they have all had in common is a love for the game, a competitive drive, a love for River Falls, and willingness to play hard.
So far this season the current core of young players has really come together and come into their own – here in the GM’s office, we’re looking forward to seeing what they will accomplish!
As always, thanks for being a supporter of Fighting Fish baseball and welcome to our beautiful, volunteer-run ballpark. Until next time, Go Fish!
What is interesting about this team is that it has a really observable new “core” – amateur baseball is somewhat generational. This is the 12th season of Fish baseball, and a new core of players emerges every 4-5 years. There are always the mainstays and crusty old veterans who stick around (looking at you Josh, Joel, Brian, Doorny, and Gutt, ya bums!) but they are surrounded by a new group of college kids over time. Some of those college kids continue on to be crusty veterans themselves – others get jobs out of the area, have injuries, meet girlfriends who make them quit (TRAGEDY), or for other reasons stop playing. Here’s how the Fish roster history breaks down into eras:
2008-2011: The Original Townies: Gilbertson brothers, Giebel, Kempf, Gutting, and Stuessel era
2012-2016: The Professionals, Who We Love but Barely Knew Ye: Herum brothers, JP Feyereisen, Alex Call, Colin Pechacek, Brian Grove Era (catch them sooner than later on TV!)
2017-Current: The Generation Y-ers to Be Named Later: Luedtke, Trey Larson, and the band of roving Mitchells, Westons,Jaxins, and Dylans who followed
With each group, there has been a distinct personality and way they approach the game. For those of us who have been around too long, we’ve had the opportunity to see each group bring new energy and renewal to the team. What they have all had in common is a love for the game, a competitive drive, a love for River Falls, and willingness to play hard.
So far this season the current core of young players has really come together and come into their own – here in the GM’s office, we’re looking forward to seeing what they will accomplish!
As always, thanks for being a supporter of Fighting Fish baseball and welcome to our beautiful, volunteer-run ballpark. Until next time, Go Fish!
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