Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – Ametuer Baseball returns to Detroit Lakes this summer with the introduction of a new team, the Detroit Lakes Baseball Club.
“This is the same competitive level as what the Detroit Lakes Angels were,” says player/manager Brandon Johnson. “There are a lot of us that are former Angels. But in the return of amateur baseball to Detroit Lakes, we felt that it was a good time to create a new team with a new identity in a new league and take Detroit Lakes baseball in a new direction.”
The Detroit Lakes Baseball club will compete in the Red River Amateur League this summer with the Ada A’s, the Erskine Comets, the Hawley Hawks, and the Dilworth Raildogs, with the season scheduled to begin in late May.
“We’re very excited to join the Red River Baseball League,” says Johnson. “We also get to play teams from Carlos and Breckenridge this season. Right now we’re looking at a minimum 12-game schedule but are hoping to add more games to that…hopefully we’ll be able to add games against teams like Perham and Vergas…some of the teams that the Angels used to play when they competed in the Hi-10.”
Detroit Lakes has a rich baseball history, headlined by the historic Washington Ballpark which has hosted baseball games on the corner of Washington and Langford since 1908.
“As a Detroit Lakes native, I get very excited talking about Detroit Lakes baseball history,” says Johnson. “Detroit Lakes has a rich baseball history. There were some great teams and some great players here in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. In the early 90s, Detroit Lakes baseball saw coaching legends like Bob Hooper and Flint Motschenbacher, but we’ve had many great baseball players come through Detroit Lakes: Mark Gulseth and Mike Gunderson come to mind…guys that went on to play at the minor league level for the San Francisco Giants and the Houston Astros, respectively.”
The Washington Ballpark, which also hosted Detroit Lakes football games from 1948-1968, was toured last summer by the Minnesota House Capital Investment Committee as the group considered different funding projects across the state. Renovations to the Washington Ballpark are scheduled to begin this August, with the hopes they’ll be completed in May 2023.
The roster for the Detroit Lakes Baseball club is filling up with some familiar players and faces to the area.
“As of right now, we have about 15 guys committed to play this summer,” said Johnson. “There is a great representation from across the area. Casey Ness is a DLHS grad from the Class of 2001 that is going to play for us this year, and we’ve got more recent grads from DLHS in (2021 graduates) Zach Oistad, Logan Lund, Blaine Henderson, Andrew Kulik, and Jake Bishop. Our roster has other guys from around the area: Justin Hoskins, Matt Huberty, Noah Borah, Hunter Borah, Michael Achterling, Joey Price, Blake Itzen, and Tom Truedson. We’ve got a well-rounded group of guys this year. The only requirement to play for the Detroit Lakes Baseball Club is that you have to reside within 30 miles of the Washington Ballpark.”
The inaugural game for the Detroit Lakes Baseball Club is scheduled for May 27th in Breckenridge. The home opener for the Detroit Lakes Baseball Club is June 1st against the Hawley Hawks with a 7:30 pm first pitch.
Detroit Lakes Baseball Club merchandise is also available to order.
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