Who, what, where, how?
The Traverse City Beach Bums are a professional minor league baseball team in Northern Michigan. They're a part of the independent frontier league with 11 other teams ranging from the Kalamazoo Kings, a few hours away, to the Washington Wild Things all the way in Pennsylvania.
The team is composed of talented baseball players from all around the United States, some who have already been around the block with various MLB teams, and some fresh out of college, and new to the whole thing.
The Beach Bums are Traverse City's first professional baseball team since 1915, preceded by the Traverse City Hustlers, and the Traverse City Resorters. The Beach Bums originally were located in Richmound, Indiana and known as the Richmond Roosters until the summer of 2005 when ownership was transferred to the Wuerfels.
Their stadium, known as Wuerfel park, was first opened in 2006 to a sell out crowd. The first game, played on May 24th, was against the Beach Bums greatest rival in following years, the Kalamazoo Kings.
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The Beach Bums have two mascots, Suntan and Sunburn, who always steal the show with their amusing antics and love of dancing. They're both portrayed as bears, Suntan is a light brown, with dark sunglasses, while Sunburn is a bright red with googly eyes. They participate every game in the lead up to the first inning by coming down from the stands and dancing on the field to various tunes.
Between each inning either a game, contest, or giveaway is done to keep the audience involved and always entertained. Rather it be Race against the Mascot, where young Beach Bum fans run the bases to try and beat the clumsy bear, or the popular Meal or No Meal, where the contestant has the opportunity to win a $40 dollar gift certificate to Outback Steakhouse, there is always something to keep you occupied, and usually laughing.
The Wuerfels
John, Leslye, and Jason Wuerfel are the gears behind the machinery when it comes to the Beach Bums. Father John is not only CEO of the Beach Bums, but of Wuerfel Sports Development as well. He himself oversees the marketing and sales departments, when he's not mingling with fans on game days that is.
Wife Leslye is the general manager of WSD and the TC Beach Bums, but on game nights she can be found passing out the daily giveaway at the gate to the first 500/1000 people through the gates, always with a smile and a few kind words.
Son Jason is not only the Vice president of the Beach Bums, but the Director of Baseball Operations, the team's hitting coach, and operates the Traverse City Beach Bums Baseball Academy, which gives children an opportunity to learn how to improve at playing the game in a safe and fun atmosphere, with real Beach Bum players.
A family operation like this one leads to a family feeling when at the park. As their motto says, 'Go for the game, stay for the fun!'
