By Bruce Rolfe
A first of its kind event that drew a near capacity crowd at Homer Stryker Field in Kalamazoo August 24 proved to be a big hit with the fans and participants, including one Climax-Scotts graduate, a former Major League Baseball player and the nephew of a former Detroit Tiger.
The Northern Nut Smugglers roster featured influencers with a combined 50+ million followers. TikTok star Frankie Lapenna (16 million), the Momentum Sports team (1 million), baseball personality Stephen Schoch (250 thousand), Allen Ferrell (4 million), brendenlmao (6.4 million), Matt Wurning, (1 million), Keegan Kevesdy (2.4 million), Lou Balance (500 thousand), Austin Schultz (200 thousand), 1hunnaG (650 thousand), Tucker Genal (2 million), Carson Genal (2 million). The Momentum Sports team featured Eric Sim (aka King of JUCO), Tosh Semlacher, Cole Acheronti, Marika Lyszczyk, and Kevin Chan.
The Kalamazoo Growlers All-Stars, which included Climax-Scotts High School graduate and former professional baseball minor league pitcher Travis Wade, also featured the Growlers famous 30-time ejected 9-yr old Coach Drake. Growlers Hall of Famer Adam Wheaton, who boasts a career 2.73 ERA across 5 seasons started for the Growlers All-Stars on the mound. Other roster highlights included Growlers all-time home run leader and 2022 CWS Champion Banks Tolley, and former Savannah Bananas and Party Animal Breland Almadova.
This game featured a new format using “Jacked Baseball Rules,” all designed to increase offense and add more exciting moments.
In game and between inning gimmicks, a little person dressed up as Donald Trump, on on field marriage proposal by Nut Smuggler Hunter Green to his fiance’ (she accepted), a home run hitting contest, a few songs the Growlers All-Stars danced to on the field, and even a mid-game brawl that turned out to be harmless, all entertained the large crowd.
The creators of the event are outlier events, a national festival and special event company based in Kalamazoo.
Aside from the gimmicks, the two teams played a competitive game.
The Kalamazoo Growlers All-Stars pulled out a thrilling 23-22 win with a walk off hit in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Former Major League Baseball stars Jose Canseco and Darrell Evans were supposed to be participating but were unable to make the event, however Canseco’s brother, Ozzie Canseco, who enjoyed a brief stint in Major League Baseball, participated as a member of the Growlers All-Stars.
Canseco, who was a first base coach for the Growlers All Stars most of the game but did play an important role getting the Growlers close in the home run hitting contest, admits he started getting pretty tired half way through the home run hitting contest but overall enjoyed the event.
“I had a great time. The guys were very talented. I tried to do the best that I could. I tried to represent the 60 and over crowd,” said Canseco, who played nine games for the Oakland A’s in 1990, and 15 games spread across 1992 and 1993 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
“It’s great for the fans. The kids are having a good time. You’ve got four to five thousand people that came out for it. It’s just a lot of fun on a Saturday night. Good, clean, fun and I just happened to be a part of it,” adds Canseco.
Brett Fick, nephew of former Detroit Tiger Robert Fick, said he could feel the energy from the very large crowd and enjoyed the opportunity to provide a different type of entertainment on the baseball field.
“It’s been great. Just having a blast. It’s tiring to say the least, but it’s worth all the entertainment to see the kids’ smiles and everybody having a good time out here. We really, really enjoyed this night, so I appreciate it,” said Fick.
Wade, who hasn’t pitched competitively since 2009, threw one solid inning, giving up one hit and retiring the other three batters he faced.
“It was pretty fun. A little lengthy, but really fun to get back again. I haven’t been out there in forever. So, yeah, get out of here without an injury,” said Wade, a 1993 graduate of C-S High School.
A graphic arts major at Kellogg Community College and Eastern Michigan University, Wade now makes custom made wooden bats and was asked by Growlers owner Brian Colopy to make 36 bats for the event.
Wade was drafted as a relief pitcher out of Eastern Michigan University by the Houston Astros. He enjoyed minor league stints in Auburn, with the Michigan Battle Cats in Battle Creek, A ball in Kissimmee, Florida, at the AA level in Round Rock, Texas and at AAA New Orleans for a period of time.
Wade also enjoyed coaching stints with the Trois Rivieres Aigles of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball Independent League and in St. George, British Columbia in the Golden League where former Detroit Tiger Darrell Evans was also a coach.
For additional information on Wade’s custom made bats, go to his Instagram page, Wademadebats or email Wademade12@gmail.com.
A first of its kind event that drew a near capacity crowd at Homer Stryker Field in Kalamazoo August 24 proved to be a big hit with the fans and participants, including one Climax-Scotts graduate, a former Major League Baseball player and the nephew of a former Detroit Tiger.
The Northern Nut Smugglers roster featured influencers with a combined 50+ million followers. TikTok star Frankie Lapenna (16 million), the Momentum Sports team (1 million), baseball personality Stephen Schoch (250 thousand), Allen Ferrell (4 million), brendenlmao (6.4 million), Matt Wurning, (1 million), Keegan Kevesdy (2.4 million), Lou Balance (500 thousand), Austin Schultz (200 thousand), 1hunnaG (650 thousand), Tucker Genal (2 million), Carson Genal (2 million). The Momentum Sports team featured Eric Sim (aka King of JUCO), Tosh Semlacher, Cole Acheronti, Marika Lyszczyk, and Kevin Chan.
The Kalamazoo Growlers All-Stars, which included Climax-Scotts High School graduate and former professional baseball minor league pitcher Travis Wade, also featured the Growlers famous 30-time ejected 9-yr old Coach Drake. Growlers Hall of Famer Adam Wheaton, who boasts a career 2.73 ERA across 5 seasons started for the Growlers All-Stars on the mound. Other roster highlights included Growlers all-time home run leader and 2022 CWS Champion Banks Tolley, and former Savannah Bananas and Party Animal Breland Almadova.
This game featured a new format using “Jacked Baseball Rules,” all designed to increase offense and add more exciting moments.
In game and between inning gimmicks, a little person dressed up as Donald Trump, on on field marriage proposal by Nut Smuggler Hunter Green to his fiance’ (she accepted), a home run hitting contest, a few songs the Growlers All-Stars danced to on the field, and even a mid-game brawl that turned out to be harmless, all entertained the large crowd.
The creators of the event are outlier events, a national festival and special event company based in Kalamazoo.
Aside from the gimmicks, the two teams played a competitive game.
The Kalamazoo Growlers All-Stars pulled out a thrilling 23-22 win with a walk off hit in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Former Major League Baseball stars Jose Canseco and Darrell Evans were supposed to be participating but were unable to make the event, however Canseco’s brother, Ozzie Canseco, who enjoyed a brief stint in Major League Baseball, participated as a member of the Growlers All-Stars.
Canseco, who was a first base coach for the Growlers All Stars most of the game but did play an important role getting the Growlers close in the home run hitting contest, admits he started getting pretty tired half way through the home run hitting contest but overall enjoyed the event.
“I had a great time. The guys were very talented. I tried to do the best that I could. I tried to represent the 60 and over crowd,” said Canseco, who played nine games for the Oakland A’s in 1990, and 15 games spread across 1992 and 1993 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
“It’s great for the fans. The kids are having a good time. You’ve got four to five thousand people that came out for it. It’s just a lot of fun on a Saturday night. Good, clean, fun and I just happened to be a part of it,” adds Canseco.
Brett Fick, nephew of former Detroit Tiger Robert Fick, said he could feel the energy from the very large crowd and enjoyed the opportunity to provide a different type of entertainment on the baseball field.
“It’s been great. Just having a blast. It’s tiring to say the least, but it’s worth all the entertainment to see the kids’ smiles and everybody having a good time out here. We really, really enjoyed this night, so I appreciate it,” said Fick.
Wade, who hasn’t pitched competitively since 2009, threw one solid inning, giving up one hit and retiring the other three batters he faced.
“It was pretty fun. A little lengthy, but really fun to get back again. I haven’t been out there in forever. So, yeah, get out of here without an injury,” said Wade, a 1993 graduate of C-S High School.
A graphic arts major at Kellogg Community College and Eastern Michigan University, Wade now makes custom made wooden bats and was asked by Growlers owner Brian Colopy to make 36 bats for the event.
Wade was drafted as a relief pitcher out of Eastern Michigan University by the Houston Astros. He enjoyed minor league stints in Auburn, with the Michigan Battle Cats in Battle Creek, A ball in Kissimmee, Florida, at the AA level in Round Rock, Texas and at AAA New Orleans for a period of time.
Wade also enjoyed coaching stints with the Trois Rivieres Aigles of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball Independent League and in St. George, British Columbia in the Golden League where former Detroit Tiger Darrell Evans was also a coach.
For additional information on Wade’s custom made bats, go to his Instagram page, Wademadebats or email Wademade12@gmail.com.
(Photo courtesy of Colene Wade)
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