May 26, 2021 at 1:13 p.m.
Snowshoe Baseball returns Lake Tomahawk to this summer
Snowshoe Baseball returns Lake Tomahawk to this summer
The Snowhawks will return Monday nights this summer for the 60th anniversary of the Lake Tomahawk Snowshoe Baseball season.
After the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the Snowhawks' season for the first time ever, Snowhawk manager Jeff Smith is excited to be playing again.
"We're really excited. After a year off we all decided to get the schedule on and asked people in the town and after all the information was gathered, we had to give it a go," he said. "The town is excited about it."
It was tough not having this event be part of the community one year ago.
"It was an extremely hard decision, it really was," Smith said. "There were too many unknowns."
Like in the past, Snowhawk games will be played Monday evenings beginning at 7:30 p.m. It all starts June 28 against a team comprised of members from local police and fire departments.
"We're starting a week later. Our board kind of decided to start a week late, another week of getting shots in," Smith said. "(The first game against the police and fire departments) is new. We finally fit them in this year and (we're excited)."
Some of the other schedule highlights include the traditional matchup against Chicago All Stars on the July 4. On Aug. 23, Pukall Lumber is a new team to the schedule.
"Pukall wanted a team last year and we of course didn't have a season," Smith said. "We'll get a game in before we play the guys from Chicago. Those guys are pretty well seasoned by the time they get here."
Later on Aug. 9, The Lakeland Times will play the Snowhawks. It'll be the second time in three years The Times will put a team together in efforts to pull off the upset.
"It's always fun. It's always a good game, always looking forward to that," Smith said. "That's a staple game that we'll always have in there."
In terms of COVID-19, the concessions will change a bit. A card will be used to order food.
"The biggest things are changing the way they do their condiments. No long grabbing a bottle (of ketchup), but packets," Smith said. "We'll go with a menu card. So all a person does is tell the cashier what they want. That card will go to the server in the back. That card won't come back again. It minimizes exposure."
The tradition of pie will continue. Along with the pie there will be the usual assortment of foods.
"Pies will be in a container ... you'll see all the pies in see-through containers (and order what you want)," Smith said.
Games are still free of charge with a butterfly net for donations passed around during the game.
Something they're adding this year is an intermission that adds kids to the fun.
"We're going to do a little intermission with kids racing around the bases," Smith said. "Just to keep the kids involved in the game a little more. That's what it's all about - having fun."
It's a tradition unlike any other. Snowshoe Baseball is back in Lake Tomahawk this summer. Make sure to stop by to be part of the fun.
Brett LaBore may be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].
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