Rotary Log: June 7, 2012 (Fisher Cats)

Posted by Richard Seery 
on Jun 14, 2012
 
 

Rotary Log – Thursday, June 7, 2012, Portsmouth CC

 

Our guest speaker, introduced by Stella Scamman was, Rick Brenner, President/GM of the Manchester, NH Fisher Cats baseball club.  The “Cats” are the Affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays and the 2011 Eastern League Champions and play a full schedule 142 games during the season.

Rick considers himself a real lucky person in his role with the ball club. The city of Manchester invested in the stadium and the activities draw fans to the 6,000 seat capacity stadium easily.  Under his tenure, NH Business Review awarded the Fisher Cats the 2010 Best of Business Award under the category of “Best Sporting Venue to Take a Client” for a third year.

This year represents Rick’s 19th season as an executive in the minor leagues.  After graduating from Plymouth State College, he stumbled across a non-paying internship with the New Jersey Thunders ball club that started his career in baseball management.  In 2004, Art Soloman bought the Fisher Cats team and moved them in 2006 from New Haven, Ct. to Manchester, NH.  Since then, the Fisher Cats have been the top drawing team in the AA League with an average of more than 3,000 attendees per outing.  At times, there is standing room only. 

Instead of talking balls, strikes, outs and player statistics, Rick shared the ball club’s philosophy focusing on the home town community and the fund raising efforts the team supports for regional non-profits.  While Major League Base Ball Commission calls players and assigns positions, club Management focuses on the hometown, making the experience “affordable and fun.”   Coming to the stadium, the bleachers are $6, General Admission $8 and Box Seats just $10. 

During the last school year, the players visited 15 schools, challenging them to read books.  Ten (10) schools recorded 100% of books read, raising funds for their schools.  Other fundraising activities and sponsor nights have achieved $1.87 Million dollars for scholarships and non-profit organizations.  The last year’s Granite State BBQ dinner celebrating state athletes raised $158,000 for Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital and the Cats’ Foundation. 

In closing his talk, Rick answered a question from the audience…”what’s a hot dog and beer cost?”  He replied, “$2.25 for the dog and $5.00 for a beer!”  Now that sounds really affordable and fun to this writer.

Other Items of Interest:

The Guests List:

Susanne Schrader accompanied Rotarian Patty Hersey,  Ally Janakis accompanied her Grandfather, Ed Mallon, Darcy Lemieux, MD joined Ted Alex, Bernard Doherty arrived with wife Gene Doherty and Catherine Wolf –off from school- trailed her mother, Susan Wolf. 

One Announcement: 

John Pratt, sitting in for Chairman David Splaine of the Golf Tournament, urged the group to contact more sponsors and read the lengthy list of current sponsors ($900-1200) and the premier sponsor, Portsmouth Regional Hospital ($2,500), acknowledging Nancy Notis for her recruiting efforts.  The remaining player field is filling up so anyone interested in playing at Pease GC on Friday, June 22nd should move fast.

 

 

Finally, Neil Ouellette the Fine Master:

Being challenged by Joe Bove - the now retired club treasurer for longer than anyone can remember – to raise $50, Neil did his best calling mostly on absentee members, except for John Lyons and Walter Liff, who paid $2 each for their misdeeds.  Fortunately, there were Happy $ Rotarians in the room balancing the war chest Neil had to fill… Ben, Andy and Everett, along with Leonard, Tenley and Mark helped to make up the shortfall.

In closing, Jeff Marple won the raffle ($125) but failed to draw the matching number for the real pot ($1250+).  Next week awaits the real winner.

 

All the best,

Rotarian Dick Seery

 
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