HAMILTON JOES HISTORY
The Hamilton Joes Baseball
Club was founded in 2008. The Club was named after legendary
Cincinnati Red's baseball player and broadcaster, Joe Nuxhall.
The Club's name is also a tribute to his legacy of giving to the
cummunity. Our inaugural season began in June, 2009.
The Inspiration:
Driving home from work in December, 2007, Mike Brennan
noticed an inspirational billboard. That evening,
he told his wife about the billboard. "A red background, a
photo of Joe Nuxhall's smiling face and the words, you will be
missed." Brennan then said, " If I could start a baseball
franchise here in Hamilton, I would call the team 'The Hamilton
Joes' in Joe Nuxhall's memory."
The Beginnings:
Mike got to know his new neighbor, Darrel Grissom, in the spring of
2008 and a friendship developed. Darrel was in his ninth
season as the Head Coach of the Miami University Hamilton Campus
baseball team. Mike had always been around baseball as a
player, coach, and fan. Now retirement could take on a new
meaning. The two talked about summer collegiate baseball and
the idea of putting together a team in the Great Lakes League was
born. They visited a Cincinnati Steam game, and liked what
they saw. After a few conversations with the owner of the
Steam Dr. Bill O'Conner, the two decided to organize a team and
presented their business plan ideas to the city of Hamilton's public
officials. Encouraged by positive comments, an invitation was
given to Dr. Kim Lance, the Great Lakes League Commisioner, to visit
Hamilton. Cmommissioner Lance met with City officials and
representitives of the business community and was impressed by the
city's support and enthusiasm. A month later, a Hamilton Joes
Baseball Club "Business Plan" was presented to the Great Lakes
League and unaminously passed for the 2009 season.
GREAT LAKES LEAGUE HISTORY
The Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Baseball League was founded in
1989 for the purpose of promoting amateur baseball. The intent of
the league is to provide student athletes the opportunity to
improve their baseball skills in a competitive summer baseball
league made up of college baseball players. To be eligible for
participation in the league, a student athlete must have NCAA
eligibility remaining.
Since the inception of the Great Lakes League, about 70 alumni
have played in the major leagues. In 2008, 58 players were
drafted by Major League Baseball (MLB) teams.
MLB gives some financial assistance to the Great Lakes League. The league uses wooden bats and plays the traditional nine inning games, with the exception of the first game of a double-header which is seven innings. Each team is set-up as a not-for-profit organization.
Hamilton Joes Baseball Club has been organized to provide area college baseball athletes, and interns in related sports fields, the opportunity to advance their careers and, at the same time, provide our local community with quality, entertaining, and affordable baseball.
The following are Hamilton Joes Baseball Club’s guiding principles:
- To assist the student-athlete college baseball player and our interns in obtaining academic scholarships, professional opportunities and important on-the-job life-learning experiences.
- To provide our players and interns a quality environment to demonstrate their talent and skills.
- To establish a quality baseball program that will consistently attract positive support from the community and enhance economic development for the community.
- To formulate and maintain ethical standards for the guidance of its members in their relations with each other and with the public.
- To provide baseball instruction for the youth of the community by conducting summer camps and to provide coaching clinics for adults in order to ensure that the youth will have adequately prepared coaches. Our focus is to encourage good sportsmanship and to do all things necessary and incidental there to.