Bulldogs, Blue Sox provide family fun
Price is right for afternoon of Land O' Lakes baseball
There is plenty of high school baseball to watch this summer with Brookfield East and Brookfield Central halfway through the Greater Metro Conference season.
But if you have a Saturday or Sunday afternoon free and still haven't had your fill of amateur baseball, head over to McCoy Field for some Land O' Lakes action.
Brookfield is blessed with not one but two teams, which play in the Western Division. The Blue Sox (7-3) and Bulldogs (6-4) are both near the top of the standings.
Land O' Lakes, in its 89th season, is the oldest amateur baseball league in the state. The Blue Sox have more of a veteran team than the Bulldogs, but both play good baseball.
Bulldogs
The Bulldogs have been around the longest, once known as the Brookfield Lakers, which played in the Eastern Division. Many players were behind the team's success, but when you thought Lakers you thought about the late Walter O'Malley, who also enjoyed telling people he was not THE Walter O'Malley, the famous owner of the Brooklyn-Los Angeles Dodgers.
Of course, there were others back then, like Elmer Cardo Sr., the Majeskie brothers - you couldn't move around without bumping into one of them - but O'Malley had a passion for baseball like no one else I ever met.
Several years ago the Bulldogs organization - which ran youth select baseball - took over the Lakers and now the main man with the Bulldogs is manager Jason Booth, who does everything he can to make this team successful except sell popcorn (he's too busy being field manager/player to do that).
Brookfield won the Land O' Lakes championship in 1926, 1936, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1986.
Blue Sox
Initially known by the exciting nickname of Brookfield II, the Blue Sox started play in the Land O' Lakes Eastern Division in 1984 with founder Bob Pucci at the helm.
Pucci, the Blue Sox version of O'Malley, was smart enough to realize there were enough quality Brookfield players to form two teams instead of seeing players go to other communities.
In 1989 Pucci brought on Dr. Miles Collopy to coach, a position "Doc" held until 1999. In 1996, Collopy led the franchise to an 18-6 mark, which was a franchise best at that point.
Collopy retired from coaching in 2000 and Jeff Lemmermann, who had played for the franchise since 1986, was named player/coach. In 2003 the organization changed its name from II to the Blue Sox, and subsequently won its first division title, going 19-4 in the regular season. They won the division playoffs and represented the East in the Grand Championships.
In 2005 they won the first ever Grand Championship title for the franchise and first for the city of Brookfield since 1986. That year saw the team go 27-5 overall, including a 20-4 regular season mark.
After winning a third division title in four years in 2006, the team moved from the Land O' Lakes Eastern Division to the Western Division. They qualified for the division playoffs in the West in 2007 and 2008 before missing postseason last year for the first time since 2000.
Can't beat the price
This is a great family outing at cozy McCoy Field, which is at Brookfield Road and Wilderness Way, north of River Road. It's a beautiful ball park with a children's play area and plenty of parking. There is a public address system and a fine scoreboard donated several years ago by the current owners of Marty's Italian restaurant in Brookfield. It has a familiar name on the board: Martin Skibosh - my dad, the original owner.
It is quality baseball and an inexpensive family day out, as you can't beat the prices.
Admission: Free. Parking: Free. Two bucks for a can of amber liquid and a $1.50 for hot dogs at a full concession stand.
And kids can make money at the game, receiving a quarter for chasing down and returning foul balls. (Even with my two new hips they still beat me to the balls.)
The Bulldogs are looking to make improvements, including new fencing, backstops and batting cages. They would also like to incorporate a new press box but that is not a done deal (I was wondering where the "old" press box was).
Playoffs begin Aug. 14 and 15, and Brookfield is hoping both teams make the postseason.
So if you have some time, give these guys a chance. You won't regret it.
LAND O' LAKES SCHEDULES
Saturday, 11 a.m. - North Lake Lakers at Brookfield Blue Sox
Sunday, 2 p.m. Lannon Stonemen at Brookfield Bulldogs
July 17, 2 p.m. - Merton Amvets at Brookfield Blue Sox
July 18, 1 p.m. - Hartland Oilers at Brookfield Bulldogs
July 25, 1 p.m. - Brookfield Bulldogs at Brookfield Blue Sox
Aug. 1, 1 p.m. - Lannon Stonemen at Brookfield Blue Sox
Aug. 7, 2 p.m. - Oconomowoc Five-O's at Brookfield Bulldogs
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