Iowa Great Lakes 'Okobojis' Baseball Club

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Great coverage by KCAU 9 News and thanks Noah Sacco KCAU for making the trip north!

Bill Lee of Boston Red Sox fame and current left-handed pitcher with the Savanah Bananas shown here on his the third trip to northwest Iowa in four years to help out the young ballplayers of Total Baseball Development, and this time with the Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion baseball team out of Spencer Post #1. A Monday, April 17, 2023 O's scrimmage at Cardinal Field, and even a couple of Lee strikeouts. It gets better each time!

 

Great coverage by KTIV News 4's Sports Team and THANKS Amber Salas TV for making the trip to Spencer to cover this story!

It’s great to have local community support for our American Legion events and awesome to have media coverage of the big events like this week at Cardinal Field in Spencer, Iowa. So here is a different look from Monday, April 17, 2023 when Bill Lee of Boston Red Sox fame and the Savanah Bananas came for his third trip to northwest Iowa in four years. He is still mixing it up on the mound at 76 year old, and even with a couple of strikeouts in the Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion Post #1 scrimmage from the day! Just keeps getting better!

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PRESS RELEASE:
Total Baseball Development
Contact: Bob Protexter
Cell: 712-490-7199
Email: protexter.tbd@gmail.com

APRIL 16, 2023 --- SPENCER, IOWA
 
 
Bill Lee, formerly of the Boston Red Sox and currently with the Savannah Bananas, to workout with the northwest Iowa American Legion baseball teams of the Iowa Great Lakes, Ruthven, and Milford, at Cardinal Field in Spencer, Iowa on Monday, April 17.  OPEN to the Public!  Bring your glove and have a catch.
 
Total Baseball Development of Sioux City, Iowa and the Iowa Great Lakes will be hosting 76 year old former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher Bill Lee with a three team American Legion baseball practice & scrimmage that will include the Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis from Spencer Post #1, the Ruthven Blues of Palo Alto County from Ruthven Post #33 & Ayrshire Post #173, and the Milford Muskellunges of Milford Post #384 at Cardinal Field, located at 1169 East Milwaukee in Spencer, Iowa on Monday, April 17 from 5:30pm-8:06pm.  Street Parking ONLY.  From 5:30-6:30 there will be an off-field side practice west of Cardinal Field, with the on-field scrimmage beginning at 6:45 and will last until sundown at 8:06pm.
 
This event is free of charge and OPEN to the public.  An autograph session will follow including a Vintage Wood Bat sale of baseball bats that Lee produces and oversees production on.
 
Lee was born in 1946, and on Monday at Cardinal Field he will strike out a high schooler, guaranteed!  Tell your friends, tell your family. Bring your cameras.  And bring balls, pennants, and items to be autographed.  There will be a lot of fun had and it is your chance to meet a living legend and real life national baseball treasure! 
 
Lee's connection to U.S. Veterans, Legionnaires, and American Legion baseball are strong and extend back to the 1960's as he then served in the US Army Reserve for six years during the Vietnam War in communications, as a Military Police officer, and was also a chemical, radiation, and biological officer for the 1173rd in Fort Polk Louisiana.
 
On the baseball side of things Lee is a legendary former Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos left-handed pitcher of the 1970's and 1980's, and is a current showman extraordinaire and active pitcher with the traveling Savannah Bananas out of Savannah, Georgia.  Harlem Globe Trotter like, the Bananas host games in Savannah and the very historic Grayson Stadium, and on the road they are a barnstorming team like no other.  In just a couple of years the Bananas have become a world-wide social media sensation.  The Bananas have been featured by ESPN, The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, and have been highlighted on CBS Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley.  In late summer of 2022 ESPN did a documentary titled "Bananaland", where they captured the origins of the Bananas' wild, new style of baseball as it follows the team's owners, players, coaches and staff as they embark on one of their mini world tours. 
 
Bill Lee was drafted by Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox out of the University of Southern California in 1968 after winning the College World Series that year.  He went on to pitch the very next year in the big leagues.  Lee pitched for the Red Sox from 1969 to 1978 before he was traded to the Montreal Expos where he pitched from 1979 to 1982. 
 
Lee's MLB career totals include a 119–90 record and a 3.62 Earned Run Average and 713 strikeouts.  
 
About strikeouts he says: "Everybody knows I don't believe in strikeouts. They're fascist. I believe in ground balls, they're more democratic. Everybody gets to play.” 
 
With the Expos, Lee won 16 games in 1979 and was named The Sporting News National League Left Hander of the Year.
 
With the Red Sox, Lee was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008, and at that time was the team's record-holder for most games pitched by a left-hander (321) and the third highest win total by a Red Sox southpaw (94). 
 
The career high point in his 14 years in a Major League uniform was starting Game 2 and Game 7 of the 1975 World Series versus the Cincinnati Reds.
 
As a lifelong player of baseball and lover of the game, Lee has traveled the United States and the world since his 'official' retirement playing in such places as Canada, Cuba, and Russia on goodwill barnstorming tours. Lee returned to national prominence once again here in 2022 and at the age of 75 years old began pitching for the Savannah Bananas exhibition traveling team.
 
Lee's dedication to the game of baseball and love of the National Pastime along with his infectious personality and Paul Bunyan sized real life stories are cherished by millions of Americans and baseball fans all over the world.
 
Lee's extraordinary life has been chronicled in print and film, that includes such book credits as: The Wrong Stuff; Have Glove, Will Travel; The Little Red (Sox) Book: A Revisionist Red Sox History; and Baseball Eccentrics: The Most Entertaining, Outrageous, and Unforgettable Characters in the Game. And on the big screen: The Brett Rapkin documentary film 'Spaceman: A Baseball Odyssey'; 'Bill "Spaceman" Lee, High and Outside'; and a feature length Hollywood movie starring Josh Duhamel titled 'Spaceman'.
 
This will be Lee's third stop in four years in northwest Iowa to work with and spend time with young baseball players from Total Baseball Development.  In 2020 Lee spent four days in Milford, Arnolds Park, and Spirit Lake with the TBD Fall League and in Orange City with the Northwestern College Red Raiders Baseball Team.  All along with a stop in Granville to visit Dave Heying of Spalding Catholic fame and to see the very famous Vosburg Field; western Iowa's Field of Dreams.  In 2022 Lee spent two days with the GTRA (Graettinger-Terril-Ruthven-Ayrshire) High School Baseball Team in Ruthven where on one of the days he pitched to both sides in a seven inning intersquad scrimmage that took only 55 minutes and he never issued a walk.  This stop here in 2023 in Spencer, Iowa and beautiful Cardinal Field with his wife Diana and their dog is part of a cross country route and baseball tour that started in Spokane, Washington and will extend to the southern east coast of the United States where he will re-connect with the Savannah Bananas.  A southern California native, Bill and Diana reside in Craftsbury, Vermont.
 
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About
Total Baseball Development (TBD) is a baseball school and organization based in Sioux City, Iowa with locations at the Iowa Great Lakes, and offers individualized personal and group instruction, Out-of-Season leagues, camps, clinics, showcases, round table events, and player placement services for high school, college, and professional baseball players alike.
 
Total Baseball Development serves as a local resource for baseball in the Siouxland region and greater Northwest Iowa area for local baseball opportunities here at home, as well as state-wide, nation-wide, and international baseball opportunities.

Total Baseball Development founded and operated the Sioux City Bancrofts American Legion Baseball Team sponsored by Monahan Post #64, Morningside Post #697, and Nelson Post #1981 from 2010 to 2012.  The Bancrofts also played as a Summer Tournament team and Fall College Prospects team from 2008 to 2012 including fall tournament trips to Phoenix, Arizona.  
 
With new ventures for Total Baseball Development in the Iowa Great Lakes and again into American Legion baseball, the Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis were established on October 20, 2020 with Milford Post #384 as sponsoring post. On-the-field play began in the spring of 2021.  The 2023 version of the Okobojis boasts 19 players from 11 different high schools in northwest Iowa.  Home games are played in Spencer.  In 2022 the Ruthven Blues were born and created for the GTRA High School baseball players interested in extra baseball. The Blues roster has been rounded out for the second year here with players from Spencer and Spirit Lake. The Blues enjoy fantastic support from sponsoring Post #33 from Ruthven and the Ayrshire American Legion Post #173.  Home games are played in Ruthven.  The Milford Muskellunges find their fresh start here in the spring of 2023 with this new team created for the Okoboji High School players in similar fashion to the Blues. This first-year Muskellunges roster is added to by players from Sioux Central, Estherville, Sheldon, and Harris-Lake Park. The Muskies are sponsored by Milford Post #384 with home games in Milford, while the Okobojis are now sponsored by Spencer Post #1.
 
Total Baseball Development has sent hundreds of players on to play college baseball and has provided extra baseball opportunities for thousands of high school and youth baseball players since 2004.
 
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Welcome to the Iowa Great Lakes 'Okobojis'

 

The Iowa Great Lakes ‘Okobojis’ American Legion Baseball Team formed on October 20 of 2020 with the sponsoring signatures coming from Milford American Legion Post #384 in Milford, Iowa.  The Okobojis are also supported by Estherville Post #91, Spirit Lake Post #123, and Lake Park Post #371. The team switched sponsorship in 2023 to the Spencer Post #1, and now here in 2024 the Okobojis are back being sponsored by Milford Post #384. 

The Okobojis played in 2021 at the Okoboji High School Field.  In 2022 and 2023 the team called historic Cardinal Field in Spencer, Iowa their home park.  Now here in 2024 the Okobojis will play at the Spirit Lake High School Baseball Field.

The Okobojis are the fourth installment of American Legion baseball teams at the Iowa Great Lakes over the last 30 years with the original team playing in the late 1990's.

With continued interest in the TBD Fall League and TBD camps over the years in the area of the Iowa Great Lakes the Okobojis were formed to foster those ambitions of young baseball players in the area seeking out "extra" baseball.  American Legion tryouts for the Okobojis are in February and early March and the season is in March and April.  The Iowa High School summer baseball schedule follows in May, June, and July. 

In July of 2022 the Milford Post #384 and the Okobojis hosted the Iowa American Legion State Baseball Tournament at Cardinal Field.  The goal of the Okobojis and all teams playing in this tournament is to advance to the Regional Tournament and eventually qualify for the American Legion Baseball World Series that is held each and every year in August in Shelby, North Carolina; the permanat home of the World Series.

In the process of the last three years, these fine young men have found those added opportunities to play "extra" baseball with a 22-24 game schedule each spring.  The Okobojis have sent over fifteen players on to play college baseball in just three years of action.  The 2024 roster has more players heading off to college to study and play baseball.   

Updates on those players and the Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion baseball team as a whole can be found here on the team's social media sites, along with more information below including the 2024 schedule and roster.

 

 

2024 Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion

Spring Roster

 

(Numerical roster updated April 1)

#

First

Last

Positions

Height

Weight

Bats

Throws

Grade / Grad

High School (Town)

1

Jack

Barthman

C/3B

5''10

180

R

R

Junior / 2025

Spirit Lake HS (Spirit Lake)

2

Aidan

Gigstad

SS/2B

5''9

160

R

R

Senior / 2024

Spirit Lake HS (Spirit Lake)

3

Tate

Foertsch

C/SS/2B

6''1

160

R

R

Sophomore / 2026

Bishop Garrigan HS (Algona)

4

Javen

Baumgarn

P/UTL

5''11

160

R

R

Senior / 2024

Harris-Lake Park HS (Lake Park)

5

Daniel

Meis

P/CF

6''3

185

R

R

Junior / 2025

Bishop Garrigan HS (Algona)

6

Bowden

Barnhart

C/P/IF

5''10

138

R

R

Junior / 2025

Harris-Lake Park HS (Lake Park)

7

Andrew

Nelson

C/INF

5''10

155

R

R

Sophomore / 2026

Sioux Central HS (Sioux Rapids)

8

Preston

Crees

P/1B

6''4

240

R

R

Junior / 2025

Estherville Lincoln Central (Estherville)

9

Gabe

Nicks

3B/P/OF

6''1

170

R

R

Freshman / 2027

Harris-Lake Park HS (Lake Park)

11

Tyson

Getting

SS/3B/P

6''3

190

R

R

Junior / 2025

Sheldon High School, Sheldon

13

Tyson

Robinson

1B/P

6''4

230

R

R

Junior / 2025

Spirit Lake HS (Spirit Lake)

15

Terrence

Sexton

CF

5''11

175

L

L

Junior / 2025

Spirit Lake HS (Spirit Lake)

18

Gabe

Olsen

P/SS/2B

6''3

170

R

R

Sophomore / 2026

Alta-Aurelia High School (Alta)

19

Andrew

Anderson

OF/P

6'1"

165

L

L

Junior / 2025

South Central Calhoun HS (Lake City)

23

Cale

Brechwald

P/CF

5'10"

165

R

R

Senior / 2024

Alta-Aurelia High School (Alta)

34

Cayben

Olson

P/OF

5''9

156

R

R

Sophomore / 2026

Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Remsen Union HS (Marcus)

51

Austin

Jorgensen

P/OF/1B

6''3

180

S

L

Senior / 2024

Spirit Lake HS (Spirit Lake)

61

Grant

Meyer

C/SS/CF

5'5"

140

R

R

8th Grade / 2028

Spirit Lake HS (Spirit Lake)

 

2024 Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion

Spring Schedule

(Updated April 8)

Month

Date

Day

Time

Opponent

Field

Town

March

9

Saturday

2:00pm

Tryouts

Sioux Central Football Field

Sioux Rapids, Iowa

March

10

Sunday

2:00pm

Red - Blue Scrimmage

Cardinal Field

Spencer, Iowa
             

March

16

Saturday

2:00pm

Council Bluffs (1)

Spirit Lake High School

Spirit Lake, Iowa

March

17

Sunday

12:00pm

Council Bluffs (2)

Spirit Lake High School

Spirit Lake, Iowa
             
         

American Legion Battle of the Bluffs

  

March

23

Saturday

2:00pm

Sioux City Futures 2 (1)

St. Albert High School

Council Bluffs, Iowa
     

4:00pm

Council Bluffs (1)

St. Albert High School

Council Bluffs, Iowa

March

24

Sunday

10:00am

Millard Sox Gold (1)

Wickersham Athletic Complex

Council Bluffs, Iowa
     

12:00pm

Sioux City Futures 1 (1)

Wickersham Athletic Complex

Council Bluffs, Iowa
             

March

29

Friday

1:00pm

Carroll (2)

Merchant's Park

Carroll, Iowa

March

30

Saturday

12:00pm

Milford Muskellunges (2)

Okoboji High School

Milford, Iowa
             

April

6

Saturday

12:00pm

Carroll (2)

Spirit Lake High School

Spirit Lake, Iowa

April

7

Sunday

12:30pm

Council Bluffs (1)

Briar Cliff's Bishop Mueller Field

Sioux City, Iowa
     

4:30pm

Sioux City Futures (1)

Briar Cliff's Bishop Mueller Field

Sioux City, Iowa
             

April

13

Saturday

1:00pm

Milford Muskellunges (1)

Okoboji High School

Milford, Iowa
     

3:00pm

Carroll (1)

Okoboji High School

Milford, Iowa
     

5:00pm

(HOSTING: Milford vs. Carroll)

Okoboji High School

Milford, Iowa

April

14

Sunday

12:00pm

Carroll (1)

Spirit Lake High School

Spirit Lake, Iowa
     

2:00pm

(HOSTING: Carroll vs. Moville)

Spirit Lake High School

Spirit Lake, Iowa
     

4:00pm

Moville Futures (1)

Spirit Lake High School

Spirit Lake, Iowa
             

April

20

Saturday

TBA

Watertown (SD) Legion (2)

Spirit Lake High School

Spirit Lake, Iowa
April 21 Sunday

TBA

Storm Lake (2)

BVU/Storm Lake High School

Storm Lake, Iowa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
PLAYOFFS PLAYOFFS PLAYOFFS PLAYOFFS PLAYOFFS PLAYOFFS PLAYOFFS

April

27

Saturday

TBA

Area Tournament

TBA

TBA

April

28

Sunday

TBA

Area Tournament

TBA

TBA
             

May

4

Saturday

  

State Tournament

MUST QUALIFY

TBA

May

5

Sunday

  

State Tournament

MUST QUALIFY

TBA
             

August

7--11

    

Regional Tournament

MUST QUALIFY

TBA
             

August

15-20

    

World Series

Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium

Shelby, North Carolina

 

 

________________________________________

 

Iowa Great Lakes 'Okobojis' Baseball Club

2023 Fall College Prospects Team

 

What we do:

Fall of 2023 will be the rebirth of Total Baseball Development's fall College Prospects Team that will play now as the Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis.   This will be in the effort to provide extra baseball opportunities to high school baseball players in the greater and extended Siouxland area.  The Sioux City Bancrofts operated in this capacity in the fall in 2009, 2010, and 2011.  Here in 2023 the fall Okobojis will be comprised of 14-16 high school players that do not play football and are interested in getting better and playing college baseball. The team will play a 22 to 28 game developmental and competitive schedule in the immediate midwest on seven weekends, with all games being outside of the traditional TBD Fall League.  The Okobojis fall season will culminate in a trip to Peoria, Arizona from October 18 to 22 to play in the Arizona Fall Classic's Easton Classic.  Games will be held at the Major League Baseball complexes of the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres.  The fall schedule for the Okobojis will be set by Friday, July 28 and posted right here below on this Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis baseball link.  The roster will be built from primarily players that have played in the TBD Fall League providing opportunities to our players here in northwest Iowa, southern Minnesota, southeast South Dakota, and the greater area of central and eastern Nebraska.  

 

2023 Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis Fall College Prospects Baseball Team

American Legion Baseball Team ~ Spencer, Iowa Post #1

High School

#

First

Last

Pos.

Pos.

Pos.

Ht.

Wt.

B / T

Grade / Grad

Spirit Lake (IA)

2

Aidan

Gigstad

2B

SS

3B

5'9"

155

R / R

Senior/2024

Harris-Lake Park (IA)

4

Javen

Baumgarn

Pitcher

CF

1B

6'0"

160

R / R

Senior/2024

Harris-Lake Park (IA)

6

Bowden

Barnhart

Catcher

3B

Pitcher

5'10"

138

R / R

Junior/2025

Sioux Central - Sioux Rapids (IA)

7

Andrew

Nelson

Catcher

2B

SS

5'7"

137

R / R

Sophomore/2026

Ridge View - Holstein (IA)

9

Noah

Struck

Pitcher

2B

CF

6''1

160

R / R

Junior/2025

Humboldt (IA)

10

Riley

Sorensen

SS

2B

3B

6'2"

195

R / R

Senior/2024

Sheldon (IA)

11

Tyson

Getting

SS

3B

2B

6''2

180

R / R

Junior/2025

Kingsley-Pierson (IA)

15

Jackson

Nissen

Pitcher

LF

CF

6'0"

170

R / R

Senior/2024

Alta-Aurelia (IA)

18

Gabe

Olsen

2B

SS

Pitcher

6''3

162

R / R

Sophomore/2026

Mountain Lake (MN)

19

Tyler

Dick

Pitcher

3B

1B

6''2

215

R / R

Senior/2024

Algona (IA)

23

Logan

Lentz

Catcher

1B

LF

6'1"

195

R / R

Senior/2024

Newell-Fonda (IA)

33

Mason

Hoberman

Catcher

2B

3B

6'1"

170

R / R

Junior/2025

Spirit Lake (IA)

51

Austin

Jorgensen

Pitcher

RF

1B

6'3"

175

S / L

Senior/2024

Lennox (SD)

55

Isaac

Bambas

SS

Pitcher

2B

5'8"

155

L / R

Senior/2024

Newell-Fonda (IA)

66

Max

Carlson

Pitcher

SS

3B

6'1"

175

R / R

Junior/2025
                     

FALL RESERVE ROSTER

                    

Spencer (IA)

1

Jaxon

Hefner

Pitcher

CF

LF

6''2

195

L / L

Senior/2024

Sioux Center (IA)

3

Kole

Hooyer

SS

Pitcher

Catcher

5''8

156

R / R

Senior/2024

Estherville-Lincoln Central (IA)

8

Preston

Crees

Pitcher

1B

OF

6'3"

228

R / R

Junior/2025

Spencer (IA)

17

Aiden

Seversen

Pitcher

1B

LF

6''0

150

R / L

Junior/2025

Spencer (IA)

24

George

Lawson

3B

Pitcher

SS

6''0

160

L / R

Sophomore/2026

Olatche(KS)

87

Adam

Jordan

2B

CF

Catcher

5''7

150

R / R

Junior/2025

 

Coaches & Staff

 

  

 

 

Bench Coach

  

Matt

Passerelle

Assistant Coach

  

Gary

Levine

General Manager

  

Bob

Protexter

Senior Advisor

  

Bill

Krejci

 

Updated October  4, 2023

 

www.totalbaseballdevelopment.com

 

2023 Schedule:

The Okobojis will play a 22-28 game schedule at tournaments and venues at scouted and college evaulated events on seven weekends. See working schedule below. 

Weekend of August 26-27 - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Saturday, August 26, 2023

Game 1:

1:30 PM vs.  MN Blizzard '24/'25 Black

Game 2:

3:45 PM vs.  P2P Millers-Trucke

AT:
Fire Hall Field
760-798 Walnut Street
Prescott, Wisconsin 54021

Sunday, August 27, 2023

Bracket play - Schedule announced after Saturday's games

Weekend of September 2-3 - Des Moines

September 1 to September 4

Prep Baseball Report Upper Midwest Labor Day Classic

Norwalk, Waukee, and Des Moines, Iowa

SCHEDULE AND TOURNAMENT INFORMATION LINK

https://tournaments.prepbaseballreport.com/events/pbr-upper-midwest-labor-day-classic-des-moines-ia-09-01-2023/18u-open

Week 2

    

2-Sep

    

1:00PM

Grand View 1

Minnesota Muskies

5:00PM

Grand View 1

ITB 2
     

3-Sep

    

11:00AM

Simpson College

NE Prospects Midwest Black

5:00PM

Simpson College

402 Express

 

 

Weekend of September 9-10 - Spencer

September 9 Scrimmage with Spencer High School players

Weekend of September 16-17 - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

2023 WWBA Kernels Foundation Tournament

Sep 16
Sat
8:00 AM @ Gamers Select 18u (2-3-0)
Pool I
Varsity Baseball @ Jefferson High School
 
 
Sep 16
Sat
12:30 PM @ Macstrength 17U/18U Gold (0-0-0)
Pool I
Varsity Baseball @ Jefferson High School
 

September 23-24 - Kansas City, Missouri

 

September 30 / October 1 - Briar Cliff University 18U Invitational Tournament - Sioux City, Iowa

 
Sioux City Fall Classic Baseball Tournament 2023  
 
SC North / BCU / Lewis & Clark
 
Saturday, September 30
 
SC North
2 v 3 11:30 AM 6 
9 v 12 1:45 PM
 
BCU
6 v 12 8:00 AM
6 v 7 10:00 AM
8 v 10 12:00 PM 
10 v 11 2:00 PM 
7 v 11 4:00 PM
 
Lewis & Clark
1 v 4 10:00 AM
1 v 4 12:15 PM
2 v 5 2:30 PM
3 v 5 4:45 PM
8 v 9 7:00 PM
 
 
Sunday, October 1
 
SC North
7 v 12 10:30 AM
8 v 11 12:45 PM 

BCU
1 v 3 9:00 AM
3 v 4 11:00 AM
1 v 2 1:00 PM
2 v 4 3:00 PM

Lewis & Clark
6 v 11 9:00 AM
6 v 10 11:15 AM
7 v 10 1:30 PM
8 v 12 3:45 PM

16 U
1 WOW Factor Midwest - UBA Black
2 Primetime Westview
3 Dakota Selects
4 WOW Factor Midwest - 712
5 Peak Performance
 
18 U

 

6 Dakota Selects
7 Sioux City Futures
8 Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis / Total Baseball Development
9 Peak Performance
10 Nebraska Prospects Steckis
11 Nebraska Prospects Yardy Boyz White
12 Midwest Evolution 
 

October 7-8 - Omaha, Nebraska

2023 18U Nebraska Prospects Annual Tournament (OPEN)

 
Oct 7
Sat
2:40 PM vs. Westview HS (0-0-0)
Pool A
1 @ Westview High School
 
 
Oct 7
Sat
5:00 PM @ Nebraska Prospects 2025 Midwest Black (2-0-0)
Pool A
1 @ Westview High School
 
 
Oct 8
Sun
9:00 AM @ Nebraska Prospects Midwest White (1-1-0)
Pool A
1 @ Westview High School
 
 
Oct 8
Sun
11:20 AM vs. Nebraska Prospects 2025 Midwest Gray (2-0-0)
Pool A
1 @ Westview High School
 

 

 

October 14-15 - TBD FALL SUPER SERIES (As Played)

October 18-22 - Easton Fall Classic at the Arizona Fall Classic; Peoria, Arizona

 

Staff:

Bill Krejci - Special Advisor (Special Assigments with USA Baseball and retired Head Baseball Coach for Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa)

Bill Lee - Special Advisor (Pitcher for the Savannah Bananas and former MLB Left-Handed Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos)

Bob Protexter - General Manager (Owner & Operator of Total Baseball Development)

 

How you can be involved:

If you are a non-football player in high school in any grade, and have interest in playing college baseball, please call Bob Protexter at: 712-490-7199.

   
 

Welcome to the Iowa Great Lakes 'Okobojis'

The Iowa Great Lakes ‘Okobojis’ American Legion Baseball Team formed on October 20 of 2020 with the sponsoring signatures coming from Milford American Legion Post #384 in Milford, Iowa.  The Okobojis are also supported by Estherville Post #91, Spirit Lake Post #123, and Lake Park Post #371.  The Okobojis call historic Cardinal Field in Spencer, Iowa their home field. 

With the high level of interest in the TBD Fall League from schools and teams near, in, and around the Iowa Great Lakes, the new location for the Fall League at the Lakes that was established in 2015, giving TBD it's second location for the Fall League with the original location of Sioux City beginning in 2005.  The idea and goal for the new location was to offer young ball players from the greater area of the Iowa Great Lakes and the far-reaching communities of surrounding area high schools with "extra" baseball opportunities.

With the continued interest in the TBD Fall League and TBD camps the Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis were formed to foster the ambitions of young baseball players in the area seeking out "extra" baseball.  American Legion tryouts for the Okobojis are in February and the season is in March and April.  The Iowa High School summer baseball schedule follows in May, June, and July. 

In the process of the last two years, these fine young men have found added opportunities to play "extra" baseball with the 22 game schedule each spring.  The Okobojis have sent over ten players on to play college baseball in just two years of play. 

The 2022 squad was comprised of eighteen players from nine different high schools.  And in July of this year the Milford Post #384 and the Okobojis hosted the Iowa American Legion State Baseball Tournament at Cardinal Field.

   
2023 Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis

Who:

2023 Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis

Spencer Post #1

 

#

Name

Positions

Ht.

Wt.

Bats

Throws

Grade

High School

Hometown

1

Jaxon Hefner

CF/P

6'2"

203

L

L

JR / 2024

Spencer HS (Spencer)

Spencer

2

Nick Hansen

OF/P

5'10"

140

R

R

SR / 2023

ELC HS (Estherville)

Estherville

3

Kole Hooyer

SS/P

5'9"

160

R

R

JR / 2024

Sioux Center HS (Sioux Center)

Sioux Center

4

Javen Baumgarn

UTL

5'11"

145

R

R

JR / 2024

Harris-Lake Park HS (Lake Park)

Lake Park

5

Cooper Griffin

1B/SR

6'1"

222

R

R

SR / 2023

Spencer HS (Spencer)

Spencer

6

Bowden Barnhart

3B/C/P

5'9"

135

R

R

SO / 2025

Harris-Lake Park HS (Lake Park)

Lake Park

7

Garrett Heying

C/1B/3B/P/OF

6'0"

198

R

R

SR / 2023

Bishop Garrigan HS (Algona)

Dickens

8

Preston Crees

P/1B/3B

6'3"

228

R

R

SO / 2025

ELC HS (Estherville)

Estherville

9

Sam Colerick

C/P

5'10"

162

R

R

SR / 2023

Alta-Aurelia HS (Alta)

Alta

10

Riley Sorensen

INF/P

6'1"

190

R

R

JR / 2024

Humboldt HS (Humboldt)

Humboldt

11

Tyson Getting

SS/P

6'2"

175

R

R

SO / 2025

Sheldon HS (Sheldon)

Sheldon

13

Owen Worthan

C/P/3B

6'1"

265

R

R

FR / 2026

Ridge View HS (Holstein)

Storm Lake

14

Blake Evans

SS/2B/P

6'1"

165

L

R

SR / 2023

ELC HS (Estherville)

Estherville

17

Aiden Seversen

OF/1B/P

6'0

147

R

L

SO / 2025

Spencer HS (Spencer)

Spencer

18

Gabe Olsen

INF/P

6'2"

160

R

R

FR / 2026

Alta-Aurelia HS (Alta)

Aurelia

19

Aiden Comstock

1B/P

6''4

165

L

L

SR / 2023

Washington HS (Cherokee)

Cherokee

23

Logan Lentz

C/INF/P

6'1"

190

R

R

JR / 2024

Algona HS (Algona)

Algona

24

George Lawson

INF/P

6'0

160

L

R

FR / 2026

Spencer HS (Spencer)

Greenville

29

Reid Tigges

SS/P

6'2"

188

L

R

SR / 2023

Spencer HS (Spencer)

Spencer

 

 

Staff

Staff

Staff

Staff

Staff

Staff

Staff

21

Bob

Protexter

Head Coach

S / R

1985

Sioux City East HS

13

Brad

Dusatko

Bench Coach

R / R

1993

Chambers (NE)

61

Grant

Meyer

BatBoy

R / R

7th Grade / 2028

Spirit Lake HS
 

Amanda

Jorgensen

Yoga Instructor

      

 

What:

American Legion

22 Game schedule

in March and April

Where:

Cardinal Field - Spencer, Iowa

Address: 1169 East Milwaukee

When:

2023 Schedule - Okobojis

2023

2023

SCHEDULE

  

VERSUS

LOCATION

TIME

VERSUS

LOCATION

TIME

Sunday

5-Mar

Okobojis

  

Red-Blue Scrimmage

TBA

1:00

*

*

*

Sunday

12-Mar

Okobojis

vs.

Akron (1)

Spencer

12:00

*

*

*
   

Okobojis

vs.

LeMars (1)

Spencer

4:00

*

*

*

Saturday

18-Mar

Okobojis

  

Siouxland Tournament (2)

TBA

1:00

*

*

*

Sunday

19-Mar

Okobojis

  

Siouxland Tournament (2)

TBA

1:00

*

*

*

Saturday

25-Mar

Okobojis

vs.

Carroll Cubs (2)

Carroll

1:00

*

*

*

Sunday

26-Mar

Okobojis

vs.

Carroll Merchants (2)

Carroll

12:00

*

*

*

Saturday

1-Apr

Okobojis

vs.

Council Bluffs (2)

Spencer

1:00

*

*

*

Sunday

2-Apr

Okobojis

vs.

Council Bluffs (2)

Spencer

12:00

*

*

*

THURSDAY

6-Apr

Okobojis

  

Twins Opening Day

Target Field

3:10

*

*

*

Saturday

8-Apr

Okobojis

vs.

Moville Futures #1 (2)

Spencer

1:00

*

*

*

Sunday

9-Apr

Okobojis

  

EASTER SUNDAY

NO GAMES

*

*

*

*

Saturday

15-Apr

Okobojis

vs.

Watertown Legion (2)

Spencer

1:00

*

*

*

Sunday

16-Apr

Okobojis

vs.

Watertown Legion (2)

Spencer

12:00

*

*

*

Saturday

22-Apr

Okobojis

vs

Akron (2)

Akron

1:00

*

*

*

Sunday

23-Apr

Okobojis

vs.

Carroll Merchants (2)

Spencer

1:00

*

*

*

Saturday

29-Apr

Okobojis

vs

AREA TOURNAMENT

TBA

TBA

*

*

*

Sunday

30-Apr

Okobojis

vs.

AREA TOURNAMENT

TBA

TBA

*

*

*

 

 

 

 

Post Season baseball - Must qualify to advance to the next round

 

Sunday 7-May   Must qualify Iowa American Legion State Baseball Tournament – 4 teams 

August 2-6  Must qualify Central Plains Regional - (IA, MN, ND, NE, SD) - Rapid City, SD 

August 10-15 Must qualify WORLD SERIES - 8 Regional Champions - Shelby, North Carolina

 

Why:

 

How:

___________________________
Okobojis - Arizona Trip  - October 2022
The Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis are expanding their spring season to late fall this year and will be traveling to Pheonix, Arizona from October 19 to October 23 for the Arizona Fall Classic - Easton Fall Classic.  The Okobojis will be playing on the Major League Baseball Spring Training sites and fields of the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres at the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona; and the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers Spring Training sites and fields at the Surprise Recreation Campus in Surprise, Arizona.
 
Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis
Arizona Schedule & Tournament Information 2022
 
 
 
Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis
Arizona Roster 2022
 

Your High School

#

First

Last

POS

POS

POS

Ht.

Wt.

B / T

Grads

Spirit Lake (Spirit Lake, IOWA)

1

Aidan

Gigstad

SS

2B

3B

5''8

120

R / R

2024

Mountain Lake (Mountain Lake, MINNESOTA)

2

Tyler

Dick

RHP

3B

1B

6''2

210

R / R

2024

St. Joseph Notre Dame (Alameda, CALIFORNIA)

3

Daniel

Velichko

RHP

CF

LF

    

L / R

2023

Harris-Lake Park (Lake Park, IOWA)

4

Javen

Baumgarn

RHP

1B

2B

5''11

140

R / R

2024

Washington (Cherokee, IOWA)

5

Alex

Kohn

SS

RHP

3B

5''10

140

R / R

2024

Harris-Lake Park (Lake Park, IOWA)

6

Bowden

Barnhart

3B

2B/SS

RHP

5''6

118

R / R

2025

Sioux City North (Sioux City, IOWA)

7

Ayden

Schrunk

RHP

2B

RF

5''10

160

R / R

2024

Sioux City West (Sioux City, IOWA)

8

Cael

Kilberg

RHP

CF

LF

5''10

155

R / R

2025

Humboldt (Humboldt, IOWA)

11

Riley

Sorensen

SS

RHP

2B

6''2

180

R / R

2024

Kuemper Catholic (Carroll, IOWA)

12

Max

Irlmeier

C

1B

RHP

5''10

155

R / R

2023

O'Neill (O'Neill, NEBRASKA)

13

Grant

Dusatko

RHP

1B

SS

6''3

205

R / R

2025

Crofton Community (Crofton, NEBRASKA)

15

Nolan

Babcock

C

1B/LF

RHP

5''11

163

R / R

2024

Bishop Garrigan (Algona, IOWA)

19

Garrett

Heying

C

1B

2B

5''11

194

R / R

2023
                     
 

21

Bob

Protexter

Coach

            
 

24

Gary

Levine

Coach

            
 

14

Kirt

Bennett

Coach

            

Spirit Lake High School, Spirit Lake

61

Grant

Meyer

BatBoy

Pitcher

1B

5''3

100

R / R

2028
 
2021 Easton Fall Classic ~ Peoria, Arizona
 
   
Sioux City Bancrofts competed in the AZ Fall Classic in 2009, 2010, and 2011
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
 

Iowa Great Lakes 'Okobojis' American Legion Baseball Team

Milford Post #384

 
   
 
Back Row: #4 Coach Darin Click, #7 Kael Blauwet - West Lyon, #24 Bryce Click - Sgt. Bluff-Luton, #13 Jaxon Bunkers - Remsen St. Marys, #9 Keaton Logan - Gehlen Catholic, #16 Coach Rick Logan, #17 Coach Shane Jager       
Front Row: #1 Damon Schmid - Kingsley-Pierson, #10 Kaleb Bleil - Woodbury Central, #6 Aidan Haukap - Sioux City East, #13 Easton Stusse - Hinton, #8 Carter Bleil - Woodbury-Central, #5 Drew Benson - Sioux City West, #32 Carson Jager - MOC-Floyd Valley
 
Congratulations to the Moville Futures of Wink-Sparks Post #303 in Moville, Iowa on winning the Championship of the Iowa American Legion State Baseball Tournament.  They now advance to the Central Plains Regional Tournament from August 3rd to the 7th at Fitzgerald Stadium in Rapid City, South Dakota with states being represented as: Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa.  The winner of this regional Central Plains Regional Tournament will advance to American Legion World Series from August 11th to 16th at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, North Carolina.  See complete nationwide Regionals and World Series information here: https://americanlegion.sportngin.com/
 
 

 

PRESS RELEASE

2022 Iowa American Legion State Baseball Tournament on July 24

Cardinal Field in Spencer, Iowa

First Pitch at 12:00

 

Contact: Bob Protexter

 Cell: 712-490-7199 

Email: protexter.tbd@gmail.com 

Website: www.totalbaseballdevelopment.com 

______________________________________

 

The 2022 Iowa American Legion State Baseball Tournament will be held on Sunday, July 24 at Cardinal Field in Spencer, Iowa; located on the east side of the city at: 1169 East Milwaukee. 

 

The tournament is hosted by Milford American Legion Post #384, Commander is Kirby Walters, and their Iowa Great Lakes ‘Okobojis’ American Legion Baseball Team.  Participating teams will be the Iowa Great Lakes ‘Okobojis’; the Moville Futures of the Wink-Sparks American Legion Post #303 in Moville; Woodbury County of the George Nelson American Legion Post #662 in Sgt. Bluff; and the Hiawatha Warriors of American Legion Post #735 in Hiawatha.

 

This will be a one day, one field, three game, four team, single elimination tournament with games beginning at 12:00 noon with the schedule presented as:

12:00 - Iowa Great Lakes ‘Okobojis’ Milford Post #384 vs. Moville Futures Post #303

2:15 – Hiawatha Warriors Post #735 vs. Woodbury County Sgt. Bluff Post #662

4:30 – Championship Game = Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

 

This Iowa American Legion State Baseball Tournament will determine the State Champion.  All State Champions then will play in eight nationwide Regional Tournaments that will determine the eight American Legion World Series entrants. 

 

The Central Plains Regional Tournament will take place from August 3rd to the 7th at Fitzgerald Stadium in Rapid City, South Dakota with states being represented as: Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa.

 

The winner of this regional Central Plains Regional Tournament will advance to American Legion World Series from August 11th to 16th at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, North Carolina.  See complete nationwide Regionals and World Series information here: https://americanlegion.sportngin.com/

 

The Iowa Great Lakes ‘Okobojis’ is managed and run by Bob Protexter here in their second year of existence.  The 2022 squad boasts 18 players from 9 different area high schools in the greater Iowa Great Lakes area.  This is Protexter’s second go at Amerian Legion baseball after he operated the Sioux City Bancrofts American Legion Team from Monahan-Nelson Post #64 of Sioux City in 2010, 2011, and 2012.  

 

Darin Click manages and Robin Chute operates the Moville Futures, which also started play in 2021 as an American Legion team. 

 

Jay Kirkpatrick manages and runs the Woodbury County team, and they began play in 2012.  

 

Moville and Woodbury County both have teams consisting of players from the extended Sioux City area and the greater area of northwest Iowa.  

 

Hiawatha has sponsored their current affiliation with Cedar Rapids Washington High School since 2015 and are run by Matt Kuba.  Hiawatha defeated Dubuque County to advance to the State Tournament here in 2022 after Dubuque County won the 2021 Iowa American Legion State Tournament and eventually qualified and played in the 2021 American Legion World Series; their second entry to North Carolina in the last five years.

 

Cardinal Field – The History - The Spencer Cardinals was a semi-professional baseball team in Spencer, Iowa from 1948 to 1954.  In 1984, Sioux City East graduate and former Morningside College left-handed pitcher Jeff Mahrt helped to start and manage the Cardinals as they were reborn as an amateur team and played at the Spencer High School in 1984 and 1985.  Cardinal Field as it sits today was opened in 1986 with the dedication ceremony on July 13 of that year.  The Cardinals played through the 2011 season.  2012 was the first summer of no Cardinals baseball in Spencer and Cardinal Field has been idle since.

 

The City of Spencer; Jared Elbert, Spencer Parks Director; Brian Dirkx, Spencer High School Head Baseball Coach and father of Okobojis senior Devin Dirkx; Milford Post #384; and the Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis players have worked hard and put in a lot of time and hours to bring Cardinal Field back to life starting in the spring of 2021.

 

American Legion Baseball is a national institution, having thrived through a world war, several national tragedies, and times of great prosperity as well as great despair.  The league still stands behind the traditional values upon which it was founded in 1925. American Legion Baseball has taught hundreds of thousands of young Americans the importance of sportsmanship, good health and active citizenship. The program is also a promoter of equality, making teammates out of young athletes regardless of their income levels or social standings. American Legion Baseball has been, and continues to be, a stepping stone to manhood for millions of young men who have gone on to serve their country or community, raise families or play the sport at the highest level.

 

The Iowa American Legion provides funds to assist in operating the State Tournament.  Fan entry on Sunday, July 24 at Cardinal Field in Spencer will be FREE OF CHARGE. Old school passing of the hat will take place. For donations to help to continue to run American Legion baseball programs in the area of the Iowa Great Lakes, the greater northwest Iowa area, and the Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis, please contact Milford Post #384 Commander Kirby Walters at 712-330-3855 and kwalters@milfordcable.net

 

Follow on Tournament Baseball Development Social Media sites:

Host Team:

Iowa Great Lakes ‘Okobojis’ of Milford American Legion Post #384

Milford, Iowa

 

#

First

Last

Positions

B / T

Ht.

Wt.

Grade/Grad

High School

1

Braden

Simington

INF/P

R / R

6’0”

147

SO / 2024

GTRA

2

Jesse

Bockman

OF

R / R

6’2”

169

SR / 2022

Okoboji

3

Seth

Busch

OF/P

R / R

6'2"

185

SR / 2022

Estherville Lincoln Central

4

Nick

Clark

C/INF/P

R / R

5'10”

165

SR / 2022

Washington (Cherokee)

5

Daryl

Jensen

OF

R / L

5'9”

170

SR / 2022

Estherville Lincoln Central

6

Bowden

Barnhart

INF/OF/C/P

R / R

5'6”

127

FR / 2025

Harris-Lake Park

7

Noah

Link

INF/OF/P

L / R

6'1”

170

SO / 2024

West Bend-Mallard

8

Landon

Vaske

1B/OF/P

R / L

6'3”

180

SR / 2022

Estherville Lincoln Central

9

Brennan

Elsbecker

OF/1B/P

L / L

5'10”

145

SR / 2022

Spencer

11

Keaton

Duhn

C/INF/P

R / R

6'3”

180

SR / 2022

Emmetsburg

13

Aiden

Comstock

1B/OF/P

L / L

6'4”

165

JR / 2023

Washington (Cherokee)

14

Blake

Evans

INF/P

L / R

6'0”

155

JR / 2023

Estherville Lincoln Central

19

Carter

Snyder

C/INF/OF/P

R / R

6'3”

180

SR / 2022

Estherville Lincoln Central

20

Devin

Dirkx

SS/P

L / R

6'4”

172

SR / 2022

Spencer

22

Daenon

Loucks

3B/P

R / R

6'1”

180

FR / 2025

Washington (Cherokee)

23

Gabe

Gravenish

OF/P

R / R

5’10”

155

JR / 2023

Washington (Cherokee)

25

Noah

Strantz

OF/P

R / R

6’0”

172

JR / 2023

Okoboji

29

Reid

Tigges

INF/OF/P

L / R

6'2”

188

JR / 2023

Spencer

 

The Okobojis are sending the following graduating seniors to their respective colleges to study and play baseball:

  • Seth Busch; Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa
  • Landon Vaske; Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville, Iowa
  • Carter Snyder; Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville, Iowa
  • Brennan Elsbecker; Des Moines Area Community College in Boone, Iowa
  • Keaton Duhn; Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, Iowa
  • Devin Dirks; Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa

 

Moville Futures of the Wink-Sparks American Legion Post #303

Moville, Iowa

 #  NAME                   HIGH SCHOOL       College Commitments for Baseball

#1 Damon Schmid      Kingsley-Pierson                    Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge

#4 Brandon Kron        Kingsley-Pierson                    Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa

#5 Drew Benson        Sioux City West

#6 Aidan Haukap        Sioux City East                       Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa

#7 Kael Blauwet        West Lyon                              Mount Marty University in Yankton, South Dakota

#8 Carter Bleil            Woodbury-Central                  Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids

#9 Keaton Logan        Gehlen Catholic

#10 Kaleb Bleil          Woodbury Central                  Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa

#11 Easton Stusse      Hinton                                     Doane University in Crete, Nebraska

#12 Eric McGill          Woodbury Central

#13 Jaxon Bunkers     Remsen St. Marys

#16 Beau Bubke        Kingsley-Pierson 

#20 Evan Neumann  

#24 Bryce Click          Sgt. Bluff-Luton                     Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa

#32 Carson Jager        MOC-Floyd Valley

#33 Will DeStigter      Woodbury Central 

#34 Max McGill          Woodbury Central 

#43 Joe DeStigter      Woodbury Central 

 

Woodbury County of the George Nelson American Legion Post #662

Sgt. Bluff, Iowa 

 

 #  NAME                               HIGH SCHOOL       College Commitments for Baseball

#1 Matthew Peters      Lawton-Bronson

#2 Beau Chamberlain           

#3 Sean Schafer          Bishop Heelan (Sioux City)

#4 Caleb Garnand       Lawton-Bronson

#7 Steven Colerick     Alta-Aurelia

#8 Steven Kling          Sioux City North

#10 Aiden Sieperda    Sgt. Bluff-Luton                     Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa

#11 Tony Bartels        Sioux City

#12 Jackson Freebern Bishop Heelan (Sioux City)

#13 Carter Allen                    

#18 Kelab Gengler      Bishop Heelan (Sioux City)    Des Moines Area Community College

#22 Shane Sanderson  Bishop Heelan (Sioux City)

#23 Caleb Eckstaine   LeMars Community                Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa

#24 Braeden Yingst    Westwood

#25 Ian Gill                 Bishop Heelan (Sioux City)

#28 Lochlin Jackson   Bishop Heelan (Sioux City)

#35 Ayden Hoag         LeMars Community

#37 Oliver Denney     Lawton-Bronson

 

Hiawatha Warriors of Hiawatha American Legion Post #735

Hiawatha, Iowa

All players attend Cedar Rapids Washington High School

 #  NAME                               Position                      College Commitments for Baseball

#1 Jack Rogers                      Third Base                  Central College in Pella, Iowa

#2 Chase Mahoney                Left Field

#3 Ethan Heinemann            Shortstop

#4 Reid Ortiz                         Catcher                        Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa

#5 Preston Helle                    Second Base

#6 Maxwell Nemickas           Pitcher                        Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids

#7 Mason McDowell             Right Field

#8 Jaxson Schroeder             Pitcher

#9 Caden Buonadonna         First Base

#10 Roman Rivera                Second Base

#11 Caden Stock                   Third Base

#12 Tyler Daniels                  Pitcher

#14 Jabari Dobbs                  Center Field                Central College in Pella, Iowa

#20 Erich Rinderknecht       Shortstop

#22 John Schultz                   Catcher

#33 Connor Mullinex            Pitcher

 

2022 TOURNAMENT DETAILS:

Iowa American Legion Programs Director:

Ryan Kowlessar 

 

Iowa American Legion Baseball Commissioner:

Dick Meiners

 

Milford Post #384 Commander:

Kirby Walters

 

Tournament Umpire In Chief:

Bill Whiting

 

Field Umpires = Three 3 man crews

Korey Kuhlman

Joe Sohn

Al Vasher

 

PA Announcer:

Bob Rose

 

Official Scorer:

Steve Carlson; Northwestern College Sports Information Director

 

National Anthem

Samantha Dahna, 5th Grader to be at Terril Elementary

 

Game Day Operations:

Brian Dirkx, Spencer High School Head Baseball Coach

 

Spencer Parks Director:

Jared Elbert

 

Tournament Director:

Bob Protexter; Head Coach & General Manager of Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion Baseball Team 

 
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
Bill Lee Night in Ruthven, Iowa - Tuesday, June 28
 
Bill Lee of the the Savannah Bananas and of Major League Baseball fame; will be in Ruthven, Iowa on Tuesday, June 28 at the Titan Athletic Complex as a guest of the Graettinger-Terril-Ruthven-Ayrshire (GTRA) High School Baseball Team, complete with a practice style camp and Purple & White intersquad camp scrimmage with Lee pitching. The day will run from 5:00pm to 8:30pm, with the scrimmage starting at 7:05pm. An autograph session will follow the scrimmage including a Vintage Wood Bat sale. 
 
ALL are invited to this event and it is OPEN to the public with a pork sandwich dinner served courtesy of Ruthven Meat Processing.  FREE WILL donations for the dinner and the day will be directed to the Ruthven American Legion Post #33, for 100% full return benefit to the GTRA High School Baseball program. In the many aspects of his Forest Gump life, Lee served in the US Army Reserve for six years during the Vietnam War in communications and was also a chemical, radiation, and biological officer for the 1173rd in Fort Polk Louisiana.
 
Lee is the legendary former Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos left-handed pitcher of the 1970's and 1980's, and at age 75 is current showman and active player with the traveling Savannah Bananas out of Savannah, Georgia. During the summer, the Bananas compete in the Coastal Plain League as a summer collegiate team, and out of season conduct barnstorming tours across America. Harlem Globe Trotter like, as a world wide social media sensation, the Savannah Bananas have been featured by ESPN, The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, and most recently were highlighted on CBS Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley.
 
Bill Lee was drafted by the MLB out of the University of Southern California in 1968 after winning the College World Series that year, and went on to pitch in the big leagues for the Red Sox from 1969 to 1978, and the Montreal Expos from 1979 to 1982. In 2008, Lee was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame as, at that time, the team's record-holder for most games pitched by a left-hander (321) and the third highest win total by a Red Sox southpaw (94). Lee's MLB line includes a 119–90 record and a 3.62 Earned Run Average.  The high point in his MLB career was starting Game 2 and Game 7 of the 1975 World Series versus the Cincinnati Reds.
 
As a life long player of baseball and lover of the game, Lee has traveled the United States and the world since his retirement playing in such places as Canada, Cuba, and Russia on goodwill barnstorming tours. Lee returned to national prominence once again here in 2022 and at the age of 75 years old began pitching for the Savannah Bananas exhibition traveling team.
 
Lee's extraordinary life has been chronicled in print and film, that includes such book credits as: The Wrong Stuff; Have Glove, Will Travel; The Little Red (Sox) Book: A Revisionist Red Sox History; and Baseball Eccentrics: The Most Entertaining, Outrageous, and Unforgettable Characters in the Game. And on the big screen: The Brett Rapkin documentary film 'Spaceman: A Baseball Odyssey'; 'Bill "Spaceman" Lee, High and Outside'; and a feature length Hollywood movie starring Josh Duhamel titled 'Spaceman'.
 
Bill Lee resides in Craftsbury, Vermont with his wife Diana. This stop in Ruthven is on a Route 20 trek across America with destination California in mind. Lee will be spending two days with the GTRA High School baseball team in Ruthven with all events at the Titan Athletic Complex, located at 1201 Highland Street; Ruthven, Iowa 51358. For questions or more information please contact GTRA High School Head Baseball Coach Bob Protexter at 712-490-7199 and protexter.tbd@gmail.com

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

2 0 2 2   I o w a   G r e a t   L a k e s   O k o b o j i s

American Legion Baseball Team ~ Milford, Iowa  Post #384

 

APRIL 30 - BASEBALL EVENT FOR LITTLE LEAGUERS AT CARDINAL FIELD IN SPENCER, IOWA

Little Leaguers from the extended Iowa Great Lakes area are invited to come practice with the O's on Saturday, April 30 from 12:00 noon to 2:00pm at Cardinal Field in Spencer, Iowa located at 1169 East Milwaukee on the east side of Spencer. The O's World Series will then begin at 2:00pm, and will be a one 7 inning inter-squad contest that will conclude the team's spring March and April season. This two hour pre-game session will put Little Leaguers right on the field with the Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion Baseball Team where they will play catch, take batting practice, and take infield with the big guys. The Okobojis are sponsored by Milford Post #384 and are comprised of 18 high school players from seven area high schools that tryout in February to make the team. The O's finished the regular season at 10-8. This also gets them ready for Official High School Baseball practice begins next Monday, May 2. So on Saturday, NO fee. NO registration. Just suit up and show up and practice with the big guys. Bring your own equipment and best attitude and see you at 12:00 noon on Saturday at Cardinal Field in Spencer!

2022 Okobojis Roster

 

# First Name Last Name Position Pitches Grade High School
1 Braden Simington INF/P RHP Sophomore Spencer
2 Jesse Bockman OF   Senior Okoboji
3 Seth Busch OF/P RHP Senior Estherville Lincoln Central
4 Nick Clark C/2B-3B/P RHP Senior Washington (Cherokee)
5 Daryl Jensen OF   Senior Estherville Lincoln Central
6 Bowden Barnhart INF/OF/C/P RHP Freshman Harris-Lake Park
7 Noah Link SS/P RHP Sophomore West Bend-Mallard
8 Landon Vaske 1B/P LHP Senior Estherville Lincoln Central
9 Brennan Elsbecker OF/P LHP Senior Spencer
11 Keaton  Duhn Catcher   Senior Emmetsburg
13 Aiden Comstock 1B/OF/P LHP Junior Washington (Cherokee)
14 Blake Evans INF/OF/P RHP Junior Estherville Lincoln Central
19 Carter Snyder C/INF/OF/P RHP Senior Estherville Lincoln Central
20 Devin Dirkx SS   Senior Spencer
22 Daenon Loucks 3B/P RHP Freshman Washington (Cherokee)
23 Gabe Gravenish OF/P RHP Junior Washington (Cherokee)
25 Noah Strantz OF/P RHP Junior Okoboji
29 Reid Tigges INF/P RHP Junior Spencer
             
21 Bob Protexter Head Coach GM 1985 Sioux City East

2022 Okobojis Schedule

 

Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion Baseball Team

DAY                        DATE                     OPPONENT                         POST     LOCATION                                           TIME                      GAMES

Saturday              March 5                1st Team Practice                              Spencer                                          11:00am

Sunday                 March 13             Red & Blue Game                             Spencer               Spencer H.S.        1:30pm                 1 * 9

Saturday              March 19             LeMars                                               LeMars                 Gehlen H.S.        12:00PM             2 * 7’s

Sunday                 March 20             Council Bluffs                                    Council Bluffs     St. Albert H.S.       1:00pm                 2 * 7’s

Friday                    March 25             Spaghetti Funds Dinner                   Post #384            Milford                Time TBA            

Saturday              March 26             Fargo (ND)                                         Spencer               Cardinal Field     1:00pm                 2 * 7’s

Sunday                 March 27             Fargo (ND)                                         Spencer               Cardinal Field     12:00pm               2 * 7’s

Saturday              April 2                   MMCRU                                            Spencer               Cardinal Field     2:00pm               2 * 7’s

Sunday                 April 3                   Sgt. Bluff                                           Spencer               Cardinal Field     1:00pm                 2 * 7’s

Saturday              April 9                   Council Bluffs                                    Spencer               Cardinal Field     1:00pm                 2 * 7’s

Sunday                 April 10                 LeMars                                              Spencer               Cardinal Field     1:00pm                 2 * 7’s

Thursday             April 14                 Total Skills Camp; Grades 2-6            Spencer               Cardinal Field     Time TBA            

Friday                    April 15                 Carroll                                              Carroll                  Merchants Park Time TBA             2 * 7’s

Saturday              April 16                 TBA                                                    TBA                      TBA                    Time TBA             2 * 7’s

Saturday              April 23                 Fort Dodge                                        Fort Dodge         Dodger Field       Time TBA             2 * 7’s

Sunday                 April 24                 Ames                                                 Spencer               Cardinal Field     1:00pm                 2 * 7’s

Saturday              April 30                 TBA                                                     TBA                     TBA                     TBA

Sunday                 May 1                    TBA                                                    TBA                     TBA                     TBA

 

*AREA & STATE TOURNAMENT INFORMATION TO BE POSTED SOON

*ALL TIMES, LOCATIONS, and OPPONENTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

*Please check website and Facebook for updates

 

2022 Okobojis Team Information

American Legion TRYOUTS for the 2022 Iowa Great Lakes "Okobojis" baseball team from Milford Post #384 have been set for February 20 and February 27. All players attending must register.  Please see below the schedule for the registration link.  The possibility exists for additional tryouts to finalize the team with a roster of 18 players, and or personal tryouts to accommodate players still in winter sports.  If you are interested in trying out but can not attend either one of the currently listed tryout dates and or want more information please contact Bob Protexter at protexter.tbd@gmail.com or 712-490-7199.

 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20; 4:30pm - 8:00pm - This is a two part tryout for all players in Spencer, Iowa

  • 4:30pm - 6:00pm - Tiger Den Batting Cages located at: 210 West 8th Street; Spencer, Iowa
  • 6:30pm - 8:00pm - Spencer High School Gym located at: 800 East 3rd Street; Spencer, Iowa
  • HAVE DRY & CLEAN SHOES FOR BOTH LOCATIONS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27; 4:30pm - 8:00pm - This is a two part tryout for all players in Spencer, Iowa

  • 4:30pm - 6:00pm - Tiger Den Batting Cages located at: 210 West 8th Street; Spencer, Iowa
  • 6:30pm - 8:00pm - Spencer High School Gym located at: 800 East 3rd Street; Spencer, Iowa 
  • HAVE DRY & CLEAN SHOES FOR BOTH LOCATIONS

 

REGISTER - PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER IN ADVANCE FOR ANY AND ALL TRYOUT DATES - REGISTER

TRYOUTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE

 

Players are asked to wear baseball pants and bring their own gear of gloves, bats, and protective equipment in regards to catchers gear and batting helmets.  Also players are asked to show up on team and to have dry and clean shoes, good attitudes, and lots of energy.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 2022 Iowa Great Lakes American Legion Baseball Team will be holding OPEN tryouts for any and all area high schoolers that are baseball players in the 8th through 12th grades, with the first date being February 20.  See full schedule above.

Multiple tryout dates are being held in an effort to accommodate all Winter Sport athletes and the completion of their seasons.  Additional and supplemental tryout dates may be held and may be needed to complete the roster, as well as private workouts to accommodate winter sports schedules that continue on into late February and March. 

Tryouts will continue until a team of 18 players is selected.

The Iowa Great Lakes American Legion tryouts are Free of Charge.

The Okobojis will play a 22 game schedule, primarily on the weekends, in March and April.  The full schedule will be released before the first tryout on February 20.

The second year American Legion ‘Okobojis’ is sponsored by Milford Post #384 and is also supported by the area posts of Estherville Post #91, Spirit Lake Post #123, and Lake Park Post #371.

The Iowa Great Lakes "Okobojis" baseball team from Milford Post #384 is looking forward to year #2!

Here in Iowa, it is a great way to be part of an American tradition, provide the opportunity to players to be involved in an exciting baseball environment, experience playoff baseball and even possibly championship baseball in Iowa and beyond our state, and walk into Day 1 of high school practice with over 20 games under your belt! 

American Legion nationwide boasts some 4,000 baseball teams and began in 1925.  Teams each year play a full schedule and winners advance to the Area, State, Regional Tournaments with the year culminating in the American Legion World Series in August in Shelby, North Carolina. 

 

TEAM DATES:

  • Weekend tryouts in late February and as needed in early March
  • Weekend games primarily on Saturdays and Sundays in March and April
  • Weekday practices primarily on Mondays and Fridays, AS PLAYERS ARE ABLE TO ATTEND in regards to academic progress, spring sports participation, and travel
  • Iowa American Legion Area Tournament on Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24
  • Iowa American Legion State Tournament, for the teams that qualify, to be held on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1
  • May 2 is official practice start date for Iowa High School baseball teams 

 

PROCESS:

Players will be selected in accordance to American Legion Baseball Recruiting Plan B, which is what the state of Iowa follows.  Plan B allows American Legion Baseball teams to select players who attend nearby closest high schools. In Plan B, a player is to play for the team that is nearest to the player's parent’s 'domicile'.

 

The 'Okobojis' American Legion Baseball program will be for quality young men that take pride in being an American and are looking for extra baseball opportunities.  This program will be designed to push personal player development in a seasoned and experienced baseball environment.  We will work to create and foster a positive baseball atmosphere.  If you are interested in playing college baseball this is your program.  Simply put, this is for baseball guys.

 

We will be looking at helping to produce quality players, and as a team advance to the highest level of American Legion baseball nationwide.  In the last 25 years there have been three American Legion baseball teams based out of the Iowa Great Lakes.  We are looking to build on that history.

 

There will be public and civic opportunities for the players making the team, and there are scholarship possibilities as well.

 

Regarding team finances there will be player costs.  These costs will be seen as reasonable to all parties involved.  To do our best to properly support this team and offset these costs there will be American Legion fund raisers, fund raising efforts, and fund raising events.  Players will be directly involved in these events and participate hands on in the fund raising process.  In any area that we can defray player costs we will do so.  NO PLAYER WILL NOT PLAY IF HE CAN NOT PAY.

 

TEAM PARTICULARS:

Bob Protexter will serve as the team's Head Coach & General Manager.  He is the Owner and Operator of Total Baseball Development that began in 2004 and is out of Sioux City, Iowa and the Iowa Great Lakes.  Over the last 30 years, Protexter has coached internationally, been a professional scout, a head high school coach and an assistant college coach.  With American Legion in the past, Protexter started, ran, and served as the Head Coach for the Sioux City Bancrofts American Legion Baseball Team in 2010, 2011, and 2012; each year qualifying for the Iowa American Legion State Tournament.  He plans to work to provide the best baseball experience that he can for our young players here in the Iowa Great Lakes area!

 

All information and updates for the Iowa Great Lakes 'Okobojis' American Legion Baseball Team will be posted here on the Total Baseball Development website, and supplemental information, pics, and stories will be posted on TBD's Social Media sites listed at the top of our website here.

 

Providing a quality program for young people to be involved in will be the objective.

 

In regards to local Iowa Great Lakes history, Cody Ege and Matt Koch of Cherokee played American Legion baseball on the previous Iowa Lakes American Legion Baseball Team based out of Spirit Lake.  Both went on to play Major League Baseball.  This will be our hope for new players making the team and joining the program.

 

And lastly in regards to state history, Dubuque County American Legion Baseball Team advanced to the 2018 and 2021 American Legion World Series in Shelby, North Carolina.  This will be our goal for the Iowa Great Lakes 'Okobojis' American Legion Baseball Team here in 2022.

 

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------

The Iowa Great Lakes "Okobojis" American Legion Baseball Team greatly appreciates the service and support of our United States military veterans and Milford, Iowa American Legion Post #384.

 


 

 

 

 

 

2021

Iowa Great Lakes

'Okobojis'

American Legion Baseball Team

2021 Iowa AREA American Legion Tournament

April 24
Okoboji High School Baseball Field, Milford, Iowa
10:00am - Iowa Great Lakes vs. LeMars
1:00pm -  Iowa Great Lakes vs. Moville
 
Cardinal Field; Spencer, Iowa
10:00am - Sgt. Bluff vs. Moville
1:00pm -   Sgt. Bluff vs. LeMars
 
April 25
Okoboji High School Baseball Field
1:00pm - Moville vs. LeMars
4:00pm - Iowa Great Lakes vs. Sgt. Bluff
 
 
  • 7 inning games
  • Round Robin with best record advancing
  • No Championship Game
  • Tie breaker is head to head, then fewest runs allowed, then runs scored
  • Extra inning games are played Major League style
  • Per day, per weekend pitch count will apply

 

2021 Iowa AREA American Legion Baseball Tournament - April 24-25 - Iowa Great Lakes

 

Iowa Great Lakes

  

LeMars

  

Moville ‘Futures’

  

Woodbury County

‘Okobojis’

  

Wasmer

  

Wink-Sparks

  

Geroge J. Nelson

Milford Post #384

  

LeMars Post #241

  

Moville Post #303

  

Sgt. Bluff Post #662
             

#1 Trevor Doeden

  

#2 Kole Carpenter

  

#1 Cael Boever

  

#1 Matt Peters

Third Base

  

Center Field

  

Shortstop

  

Second Base

#2 Jesse Bockman

  

#3 Ryan Augustine

  

#3 Drew Benson

  

#2 Kaleb Nutt

Left Field

  

Center Field

  

Pitcher

  

First Base

#3 Seth Busch

  

#4 Conner Peterson

  

#4 Brandon Kron

  

#3 Steven Kling

Right Field

  

Right Field

  

Catcher

  

Catcher

#4 Nick Clark

  

#7 Chase Peterson

  

#5 Camrick Riemer

  

#4 Evan Helvig

Catcher

  

Catcher

  

Third Base

  

Shortstop

#6 Ben Anderson

  

#8 David Begnoche

  

#6 Aidan Haukap

  

#7 Nick Muller

Shortstop

  

Third Base

  

Pitcher

  

Pitcher

#7 Colton Korver

  

#11 Zayne Weiland

  

#8 Carter Bleil

  

#11 Zak Riley

Pitcher

  

Pitcher

  

Center Field

  

Second Base

#9 Brennan Elsbecker

  

#12 Gabe Wiltgen

  

#10 Kaleb Bleil

  

#12 Tony Bartels

Pitcher

  

Pitcher

  

Shortstop

  

Right Field

#11 Will Larson

  

#14 Conner Kraft

  

#11 Easton Stusse

  

#18 Kaleb Gengler

Pitcher

  

Shortstop

  

First Base

  

Pitcher

#12 Brody Lillefloren

  

#19 Evan Pratt

  

#13 Jaxon Bunkers

  

#19 Braiden Hurd

Shortstop

  

Third Base

  

Catcher

  

Third Base

#17 Ethan Johnson

  

#20 Jaxten Kramer

  

#14 Blaine Harpenau

  

#20 Simon Denney

First Base

  

Right Field

  

Pitcher

  

First Base

#19 Carter Snyder

  

#23 Teagen Kasel

  

#16 Damon Schmid

  

#21 Sean McManamy

Catcher

  

Catcher

  

Center Field

  

Pitcher

#20 Devin Dirkx

  

#30 Ayden Hoag

  

#21 Terrick Thompson

  

#22 Shane Sanderson

Shortstop

  

Pitcher

  

Center Field

  

Second Base

#22 Gibson Olson

  

#51 Evan Jalas

  

#24 Bryce Click

  

#23 Beau Chamberlain

Catcher

  

Third Base

  

Catcher

  

Right Field

#25 Noah Strantz

          

#24 Mason Parrott

Pitcher

          

Catcher

#29 Reid Tigges

          

#25 Ian Gill

Third Base

          

Third Base

#32 Grant Kibbie

          

#27 Jackson Freeburn

Pitcher

          

Center Field

#37 Ross Alderman

          

#28 Brayden Pratt

Shortstop

          

Center Field

#99 Dawson Schiphoff

          

#35 Brett Sitzmann

Center Field

          

Pitcher
             

Team Manager

  

Team Manager

  

Team Manager

  

Team Manager

Bob Protexter

  

Benji Kasel

  

Robin Chute

  

Jay Kirkpatrick
             

Commander

  

Commander

  

Commander

  

Commander

Kirby Walters

  

Dan Plueger

  

Kevin Fouts

  

Fidell Wadsworth

 

 

 

The new 2021 Iowa Great Lakes American Legion Baseball Team will be holding OPEN tryouts for any and all area high schoolers that are baseball players in the 8th through 12th grades, with the first date being February 21. 

 

The American Legion baseball tryout dates will be February 21, 24, 28, and March 7 in and around surrounding areas of the Iowa Great Lakes.  Multiple tryout dates are being held in an effort to accommodate all Winter Sport athletes and the completion of their seasons. 

 

The first tryout on February 21 will be held at the Okoboji High School and begins at 5:15pm.  Subsequent tryouts will held at the Spencer High School and at the Sioux Central High School.  Tryouts will continue until a team of 18 players is selected.

 

For all dates and details and online registration for the tryouts, please see below.

 

The new American Legion team will be known as the ‘Okobojis’, and is sponsored by Milford Post #384 and is supported by Estherville Post #91, Spirit Lake Post #123, and Lake Park Post #371.

 

The Okobojis will play a 20 game schedule, primarily on the weekends, in March and April with Opening Day on March 13.  May 1 and May 2 are the dates set for the Iowa American Legion State Tournament, which all teams must qualify for.  Iowa High School baseball official start date for practices is May 3.

 

American Legion nationwide boasts some 4,000 teams and began in 1925.  Here in Iowa, it is a great way to be part of an American tradition, provide the opportunity to players to be involved in an exciting baseball environment, experience playoff baseball and even possibly championship baseball in Iowa and beyond our state, and walk into Day 1 of high school practice with 20 games under your belt!  

 

The Iowa Great Lakes American Legion tryouts are Free of Charge.  For tryout registration and dates, team schedule, and more information please see below here on the website for Total Baseball Development, and or call, text, or email the Okobojis General Manager Bob Protexter at 712-490-7199 and protexter.tbd@gmail.com

 

 

I o w a   G r e a t   L a k e s   O k o b o j i s

2021 ~ American Legion Baseball Team ~ Milford Post #384

#

NAME

Position

Pitches

B/T

Grade

Ht.

Wt.

Iowa High School and Town

1

Trevor Doeden

C-1B-3B

RHP

R / R

Senior

5'11"

200

Sibley-Ocheyedan (Sibley)

2

Jesse Bockman

OF

  

R / R

Junior

6'1"

165

Okoboji (Milford)

3

Seth Busch

OF

RHP

R / R

Junior

6'0"

175

Estherville Lincoln Central

4

Nick Clark

C-2B-3B

RHP

R / R

Junior

5'9"

160

Washington (Cherokee)

6

Ben Anderson

SS-2B-3B

RHP

R / R

Senior

6'0"

165

George-Little (George)

7

Colton Korver

OF-INF

RHP

R / R

Senior

6'5"

190

MOC-Floyd Valley (Orange City)

9

Brennan Elsbecker

OF

LHP

L / L

Junior

5'11"

150

Spencer

11

Will Larson

OF-1B

LHP

R / L

Senior

6'2"

185

Estherville Lincoln Central

12

Brody Lillefloren

SS-2B

RHP

R / R

Senior

5'11"

175

River Valley (Correctionville)

17

Ethan Johnson

1B

LHP

L / L

Junior

6'3"

205

Sioux Central (Sioux Rapids)

19

Carter Snyder

C-INF-OF

RHP

R / R

Junior

6'3"

165

Estherville Lincoln Central

20

Devin Dirkx

SS-2B

RHP

L / R

Junior

6'3"

165

Spencer

22

Gibson Olson

C-OF

  

R / R

Junior

5'10"

175

Sioux Central (Sioux Rapids)

25

Noah Strantz

OF

RHP

R / R

Soph

6'0"

165

Okoboji

29

Reid Tigges

1B-2B-3B

RHP

L / R

Soph

6'2"

180

Spencer

32

Grant Kibbie

1B-3B

RHP

R / R

Senior

5'11"

190

Emmetsburg

37

Ross Alderman

SS-2B-OF

RHP

R / R

Senior

5'9"

160

Sioux Center

99

Dawson Schiphoff

OF

  

R / R

Senior

6'3"

185

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn (Hartley)
                 

21

Bob Protexter

Head Coach

GM

S / R

1985

6'0"

175

Sioux City East

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion Baseball Team would like to THANK

Milford Post #384 for sponsoring our NEW team this year!  Their roster includes:

Commander                       Kirby Walters                                    Adjutant                              Virgil Wahlman

Finance Officer                 Tom Arends                                       Sergeant of Arms             Tom Larson

Chaplin                                Merlin Wuebker                              Mayor of Milford             Steve Andersen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion Baseball Team would like to THANK the 50 northwest Iowa players that tried out for the team, and the Okoboji High School, the Spencer High School, the Sioux Central High School, the Tiger Den in Spencer, Spencer Head Baseball Coach Brian Dirkx, and the Boji Bomb Shelter in Milford for facilitating these tryouts, allowing practice spaces, and hosting games in our inaugural season!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Facebook: Total Baseball Development - Iowa  ~~~  Twitter: @TBDOkoboji  ~~~  Instagram: totalbaseballdevelopment

 

www.totalbaseballdevelopment.com

 

 

2021 'Okobojis' SCHEDULE

         

 

        

 

      

 

 

        
         
         

Saturday

13-March

vs.

Council Bluffs American Legion

Okoboji High School, Milford, Iowa
         

Friday

19-March

  

‘Okobojis’ Legion FUNDS DINNER

Milford Post #384

Saturday

20-March

vs.

Harrisburg Tigers High School

Harrisburg, South Dakota

Saturday

27-March

vs.

Ames American Legion

Okoboji High School, Milford, Iowa

Sunday

28-March

vs.

LeMars American Legion

Okoboji High School, Milford, Iowa

 

 

 

 

Okoboji High School, Milford, Iowa

Friday

2-April

vs.

MMCRU Spring Team

Marcus, Iowa

Saturday

3-April

        vs.

Carroll American Legion

Okoboji High School, Milford, Iowa

Sunday

4-April

  

EASTER SUNDAY - NO GAMES

  

Saturday

10-April

vs.

LeMars American Legion

LeMars, Iowa
   

 

 

 

Sunday

11-April

vs.

MMCRU Spring Team

Okoboji High School

Saturday

17-April

vs.

Ames American Legion

Ames, Iowa

Sunday

18-April

vs.

Gilbert American Legion

Gilbert, Iowa
         
     

Automatic Bid

  

Saturday

24-April

vs.

IOWA LEGION AREA TOURNAMENT (7 INN)

TBA
   

vs.

IOWA LEGION AREA TOURNAMENT (7 INN)

TBA

Sunday

25-April

vs.

IOWA LEGION AREA TOURNAMENT (7 INN)

TBA
   

vs.

IOWA LEGION AREA TOURNAMENT (7 INN)

TBA
         
     

Must Qualify

  

Saturday

1-May

vs.

IOWA LEGION STATE TOURNAMENT (7 INN)

TBA
   

vs.

IOWA LEGION STATE TOURNAMENT (7 INN)

TBA

Sunday

2-May

vs.

IOWA LEGION STATE TOURNAMENT (7 INN)

TBA
   

vs.

IOWA LEGION STATE TOURNAMENT (7 INN)

TBA

 

2021 'Okobojis' TEAM INFORMATION

In the spring of 2021, Total Baseball Development will field an American Legion Baseball Team in northwest Iowa based from the extended areas of the Iowa Great Lakes.  The team will be known as the Iowa Great Lakes 'Okobojis'.

 

At a meeting on October 20, 2020 at the Milford, Iowa American Legion Post #384, this proposal was presented by Bob Protexter of Total Baseball Development.  It was voted on and approved that night.  Kirby Walters is the Commander of the Milford Post #384.  As well Protexter has met and talked with other Iowa Great Lakes area American Legion Posts and they are supportive.

 

This new team for the spring of 2021 will recruit players and host tryouts at the Iowa Great Lakes beginning in February on Sundays in an effort to pick and field the best team possible.  Here are some team particulars and calendar.

 

  • Multiple Sunday tryouts in February, possibly early March at the very latest if necessary
  • 18 player roster will be selected
  • Weekday practices in the Lakes area, including Spencer, AS PLAYERS ARE ABLE TO ATTEND in regards to academic progress, spring sports participation, and travel
  • 20 game regular season will be played on weekends in March and April
  • American Legion Iowa Area Tournament on Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25
  • American Legion Iowa State Tournament, for the teams that qualify, to be held on Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2
  • May 3 official practices begins for Iowa High School baseball teams 

 

Players will be selected in accordance to American Legion Baseball Recruiting Plan B, which is what the state of Iowa follows.  Plan B allows American Legion Baseball teams to select players who attend nearby closest high schools. In Plan B, a player is to play for the team that is nearest to the player's parent’s 'domicile'.

 

The 'Okobojis' American Legion Baseball program will be for quality young men that take pride in being an American and are looking for extra baseball opportunities.  This program will be designed to push personal player development in a seasoned and experienced baseball environment.  We will work to create and foster a positive baseball atmosphere.  Simply put, this is for baseball guys.

 

We will be looking at helping to produce quality players, and as a team advance to the highest level of American Legion baseball nationwide.  In the last 25 years there have been two American Legion baseball teams based out of the Iowa Great Lakes.  We are looking to build on that history.

 

There will be public and civic opportunities for the players making the team, and there are scholarship possibilities as well.

 

We are working to round out the coaching staff as soon as possible.

 

We are currently working on field and facility agreements and arrangements and hope to finalize them as soon as possible.

 

Bob Protexter will serve as the team's General Manager.  Over the last 30 years, Protexter has coached internationally, has been a professional scout, a college coach, founded and has operated Total Baseball Development since 2004.  As well Protexter started, ran, and served as the Head Coach for the Sioux City Bancrofts American Legion Baseball Team in 2010, 2011, and 2012.  He plans to work to provide the best baseball experience that he can for our young players here in the Iowa Great Lakes area!

 

Regarding team finances there will be player costs.  These have yet to be determined.  These costs will be seen as reasonable to all parties involved.  To do our best to properly support this team and offset these costs there will be American Legion fund raisers, fund raising efforts, and fund raising events.  Players will be directly involved in these events and participate hands on in the fund raising process.  In any area that we can defray player costs we will do so.  Lastly on the subject of finances, NO PLAYER WILL NOT PLAY IF HE CAN NOT PAY.

 

With the great interest in our 2020 TBD Fall League for high school players at the Iowa Great Lakes, and the 2020 TBD Futures League for 2nd-3rd, 4th-5th, and 6th-7th Graders at the Iowa Great Lakes, we thought it was an opportune time to start this American Legion program in this area for the betterment of all involved. 

 

And we very much appreciate the support of our military veterans.

 

All information and updates for the Iowa Great Lakes 'Okobojis' American Legion Baseball Team will be posted at:

 

Website:  www.totalbaseballdevelopment.com

Twitter: @TBDOkoboji

Facebook: Total Baseball Development - Iowa

 

Providing a quality program for young people to be involved in will be the objective.

 

In regards to local history, Cody Ege and Matt Koch of Cherokee played American Legion baseball on the previous Iowa Lakes American Legion Baseball Team based out of Spirit Lake.  Both went on to play Major League Baseball.  This will be our hope for new players making the team and joining the program.

 

Lastly in regards to state history, Dubuque County American Legion Baseball Team advanced to the 2018 American Legion World Series in Shelby, North Carolina.  This will be our goal for Total Baseball Development and the Iowa Great Lakes 'Okobojis' American Legion Baseball Team here in 2021.

 

Thanks for playing with the Okobojis!

Enjoy the Iowa Great Lakes!