Travis R. Martin, CPA, MBA

If you were a kid growing up in New York City during the 1950’s, and you were a baseball fan, you did not have to look too far for a baseball idol. Between Willie (Mays), Mickey (Mantle) and The Duke (Snider) you had it made.

As a baseball fan growing up in rural Southern Indiana during the early 1990’s, the story for me was somewhat different. Cincinnati, the closest major league city to my hometown, was nearly three hours away. And for an eleven year-old boy living in the boondocks, three hours away was about as close as the moon.

So, my first experiences watching professional baseball came courtesy of the Triple A Louisville Redbirds. Guys like Bernard Gilkey and Ray Lankford were my Willie and Mickey. Old Cardinal Stadium, with its faded green Astroturf and perpetually empty seats, was my Yankee Stadium.

Old Cardinal Stadium (www.minorleagueballparks.com)

From 1989 to 1996 I attended as many Redbird games as I could, making the hour long trek to Louisville with whoever would take me. I consumed my weight in ice cream served up in miniature plastic Redbirds helmets. I cheered as the public address announcer introduced guys like “Geronimo Peeeeeennnna!” and “Bieeeeeen Fig-uer-ooooooaaaaaaaa!”

The details of those games – the double plays, the home runs, the winners and losers – have long since faded from my memory.

What hasn’t faded is my fascination with Minor League Baseball. This summer, thanks to a Teacher Creativity Fellowship Grant from the Lilly Foundation of Indianapolis, I have the opportunity to experience Minor League Baseball from a new perspective with my project “Minor Leagues, Major Opportunities.” Minor Leagues, Major Opportunities will take me on a 5,000 mile journey through places like Cedar Rapids, IA and Altoona, PA as I explore the business side of Minor League Baseball.

I’m inviting you to join me. 24 games. 20 stadiums. 8 leagues. I will be documenting it all on this blog beginning in June 2009. Hopefully, I will be able to convey what makes Minor League Baseball such a special game and how important the sport is to small cities across the country.

In the meantime, if you would like to learn more about the Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship, please visit their website at www.teachercreativity.org.

For a complete description of my project, and a tentative schedule, visit the “Current Projects” portion of my website. To receive updates automatically via e-mail,  sign up for the blog feed by clicking here.

Thanks for stopping by. See you at the yard.

Travis

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1. What’s in a name? Hilarity!
2. Lessons from the Bush Leagues: Applying the Minor League Mindset to High School Athletics (Part I)
3. Micro-market Beloit Tries to Snap up Fans by Sticking to Basics
4. Hot Rod Arms Stall Greenville Drive
5. Kane County Cougars Thriving in Crowded Market