The Twinkie Dog, introduced at C.O. Brown Stadium for the 2013 Battle Creek Bombers season, received some big-league tv time on Good Morning America that March.  The Bombers Managing Partner Brian Colopy, and then-GM Tony Iovieno, joined GMA hosts Lara Spencer, Josh Elliott and Amy Robach, along with some lucky audience members, for a taste test of the infamous treat.

The appearance on GMA was a viral moment taken to its grandest conclusion. Like a proud parent watching their kid on the local news for winning the spelling bee, Bombers and Northwoods League fans had to be excited when the rest of the country got a glimpse of what they saw daily at the ballpark.  Not only did team reps appear on GMA, the story was picked up in newspapers and social media outlets across the country, from baseball-specific sites to the USA Today.

So how did a collegiate summer league team end up on a national morning show?  The Bombers released news of the Twinkie Dog during the off-season. Not long after, Colopy found a message on his desk that Good Morning America called.  Assuming it was a prank, he threw the message away.  The next day, the Good Morning America called back offering to fly them to New York to be on the show and the rest is history. Colopy described it as the “craziest 2-3 weeks of my life.”

More Fun Facts:

• The release of the Twinkie Dog sparked some minor debate online among fans about its origin. Those familiar with the Weird Al Yankovic movie “UHF” recalled the movie’s star making a similar delicacy in the film – though didn’t call it a Twinkie Dog.  No matter the origin, this fun treat had everyone talking in 2013.
• Viral moments are commonplace now, but in 1994 when the Northwoods League opened its doors, the phenomenon didn’t exist. The growth of the internet and ability to take and share video, has allowed people across the country (and world) to get an inside look at the fan experience at Northwoods League ballparks.  This exposure helps raise awareness for the League that can help with recruiting players and staff.
• What other NWL moments have caught the nation’s eye? Crazy special event jerseys, like the Kalamazoo Growlers Emojersey (see below); special guests like Gary Coleman signing a one-game contract in Madison then getting ejected before his first at-bat; and great plays on the field like Rob Calabrese’s walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 2016 Summer Collegiate World Series making SportsCenter’s Top Plays of the Night at #8.

Visit our 25th Season Celebration page to read about other memorable moments previously released.