Contact: Colton Andresen
colton@lacrosseloggers.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 17, 2019
LA CROSSE, Wis. — The La Crosse Loggers are happy to announce that Milwaukee Brewers hitting coach Andy Haines will be the featured guest speaker at the 17th Loggers Winter Baseball BBQ, which will be held on Monday, January 27th, 2020 at the La Crosse Center Ballroom. The evening will also feature the induction of this year’s class into the La Crosse Baseball Hall of Fame.
Haines joined the Brewers staff in November of 2018 after spending time in both the Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs organizations. He was hired by Milwaukee in November of 2018, and helped guide the Brewers to the playoffs for a second season in a row. Prior to his tenure in Milwaukee, Haines served as the assistant hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs for one season and the minor league hitting coordinator for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. He is a Midwest native, hailing from Louisville, Illinois, where he went on to play for Eastern Illinois University, and he is very familiar with the Northwoods League, having spent two summers (2003 and 2004) as the field manager for the Waterloo Bucks.
The 2020 class of nominees for the La Crosse Baseball Hall of Fame include some names that are well known within the local baseball community – Tony Ghelfi, and Dave and Barb Skogen. Ghelfi was born in La Crosse in 1961 and after a standout career at La Crosse Central High School and Iowa Western Community College, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies organization in 1980, making his MLB debut with that franchise in the 1983 season. Dave Skogen is an Onalaska native who spent many years playing and managing for the Onalaska Scenics, in addition to spending time as a birddog scout for his beloved St. Louis Cardinals. As their grocery business grew, Dave and Barb’s philanthropy did as well, gifting the artificial turf infield at Copeland Park that has allowed teams such as local high schools, UW-La Crosse, the American Legion and of course, the Loggers to play more than 200 games combined each season at the facility. Voting for induction on these nominees will continue through January 15, 2020 at www.lacrossebaseballhof.org/hall-of-fame-voting, and the results will be unveiled for the first time at the Winter Baseball BBQ.
Tickets for the 17th Annual Winter Baseball BBQ are on sale now at the Loggers ticket office (1225 Caledonia Street, La Crosse), by calling (608) 796-9553, or purchase tickets online here. Adults can gain admission to the program for just $15, while kids 12 & under can join in the festivities for just $10. Corporate tables are also available for $250, which includes tickets for eight guests. All tickets include a ballpark-style meal and the Winter Baseball BBQ program. Doors will open to the public at 5:30 p.m. for a social hour, followed by the program at 6:35 p.m.