Mankato MN – The Mankato MoonDogs are excited to welcome former Minnesota Twins player Corey Koskie and longtime broadcaster Dick Bremer to town on July 23. They will be serving as the keynote speakers at the 2024 Northwoods League All-Star Luncheon Banquet, presented by Eide Bailly, at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.
The MoonDogs, who will be hosting the league’s mid-summer marque event for the first time since 2021 and the third time in team history. This two-day celebration of Northwoods League festivities starts on July 22nd with a NWL Softball matchup between the Mankato Habaneros and the La Crosse Steam, followed by a Home Run Challenge like no others with 4 softball players joining the mix. The festivities continue on July 23rd when the attention will be moved from ISG Field to the Mayo Clinic Health Event Center over lunch where the leagues all-stars will be honored, and guests get to hear from distinguished guests Corey Koskie and Dick Bremer.
Bremer, who was the lead television announcer for the Minnesota Twins for 40 years (1983-2023), recently stepped into the role of Special Assistant to the Twins this past off-season. Born in St. Paul and raised in Dumont, Minnesota, Bremer began his Twins play-by-play career with Spectrum Sports from 1983-85. After a one-year hiatus, he rejoined the club’s broadcast team in 1987 and had been the Twins’ television play-by-play voice since, spanning Twinsvision, Midwest Sports Channel, Victory Sports, Fox Sports North and Bally Sports North. In 2013, Bremer received the Silver Circle Emmy for Broadcast Excellence and was inducted into the Minnesota Museum of Broadcasting Hall of Fame. In 2020, Bremer authored his best-selling memoir, Game Used. He retired as the longest-tenured television broadcaster for a single team in Major League Baseball.
Koskie enjoyed a 9-year major league career, playing for three different teams (Minnesota, Toronto & Milwaukee) that spanned from 1998-2006. The Twins drafted him in the 26th round of the 1994 MLB draft and he made his debut on September 9, 1998. The former third baseman enjoyed his most productive season in 2001 when he hit .276 with 26 home runs, drove in 103 and scored 100 runs, good enough to finish 25th in the American League MVP voting that season. Koskie, a career .275 hitter, clubbed 124 home runs and knocked in 506 runs.
The Northwoods League All-Star luncheon banquet, presented by Eide Bailly, is open to the public. Tickets are just $40 and include lunch and the All-Star program which will run from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. Tickets for the luncheon banquet can be purchased by visiting the MoonDogs ticket office at 1221 Caledonia Street (Mankato) or by calling 507-625-7047. Tickets for the Home Run Challenge and the 2024 All-Star Game can also be purchased online at www.mankatomoondogs.com
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The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 24 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 325 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit www.mankatomoondogs.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the MoonDogs as your favorite team.
