Traverse City, MI – – Wednesday, October 26th, 2022 – The Traverse City Pit Spitters ‘Up North Cork Dorks’ promotion has been named the Promotion of the Year by the Northwoods League. The award was presented to the Traverse City Pit Spitters during the Northwoods League Meetings held in the League’s headquarters in Rochester, MN, October 11-12, 2022.
The Cork Dorks, an alternate persona of the Pit Spitters, were created in 2022 to highlight what an important part of the economy and community Traverse City’s 40-plus vineyards and wineries have become. “We wanted to tie the incredible history of wine production in the Grand Traverse region in with a fun baseball storyline and a unique in-game experience at Turtle Creek Stadium,” said Sam Connell, Director of Sales for the Traverse City Pit Spitters. “We are thrilled to bring this award home for our team and for Bonobo winery, the promotion’s primary sponsor. Without their support and vision, the ‘Cork Dorks’ couldn’t have made the impact they did. It’s a great example of a minor league team and a local business partnering to do something exciting for the community!”
Since the inaugural ‘Up North Cork Dorks’ announcement on May 12th, the team’s brand has been publicly recognized for its success by both the Northwoods League and within the baseball industry. The Pit Spitters touted unprecedented single-game attendance and merchandise sales during the ‘Cork Dorks’ game on August 5th and, thanks to the spirited, unique logo, they continue to see strong numbers in merchandise sales nearly three months after the game occurred.
The Pit Spitters absolutely plan to continue the fun and tradition of the ‘Up North Cork Dorks’ rebranding as part of the 2023 season. “The ‘Up North Cork Dorks’ were a great partnership for our team and our community,” said Connell. “Blending the history of this area with the humor of minor league baseball created an incredible experience for Pit Spitters fans.”
About the Traverse City Pit Spitters: The Pit Spitters collegiate baseball team was established in 2018. The Pit Spitters are members of the Northwoods league and play in the Great Lakes Division. The team’s home games are played in Traverse City’s favorite outdoor, multi-purpose entertainment venue, Turtle Creek Stadium. For more information visit https://northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters/ or contact Sam Connell at (231) 943 0100 / email samc@pitspitters.com
About the Northwest League: The Traverse City Pit Spitters 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’ 29th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, 300 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 (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). 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.pitspitters.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Pit Spitters as your favorite team. 
