Many Woodchucks fans recognize David Huxtable as the person who takes their tickets at the gate and welcomes them to the game. What they may not realize, is that working at a Woodchucks game is about more than just a summer job for David, its fond memories, relationship building and a chance to be at a ballpark every night!
Baseball has always been a fun family activity for David growing up, even though he never played baseball. He fondly recalls going to see games with his dad; and then later traveling to watch his son play baseball. While living in Madison David and his wife attended many Muskies, and later Mallards, games. When they moved ‘Up North’ after retirement, David planned on getting season tickets, but then he realized he could work at the ballgames and decided that sounded like a better way to spend his summers at the ballpark.
According to David, “My favorite part of working for the Woodchucks is the people. I enjoy interacting with the owner, Mark Macdonald and working with the rest of the front office staff. Each year I get to meet a new group of Interns and get to learn what excites them about baseball and sports, and what they want to do after college. One of the best parts of working at the ballpark is meeting the fans and developing friendships, even with fans from other teams. I have met so many people who, like me, love coming to the ballpark every summer.”
David says it has been interesting learning the history of the Woodchucks and watching future professional baseball players perfecting their game. He enjoys meeting new players every year who are trying to reach the next level. “I get to meet parents, grandparents, and friends of those players, who show up to support them. And I get to meet the professional scouts who show up to watch these players,” David explains. “Every year, when the Major League Draft happens, it is fun to find out how many players get drafted, both from the Woodchucks and the rest of the Northwoods League. And then later, you hear of them making their debut on a Major League team and you remember back to when they came through Wausau just playing baseball to get to that level.”
To David the Woodchucks play both an economic and entertainment role in the Wausau area. For entertainment David greets many people coming through the gates who are there for company events, good, clean fun with their families, the chance to be selected for an in-between innings game and to enjoy various specialty nights like post-game fireworks. When it comes to economic impact, David says he greets many fans wearing the visiting team’s gear, so he knows those people are coming into the area from out of town, potentially staying in town and visiting other area businesses as well.
“Wausau has one of the finest baseball parks, not only in Wisconsin but in the entire United States. I am so proud to work for the Woodchucks and consider my job to include being in Public Relations for the team,” David adds, “Go Woodchucks!”
