Dear Woodchucks Fans,

With the completion of the most successful Woodchucks regular season on the field, I want to send a special thank you to all our Fans, Sponsors, Employees, and Host Families.  I have been asked many times this summer why I continue to work so hard at my age.  The answer is always the same.  I’m having fun!  I continue to enjoy the excitement around the stadium, the sense of community pride in Athletic Park and the Woodchucks, and the positive energy that the Woodchucks’ staff and fans bring to every game.

It was a season of records.  On the field the hitters produced a record number of wins, home runs, RBIs, runs, stolen bases, walks received and numerous other percentage-based statistics.  The pitchers also set records for wins and strikeouts.   On the other side of the fence, the Woodchucks Staff set records for Tickets sold, Group Outing sales, the number of Host Families, Summer Interns and Summer Employees.

The Woodchucks promotional staff did a great job this summer entertaining fans with nights that celebrated the 80’s, Scooby-Doo, Bluey, the Minions, and Friends.  We gave away bobbleheads, raffled jerseys for charity, and enjoyed the best fireworks shows in Central Wisconsin!  A special Thank You to the three High School Bands that performed at Athletic Park.  They put on a great show and raised money for their programs.

Our impact on the community remains strong, bringing many visitors to spend money in the local economy.  The team traveled all over the Midwest and Canada in uniforms that proudly featured “Wausau” across the front.  The Woodchucks employed numerous kids between the age of 14 and 70 with many kids getting their first job with the Woodchucks.  Our summer intern staff grew to 22 this season with these young adults picking up valuable experience and work lessons that will allow them to find great jobs after college.  The interaction of the players, from all over the world, and the local community helps expand our children’s understanding of cultural difference and empathy.

We cannot forget that the Woodchucks are a regional team dependent on all of Central Wisconsin for survival.  The towns of Mosinee, Weston, Schofield, Marathon, Merrill and numerous other cities were great supporters.  The Everest Youth Baseball and Softball organization deserve a special mention for their large showing on their night.  Many of our summer game day employees carpool from Marathon City every night to work.  And finally, Mosinee and Stratford High School Baseball teams had great fun on their senior night at Athletic Park this spring.

As we enter the offseason, we are working with our partners at the Marathon County Parks Department to bring turf to Athletic Park.  One benefit of turf will be the elimination of tarp pulls which will help with the wear and tear on my old body.  The big benefit will be making Athletic Park available to the other 50% of the population as a softball field for local youth, high school teams and a collegiate softball version of the Woodchucks.  I continue to work tirelessly to secure parking for Athletic Park that is worthy of a baseball stadium that may be the best in the state.

It was a great season full of good baseball, laughs and a lot of fun. Keep the Woodchucks and my staff in your thoughts this winter as we start planning for the 2025 season tomorrow.

Go Chucks!

Mark Macdonald
Wausau Woodchucks Owner