Rafters Hire New Public Address Announcers

Mark Skibba and Joe Diedrich to split PA duties in 2017

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. -The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters have announced the hiring of two new, but experienced, public address announcers that will split duties for the 2017 season. A familiar face to many in Wisconsin Rapids and Central Wisconsin, Mark Skibba, will share the 2017 honors with minor league veteran Joe Diedrich.

“Mark and Joe bring a wealth of experience to the press box and we are looking forward to having them share their talents to entertain the crowds enjoying Rafters baseball this summer,” commented Rafters general manager John Fanta.

Skibba is a veteran of announcing events such as Wisconsin Rapids Rafters games, having filled in on multiple occasions over the years. He brings over 30-plus years of broadcasting, emceeing, and voice work to the table and is sure to entertain fans all summer long. Mark is currently the owner of Mark’s MediaWorks, and advertising agency that places and produces advertising videos for a list of clients throughout Central Wisconsin.

Working games opposite Skibba, Joe Diedrich’s voice will permeate the Witter Field grandstand. Diedrich is no stranger to working baseball games, as he spent two seasons as the public address announcer for the Montreal Expos Class A Midwest League affiliate in Rockford, Illinois. During those two years, he announced 140 regular season games and two playoff games. For the past seven years, Diedrich has been the narrator for the television show ‘Destination Whitetail’ that airs on The Sportsman Channel.

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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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, more than 160 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rafters as your favorite team.