Mcallen To Field Team In Nabl
April 14, 2011 - North American League (NAmL) News Release
The McAllenThunder is the newest team in the North American Baseball League, it was announced Thursday.
The new team joins the Edinburg Roadrunners and the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings, giving the region three independent professional baseball teams.
Announcement of the new team was made by league officials Byron Pierce and John Bryant at a press conference, at the McAllen Chamber of Commerce.
The team, although based in McAllen, will play all of its home games at Edinburg Stadium. since McAllen does not have a stadium with large enough seating capacity.
Also, it was announced that Matt Stark has been named the inaugural field manager.
Stark, 46, is entering his 29th year in professional baseball,. At the age of 22, Stark was a first round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 1983 (ninth overall). He made it to the Big Leagues with the Blue Jays in 1987.
After arm surgery, Stark made it back to the Major Leagues with the Chicago White Sox in 1990.
Stark played 10 more years in both the Summer and Winter Leagues in Mexico. He ended his playing career as a player manager in Culiacan, Mexico in 2000.
Following his playing career, he became an AAA hitting coach for the Florida Marlins for four years, then went into the scouting side of baseball, becoming an international scouting supervisor for the Seattle Mariners.
Stark is considered an expert in developing young players and has assisted youth, high school, college and professional athletes in making improvements in their performances.
He also coaches players in fall and winter baseball leagues.
Stark is a former resident of McAllen, when back in the 1990s, he played across the border for the Reynosa Broncos in the Mexican League.
As for his new position with the Thunder, Stark declared:
"What a great opportunity to come back to McAllen to be a part of something special. I had a great time in McAllen back in the 1990s and can't wait to get back down to McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley, to get the ball rolling.
"It should be an interesting situation, with excellent chances for a Valley rivalry with the Edinburg Roadrunners and the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWiings."
Pierce stated:
"We are extremely fortunate to obtain the services of a field manager with the qualifications of Matt Stark, to begin this new McAllen Thunder ballclub. He has the knowledge, experience and the ability to take over this team and make it one that the McAllen and area fans will appreciate and enjoy."
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