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Northwoods Green Bay Rockers

Skip Handelsman Returns to Coach against Former Club

June 3, 2015 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Green Bay Rockers News Release


Green Bay Bullfrogs Manager Skip Handelsman
Green Bay Bullfrogs Manager Skip Handelsman
(Green Bay Rockers)

Green Bay, Wis.- Legendary Northwoods League Field Manager, Skip Handelsman, has managed four different clubs in the league and won two championships. In 2004, he guided the Madison Mallards to a Northwoods League title.

He will be returning to Warner Stadium clad in a different shade of green as the Bullfrogs duke out a pair of games with their South Division rivals Wednesday and Thursday night. Both games start at 6:35PM.

Remembering back on the two seasons with Madison, Handelsman captained the Mallards to one of the best championship runs in Northwoods League history circa 2004. His staff recorded a dazzling 2.54 ERA, second best all-time in the league's history that dates back to 1994. And they could swing the bats too.

"We just had a lot of good college pitchers that year ranging from Division I to our number three starter, Jake Eiler, who was at [The College of] St. Scholastica, a Division III school," said Handelsman. "Our bullpen was fantastic. And all three of our starting outfielders started in the Northwoods League All-Star game which I don't think had ever been done before or since."

His team finished 46-22 that season. And they won the championship on his philosophy that has remained the mark of his aggressive yet steadfast adherence to the fine aspects of the sport itself. This includes the bunt.

In the 11th inning, a Jay Johnson bunt down the third base line attempted to move second base occupant, Doug Beck, to third. The heart and soul of the team, Beck, scored on a wild throw to first and give the Mallards a series victory over the Duluth Huskies

"It was kind of fitting considering the way we like to play," reflected Handelsman. " It was a culmination of all the hard work we put in that summer and we had a great group of guys. And the chemistry on our team was unbelievable. We had a lot of guys that were scrappy, hard-nosed, and loved to play the game together."

That 2004 title was in a lot of ways the beginning of Madison's success as a franchise. It was the perfect time for the resurgence of baseball in Madison that's meteoric rise through the ranks of summer collegiate baseball has led to attendances on par with most professional level-AAA franchises.

The title, Handelsman's second (Waterloo 2002), also set the bar for tenured Managerial success. He was named Northwoods League Manager of the Decade and Year in 2004.

"It was a nice honor to receive. A lot of great assistant coaches and really great players," said Handelsman. "Any time you can get an award like that especially in a league like the Northwoods, that's kind of special."

These next two weekday games mark the Bullfrogs first trip to Madison this season. Handelsman brings a career record of 339-245 against another long-time counterpart, Manager Donnie Scott.




Images from this story

Green Bay Bullfrogs Manager Skip Handelsman
Green Bay Bullfrogs Manager Skip Handelsman
   



Northwoods League Stories from June 3, 2015


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