Mallards 25th Birthday Party

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courtesy August Publications

Author Tom Alesia and the cover for "Baseball Like It Oughta Be."

Author Tom Alesia and the cover for "Baseball Like It Oughta Be."

With Maynard and Midnight, Kids' Zone, free hot dogs/soda, book signing of "Baseball Like It Oughta Be" by Tom Alesia. Free admission.

media release: When the Mallards launched summer-collegiate baseball in a city that failed to support pro or college baseball, few expected them to succeed. Here’s the inside story of how they became summer-collegiate baseball’s top draw, changed the face of the sport and brought new life to a downtrodden neighborhood and ballpark.

Expected to fail in 2001, the Madison Mallards quickly became the kings of summer-collegiate baseball, inspiring unprecedented growth at that level while consistently ranking among the top 20 in average attendance when compared to the nearly 500 non-MLB teams, including affiliated, independent, and summer collegiate teams. They’ve since drawn over 4.3 million fans. Baseball Like It Oughta Be is the phenomenal story of how owner Steve Schmitt, a rural Wisconsin shoe sales marvel, and his young, scrappy staff turned dust into gold. Celebrating their 25th year, the Mallards have an entertaining and hilarious history that combines marketing prowess, customer service and anything-goes promotions with stories ranging from Gary Coleman's outrageous appearance to slugger Pete Alonso’s amazing season as a Mallard.

Schmitt and team president Vern Stenman turned a downtrodden ballpark into a must-experience destination. The Mallards never went bananas on the field, seeking an off-kilter balance between baseball and fun, including both a zip-lining mascot and a former MLB player managing the team. And somehow along the way, they became one of America’s most extraordinary sports teams.

The Mallards story follows an owner’s obsession; the dreamland of a young marketing director, who quit an NHL front-office job; relentless customer service for their fans; daring promotions annually; belief in what many viewed as a struggling neighborhood; and the embracement of America’s least likely renowned ballpark.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Alesia, a Midwest newspaper feature writer, won the National Music Journalism Award. He wrote Beauty at Short, one of 2022’s most popular baseball books, about Hall of Famer Dave Bancroft.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tom Alesia will be selling and signing copies of Baseball Like It Oughta Be at the Mallards 25th Birthday Party, which will be held at Warner Park on Monday, May 19, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

“It is well overdue to put a spotlight on the Madison Mallards operation.  Owner Steve Schmitt is a marketing and retail savant.  When you combine that with the ambition and progressive ideas of General Manager, Vern Stenman, you are able to make history.  There is no team in Summer Collegiate Baseball that is close to them in attendance and there probably will not be in the foreseeable future.  Their story is an important piece in the Northwoods League becoming the largest organized baseball league in the history of the sport. I can’t wait to see what they will do for women’s softball.”— Dick Radatz, Jr., chairman, Northwoods League

“An entertaining look at how to build an audience for a sports team when the result on the field is less important to many fans than the entertainment and atmosphere of it. Plenty of interesting characters! Pretty sure it’s the only book to mention Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Gary Coleman and Pete Alonso. A fun read!” – Sports Book Reviews

“Upon first visiting Madison in 2012, I sensed something extraordinary at the Duck Pond. While nothing lasts forever, the Mallards have now thrived for nearly 25 years and just continue to crush it, one summer after another. This book should be studied by every minor- and summer-league executive. The Mallards’ success story is filled with resilience, creativity and community spirit.” – Casey Award winner Rob Neyer, author of Power Ball: Anatomy of a Modern Baseball Game

“What a hoot! I still have a Mallards’ uniform hanging on my wall! (Team owner) Steve Schmitt loved to compete. Go Mallards!” – Bill “Spaceman” Lee, renowned pitcher for 14 major league seasons 

“Baseball Like it Oughta Be is an underdog story reminiscent of Moneyball, but with a model based on marketing and fun rather than math-driven analytics. Readers will enjoy Tom Alesia’s lively narrative about how the Madison Mallards generated phenomenal levels of support by emphasizing community and the fan experience.” – Kent Krause, author of Sunny Jim Bottomley: A Biography of a Hall of Fame First Baseman and Wahoo Sam Crawford

“The Mallards are so much fun! Grab this book!” – Seattle’s Katie Quinn, The Sports Librarian

“Since the Mallards’ launch in 2001, summer-collegiate baseball has blown up across the country. The Mallards’ focus on fun and baseball created a template for others to emulate. Tom Alesia does a great job telling the entertaining story of the team!” – Doug Melvin, Milwaukee Brewers senior advisor and former general manager

“I loved it – thoroughly enjoyed it!” – Dennis Degenhardt, president, Society of American Baseball Research, Wisconsin chapter

“Sparkling, well-written, comprehensive tale of one of the great baseball success stories of the last 25 years … just dang fun!” – John Kovalic, writer/cartoonist and game designer (Apples to Apples, Munchkin)

“Long before the Savannah Bananas became a household name, the Madison Mallards took a broken-down ballpark in a failed baseball market and started outdrawing virtually every team in the minor leagues. Tom Alesia skillfully describes their story in this entertaining narrative. This book should be a must-read for anyone in sport!” – Mark Cryan, professor of sport management, former minor league general manager, and co-founder of the Coastal Plain League

“Upon first visiting Madison in 2012, I sensed something extraordinary at the Duck Pond. While nothing lasts forever, the Mallards have now thrived for nearly 25 years and just continue to crush it, one summer after another. This book is a remarkable testament to owner Steve Schmitt and his dedicated team throughout the years and should be studied by every minor-and summer-league executive in North America. The Mallards’ success story is filled with resilience, creativity, and community spirit.”— Rob Neyer, Commissioner, West Coast League

The Madison Mallards are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Entering its’ 32nd season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 24 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, nearly 2400 NWL alums have been drafted and over 380 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TOR), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove, two-time Silver Slugger winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network.  Learn more and find complete streaming schedules at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit www.mallardsbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Mallards as your favorite team.