Muskies Baseball, Inc

In 1978, the Manteno Thorobred baseball team was formed from a group of then current and former Manteno High School players. Coached by Manteno High School coach Don Fletcher, the team competed in the Wil-Kan Thorobred League. In 1979, Vernon LeSage took over as manager. Muskie pitcher Rick LaMore became manager in 1981. In 1983, the Manteno Thorobreds joined the Sullivan and Turnbull semi-pro leagues n the southern suburbs. In 1984 the team was renamed "Muskies". The name was chosen following an article in Sports Illustrated magazine about the Class A Madison Muskies of the Midwest League. From 1983-1994, the Muskies competed in the Sullivan and Turnbull Leagues and each season from 1984 on competed in the American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC) State Tournament. In 1989, the Muskies moved to Momence for one season. In 1990, the Muskies played for the AABC state championship against a team from Chicago Heights. Since 1991, most home games have been played at Beecher's Sippel Memorial Field. In 1994, Fred LeSage who had been on the team's first roster in 1978 took over as manager. In 1995, the Muskies moved to the Northern Illinois Baseball League. In the Muskies shifted leagues again with a move to the Chicago Suburban Baseball League. In 2001, the Muskies won the AABC Illinois State Tournament and advanced to the Battle Creek, MI Regional. The following year, the Muskies advanced to their first World Series by winning the NABF's Memphis, TN Regional. The 2009 team advanced to the championship game of the NABF World Series before falling to Troy, MI Jet Box. Then, in 2010, the team did one better and took the NABF National Championship by defeating West Haven, CT A-Plus Plumbing 10-4 in the World Series title game. Today, the Muskies play 40-50 games each summer and split home games between Beecher's Sippel Memorial Field and Homewood-Flossmoor High School's Field of Dreams.