Mike's 2nd Post - A boy named "Doug"

Well everyone, it seems my time has come to post again so I hope you’re ready for the second installment of the “Life and Times of Mike Then in the Northwoods League.” When I last posted I gave a little bit of insight to my first year as an intern in the Mankato MoonDogs office. Today, I will fast forward to the summer of 2005 and “The Story of a Boy Named Doug.”

I would like to preface this story with a little more insight into a NWL office. Due to the close proximity that we all work in, and the amount of time spent together, there is quite a bit of good-natured mocking and ridiculing that happens on a daily basis. People take it and dish it right back. It’s just the nature of the business. With that being said, I’ll continue with the story.

As the spring of 2005 rolled on, it was only my second season as an Assistant GM and Kyle and I decided we needed to widen our scope of potential intern candidates and started interviewing several from around Minnesota and Wisconsin. One candidate, from Waunakee, took the time to drive to Mankato for a lunch interview as he was that serious about getting a job in the NWL. He had also toyed with the idea of trying to work for the Mallards, as it was basically in his backyard, but after several phone conversations, one of which happened while he was on spring break in Florida, we convinced him a summer in Mankato would be a great opportunity for a career in baseball. So as soon as school was complete he packed up his car and made the trek to Kato for a summer none of us will ever forget.

Typically, every season teams in the league hire various interns for different specific tasks. Because “Doug” was a baseball fanatic and had worked in the athletic department at his school where he had written stories etc., we gave him the task of writing post-game recaps, updating the website, and sending out email blasts along with his other daily tasks. He was a great kid, who was willing to put in extra hours and do whatever it took to help out the team. “Doug” was a true team-player and was someone who obviously really wanted a job in baseball.

One night after a game “Doug” returned to the office to take care of his post-game duties. That season, we had a catcher from Elon University playing for us by the name of Drew Davis. Drew had had a great night for us and was the central topic of that night’s recap. However, being a complete Milwaukee Brewers homer, “Doug” referred to Drew throughout the story as Doug Davis (a former Brewers pitcher). The next morning as we all began to read the story online, the mistake was clear as day, and “Doug” was embarrassed. Then the email came in…it was from Drew’s mother. Now, I don’t have the exact quote but I believe it was something along the lines of “we appreciate the great write-up about our son; however his name is DREW, not Doug. Can you please make that change?” From that day forward, “Doug” became our intern’s official name. When we would introduce him to people, it was always this is “Douglas our media relations intern,” other mistakes were affectionately referred to as a “Dougie” in our office and to this day I still have his phone number saved as Douglas.

As the summer continued, Doug and I actually became very good friends and went on to have quite a few more memorable moments. At the end of his internship he even stayed in Mankato for several weeks looking for a job in baseball. Later, at an career fair put on by the Minnesota Twins, we found him a job working for the Frisco RoughRiders, (Class AA affiliate of the Texas Rangers) and he has been there ever since.

I have gone to visit him several times and he has traveled back to visit me. I have spent Holidays with his family and I recently attended a CD release party for his younger brother. All of this because of one summer in the Northwoods League.

One of the reasons I told this story is because we are currently searching for our 2009 interns here and want to let everyone know, that yes there are long days and trials and tribulations that go along with the job, but there is also tremendous opportunity to further your career in sports and make life-long friendships.

Oh, and Douglas, since I know you are reading this…….“MAN DOWN!”

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!