Opinion: Longtime former coach concerned about Glacier Twins and Memorial Field
This question needs to be asked because the people of Whitefish deserve an answer. What municipality, city, park board and city attorney in their right mind would have a contract with a single entity, "Glacier Twins Baseball Inc.," that gives them sole control of one of our city parks, Memorial Field, paid for by the taxpayers of Whitefish?
This contract is for 25 years, 2002 to 2028. with the option of renewal for two more 15-year terms. That would give ownership of Memorial Field to the Twins for a period of 55 years. The agreement also allows the lessor Twins to sublet the facilities to whomever and for whatever at the amount of compensation arbitrarily deemed appropriate.
The only reasonable conclusion and logical explanation for signing such an agreement would have to be that the city and the Whitefish School District felt and expected the Glacier Twins would continue, like in the past, to operate in good faith and the sharing of Memorial Field would continue as usual.
Obviously, the city and the school district at the time either didn't care or were not paying attention to the small print and got Bamboozled. The Glacier Twins will probably tell you that they spend countless dollars on capital improvements and maintenance annually. In fact, they list such projects on their annual report.
The Twins 2024-25 projected expenses are $138,485. They list grass turf and infield mowing for $65,000. What do they think they are mowing, Yankee Stadium? What ever happened to the coaches and players doing such maintenance?
The Twins will tell you they need and have a right to protect their investment in time, labor and money. Thus, the reason for locking up the field. Well, let's get the story straight. Back in the early eighties with the help of Dick Collins, the superintendent at the Whitefish Lake Golf Course, and his equipment, we put in the drain tile, new infield sod, infield dirt, sprinkler system, chain link fence, outfield fence, new dugouts, worked on the concession stand and bathrooms, new lights, batting cages, beer garden and scoreboard. So, when these people tell you they built this field they are lying. The infrastructure was already there. They built a generic set of bleachers, telling the public that the said bleachers would have dressing rooms, umpire rooms, equipment room, you know, all the bells and whistles. It never materialized, but they raised money on such a plan. The city tore down a one-of-a-kind, iconic set of bleachers without good reason, but that argument is for another time.
For years before this agreement was signed the city, Glacier Twins and the Whitefish School District shared in the maintenance, upkeep and capital investments. For the 20 years I was involved as the head coach of the Twins it worked perfectly. When baseball season was over in August the school district would take over and prepare the field for football. No problem, there was complete cooperation between the parties involved.
After this contract was signed the people in charge of the Glacier Twins saw Memorial Field as a money-making enterprise. They began to charge the school district $7,000 per year for football games and minimal practice time. When baseball was sanctioned as a high school sport by the MHSA instead of looking at this as a positive and an opportunity to recruit more players, they took the adversarial position. Instead of charging a minimal fee for upkeep and maintenance, they decided to charge WHS baseball, a self-funded, brand-new program, $6,000 for games with all sorts of ridiculous stipulations. This year the going price is $8,000 with no practice time on the field, forcing the Bulldogs to play at Smith Fields. Come to find out this summer they will allow an adult league to play 22 games, more than double the number that WHS asked for, only charging them $6,000. Proving that they think the school district has deep pockets of taxpayer monies. We just passed a $6 million-dollar bond to build new track and football facilities; you can partially thank the Glacier Twins program for your property tax increase.
If that wasn't bad enough the city gave the go ahead to place a cell tower on Memorial Field, a city park that belongs to "We the People." From the beginning, I guess because the Twins brought the idea to the city, they receive all the revenues from the tower. The city re-negotiated the agreement and now receives 22%, the Twins 78%. This year the Twins will receive from Verizon $20,782 with this amount increasing by 4% annually. No money for other baseball programs in our community, none for the High School, Babe Ruth or Little League. Whatever happened to helping and developing our feeder programs? For years we held baseball camps and did clinics for Little League and Babe Ruth players and coaches. Isn't that where your future players are going to come from? The Twins must be too busy mowing that precious lawn.
This program boasts that they run a $200,000 budget. In the 20 years I coached we played in the highest classification AA successfully against the largest schools, necessitating us to travel long distances and stay in motels and feed our athletes, using only the best equipment available for not a penny of cost to our players.
The Twins of today charge each player $1,600 to play, $300 of it has to be paid up front, non-refundable with the opportunity to work off the remainder by June. Participating in a winter workout is another $200. This is pay to play at its finest. The Twins of old never ran a budget larger than $50,000. Real inflation?
The Glacier Twins need to look in the mirror before it’s too late. They have become toxic, and kids don’t want to come out. Last year they had a total of 11 players with only one Whitefish kid participating. Instead, they place blame on the summer programs and travel teams that have sprouted up to fill the voids.
By making some changes such as leadership at the top, going out and working with your feeder programs, going into the schools and recruiting your players, cooperating with your high school and Babe Ruth coaches, quit charging players ridiculous fee to play, I know they will be excited to give back. Act like you really care about youth baseball in our communities. Lastly, quit charging people for the use of Memorial Field: it is a city park, and you don’t own it. Quit acting like it’s your private playground.
People like Cecil Caferro and Vince Caciari, members of Legion Post 108, along with Eddie Gallo, Jack Zerr, LeRoy Brown - the legacy of baseball in this community – are rolling over in their graves watching what has become of their beloved Twins and lack of access to Memorial Field.
The trajectory of this program can be changed. Put away your petty grievances and do what’s best for the kids. This is a program that needs saving. It pains me to see its deterioration.
Sincerely, and for better baseball,
Julio M. Delgado
Whitefish