LARCHWOOD, I.A. (KELO) — The historic Larchwood Diamonds amateur baseball team has found new and interesting ways to improve their fans’ experience.
Baseball has had a long and storied tradition in Larchwood, with some of the first games being traced all the way back to 1894.
“It’s always been a mainstay in Larchwood, this little northwest Iowa town. And what we do now is try to promote it and keep it alive and well here in Larchwood,” Larchwood Baseball Club treasurer Shane Reinke said.
To enhance the experience, the Diamonds started doing in-game promotions. Sunday, they had trivia questions and celebrated their little leaguers.
“Back in 2015, we started doing promotions here at the Ballpark in Larchwood. Basically, just went around to some businesses and said, ‘Hey, would you be willing to donate like four prizes, we’ll do trivia, we’ll do bingo,’ so it just kind of got started in 2015, and here eight seasons later, we’re continuing it, and it just keeps going stronger and stronger.” said Reinke.
“That’s what makes it a lot of fun. You’re watching a baseball game, and enjoying the game, enjoying watching the kids play, but then, in between innings, having a little bit of fun with trivia and those kinds of things,” Larchwood fan Steve Michael said.
But, what makes game days special for Shane Reinke is that he gets to do everything in a press box named after a Larchwood icon, former announcer Dennis “Stork” Selken.
“Dennis passed away from cancer, and then we just named the Stork’s Nest in memory of him, and the legend just continues,” Reinke said.
For Diamonds fans, getting to watch their team play means everything.
“To be able to have the Diamonds and have an adult league for these guys, it means a lot, and it just speaks highly to the heritage of this sport,” Michael said.
If you would like to attend a Diamonds game this year, view their schedule at this link.