When the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled their minor league affiliate out of Green Bay following the 1960 season, not many folks noticed, as attendance at Joannes Stadium had steadily been declining.
Known as more of a football town, Green Bay went a full decade without baseball, but in 1970, a collection of individuals set out to change that, when a group known as Bay Baseball, Ltd. launched an initiative to bring baseball back to Joannes.
Led by President Dick White, Vice Presidents Al Maes and Jim Wigman, General Manager Bill Weatherwax, and Manager Denny Ruh, the team received a sponsorship from a local Pabst Distributor – Bur Wholesale Beverage Company – and proceeded to name their ballclub after their biggest donor, leading to the birth of the Green Bay Blue Ribbons.
The Blue Ribbons joined the new Wisconsin State League, along with the Sheboygan A’s, Menasha Macs, Racine Redbirds, Horicon Hurricanes and Madison Anchor Savings, embarking on their inaugural season, that featured a 26-game schedule, including 13 home games at Joannes.
Playing Wednesday and Saturday evenings, and Sunday afternoons, the Ribbons initial crew featured an impressive roster of former professional players that included outfielder Jim DeWaal (Twins), infielders Dick Zeratsky (Reds) and Jim VandeWettering (Indians), catcher Lee Neumeier (White Sox) and pitcher Steve Wilmet (Dodgers).
They also had a core of talented young players to work with as well, including Denmark High School catcher Nic Metz, and University of Wisconsin left-hander Lon Galli, who would both go on to be drafted by the Minnesota Twins.
The new squad was already generating a buzz around town before they even stepped on the field, and over 1000 fans showed up for the team’s home opener.
The Ribbons proved to be well-worth the price of admission wherever they went, going on the road to start the year with an impressive 10-4 win, as they proceeded to rip off 13 straight victories to begin their season, and while there were no free hamburgers from George Webb, fans in the Green Bay area were growing more and more excited to see the local nine in action.
The team cruised to their first ever Wisconsin State League Championship, and despite staff ace, Wilmet, being ruled ineligible for the state tournament due to his contract with the Dodgers, and Galli being sidelined by injury, the Ribbons still came out victorious there as well.
Steve Toshner, a hurler from UW-Oshkosh, stepped up in a big way, taking the ball in both games of a Championship Sunday doubleheader, going the distance in each, hurling 18 innings in one day in wins over the West Allis Highway Beers and the Beloit Blues.
Their State Championship sent the Ribbons to the American Baseball Congress Regional Tournament in Illinois over Labor Day Weekend, but with a depleted pitching staff and lengthy rain delays that made for some miserable playing conditions, the Ribbons dropped both games, ultimately ending their first season.
Green Bay finished their inaugural campaign with a stellar 27-9 record.
Wilmet was named the Wisconsin State League’s Most Valuable Player after posting an ERA of 0.69, while VandeWettering was selected as the Ribbons Player of the Year, and outfielder Roger Gerrits became the only player to hit safely in every State League game.
The Blue Ribbons first season was a resounding success and would prove to be a sign of things to come, as the team went on to claim 13 Wisconsin State League titles throughout the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, with hopes of more to come in the future.
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