BLUE RIBBONS THANKFUL TO HAVE LONG TIME SHORTSTOP AVAILABLE
By: Nick Witwer | witnica2016@yahoo.com
Green Bay native, and long time Blue Ribbon, Griffin Summers first got into baseball by playing catch right outside of East High while growing up. Summers quickly grew a fixation with the sport going as far to say he would ask to go out and practice “every couple hours.” After spending most of his summers growing up seeing teams play at Joannes like the Billie Goats and Bullfrogs, a talk right out of high school with legendary manager, Denny Ruh, was all it took to bring Griffin to the Blue Ribbons.
2018 was Summers first season with the Blue Ribbons, then known as the De Pere Dodgers. In that first season, he played in 33 games, pitched in 11 more, and batted .270 with 25 runs batted in while also leading the team in walks. Summers then became a staple at shortstop for the Blue Ribbons. By the end of his 5 th season with the team Griffin was, and is, the franchise leader in games played, runs scored, and walks.
When asked what attributes to his success and motivates him to reach base and score, he says, “I just love being able to touch home base. Being able to go and touch all four bases and touch home then get those high fives from your dudes is just one of the best feelings.” Summers adds, “Overall, I just love to win and baseball is the opposite of a personal game so if you get on base, it gives your teammates a chance to follow and the more you get on the base, the more it helps the team win.”
With goals of trying to take the franchise lead in career hits and stolen bases, a year six appearance from summers came into question as bad news was given to the Blue Ribbons over the past offseason. Summers was involved in a pretty serious car crash that left his availability for 2023 unknown with him even saying he was convinced he would never play baseball again. He says it took a lot of toughness for him to keep pushing on given the circumstances. “Obviously there was a physical toll, but it was
more mental especially after the surgery. I had metal and plates and screws and all but’s it’s more metal because you’re scared to go 100% right away, but once I felt that I could play, there was no way I could’ve never not been on a baseball field.”
Before being officially cleared to play again, Summers says he did think a lot about transitioning into coaching. “Coaching this year was a pretty high percentage chance. I would’ve been on the coaching staff but once I heard the ‘you’re clear’ I had to text skip and say sorry but your shortstops back.”
And back Summers has been! At the halfway point of a season he was convinced he wouldn’t be able to play, he’s back to his usual self. The everyday shortstop currently sits 3rd on the team in steals, 2nd on the team in walks, and tied for third in runs scored. Summers will have 23 regular season games left on the 2023 season to attempt to get 19 more hits to become the Blue Ribbons all-time hit leader.
The second half of the season starts Thursday night in Sheboygan before a weekend in Lombard. Summers and the Blue Ribbons will return home to Joannes on Tuesday, July 11, with first pitch scheduled for 7:30 p.m.