By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The Great Bend Bat Cat baseball season is scheduled to begin June 2, but the baseball team is already a big winner. The group 100+ People Who Care Barton County hands out at least $10,000 to a non-profit each quarter. At its May meeting, the group selected the Bat Cats as this quarter's recipient. Roger Ward, general manager of the team, said it was an honor to be recognized.
"I'll be the first one to admit, I cried," he said. "It's been a tough go, just like for anyone else. Speaking for myself, getting this thing going from scratch, and clawing every year trying to make it right and make it the best for everybody, our players that come into town, our fans."
The 100+ People nominate potential winners for the next quarter's award. Last quarter, the Bat Cats were nominated alongside the Ellinwood Hospital Foundation and Barton Arts Movement. The organizations are then invited to present before the group about how the funds would be used.
"We're going to put all into the facility," Ward said. "As you know, we've done a lot of upgrades there but we're going to continue that and make it good for the players. The fan experience is going to be much better. We're just going to keep on climbing."
Bat Cat players begin reporting to town on Thursday. Ward said several players are still looking for local hosts.