Fond du Lac Dock Spiders

The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders are a baseball team that plays in the Northwoods League (a collegiate summer baseball league). Based in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, the Dock Spiders play their home games at Herr-Baker Field on the campus of Marian University. The Dock Spiders won the 2018 Northwoods League Championship and 2020 Northwoods League Wisconsin-Illinois Pod Championship.

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Information
LeagueNorthwoods League (Great Lakes West 2019–present)
(South Division 2017–2018)
LocationFond du Lac, Wisconsin
BallparkHerr-Baker Field
Year founded2016
League championships1 (2018)
Division championships2 (2018, 2020)
ColorsNavy Blue, Lake Blue, Tan
OwnershipThird Base Ventures[1]
ManagementRyan Moede
ManagerChuck Thielmann
Websitedockspiders.com

History

On August 15, 2016, it was announced that the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Class A Midwest League affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers) had partnered with Marian University to bring the 20th Northwoods League team to Fond du Lac. The on-campus Herr-Baker Field underwent renovations to accommodate the team.[2]

A name-the-team contest was held, with the five finalists being Barn Owls, Dock Spiders, Lake Flies, Pipsqueaks and Shantymen. On November 21, the Dock Spiders name, logo and colors were officially announced.[3][4] The team appeared in Sports Illustrated as the best attention-grabbing new baseball club name for 2017.[5] The team logo was designed by San Diego marketing firm Brandiose.[6]

In 2017, the team's inaugural season, the Dock Spiders went 38-34 (.528).[7] After posting a 16-20 record in the first half, the Dock Spiders went 22-14 in the second half to finish 3 games out of 1st place. The overall record put the Dock Spiders in a tie for the final playoff spot in the South Division; however, the Dock Spiders missed on a 3-way tiebreak with the Lakeshore Chinooks (who made the playoffs) and the Madison Mallards.[8] In 2018, the Dock Spiders compiled a 39-31 overall record (.557) to take the final playoff spot in the South Division, with split-half records of 21-13 and 18-18. In the playoffs, the Dock Spiders won road games over the Madison Mallards 17-5 [9] and the Kalamazoo Growlers 3-1 [10] to win the South Division title and advance to the championship series against the Duluth Huskies. Fond du Lac won the opening game of the best-of-3 series 3-0 at home,[11] then lost at Duluth 8-1 [12] before winning the deciding game 4-3 [13] to clinch the team's first Northwoods League title in the franchise's second season of play. In 2019, the Dock Spiders went 36-35. During the 2020 COVID-19 shortened season, the Dock Spiders claimed the Northwoods League Wisconsin-Illinois Pod Championship. They defeated the La Crosse Loggers 14-3.

Following the 2020 season, team owners Appleton Baseball Club, Inc, sold the team to Third Base Ventures, LLC, a group consisting of principal owner Craig Dickman and minority owners team president Rob Zerjav and Brad Raaths.[1]

Dock Spiders in professional baseball
Name Highest Level Team Professional Organization Years with Dock Spiders
Nick Fortes Jupiter Hammerheads Miami Marlins (A Advanced) 2017
Luke Mangieri West Virginia Power Pittsburgh Pirates (A) 2017
Mike Pascoe Lansing Lugnuts Toronto Blue Jays (A) 2017
K. V. Edwards Hudson Valley Renegades Tampa Bay Rays (A Short-Season) 2017
Alex Erro Lowell Spinners Boston Red Sox (A Short-Season) 2018
Mitch Ragan Brooklyn Cyclones New York Mets (A Short-Season) 2018
Brandon Wulff Ogden Raptors Los Angeles Dodgers (Rookie) 2017
Jacob Kostyshock Grand Junction Rockies Colorado Rockies (Rookie) 2017-18
Jacob Voss Orem Owlz Los Angeles Angels (Rookie) 2018
Chris Cornelius Gulf Coast League Phillies West Philadelphia Phillies (Rookie) 2017
Zac Taylor Arizona League Cubs 1 Chicago Cubs (Rookie) 2018
Cole Zabowski Gulf Coast League Tigers West Detroit Tigers (Rookie) 2018
Zach Bryant Arizona League Cubs 2 Chicago Cubs (Rookie) 2017-18

Year-by-year records
SeasonManagerOverall RecordSplit Season RecordsPlayoffs
2017Zac Charbonneau38-34 (.528)1st Half: 16-20 (.444)

2nd Half: 22-14 (.611)

 Did not make playoffs
2018Zac Charbonneau39-31 (.557)1st Half: 21-13 (.618)

2nd Half: 18-18 (.500)

 Defeated Madison 15-7

Defeated Kalamazoo 3-1

Defeated Duluth 3-0, 1-8, 4-3

Northwoods League Champions

2019Zac Charbonneau36-35 (.507)1st Half: 14-22 (.388)

2nd Half: 22-13 (.628)

 Did not make playoffs
2020Zac Charbonneau31-17 (.645)COVID-19 Season Defeated Green Bay 9-4

Defeated La Crosse 14-3

Northwoods League WI-IL Pod Champions

Total4 seasons144-117 (.551)1st Half: 51-55 (.481)

2nd Half: 62-45 (.579)

 Total Playoffs: 6 games won, 1 game lost

Total Series: 5 series won, 0 series lost

2 Championships

References
  1. Mehring, Chris. "Third Base Ventures Purchases Appleton Baseball Club, Inc". Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  2. "New Northwoods League Team for Fond du Lac". Northwoods League. 15 August 2016.
  3. Zukowski, Madeline; Kern, Taima (21 November 2016). "Fond du Lac baseball team receives a name". The Reporter.
  4. "Fond du Lac Baseball Chooses Dock Spiders for Nickname". Northwoods League. 21 November 2016.
  5. "Extra Mustard: How Lo Can They Go". Sports Illustrated. 125: 20. 5 December 2016.
  6. Editors, Ballpark Digest (2016-11-21). "New for 2017: Fond du Lac Dock Spiders". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved 2016-12-10.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  7. "Northwoods League - Get Ready for the Show!". Northwoods League.
  8. "Northwoods League Playoffs Begin Tonight". Northwoods League. 14 August 2017.
  9. "Northwoods League - Get Ready for the Show!". Northwoods League.
  10. "Northwoods League - Get Ready for the Show!". Northwoods League.
  11. "Northwoods League - Get Ready for the Show!". Northwoods League.
  12. "Northwoods League - Get Ready for the Show!". Northwoods League.
  13. "Northwoods League - Get Ready for the Show!". Northwoods League.
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