Federal League Baseball | Minnesota

Meet Ryan Simonson, a true baseball enthusiast who has made a name for himself in the Minnesota baseball community through his unique adventures on Tuesday nights and just recently being a diplomat for international baseball development, Ryno has always been driven by a love of the game and parking lots after the game. In this interview, we'll delve into his journey, from the inspiration behind Town Ball Tuesdays and his efforts to support baseball in Cambodia. With his infectious love for Minnesota's summer game and Four Loko it was about time we spotlight Ryan Simonson.

Most people in the baseball community know you from Town Ball Tuesdays, how did you get that started?

Oddly enough, Town Ball Tuesdays is the product of me just trying to get my buddy Marty out of the house after his divorce. I got him to tag along to a ballgame one weekend and, not being much of a baseball guy, he was surprised to find that he really enjoyed the smaller-scale baseball atmosphere and wanted to see more. As someone who grew up in Michigan I was intrigued by townball, which is a pretty exclusively Minnesotan phenomenon. We started venturing out on Tuesdays because it was his night off of bartending at the time. Before long we had other buddies tagging along and it became a steady weekly event, which led to the social media presence, expanding our adventures across the state, and the bit of niche stardom that’s come from our travels. 

When did you start playing baseball? Any early memories or stories?

I actually started a little later than most kids. I began playing softball in a Cub Scout circuit as a kid in Iowa, then transitioned to baseball after we moved to Michigan in late '87. My folks are from Minnesota, and we were Twins fans, so it was a pretty exciting time. I was a skinny little kid and ended up at the end of the bench on a pretty competitive team my first year. We got into a high-stakes game toward the end of the season and I ended up getting drilled square in the face by one of those early-developing dudes that was a full head taller and threw harder than anyone. He was completely gassed and probably should have been out of the game by that point. These are the days before kids were on pitch counts. They probably figured I was an easy out, and were hoping he could get through the inning. I remember just freezing up and not turning away as an errant fastball smoked me right in the nose. The next thing I knew, I was on my knees in the batter's box looking at home plate, which was covered in blood. I could hear my dad yelling at their coach. Somehow my nose wasn’t broken, but I got a ton of facial swelling and two black eyes out of the deal. You'd think that would have turned me off to baseball, but it just made me want to get better and come back for more. 

Seems like baseball is a big part of your life? What drew you to the sport of baseball?

Being a Twins fan in 1987 was incredibly exciting. Kirby Puckett was everything to me and having them upset the Tigers the year I moved to Michigan and ultimately win the World Series got me hooked. Pretty soon my walls were covered with baseball posters, I was tearing into Topps wax packs on a daily basis, and my glove rarely left my side. Getting to go to games at majestic baseball cathedrals like Wrigley, Tiger Stadium, and old Comiskey as a kid really cemented my fascination with idiosyncrasies of baseball parks, which continues to be one of my favorite elements of the sport. 

   
 

How did you join up with the Chaska Voyageurs?

I began playing fall ball with the Voyageurs after the team I'd been playing with folded. I started playing on Sunday nights with them in the TCMABL the following summer. A handful of us were doing double-duty between the V's and the Chaska Diamonds. When the decision was made to bring the Voyageurs over to the Federal League, we opted to come along.

The work you are doing with the kids in Cambodia is amazing. How did that come about?

My involvement in Cambodian baseball was a really unexpected development that started when I was there over the holidays a couple winters ago. My better half is Cambodian, and we were there for a visit. I wasn't expecting to find any baseball there, but I did a web search out of curiosity and came across a couple news pieces and a documentary film called Rice Field of Dreams covering the unique origins of baseball in Cambodia. While there, I was able to connect with folks involved in baseball, and wanted to do what I could to help. The average household income for families in Cambodia is the equivalent of a couple thousand USD, so access to equipment is obviously a big barrier to participation. Tapping into my Federal League/TCMABL /MBA connections to help support the game over there seemed like something I needed to do.

What can people/teams do to help out?

The generosity and support directed toward this effort has been unbelievable. Frankly, there are people who have reached out with support that have gotten lost in the shuffle because the incoming donations have been so overwhelming at times. Jack Nelson from the Grays works in international shipping and he’s been really generous with jumping in to help me connect with a carrier to handle a larger shipment. We’re getting ready to send two pallets of gear over, which is great because it liberates my storage capacity for more stuff. Quality gloves are really the top need, as donations go, as they are a defensive necessity and are extremely scarce and unaffordable in Cambodia. I’ve sent over all kinds of gear, from training equipment to bases, catcher’s gear, helmets, uniforms, gear bags, etc. Everything will find a home. Cambodian people aren’t very big, though, so while I appreciate the XXL pants, I’m not sure they’ll be of much use there. Financial support is also great, as it’s not cheap to get things to this part of the world. Cash donations are awesome, or we have a GoFundMe set up at https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-growth-of-baseball-in-cambodia. 

What is your thoughts on the current state of the Federal League? Good or bad? How does it compare to the MBA?

Frankly, the pitching has gotten too damn good and it's really taking a toll on ham & eggers like me. On a serious note, though, it's been great to be a part of this league during this period where the overall talent and competition has seen massive improvement while the league has seen huge expansion. I think everybody involved on an organizational level has done a great job navigating all the changes in recent years, and the future of this league is very bright. At this point, it's still a rather regional league, and hasn't had to deal with some of the complications of statewide involvement that MBA tussles with. Obviously, the Fed hasn't gotten to a point where we have to organize by competitive classes like MBA does, outside of the playoff format, which seems to work very well for us. The way we’re going, I’m guessing that regionality and parity eventually become issues the Fed has to tackle.

Best personal moment in baseball?

With the untimely passing of my long-time friend and often nemesis Rickey Griffith last year, right after we lost Ron Cottone, winning the 2019 Hickory Classic when we were still organizing as the Diablos has become a really special memory for me. I’ve played in that tournament almost every September since I became eligible as a 34 year-old, and the Diablos finished in every place from 8th to 1st over the years. Seeing the enormous smile on Rickey’s face as he hoisted that trophy, after so many years clawing our way to the top, is a moment that will always be priceless to me.

Top Five ballparks you've been to in Minnesota?

I get asked this all the time, and I should probably have an answer pre-scripted. Honestly, it could change any given day. Off the top of my head: Delano, Milroy Irish Yard, Johnson Park in New Ulm, Green Isle, and I've got to throw Chaska Athletic in there. But then that leaves out amazing ballparks like Paynesville, Jordan, Atwater, Cold Spring, Hinckley, Arlington, Cannon Falls, Shakopee, Dundas, Belle Plaine, Red Wing, Sacred Heart, Waterville, Watkins, Saint Patrick… I mean, come on… There’s so many incredible ballparks in the state with so many different features, cool locations, unique concession items, etc. There’s also these great places like Quamba, Gibbon, and Hadley that are much more rustic and even DIY than these breathtaking stadium parks, but have such great atmosphere. I’ve had just as much fun slurping on Peanut Butter Porters in Waconia’s beautiful new stadium as I have drinking Grain Belts in a lawn chair at Matt Leritz Field in Midway or chomping on cheese curds in Cologne. This wealth of baseball culture in this state is honestly absurd. 

What do you do when you are away from the baseball field?

I’ve been working as a public educator for the last 20+ years, which is nice because it frees up a lot of time in the summers for my baseball addiction. I also once bought a degree in studio art, so I occasionally find myself getting roped into some illustration/graphic design/painting projects as they arise. I play outdoor broomball in the winters, but the unreliability of the weather the past few years has really put a damper on that season. We got a hot tub last fall, so I spent a lot of time over the winter smoking cigars in there.

Any personal goals you want to achieve with Chaska, Cambodia or baseball in general?

With the Voyagers, I just want to be able to be a contributor on a reasonably competitive team for as long as I can. Winning the A title last summer was a huge thrill for us collectively after a season with  a lot of ups and downs. Obviously we’d like to build on that and make a run at AA and above, but we’re a group that really just loves to take each game as it comes and enjoy our time on the diamond and in the parking lot. I also manage the 18+ Battalion Bats in the TCMABL, which has its origins as the Diablos club from Liga Latina that I played for since the early 2000s. In addition to working to build a serious contender, I’m really enjoying the challenge of learning to be a good manager and master the nuances of the game from that side of the lines.  

The degree to which the Cambodia campaign has taken off has really blown my mind. I’m really excited to keep developing my support capacity there. We’re at the point where it’s time to organize as a legitimate nonprofit organization, as I’ve gotten connected with larger interests that want to collaborate in a way that really needs that tax-exempt status. If I can scale this operation up to a level where I’m providing significant, ongoing material support for Cambodian baseball, that would be amazing. I’d love to get to a point where I could be acquiring land there and building serviceable ballparks around the country. Eventually, it’s pretty likely that I’ll find myself coaching there in some capacity. The whole effort has really taken on a life of its own and I’m excited to see where it goes. Aside from my own campaign, I’ve also now gotten involved with the director of Rice Field of Dreams, who is in the early stages of creating a follow-up documentary, so I’m really stoked to see that project unfold. 

How long do you plan to Tuesday and how long do you plan on playing ball?

Man, Town Ball Tuesday has kind of become my alter ego, so I think I'm kind of tied to that for life, or at least until people finally get tired of my shtick. As far as playing ball is concerned, I don't have any plans to stop. Next year I actually become eligible to be one of the 48-year-old exemptions, in the 50+ league and I’ll go up and play some with a few of my buddies that have moved up from 35+ ball, which I'm really looking forward to. In another decade, I can limp my way into the 60+ league, and keep dragging my aching bones in and out of dugouts until I finally drop dead in the middle of a game. My end of life plan to just kind of be buried where I fall, hopefully after making a game-ending catch.