Hall of Fame for Scholten('s Cap), More Hometown Heroes: 10 Things to Know in the American Assoc

MOORHEAD, Minn. - Aug. 8, 2024 - PRLog -- The American Association of Professional Baseball (@AA_Baseball) season enters the playoff push with pennant races staying tight as the teams play their final 25 games or so of the regular season. All AAPB games are available for free live viewing at aabaseball.tv (https://www.aabaseball.tv/).

Here are 10 (or so) Things to Know:

• J.D. Scholten (Sioux City, Iowa) has been the talk of the baseball world over the past month, and now the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has taken notice (https://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/sioux-city-explorers-bus-fire-hat-hall-of-fame-baseball-cooperstown/article_e8443bf4-536d-11ef-857a-87ee5ffbb9c0.html).
• Of course, Scholten couldn't use the cap anymore anyway, as it was one of the casualties of a bus fire (https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/40710042/sioux-city-explorers-bus-catches-fire-iowa-hurt) that made the X's national and even international news (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ap-resc...).
• Sioux City Explorers infielder John Nogowski (Tallahassee, Fla.) and Kane County Cougars starter Greg Mahle (Glendale, Ariz.) won the AAPB's Rawlings batter and pitcher of the month for July
• Pitching is in the Mahle blood, as Greg and his brother Tyler both took to the mound for their respective teams on Tuesday, both pitching well in losing causes. Tyler made his Texas Rangers debut, (https://www.si.com/mlb/rangers/news/felt-like-i-never-lef...) allowing just one run over five innings vs. Houston
• The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks' Sam Dexter earned some notice back home in Maine, where the Oakland native and University of Southern Maine graduate was featured in the Portland Press Herald (https://www.pressherald.com/2024/08/06/you-just-never-know-in-this-game-pro-baseball-takes-maine-native-across-north-america/), giving insight into life as a professional baseball player from the Pine Tree State.
• Fargo-Moorhead exemplifies the AAPB fan experience at Newman Outdoor Field, and on-field entertainment is a big part of the fun. It became a family affair when the RedHawks signed infielder and local product Michael Hallquist (https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/fargo-north-grad-michael-hallquist-hits-first-pro-homer-in-loss/n-6131394)
• The AAPB Alumni club doesn't just include players, executives, and broadcasters. Internships with league teams are valuable gateways into the business world, with the latest case in point being Alyssa Brooks, named sports reporter at the Hometown News Group (https://www.hngnews.com/waunakee_tribune/hometown-news-announces-new-sports-reporter/article_a6590cf6-5363-11ef-8e1d-ff7a451d4ecb.html)
• Lake Country had another graduate of sorts, as Jon Duplantier (Katy, Texas) has signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization (https://x.com/DockHounds/status/1820660639653654784), becoming the fourth DockHound to sign with an MLB org this season
• AAPB secured another key partner as HotelPlanner this week became the Official Hotel Booking Partner (https://aabaseball.com/hotelplanner-becomes-official-hotel-booking-partner-of-american-association-of-professional-baseball/) of the league
• KC Parent recommended families make a visit to Legends Field in Kansas City for a Monarchs game as part of its "Soak up the Last days of Summer" feature (https://kcparent.com/summer/soak-up-the-last-days-of-summer/) last week
• Another local kid makes good story unfolds in Kane County, where St. Charles North (Ill.) HS graduate Westin Muir has been a mainstay in the Cougars' rotation, tying for the team high with 15 starts for his hometown team