President of minor league baseball team discusses new affiliation

 

Previously affiliated with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the minor league baseball team playing out of Four Winds Field in South Bend has announced a new affiliation with the Chicago Cubs starting in the 2015 season.  Andrew Berlin, sole owner of the team, made the announcement official on September 25 at a press conference held in the St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce.  Along with the new affiliation the team has changed names from South Bend Silver Hawks to South Bend Cubs.

“This is an exciting time for South Bend,” Joe Hart, president of the South Bend Cubs, told the Rover in an interview.  “After 20 years with the Diamondbacks it is tremendous to get a regional team as an affiliate.  This says a lot about our community and organization that the Cubs chose us to house some of their players,” Hart continued.

South Bend has been home to a minor league baseball team since 1988 when Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium was completed.  The South Bend Silver Hawks have been affiliated with the Arizona Diamondbacks since 1996.  In 2005, there were rumors that the Silver Hawks would be purchased by an out of town owner and relocated.

Joe Kernan, former Mayor of South Bend and Governor of Indiana, bought the team and announced that the Hawks would stay.  In 2011, the team was purchased by Andrew Berlin, who signed a 20-year lease with the City of South Bend to keep the team in the stadium.  The Chicago Cubs have signed a 4-year commitment to the affiliation with South Bend, beginning with the 2015 season.

“The fact that they chose a 4-year commitment is a firm statement that they believe in our organization and community as a whole,” Hart noted.  “We are approaching this as a life-long relationship. The end goal is that the Cubs make it to the World Series and it would be nice if South Bend can have a little part in history as maybe helping them to accomplish their goal.”

The Chicago Cubs have a top-ranked farm system, which means that South Bend will get to see some of the “best talent in all baseball come through as these kids make their way to the Major Leagues,” Hart noted.

The area has a large amount of Chicago fans, who will now be able to see future Cubs come through the region.  “And when one of the Major League players is injured he might come back to play in South Bend while doing rehab stints, which was not possible with the Diamondbacks because it was so far away,” Hart said.

The roster for the South Bend Cubs will not be released until the last week of March, so the players and coaching staff are unknown at this point.

South Bend’s staff is excited about the Chicago Cubs’ new manager, Joe Maddon.  “I grew up a Cubs fan so I am excited about the hire in general,” Hart mentioned, “but prior to working in South Bend I met Maddon on several occasions and seeing what he did with the Rays am very excited to see him in Chicago.  He is the perfect fit for that organization.”

The minor league team and Four Winds Field are becoming a source of regional attraction and a source of pride for the community.  Berlin has started a new stage of renovations and additions that will update the 27 year old stadium to look like it is less than 8 years old.

Attendance records have rapidly increased from 112,000 total in 2011 to 271,000 fans this past season.

“Our fan base draws from a 70-mile radius, so people are coming here not just from Saint Joseph County,” Hart explained.  “Now with the Cubs affiliation we look for attendance numbers to grow even more in the 2015 season.”

Hart expressed his gratitude to the Notre Dame student body for its support and following.  “When I moved here three years ago, there was a disconnect with Notre Dame students,” he said.  “Over the years we have seen an increased support as students come out more frequently in early April and late August when they are around.  We hope that students can come out and be a part of this new chapter in South Bend Cubs history.”

Thursday, April 9, 2015, is opening day for the 2015 season at Four Winds Field.

 

Alicia Czarnecki is a sophomore environmental engineering with international development studies minor. She thinks rocks are cool. Contact her at alicia.r.czarnecki.4@nd.edu.