The Richmond Roosters joined the Frontier League in 1995.[2] Richmond won back-to-back Frontier League championships in 2001 and 2002.[3][4][5][6] The Richmond ownership selected to sell the franchise at the conclusion of the 2005 season.[7][8]
Traverse City Beach Bums
The Beach Bums were Traverse City's first professional baseball team since 1914. Predecessors included the semi-professional Traverse City Hustlers of the 1890s, and the Class D minor league Traverse City Resorters (1910-1914).[9] Following the 2004 season, the Frontier League granted a franchise for Traverse City, however the league was not sure whether to consider the team for expansion or relocation. Then, in 2005, the Richmond Roosters were purchased and the franchise moved to Traverse City.[10]
Wuerfel Park, 2010
The move and a slow start in Traverse City led to a 7-year franchise absence from post-season play. The Beach Bums advanced to the 2010 Frontier League championship, dropping the series 3-1 to the River City Rascals. Enrique Lechuga (10-3, 2.88 ERA), closer Scott Mueller (4-4, 2.04 ERA, 14 saves), and Chase Burch (.299 BA, 19 HR, 88 RBI) paced Traverse City.[11] The team then established consistency with players such 2012 Frontier League MVP Jose Vargas (.290 BA, 29 HR, 100 RBI) but lost in the division series in 2012 and 2013. The Beach Bums added to the franchise championship history in 2015, advancing from a play-in game to take the title in a best of five series sweep, defeating the River City Rascals 3-0.[12][13] The 2015 Bums were led by pitchers Ian MacDougall (10-6, 2.51 ERA), Kramer Champlin (10-6, 2.05 ERA) and Andrew Brockett (3-0, 1.54 ERA, 21 saves), along with 3B Jose Vargas (.314 BA, 10 HR, 51 RBI) and OF Brandon Jacobs (.320 BA, 17 HR, 54 RBI).[14]
Declining attendance led to the team being sold at the conclusion of the 2018 season to owners of the Midwest LeagueWest Michigan Whitecaps. The franchise left the Frontier League to join the summer collegiate baseball Northwoods League, and the team's name was changed to the Traverse City Pit Spitters.[15][16] The stadium was renamed to Turtle Creek Stadium after the sale.[17] The franchise's final Frontier League professional game was an 8-5 win over the Windy City ThunderBolts, played at Wuerfel Park on September 2, 2018, before 2,864 spectators.[18]
The team is represented in the Frontier League Hall of Fame by pitcher Scott Dunn and first baseman Chase Burch.[19][20]
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