Battle Creek's 'baseball lifers' know the importance of the NABF World Series

Do you remember the Stan Musial World Series?

Did you watch games at Post Park?

How about the decades when 18-20 adult baseball teams in this town were all fighting for a spot to play in the World Series hosted by Battle Creek.

Jack McCulley remembers those times — he's a lifer when it comes baseball in Battle Creek.

And he, along with those like him, would love to see a Battle Creek team make a run and have a historical summer as the 108th NABF World Series takes over Bailey Park this week.

"With the AABC and the Musial here for 50-some years and now the NABF, the World Series is the pinnacle of amateur baseball here in Battle Creek," said McCulley, who has been involved in adult amateur baseball in Battle Creek for almost 40 years. "It's always a special time and a special tournament and to get to play or coach in it, is special because of the historical impact amateur baseball has had on Battle Creek."

McCulley is the manager of the Battle Creek Merchants, who are the current city champs and will serve as the host team for the 108th NABF Charlie Blackburn Major Division World Series, set for Wednesday-Sunday at Bailey Park.

The Battle Creek Merchants will be involved in the highlighted game on opening night in a 7:15 p.m. game on Wednesday at MCCU Field at C.O. Brown Stadium. The tournament will start earlier in the day with a game between the Hattiesburg (Mississippi) Black Sox and the regional winner from the Fort Wayne (Indiana) area.

McCulley and many of the volunteers surrounding the tournament know what baseball has meant to Battle Creek over the years.

"I remember watching games at Post Park and sitting in the stands all day at Bailey Park for games back in the day," McCulley said. "That's what I grew up doing, some day dreaming of being part of a team that would be playing in a World Series or maybe win the tournament. I played on some of those teams back then, when we had eight teams in the A Division and eight or nine in the B Division, and all of those teams with a dream to get to the World Series.

"It's an honor for myself, and I know it's an honor for my guys, to be representing Battle Creek in this year's tournament."

Not every one of his players have that kind of historical knowledge of the importance of the World Series in Battle Creek. But there are enough on the team to spread the word of how special this week is. Veteran players on the Merchants, including Cam Bortell, Beau Langs, Reggie Walters and Casey Bess, all are 'lifers' themselves when it comes to amateur baseball at Bailey Park. They grew up seeing a World Series come to town every summer and have played in some of those games themselves in past years.

"They let the guys know what it's like to be in the World Series," McCulley said. "Those guys have been around long enough. Some of them may have been kids when the Stan Musial World Series was here, and some have been on our teams in the past that have made it this far. So they know what it would mean to win some games this week."

With those key veterans, the Merchants defended their City Major Division championship by beating the Battle Creek Shamrocks in the city tournament last week to get the automatic berth in the NABF event.

"We have a good mix of players," Bortell said. "Every year is a new group, some new chemistry. We have some older guys, and some new guys as we go into the tournament. I was talking to some of the younger guys about how many years I have been at this. I think I am in year 15 and it's always an awesome experience to get a chance to play in the World Series."

The Merchants won their first game of the NABF World Series last year but failed to get out pool play.

"We would like to get further than we did the past two or three times we have been there," McCulley said.

That is the big goal for the Merchants and all followers of Battle Creek baseball. The last Battle Creek team to win a World Series in town was the 1986 Ferrari's squad.

"I hate to use the word, but I would say it's long overdue for a Battle Creek team to make another run," said NABF World Series Tournament Director Terry Newton, who was the manager of that 1986 Ferrari's Stan Musial World Series championship team. "We have had some teams get close in the '90s and the early 2000s, but as of now, 1986 seems like a long time ago."

Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter:@billbroderick.

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek's 'baseball lifers' know importance of NABF World Series