If Duane Kunkel had to choose between tickets behind home plate at a Minnesota Twins game and tickets to a St. Cloud River Bats game, the choice would be easy.

"I'd turn down the Twins tickets behind home plate," Kunkel said.

Kunkel and his wife, Donna, are two-year River Bats season-ticket holders. After attending more games in each of the past few years, they purchased season tickets last summer.

"It's always the same fun," Kunkel said.

Their 12-year-old grandson, Austin, joins them at most games. He plays catch with other children and runs down foul balls to give to younger fans, as he already has several baseballs in a River Bats shrine in his bedroom.

Last year, Austin had hoped to throw out the first pitch at a game, but when he finally got his chance, he was without his glove. So River Bats all-star closer Xavier Esquivel loaned his glove to Austin to use as he threw out the first pitch.

"That would never happen (at a major league game)," Kunkel said.

Many fans have found similar joy at Dick Putz and Joe Faber Fields over the last 13 years.

Robert Erickson, who gave the franchise the name River Bats in December 1996, has been a season-ticket holder since the inaugural season.

Naturally, his memory (which has been responsible for a few trivia questions over the years) spans the team's existence.

Erickson said he appreciated greatness as he watched former Most Valuable Bat and current Los Angeles Angel Robb Quinlan play for St. Cloud in 1998.

"You knew this guy was at a different level than the rest of the guys on the field," Erickson said. He wishes Quinlan, his favorite major league player, could find a team that would give him more regular playing time.

While Erickson can recall the River Bats career of current Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Casey McGehee (who was primarily an outfielder in 2001), he had not foreseen McGehee's professional success.

"As much as I knew Robb Quinlan would be a major leaguer, I would have never guessed Casey McGehee would be hitting .300," Erickson said.

Erickson said he felt the most emotion after a game when the Bats won the 1999 North Divisional Series on a Game 3 12th-inning walk-off home run by Josh France.

With a seat in the first row, Erickson said, "I about literally climbed that fence."

One of Erickson's favorite promotions is Turn Back the Clock Night, when the team wears uniforms that replicate those of the minor league St. Cloud Rox, a team that played for over two decades.

The early years of that franchise are still in the memory of Marlene Brennan, a lifelong baseball fan who also went with her family to the 1987 World Series at the Metrodome.

Now Brennan attends River Bats games with her husband, two daughters, and grandson. A season-ticket holder since 1998, she estimates that she has missed just three home games in 12 years.

"It's just fun to watch these young men do whatever they need to do, and to be able to keep up their attitude," Brennan said. "They just seem to be on the go all the time, giving it their best."

Her family has traveled to games in Alexandria, Brainerd, Duluth, and La Crosse, but they usually follow the team in the newspaper while they are on the road. Brennan said she also enjoys hearing the post-game player interviews on the radio.

She says the best part of River Bats games is seeing players and coaches from across the country come together and succeed.

"They're learning the trade," Brennan said. "I just give them credit for coming out and showing their stuff."

That has been enough for over 700,000 fans to come out to the ballpark in the last 13 summers.

--by Marco LaNave

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