MIGLEY FIELD HISTORY
2006: THE FOUNDING
Originally constructed from scrap fencing and some spray-painted plywood, Migley Field's inaugural year gave little indication to what the future held for the ballpark. Largely hosting pick-up wiffleball games, the new park slowly replaced the New Prairie Little League T-Ball Field (The Palace of Bourissa Hills) as the primary spot for wiffleball in New Carlisle. To pick teams, players typically drew numbers in the infield dirt.
Hometown Cup Finals
At the suggestion of Tim Bacon, Sr., the championship game of the 2nd annual Hometown Days tournament was moved to Migley Field in a last-minute decision. A smattering of spectators witnessed the Sultans of Swing defeat The 4 Amigos, 14-3. While the game was rather uncompetitive and unremarkable, it set the stage for Migley to become a focal point of the tournament that would eventually be named The Wiffle®Ball Championship.
Beyond Wiffle®
True to the history of its Major League counterpart, which hosted the Chicago Bears for over 50 years, Migley Field transformed into a gridiron by the fall of 2006. A 40-yard field, running east to west was plotted out. In a revival of an old tradition known as the Snow Football League, the New Carlisle Newts were re-born to face off against the St. Stan's Sloths. The first game took place on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and was dubbed the Christmas in New Carlisle Classic, as it coincided with the town's holiday kickoff celebration. The Newts and Sloths would do battle in what eventually became a best of seven series over the course of the winter, with the Newts prevailing. While the SFL would expand and continue for three more seasons, the Newts franchise also would enter the world of wiffleball.
2007
As the tournament at Hometown Days continued to grow in popularity, Jared Emmons and Koby Keck decided to form the Old Republic Wiffle®Ball League in 2007. The structure of the league was built around the idea of each team having its own home field. Inspired by the SFL franchise, the wiffleball Newts were formed by Keck and Garrett Curless and were set to play at Migley.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 6-3
Home Jerseys: Original Edition
The New Carlisle Newts played their first game at Migley Field on June 3, 2007 against the Lil' Saints. It was also the first game in ORWBL history. The Saints took game one, however New Carlisle bounced back to win the next two games and take the series. On June 12, the first night game was played under temporary lights. The Newts swept Cornhole, punctuated by a walk-off home run by Matt Flagg in the series finale. Pranksters hit Migley Field in July, as Migleyville residents and Cleveland fans Brandon and Tiffiany Hora placed a bedsheet with a spray-painted proclamation of "Jacobs Field, Home of the Indians" over the marquee. Pictures of the stunt appeared in the New Carlisle News. The Newts subsequent postseason futility was often blamed on the Curse of Chief Wahoo.
ORWBL All-Star Game
A throwback to the days of pick-up games over summer vacation, the first ORWBL All-Star Game was held in the afternoon on Friday, June 22. Originally scheduled to be a single six-inning exhibition contest to determine homefield advantage in the ORWBL World Series, the American League challenged the National League to a best-of-three series after the NL took the opener. The NL accepted the challenge but went on to lose the series. Pterodactyls slugger Denis Jedrysek was the star of the afternoon, winning the Home Run Derby and being named All-Star Game MVP.
Hometown Cup Finals
Migley Field became a wiffle destination for the 2007 Hometown Days tournament. The festivities began Friday night with Scott Ebersole defeating Charlie Szilagyi in the finals of the Home Run Derby. On Sunday afternoon, the entire final four was played at Migley. Making their first tournament appearance, the Newts capped an undefeated weekend on their home field by beating the Pink Ponies in the semifinals and the Scrappers in the title game.
Renovations
After its initial construction in 2006, Migley Field has undergone changes and received additions nearly ever year. In 2007, extensions for the foul poles were constructed, complete with Jack Brickhouse's "Hey Hey" and Cubs retired number flags. Box seats, salvaged from an old bowling alley, were installed behind the plate. Homemade ORWBL standings flags were added above the scoreboard. Ivy was planted along the outfield fence, with distance markers also being attached to the wall.
2008
After failing to complete the first season of play, ORWBL returned in 2008 with a set schedule - 24 games exclusively on Sunday afternoons. The league featured old-school pennant races with the best regular season records in each the American and National Leagues meeting in the ORWBL World Series.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 13-2* (1-1 in the postseason)
Home Jersey: Original Edition
The Newts were nearly unbeatable as the home team, with the only blemish on the slate a 26-20 loss to the crosstown rival Pterodactyls. New Carlisle did play a three game series at Migley against 1-2-3 Swat as the visiting squad, winning two of three.* Going 20-4 on the year, the Newts met the undefeated La Porte White Sox in the ORWBL World Series. Despite having home-field advantage, a scheduling adjustment forced New Carlisle to play the first three games on the road. Facing a 3-0 deficit upon their return home, the Newts handed the Sox their first loss of the season in Game 4, but ultimately fell in Game 5.
ORWBL All-Star Game
The National League got their revenge after the 2007 All-Star Game debacle, defeating the American League in a single 9-inning contest, 25-19. Zac Wilson of the Lil' Saints was named the game's Most Valuable Player. In the Home Run Derby, Garrett Curless delighted the hometown fans by bringing home the title.
Hometown Cup Finals
The Newts returned to Migley for the second consecutive year, thanks to a one-run victory over Emery's Army in the Elite Eight. Once home, the bats got hot for New Carlisle, as they roughed up Multiple Scorgasms, 18-6, in the semifinals. Speedy's Chickenheads knocked off the Banana Slugs, setting up a showdown in the finals. In arguably the greatest game ever played, the Newts prevailed 29-28 in seven innings. John Arndt edged out Garrett Curless, 9-8, in the finals of the Friday night Home Run Derby.
Renovations
Minimal changes were made to the ballpark for 2008. Most notably the leftfield bleachers were constructed on the hillside, giving Bleacher Bums two rows of general admission seating. A chalk message board was installed on the backstop. The blue box seats were painted green to more closely match those at Wrigley Field.
2009
ORWBL attempted an audacious scheduling format, adding Wednesday evenings to the slate for a 42-game regular season. Although the Newts continued their success as one of the league's top squads, New Carlisle needed a game 43 tiebreaker to win the Central Division crown over Emery's Army.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 17-4 (2-2 in the postseason)
Home Jerseys: Original Edition until July 11. Night Game Edition after.
New Carlisle opened the season on a 9-game road trip to allow extra time for ballpark renovations to be completed. Night wiffleball returned to the Friendly Confines on Saturday, July 11. While the crosstown 'Dactyls took two of three in an ORWBL World Series preview, the Newts debuted new orange jerseys which would become the home threads for the next three seasons. Bourissa Hills would go on to sweep the Newts in August to win the league title.
ORWBL All-Star Game
The 10-team alignment in 2009 resulted in an abandonment of the AL/NL split in favor of three divisions. The All-Star Game featured a three-team tournament, which was won by the Central Division. Newts reserve Jeff Szczypiorski won Most Valuable Player honors, while Garrett Curless repeated as the Home Run Derby champion.
Hometown Cup Finals
The two-time defending champion Newts fell in a first-round upset to Team Mo on Sunday. The final four featured a third consecutive appearance from Speedy's Chickenheads, who would go on to defeat Nick Arndt's Ballz Deep squad and the 'Dactyls to capture the elusive title.
Renovations
The original chalk-operated scoreboard was torn down and replaced with a much larger and more accurate replica of the Wrigley Field scoreboard. Placed up on the hill in center field, the new board featured number tiles and was equipped to display the line scores of up to six games. Additionally, the outfield signage and distance markers were upgraded, recycling the wood from the old board. The infield surface was also refilled with new dirt, eliminating (temporarily) the lip between dirt and grass.
2010
As the town of New Carlisle celebrated the 175th anniversary of its founding in 2010, Migley Field entered its fifth year of existence.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 13-8 (1-2 in the postseason)
Home Jersey: Night Game Edition
A streaky season saw the Newts open and close with 9-game winning streaks. In between, New Carlisle experienced a 12-game losing skid. The results at home were a mixed bag as well. The Newts dropped two of three to Emery's Army in the second annual night series. The highlight of the year came on July 7, when the Newts put up a Migley Field and franchise record 46 runs against We've Got the Runs in a 46-23 victory.
ORWBL All-Star Game
The American League dominated the All-Star Game, winning 27-15. Denis Jedrysek of the Pterodactyls won his second All-Star Game MVP award. Koby Keck made it a Newts three-peat by winning the Home Run Derby.
Hometown Cup Finals
With the Commissioner set to throw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field ahead of Cubs-Cardinals on Sunday Night Baseball, the Hometown Cup Finals were moved up to an 11:30am start. The tournament ballooned to 36 teams in 2010, with the championship game being a battle of the Schuster brothers. Randy led Where My Pitches At? to a 7-4 victory over Joey and G.O.A.T. On Friday night, Nick Arndt continued the family dynasty in the Home Run Derby with his first Golden Bat.
2011
ORWBL shifted to an "all-in" playoff format in 2011, which benefitted the Newts who not only failed to win their division for the first time in team history, but also finished with their first losing record.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 6-15
Home Jersey: Night Game Edition
After sweeping the La Porte Bombers on Opening Day, the Newts stumbled at Migley the rest of the year. New Carlisle lost eight consecutive home games, including getting swept by the Banana Slugs in the third annual night series. The poor play did not keep the fans from turning out to games, as a then-record crowd of 49 attended the July 17 series against the Wills Township Federalists.
ORWBL All-Star Game
Led by MVP Matt Serge, the American League won their second straight midsummer classic, 10-4. Eric Johnson of Emery's Army snapped the Newts' streak in the Home Run Derby.
Hometown Cup Finals
With the Hometown Cup at the ballpark for the first time, the Ambassadors of Plastic defeated the Krook County Killaz, 10-7, in the title game. Nick Arndt won his second consecutive Home Run Derby title.
2012
The trainwreck continued for the Newts in 2012, as New Carlisle got off to an 0-13 start on their way to a franchise worst 8-34 season.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 5-16
Home Jersey: Script Newts Edition
New Carlisle didn't find a home victory until late June when the Newts took two of three from the crosstown Pterodactyls. The Newts also won two against Emery's Army under the lights for their first night series victory since 2007. Despite the success in rivalry games, New Carlisle won only one other home game all season, a 30-29 victory over the LaPorte Flyers on the last day of the season.
ORWBL All-Star Game
The Cult West factor was in full effect at the All-Star Game, as Jay Ryans led the National League to a 16-14 victory to secure homefield advantage for the Warriors in the ORWBL World Series. Nick Arndt brought his Home Run Derby dominance to ORWBL. Arndt would go on to hit a record 110 dingers on the season.
Hometown Cup Finals
Wiffle veterans Lou Brock dominated the field, defeating the Taco Punchers, 19-5, in the championship game. It ended the Taco Punchers' Cinderella run, which started with Jared Emmons and Denis Jedrysek picking up Cody Jackson and Kyle Johnson prior to pool play after their original team did not show up. Jedrysek hit one of the most memorable home runs in Migley Field history, a three-run walk-off bomb against Cult West in the semifinals. In the Friday night Home Run Derby, Nick Arndt won his third straight Golden Bat, defeating Garrett Curless again in the finals.
Renovations
The original grounds crew equipment shed blew away in a severe thunderstorm prior to Hometown Days. A new platform was built, and a smaller shed was constructed as a replacement.
2013
The Newts long wait for an ORWBL Championship ended after an up-and-down 2013 season. It was only fitting that New Carlisle clinched at a sun-drenched Migley Field in front of a pack house of fans.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 11-10 (5-0 in the postseason)
Home Jersey: Script Newts Edition
Coming off the disaster of 2012, the 2013 season was a rollercoaster for New Carlisle. The turning point came on June 30 in a contentious series with the Wills Township Federalists. After calling John Arndt out for using an illegal bat in a series opening loss, the Newts seized momentum and Matt Serge led New Carlisle to victory in the next two games. The Newts would be swept handily in the night series by the Magic later in the year, but would bounce back to win the last three games of the season against Emery's Army.
After a sweep on the road against the Federalists in the NLDS, New Carlisle took the first two games of the NLCS at Migley against Cult West. The Newts finished another sweep at Parts Unknown to set up a showdown with the Magic in the ORWBL World Series. New Carlisle remained undefeated at home in the postseason, winning 12-11 and 4-2. After salvaging one game on the road, the Newts returned home with a 3-2 series lead on Sunday, August 18. In front of a capacity crowd of 41, the Newts offense put up 18 runs in support of Matt Serge, clinching their first league title.
ORWBL All-Star Game
After a weather postponement, the National League flexed their muscles with an easy 24-13 victory. Koby Keck was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Zach Liberatore from the Magic won the Home Run Derby.
Hometown Cup Finals
On an unseasonably chilly July afternoon, the Cult West Warriors blew out the Maple City Magic in the semifinals and YTS in the championship game. Emery's Army, playing under the name Habeas Corpus, made their first ever appearance in the Hometown Cup Finals. John Arndt reclaimed his crown as Home Run Derby champion, winning his fourth Golden Bat.
Renovations
The largest seating expansion in the ballpark's history, a 24-seat grandstand was added to the first base side. A brick banner was added to the backstop to more closely resemble the brick wall at Wrigley Field. Flag poles were also installed on the backstop. Division championship and retired number banners were added to the shed, as Marc Lindsey's #2 was retired on Opening Day, while Matt Flagg's X was retired later in the year.
2014
In what was intended to be the final season of ORWBL, the Newts had arguably their greatest season ever, going 31-5 and winning their second consecutive ORWBL World Series.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 11-1* (4-2 in the postseason)
Home Jersey: Script Newts Edition
The Newts hung their first ORWBL Championship banner and received their rings on Opening Day 2014. The defending champions came out of the gate on fire, scoring 90 runs in a three-game sweep of the Hudson Lake Heat. New Carlisle would win its first 10 home contests, and didn't lose a home series during the regular season. After going up 3-0 in the World Series, the Newts had an opportunity to celebrate another championship on their home turf, but Cult West took Games 4 and 5 to send it back to Parts Unknown.
* Due to muddy conditions, six home games were played at the Tiger Cage across the street. The Newts went 5-1 at the Tiger Cage.
ORWBL All-Star Game
With no AL-NL split in 2014, Koby Keck and Alex Friedman served as captains for the All-Star Game. Team Keck prevailed, 10-9, and Scott Soos would earn MVP honors and win the Home Run Derby.
Hometown Cup Finals
The Newts made it home to Migley for the first time since 2008. Wearing their traditional Sunday blacks, New Carlisle battled frequent final four foe, Clutch Players in the semifinals. The game went back and forth, and a severe thunderstorm delayed the game briefly. Trailing by one in the sixth, Noah Shail flew out to leftfield, and as Garrett Curless was crossing home plate after tagging up from third base, the throw from the outfield bounced up and hit his back foot for a game-ending double play. Cult West would repeat as champions. Nick Arndt won his fourth Golden Bat, matching his dad's total.
Renovations
The original marquee was replaced by a larger, more accurate representation of the famous Wrigley Field entrance sign. The new Migley marquee proclaimed "Migley Field, Home of New Carlisle Newts" as opposed to "Home of Whiffle Ball." The new sign was equipped with flag poles designating the matchup of the day, with the Newts flag flying on the third base side and the opponent on the first base side. "World Series Champions" was painted along the bottom of the sign.
2015
Despite the farewell a year prior, ORWBL returned for another season in 2015 as did the Newts. The schedule was reduced to 24 games. New Carlisle finished 16-8 in the regular season before getting on another postseason heater to advance to a third consecutive ORWBL World Series. After building a 3-1 series lead, Newts fell to Cult West in seven games.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 8-4 (6-2 in the postseason)
Home Jersey: Script Newts Edition
The Newts hung another ORWBL Championship banner on Opening Day, but lost two of three to rival Rolling Prairie. New Carlisle was nowhere near as dominant as 2014, completing only one home sweep during the season against Hudson Lake. In the ORWBL Playoff Semifinals against Emery's Army, the Newts took a 2-0 series lead after two walk-off home runs by Koby Keck. New Carlisle would eliminate EA at the Grassy Knoll a few days later to advance and face Cult West again in the ORWBL World Series. After splitting a pair at Parts Unknown, the Skipper delivered another walk-off knock in Game 4 and the Newts were on their way to a 3-1 series lead. New Carlisle led late in Game 5 with a chance to clinch, but collapsed in the late innings, and the rest of the series.
ORWBL All-Star Game
With a division-less league again, the All-Star Game pitted Team Keck against Team Soos. Danny Hernandez led Team Soos to a 23-18 victory. Scott Soos repeated as Home Run Derby champion.
Hometown Cup Finals
The tournament expanded to 50 teams and a huge, raucous crowd filled Migley Field for the Hometown Cup Finals. The Newts avenged their 2014 loss to the Clutch Players in the semifinals to set-up a title tilt with Cult West. Unfortunately for the hometown team, the Warriors completed a three-peat with an 11-8 win. Clutch's Andy Sieradzki belted 105 dingers in the Home Run Derby to take home the Golden Bat in the first year of the popular bracket format.
Renovations
The Newts retired numbers moved to the foul poles, similar to Wrigley Field. Marc Lindsey's #2 and Kaylor Keck's #8 fly above leftfield, while Matt Flagg's X is on the rightfield pole.
2016
The Newts joined forces with Cult West, adding four players from the defending champions, to keep the franchise afloat in ORWBL play. Although New Carlisle finished the regular season with an identical 16-8 record from the year before, the acquisitions paid off as the team won its third ORWBL World Series. The ballpark celebrated its 10th anniversary.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 7-2* (6-1 in the postseason)
Home Jersey: Go-Go Newts Edition
The home opening series against the South Bend Muffs would give an indication of how the new Migley dimensions would play with the wind blowing in. In total, five runs were scored in the three-game series, with the Newts winning two games, 1-0. The offensive firepower that was expected with the addition of the sluggers from Cult West didn't arrive until June 5, when a home series against the Great Lakes Godfathers was moved to Parts Unknown due to the death of Newts legend Kaylor Keck.* In the World Series, Danny Hernandez hit a walk-off home run to give the Newts a 2-1 victory in Game 1. New Carlisle would go on to sweep Maple City.
ORWBL All-Star Game
The National League proved their supremacy with an easy 22-11 victory over the American League. John Premetz was named Most Valuable Player. Scott Soos completed a three-peat in the annual Home Run Derby.
Hometown Cup Finals
With the wind howling in, Son of a Pitch defeated the Newts, 7-2, in the title game to capture the Hometown Cup. New Carlisle knocked off Maple City in the semifinals, while Son of a Pitch played a classic 3-2 extra inning affair with the White Lightning. John Arndt won his fifth Golden Bat, defeating his son Nate in the finals.
Renovations
The 500 Project, the most dramatic facelift in the history of the park, was completed prior to the season. The backstop was completely rebuilt with plywood painted with a brick design to replace the chain-link fence. The backstop and marquee were moved about 15 feet south, to allow for an enlarged playing field. The dirt infield was sodded over and the surface became all grass. The old dimensions (LF-78, LC-81, CF-85, RC-81, RF-77) gave way to a new layout (LF-95, LC, 98, CF-100, RC-98, RF-93). The backside of the marquee was painted Mallard Green and French Quarter Gold to match the original 1930s era colors of the Wrigley Field.
2017
The Newts celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2017. The season was punctuated with a fifth consecutive trip to the ORWBL World Series, but New Carlisle lost the rematch to the Maple City Magic.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 9-6 (5-3 in the postseason)
Home Jersey: Go-Go Newts Edition
Hitting conditions continued to be miserable for most of the season at Migley Field. The team and league marked the 10th anniversary of the first ORWBL series in history with a revival of the night series on June 3. The Newts continued their night game struggles, dropping two of three to the Mechanics. The highlight of the home slate came in Game 1 of the NLCS. Facing a Granger team that went 25-5 in the regular season, the Newts were no-hit through three innings before mounting a nine-run comeback to win 11-10.
ORWBL All-Star Game
The American League ended a drought in the All-Star Game, sweeping the National League 2-0 in a best-of-three series. Wes Ellis was named Most Valuable Player, largely thanks to the complete game shutout he pitched in Game 1. Granger's Griffin Smith won the Home Run Derby.
Hometown Cup Finals
Despite the Newts falling in the Elite Eight by one run, a huge crowd still gathered at the ballpark. The fans were treated to one of the best title games in recent memory, as Cult West held off the Magic to win their fourth title and redeem themselves from the Jellysticks debacle of 2016. Maple City's Jared Jonkman defeated a field of 34 competitors and the wind to win his first Golden Bat.
Renovations
The outfield fence was reinforced with new poles and and a top rail. The black guard along the top of the barrier was replaced with a more fitting dark green protector.
2018
The Newts first losing ORWBL season since 2012 should have made for a forgettable summer, but everything changed on the last Sunday in July. The Newts defeated Granger to win The Wiffle®Ball Championship for the first time in the Hometown Cup era, ending a 10-year drought and sending Migleyville into a frenzy.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 7-5
Home Jersey: North Side Pride Edition
The Newts were decidedly mediocre during the ORWBL regular season. Yet again, the early season May contests yielded very few runs. New Carlisle hit rock bottom on June 10, suffering a Matt Soos wedding hangover sweep to the Landsharks. The Newts rebounded to sweep Emery's Army in the home finale to avoid a losing season at the Friendly Confines.
ORWBL All-Star Game
The National League bounced back to beat the American League in three games, capped by a Scott Soos walk-off home run that sent the Senior Circuit's squad into pure jubilation. Soos was named a Co-MVP, along with his manager Koby Keck. Jared Jonkman won the Home Run Derby.
Hometown Cup Finals
The Newts found themselves in familiar territory on Sunday, July 29. Advancing to the Hometown Cup Finals for the fourth time in five years, New Carlisle rallied for eight runs with two outs in the second inning to take command of the semifinal game with Maple City Purple. The Newts squared off with Granger for the Cup. Again, New Carlisle got off to a hot start and held off a late Panther surge to win, 13-10. Pandemonium at the Friendly Confines ensued, as the hometown team ended a decade long drought. The victors paraded through town on golf carts following the win, receiving cheers through Memorial Park and down Michigan Street.
2019
The Newts continued to stumble through regular season games, finishing 2019 with a 12-12 record. But the Newts were able to click in the postseason to advance to another ORWBL World Series, before falling to the Magic again.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 5-7 (3-2 in the postseason)
Home Jersey: North Side Pride Edition
Opening Day brought the Olive Township Mechanics into town, as Mechanics manager Aidan Cotter helped unfurl the 2018 Hometown Cup banner he helped the Newts win. WSBT-TV was on hand to do a feature on the ballpark and the league. Outside of a sweep of the Lynn Street Leprechauns, the Newts failed to win another home series in the regular season. New Carlisle got revenge for the Opening Day series loss, by sweeping the Mechanics in the NLCS. The eighth World Series in the ballpark's history saw another match-up with the Maple City Magic. Although the Newts took a 2-1 series lead with a Game 3 win, New Carlisle fell in the next two games at home, and lost the series in six games.
ORWBL All-Star Game
Although the ORWBL All-Star Game was scheduled to be played at Migley Field for the 13th consecutive year, rain prevented the annual tradition. The Commissioner's office decided to proceed with the game, playing at The Wiffle®Ball Championship complex, after the Migley grounds crew recommended a postponement.
Hometown Cup Finals
Four years after the video boards were added to Wrigley Field, Migley finally caught up. A jumbotron truck was parked on Dunn Road for the Hometown Cup Finals, positioned in left-center to mimic the main board at Wrigley. The Newts mounted a ferocious comeback against the Magic in the semifinals to set up a rematch with Granger in the finals. With the wind howling out, the Panthers put up separate innings of 12 and 13 runs to win 32-26.
Renovations
With the 2018 Champions of Wiffle®Ball banner added to the shed, the Newts moved their ORWBL championship flags to centerfield. Flanking the scoreboard, the 2013 and 2014 banners fly on the leftfield side, while the 2016 banner and the latest pennant (or the New Carlisle Newts team flag) fly along the rightfield side.
2020
The coronavirus pandemic delayed the ORWBL season by nearly a month, but the league was able to conduct a full schedule, and The Wiffle®Ball Championship was able to go on as planned. The Newts bounced back to go 17-7 in the regular season, just narrowly missing the top seed in the National League playoffs.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 8-4 (1-2 in the postseason)
Home Jersey: Wahoo Newt Edition
New Carlisle opened up the home slate with a surprising sweep of Elkhart, highlighted by a remarkable comeback in game 2. Trailing 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth, the Newts scored put up six in the inning, capped by back-to-back-to-back home runs by Garrett Ruiz, Matt Soos, and Jay Ryans. A socially distanced crowd of 51 took in the renewal of the Rolling Prairie-New Carlisle rivalry on Saturday, June 20, breaking the Migley Field ORWBL attendance record.
ORWBL All-Star Game
The All-Star Game returned to Migley Field with the American League sweeping the National League in a best of three series. The AL also won the unnecessary third game. Jared Jonkman and Anthony Rieff shared MVP honors, while Garrett Curless reclaimed the Home Run Derby crown for the first time since 2009.
Hometown Cup Finals
With the Hometown Days festival canceled, a smaller crowd than normal gathered under health and safety protocols for the Hometown Cup Finals. The Newts' involvement was short-lived, as New Carlisle gave up eight early runs to Maple City before mounting a comeback effort that fell a couple runs short. The Magic went on to blow out Grandmother's Quilt in the championship game.
Renovations
After reaching its peak in 2013-14, the Migley Field ivy had slowly deteriorated over the years due to several harsh winters. The grounds crew ultimately decided to remove all the existing vines and plant new ones along the wall in hopes of restoring the iconic look to the ballpark. A wind screen was added to protect the new ivy, and along with that came an array of artwork that celebrates the franchise and ballpark's history along the backside of the outfield fence.
2021
While the confines were far from friendly to the home team, big crowds filled the ballpark all summer as the Newts introduced a full season of promotions. Wrigley Field organist John Benedeck made his debut, replacing the legendary Gary Pressy as the soundtrack of Migleyville.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 6-9
Home Jersey: Wahoo Newt Edition
New Carlisle dropped their first five home games against Granger and Maple City before finally picking up a win in the series finale against the Magic. Despite the home struggles, the Newts continued to draw well throughout the season averaging 30 fans per game. The return of the night series brought another ORWBL attendance record, as 54 fans turned out for a holiday weekend tilt with the Lynn Street Leprechauns.
ORWBL All-Star Game
Scheduled late in the year, the National League reigned supreme in the All-Star Game. The NL took the first two games in the best of three series, while the American League salvaged the last game of the night. The nightcap featured nine (or more) fielders and eliminated the pitchers hand rule. Hometown hero Matt Soos was named All-Star Game MVP.
Hometown Cup Finals
The Maple City Magic repeated as Champions of Wiffle®Ball, defeating the Granger Panthers in the title game. GP Black took home the Carl Coffee Cup, while the Mechanics made their first final four appearance in team history. The festivities featured a ceremonial first pitch by Stu of the South Bend Cubs, as well as video board appearances from Marc Silverman, Boog Sciambi, and Fergie Jenkins.
2022
The relocation of two road series tacked on six extra games to the Migley Field slate. Home-field advantage was again non-existent for the Newts, who struggled to score runs at the Friendly Confines for the second consecutive season.
The Newts
Record at Migley: 8-13*
Home Jersey: 2007 Original Throwback
Offensive ineptitude wouldn't even begin to describe the opening series fiasco by the Newts in 2022. New Carlisle dropped each of their first two home games, 1-0, and were swept on Opening Day in a record-shattering 27-inning marathon. Outside of a Memorial Day weekend sweep of the expansion Warren Desperados, the Newts only put up double digits one time all season at the corner of Bray and Dunn.
ORWBL All-Star Game
The American League took two of three from the National League in the 16th annual All-Star Game. Jared Jonkman won the Home Run Derby for the third time, while Wes Ellis took home All-Star Game MVP honors for the second time.
Hometown Cup Finals
The Granger Panthers won their second Hometown Cup, defeating the Cult West Warriors in The Wiffle®Ball Championship Game. The Newts made a surprise run to the final four, their record-tying ninth appearance at Migley.
2023
World Series wiffleball finally returned to Migley Field for the first time since 2019. The ORWBL season extended into September for the first time ever, making for an extra-long summer at the Friendly Confines
The Newts
Record at Migley: 10-5 (5-3 in the postseason)
Home Jersey: Pinstripes
Despite dropping two of three against Granger in the home opener, it was the most successful home slate in nearly a decade. New Carlisle fell just short of clinching an ORWBL title on their home field. After winning Games 5 and 6 convincingly, the Newts lost a heartbreaking Game 7 against South Bend.
ORWBL All-Star Game
The National League took two of three in the 17th annual All-Star Game. Glen Lee's Kade Stone won the Home Run Derby. Daivyn Davis of the Granger Panthers was named All-Star Game MVP.
Hometown Cup Finals
The Granger Panthers won their second consecutive Hometown Cup, defeating the Woo Crew in The Wiffle®Ball Championship Game.
Renovations
The grounds crew installed an artificial turf batter's box, ensuring players will no longer lose their footing in inclement weather conditions.