Miles City Mavericks

Published: Fri, 11/08/2013 - Miles City Star - Josh Samuelson At the monthly Miles City Youth Baseball Association meeting last night, Mavericks Head Coach Kyle Pryor and President Shawn Niedge each turned in their resignations. A name very familiar to the MCYBA and baseball fans in the area will take over both positions, starting immediately. Former Maverick player and assistant coach Jeff Brabant has been tabbed with running the MCYBA and being the new Mavericks head coach. “We have a lot of work to do, from the ground up,” Brabant said. “It’s not just the Mavs. We’re going to start from the ground up and get the program where it needs to be.” Brabant played his entire youth baseball in Miles City, starting in the mid-1970s and ending with a three-year stint on the Mavericks in the late 1980s. He came back to coach the Mavs and Colts from 1992-96 and was a part of the Mavs 1996 Class AA state championship team. “Without the MCYBA, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Brabant said. “I don’t think there’s anything I can do to ever repay what the program has done for me. This is the least I can do.” Brabant continued his coaching career in Bozeman for a year as he finished his bachelor’s degree. He then coached the Billings Scarlets for five seasons before returning to Miles City and the Miles Community College baseball program. Brabant is in his fourth season as head coach of the MCC program, and he served as pitching coach the previous seven years. “One of my goals is to utilize the Pioneer program to work with the younger kids and coaches,” Brabant said. “I’d like us all to be on the same page, instill the same skill sets, from top to bottom. That way, when the kids get to the top, we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. And it’ll be good for the Miles program, giving back to the community.”

MCYBA would like to give special thanks to the following: Miles City Improvements Inc for the new dugouts at Jaycees Park, Clark McRae at McRae Overhead Doors for repairing the windows on the Mother Booth at Denton Field, and Jim Regan and the former Bill Newhouse Tournament Committee for donating remaing assets to MCYBA.

Thanks to all the coordinators, coaches, athletes, parents, workers, and volunteers for another successful season. The 2013 season is about to begin!!

The construction of Denton Field (as we know it today, since 1966), was first started in the fall of 1939 and finished in the spring of 1940.  The work was done by the WPA (Work Projects Administration), a program to relieve unemployment in that era.  When completed, it was called League Park (later known as City Ball Park), with a large covered grandstand and open concrete bleachers along the 3^rd base line, with the wall faced with sandstone and two arched gates.  The original plan didn’t have poles with lights or a fence around the outfield, also any rest rooms.  In 1940, Miles City was selected to host the Northwest Regional American Legion tourney in the new ball park, but only if an outfield fence was installed.  The City Officials and members of the American Legion Post #5 raised funds to get this project (wood fence) done by August in time for the tourney.  Teams from the state champs were Miles City; Spokane, WA; Portland, OR and the winning team Lewiston, ID.  The tournament was single elimination; no night games.  Portland pitcher, Eddie Erautt pitched in the major leagues.

            In 1941, Miles City hosted the Western Sectional American Legion tourney, but only if lights were installed in the park.  This project was done by August.  Teams from Tulsa, OK; Omaha, NE; Lewiston, ID; and the winner San Diego, CA (also won the World Series) played in the tourney.  Three players (Les Moss, Rex Barney, and Bob Usher) from this tourney became Major League players.

            In 1943, Miles City was awarded the American Legion World Series, primarily because of the war years to keep the Series out of a large city, especially if that city happened to be in a congested war area, where the movement of teams would affect the war effort.  Miles City is the smallest city in which the classic has been held, since 1926.  Over 22,000 attended the series (9 games) and 4,000 for the title game.  The teams were New Orleans, LA; Flint, MI; Springfield, OH; Whiteville, NC and Richfield (Minneapolis), MN winning the Series, the championship game, a 3-2 verdict over Springfield.

Doug Denton, was a long-time popular and prominent figure in American Leagion Baseball and other Miles City athletic circles. Coach Denton's Legion teams won 6 State titles and 7 second place finishes from 1936 to 1950. In 1966, the park was named Denton Field in honor of Coach Denton.

President - Shawn Niedge

Vice President - Jeff Hill

Treasurer - Deb Shaw

Secretary - Rhonda Verbeck Leidholt

Art Jordan

Tim Regan

Matt Phillips

Rob Dinardi

Jason Strouf

Blayne Watts