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| COPYRIGHT 2005 DODGE CITY DESPERADOS |
| WHAT ABOUT THE DESPERADOS? |
| The Dodge City Desperados were only a dream in the late stages of 2004 and early 2005. That is when Bob Lipp of Wichita was examining the possibilities of having a semi-professional or possibly an A level ball club in Southwest Kansas. The revelation came after the Elkhart Dusters, a long time Kansas Jayhawk Collegiate Summer League team, had decided to end its' run. Arriving in Dodge City, Lipp began assembling a sales team and an advisory board in order to build the dream into reality. The Advisory Board consisted of Brian Keck, former Colorado Rockie, Gary Turner of the Village Sqare Mall, Jim Coffin of JAG Construction and Mike Akers, a well known baseball fanatic. Once the board was assembled the search for qualified coaches began. The first on board was pitching coach Juan Hernandez. Hernandez has extensive experience in the Mexican Professional League and was eager to join the team. Next the search went on for a Head Coach. Answering that call was Doug Bender who had previously coached in the Walter Johnson League as an assistant with the Salina Blue Jays and also in college at Oklahoma Panhandle State University and Brown Mackie College. Bender also has extensive experience in the Jayhawk Summer League as an umpire and is known by almost all of the college coaches in the state of Kansas. After accepting the head coaching position, Bender began recruiting area players as a priority and then reaching out to his connections in Kansas, Texas, Utah and beyond. With Bender on board, Brian Keck decided to lace up the shoes again and become the Assistant Coach, and joined the recruiting trail. With the season nearing, Lipp suddenly had a family illness and had to make a decision whether to stay in Dodge City and see the team thru to it's beginning or go back to Wichita and take care of the family. With no choice but the family, Lipp offered to sell the rights and current equipment of the team to Bender and his fiance Colleen Michael. That sale became final on April 22nd. Since the announcement of the sale and with Bender, Michael, Keck and account executive Ed Birzer on the streets, the Desperados have taken off on the runway to success. The Desperados have grown so much in the past month that they have added additional staff. Joining the Desperados are Amber Davis, who is doing her internship with the Desperados, and Adrian Chamberlain who is taking care of promotional material distribution. Hugo Perez, of Dodge City Community College, has agreed to take on the announcing duties at all of the games. With a goal of $37,000.00 to reach by the end of the season, the Desperados staff has been out soliciting advertisments from the Dodge City Area. Spearville has been extremely supportive due to their hometown boys, Tyler and Bret Konrade, as has the Cimarron area due to Daniel Voth. The city of Dodge City has been eager to help not only because of the excitement of having another semi-professional baseball team, but because of home grown favorites including: Bradly Rogers, Daniel Rogers, Cody Staten, Chris Lopez, J.T. Ward, and Adam Castillo. Sponsorship is growning on a daily basis and the Desperados would like to regognize those that have climbed on board. Our current sponsors include: MAGOUIRK CHEVROLET AND CADILLAC WINANS OIL FAIRPOINT COMMUNICATIONS VICTORY ELECTRIC ROTO-MIX THE STORAGE PLACE RIVERSIDE CHIROPRACTIC COMMERCIAL FEDERAL JAG CONSTRUCTION TAQUERIA MEXICO KOEHN & HARP CHIROPRACTIC ACCN WARRENS WINDOW WASHING TIM DEWEY HAY CO. SWAIM FUNERAL HOME SCOTTS AUTO BODY WALCO INTERNATIONAL SUNDANCE APARTMENTS EDWARD D. JONES--WES OWENS ADM MILLING MEIS ELECTRIC TERRY M. RABE SPECTRUM AUTO SALES WEBER REFRIGERATION BAD HABIT SPORTS BAR AND GRILL BEAUTY VILLA BROTHERS TRUCK STOP COMFORT INN UNIFIRST MY-D-HAN-D AFLAC--DAN STECKLEIN OCEAN WAVE HIBETTS SPORTS SEARS KATE'S BMI RACING BELL GOVERNMENT CREDIT UNION HEADLINERS RIGHT COOP ASSOCIATION SHELTER INSURANCE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF SPEARVILLE COCA-COLA FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CIMARRON KITCHEN'S INC. FARM CREDIT SERVICES OF S.W. KS. WILDCAT ELECTRIC FARM BUREAU FINANCIAL SERVICES CHANDELIER SHOP VILLAGE SQUARE MALL LUCAS AUTO GLASS SAM'S SHOE STORE G & G MOTORS VOLZ BUILDERS GAMBINO'S PIZZA DODGE CITY-FORD COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPEMENT INC. WHEATLAND MORTGAGE CINTAS UNIFORMS RENT-A-CENTER DATA SUPPLY JOYCE HALLAGIN CINDY ROGERS & FAMILY AS THE SPONSORSHIP GROWS, SO SHALL THIS LIST. TO THOSE OF YOU ON BOARD, A HEARTFELT THANK YOU FOR THOSE OF YOU YET TO JOIN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT. |