[Announcer] Good evening once again, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome back to NelsonCorp Field for your Clinton Lumberkings!

[Kohlsdorf] NelsonCorp Field was built on the banks of the Mississippi River in 1937.

Teams came and went until 1954 when the Clinton Lumberkings became a charter member of Minor League Baseball's Midwest League.

[Announcer] And now, ladies and gentlemen, here are the starting lineups for tonight's game!

[Jack Dahm] This is the 88th season for the Clinton Lumberkings, which is absolutely incredible.

They spent 84 years as an affiliate for Major League Baseball.

So, they have had hundreds and hundreds of people go through here who have made it to the major leagues.

[Announcer] Adding second at third base, number 14, Ben Swails!

(applause) [Jack Dahm] Unfortunately, when Major League Baseball basically cut 43 teams out of Minor League Baseball, Clinton was one of them.

[Kohlsdorf] After losing their MILB status in 2021, the Lumberkings joined the Prospect League, a summer ball club for college players.

[Jack Dahm] We play about 60 games in 68 days, so it's just like a downsized minor league season for our guys.

It's an opportunity for the players to go out and get better.

They call it the Prospect League because they're hoping that there's a lot of pro prospects out of here.

[Kohlsdorf] Though the game had changed, Clinton baseball fans didn't miss a beat.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] Spectators continued to fill the 5,000-seat stadium to support the next generation of athletes.

♪♪ [Jack Dahm] They're great baseball fans.

You're going to see everybody from young kids to 85-year-old people that have been coming to games just about their entire life.

[Jane Swearingen] My husband and I just started coming several years ago and enjoyed it and we came about every game then too.

When he passed away, my friends joined up with me and here we are for six years.

[Ashley Winter] We decided to come tonight because she has been waiting to see Louie since last season.

We love the atmosphere.

We love playing on the playground and the bounce houses.

There's just lots to do.

♪♪ [Jack Dahm] It's just a part of Clinton.

If you're here it he summertime, you're going to go to the game.

We've got the list of all of the players that played in Clinton that have made it to Major League Baseball.

I'm really looking forward to that first name that goes up there for the Clinton Lumberking that was part of the Prospect League.

♪♪