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Draft:Royal Oak Leprechauns

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  • Comment: Lacking in significant coverage from reliable sources. Most everything here is either primary/non-independent, or routine coverage that would otherwise be insignificant to establish the notability of this team. Utopes (talk / cont) 07:55, 19 January 2024 (UTC)
  • Comment: Still does not have enough independent sources. DrowssapSMM 03:17, 13 December 2023 (UTC)


The Royal Oak Leprechauns are a summer collegiate baseball team playing in the Northwoods League, based in Royal Oak, Michigan. The Leprechauns play their home games at Memorial Park.[1]

HISTORY

In 2015, the team became a 501(c)(3) organization and signed with the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League as the Irish Hills Leprechauns playing out of Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan. [2]

In 2018, Leprechauns owner and general manager, Mark Sackett considered relocating the team to Grand Rapids, Michigan[3] but ultimately came to a 10 year agreement with the city of Royal Oak to move the team to Memorial Park, as the Royal Oak Leprechauns. [3]

In 2020, New York Yankees all-star and gold glove winning infielder, D.J. LeMahieu began supporting the Leprechauns as a primary investor, funding numerous renovations to Memorial Park.[4] In 2023, LeMahieu transitioned to the role of Leprechauns president. [5]

In October 2023, it was announced that the Leprechauns would be leaving the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League and joining the Northwoods league for the 2024 season.[6] Over 340 players from the Northwoods League have advanced to play Major League Baseball[7]. The Leprechauns are the fourth team from Michigan to join the Northwoods League which just completed its 30th season in 2023. [8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Homepage". Royal Oak Leprechauns. 10 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Royal Oak Leprechauns | Royal Oak, MI". City of Royal Oak Website.
  3. ^ a b Paul, Tony (May 14, 2021). "College baseball stars setting up shop in Royal Oak: Here's how the Leprechauns came to be". The Detroit News.
  4. ^ Galli, Brad (June 4, 2022). "Year Two Begins for Royal Oak Leprechauns, College Summer Wooden Bat Team DJ Lemahieu Helped Start". WXYZ Detroit. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  5. ^ Paul, Tony (June 1, 2021). "'It's gonna be a great thing': Yankees' DJ LeMahieu finances Royal Oak summer team". The Detroit News.
  6. ^ "Northwoods League Welcomes the Royal Oak Leprechauns for 2024". Official Northwoods League Website. 19 October 2023.
  7. ^ "NWL Alumni Page". Official Northwoods League Website. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  8. ^ Champion, Brandon (October 19, 2023). "Royal Oak Leprechauns to become Michigan's 4th Northwoods League team". MLive - Sports.