Audio Story Transcript
Audio:
Nat Sound: sounds of gloves smacking and wood and metal bats smacking baseballs
VO: Baseball had been a part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison since 1870, and while the varsity program has been dismissed for the last 28 years, the fight and desire to bring it back has always been relevant.
VO: There is an optimism to bringing back the program that cannot be tamed.
VO: Even though he regrets quitting the team early, former Badger baseball player, Paul Zuziak reflects on his decision to come to Madison and play baseball with a sense of nostalgia.
SOT: “While the facilities were not the best, I liked it because of the guys and because of Coach Steve Land. He was the coach at the time, kind of a stoic guy. It was a cool atmosphere to be around because it reminded me of my high school days and buddies. It was a really warm feeling. When I visited the summer before and had a meeting with the coach and he allowed me to walk on. It was very cool and welcoming.”
VO: The team had its ups and downs during its time, but Paul Zuziak had fond memories of playing there no matter what.
SOT: “It was a blast. You got to experience with other guys from other states. Ultimately, everybody who played had a love of the game. Most of the stories and most of the things that were common were on the bus, locker room or in the dugout. Everyone was good. Nobody was braggadocios.”
VO: While the opportunity for these experiences and feelings as a UW baseball player has been squandered for the time being, these feelings and this sense of pride is evident among club players like Chase Zernich, who speak about the club’s history with excitement.
SOT: “I think we have won our regional like 18 years straight or something”
VO: Additionally, Chase speaks to the desire kids growing up in Wisconsin have for playing baseball at UW
SOT: “There is so many kids in Wisconsin who want to come play baseball and stay in the same state and if we had a team it would attract lots more baseball players.”
VO: Furthermore, Wisconsin has so much going for it as it is, there are a variety of reasons recruiting baseball players from all over would be easy
SOT: The attractiveness of the school as a whole, the attractiveness of school spirit, academics, growing city and population and growing respect for the school, could field a team rather quickly.
VO: Even a student who does not love baseball would consider attending UW games if the program was brought back.
SOT: “I would stick around to see a few games to see how we compete with the other teams in our division.”
VO: That is the type of competitive edge students at UW have. They want to see this school succeed and clearly baseball is another way to achieve success while appealing to all sorts of people.
The Status of Wisconsin Baseball 