FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
TOPEKA, KS – The Topeka Golden Giants are announcing plans to leave the Missouri Iowa Nebraska Kansas League (M.I.N.K. League) for the upcoming 2010 season. The Golden Giants will instead play an independent schedule and will fill 25 home dates this summer.
The Golden Giants have enjoyed their relationship with the M.I.N.K. League and it’s member franchises throughout their first five years of existence, but feel the time is right to move in another direction.
Team President Brett Cowdin issued the following statement to the members of the M.I.N.K. League on Monday:
Dear M.I.N.K. League Directors, Members and staff,
Before anything else, allow me to express my sincerest gratitude for allowing us to be a part of the M.I.N.K League the last 5 years.
We have been happy and thankful to be a member of the league and am proud of where our team is today because of this. With your help and support the Topeka Golden Giants have helped many players gain the experience they needed to prosper in Collegiate baseball and provided outstanding entertainment for the Topeka area. For these, I am forever grateful to the M.I.N.K. League and it’s members. I have always considered it an honor and privilege to be a part of the M.I.N.K. "family".
Unfortunately, the Topeka Golden Giants organization will resign our membership effective October 10, 2009. After much thought and discussion we have decided for the long-term growth of our team that this is the right time to move on. Our organization is very much looking forward to the professional challenge of playing as an Independent team and continuing the growth of Colligate summer league play in the Midwest.
Leaving friends and colleagues is never an easy decision nor one we took lightly. The Golden Giants will continue to play in Topeka, KS and hope to continue their relationships with the M.I.N.K. members as an independent team.
In closing, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the member teams of the M.I.N.K league, as well as to many friends and colleagues who have competed against us over the past 5 years. I have truly enjoyed being a part of the league and am grateful for the many learning and growth opportunities being a member of the M.I.N.K. has provided us over the years.
We wish all of the M.I.N.K. member teams continued success and hope to meet on the diamond in the future.
– Thomas Brett Cowdin, President, Topeka Golden Giants
Topeka will join the ranks of the Junction City Generals, who also operate as an independent team and are not affiliated with any league. The Giants are currently negotiating to host an NBC Regional Tournament that will provide the winner an automatic berth in the World Series tournament.
