Jul 20, 2022 4 min read

Triples are the house specialty in Schaumburg, Ill., where Chase Dawson plays.

Dawson, an outfielder for the Boomers, has broken one of the oldest records in the Frontier League archives, one held by a former Wild Things standout.

Chris Sidick, a Cecil native who played center field for the Wild Things from 2005 through 2011, set the league record for triples in a single season when he took advantage of the spacious gaps at Wild Things Park and belted 16 three-baggers in 2006.

That record stood until this year, when Dawson hit his 17th triple, an amazing total when you consider the Boomers have played only 55 games. Sidick hit his 16 triples in 95 games.

So how did Dawson hit so many triples in so few games?

“I’ve been asked that question about 20 times today,” Dawson said prior to the Frontier League All-Star Game’s pregame ceremonies Wednesday night at Wild Things Park.

“I think you need three things to hit a triple: speed, power and to hit it in the right spot,” Dawson explained. “The balls I’ve been hitting this year are lower than they’ve been high, so that’s helped me get the record.”

Dawson was an all-star caliber player in the Frontier League last year when the Boomers won the league championship, defeating Washington in the finals. Dawson batted .312 and hit nine triples.

The jump to 17 triples in a little more than half a season is a eye-popping. It’s a record that Dawson plans take so far that it will takes years for anybody to match.

“I don’t plan on stopping on second base,” Dawson said. “I’m going for as many as I can. I’m going to try to hit them where they’re not and run as hard as I can.”

Brannen makes 9

The Wild Things had a ninth player added to the all-star team as center fielder Cole Brannen replaced Florence first baseman Brennen Price. The West was short on outfielders because Florence’s Anthony Brocato was nursing an injury and could not play in the field. Brocato started as the West’s designated hitter.

The speedy Brannen, a former second-round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox, leads the Frontier League in stolen bases with 29 stolen bases.

Oh, Canada

The Wild Things begin the season’s “second half” Friday with a six-game swing into Canada to play Trio-Rivieres and Ottawa.

Many Frontier League and major league teams have had trouble with Canada’s travel restrictions, which require proof of vaccination against COVID-19. The New Jersey Jackals recently played in Canada and had to put seven players on the inactive list. The Kansas City Royals were without 10 players from their major league roster earlier this month when they played at Toronto.

Washington manager Tom Vaeth said his team will be without “three or four” players Friday.

Caught in a draft

This might not be the best season for pitching in the Frontier League, but it is the first year that two FL pitchers have been selected in the Major league Baseball’s first-year player draft.

Tri-City had made headlines this spring when it was announced that Kumar Rocker would pitch for the ValleyCats. Rocker was selected in the first round of the draft last year by the New York Mets but did not sign amid rumors that he wasn’t healthy. A former All-American at Vanderbilt, Rocker made five starts for Tri-City and had a 1-0 record and 1.35 ERA with 32 strikeouts and only four walks in 20 innings.

The Texas Rangers made Rocker was the No. 3 overall selection in the draft on Sunday.

Then, on Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected former Long Island University pitcher Jonathan Loeschorn with their 20th and final selection in the draft. Loeschorn had been playing in the Frontier League with the New York Boulders. He had an 0-2 record and 6.49 ERA in five starts. Loeschorn had 18 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings.