ST. PAUL, MN – What’s the value of an appearance in a
professional baseball game? To Marc Turndorf, 35, of
Los Angeles, CA the answer is simple: $5601.01. That
is what Turndorf bid to play for the St. Paul Saints
in their May 14 preseason game against Sioux Falls.

Turndorf had the winning bid among 73 entries in the
auction to make an appearance in the Northern League
team’s game against the Canaries at Midway Stadium.

Proceeds from the bidding will be donated to Big
Brothers Big Sisters and N.A.S.H. (Nash Avery Search
For Hope) c/o Minnesota Medical Foundation Muscular
Dystrophy Research. The event is being sponsored by
NOW MICRO.

“I haven’t played baseball since I was in the American
Legion program in the LA area when I was in high
school,” Turndorf said. “I am very excited about this.
It’s a chance to shag flies and hit with pro
ballplayers for a couple of days and it goes for a
good cause.”

Turndorf, who is a video game producer, lists himself
as 5-8, 165 pounds. He bats left and throws right and
says he would like to play the outfield. Saints’
manager George Tsamis indicated he is inclined to let
him do that in the 7:05 p.m. game. “It’s a preseason
game so why not?,” Tsamis said. “It should be a lot of
fun.”

Turndorf will fly to the Twin Cities on May 12. In
addition to his plate appearance, Turndorf will take
part in pre-game workouts and receive Saints’
souvenirs and memorabilia. Although the game is not
televised, the Saints will video tape Turndorf’s game
appearance for him as part of a commemorative CD made
especially for him.

Tsamis cancelled a practice originally scheduled for
midnight Wednesday because of impending cold weather.
The Saints’ first workout will be Wednesday, May 5 at
Midway Stadium at 10:00 a.m. The team will practice at
the same time the next two days before heading to
Fargo for a pair of pre-season games May 8-9. The
practices are open to the public.

Last year – Tsamis’ first as manager – St. Paul won
the first half Eastern Division title last summer to
advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2000.
The team’s overall 52-38 won-loss record marked the
second highest total of victories in club history.

NOTES – In addition to the May 14 game that Turndorf
will play in, St. Paul has four other pre-season games
scheduled at Midway, including a unique day-night
doubleheader on Saturday, May 15. A Japanese All-Star
team will face the Saints in a 12:05 p.m. game that
day with Sioux Falls returning for a 7:05 p.m. game
that night. The club also will play host to defending
league champ Fargo-Moorhead on May 12 (7:05 p.m.) and
May 13 (11:05 a.m. game for kids only). The final game
of the preseason slate is a May 16 game at Marshall,
MN at 2 p.m., also against the Canaries. St. Paul
opens their 12th Northern League season at Sioux Falls
on may 20. the home opener is May 24 against Winnipeg
at 7:05 p.m. …

May 4, 2004





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