Unseen forces: Visiting clubhouse manager — Travis Wong
EUGENE, Ore. — He was an athlete, he knows the grind. Still, 34,000 steps is a lot for anyone — especially a former customer service specialist from Portland. Picture him. 5-foot-10 rolling into PK Park, the morning as black as night, his old gray station wagon stirring the silence hours
EUGENE, Ore. — He was an athlete, he knows the grind. Still, 34,000 steps is a lot for anyone — especially a former customer service specialist from Portland.
Picture him. 5-foot-10 rolling into PK Park, the morning as black as night, his old gray station wagon stirring the silence hours before anyone else will be at the field.
Know him. An unseen force, the days blending together, his day long, his bones achy.
Recognize him. Lauded by few, yet all who know him. Without him, the whole show would go for naught.
See him. Amid a 16-hour day, one of his longer breaks — the occasionally five-minute top of the first inning — could potentially be interrupted by a player forgetting a batting glove or a sleeve.
Travis Wong would prefer you not.
He doesn’t need the attention — drawn mostly from him winning the Visiting Clubhouse Attendant Award last year. He doesn’t need popularity, players and coaches knowing him is enough.
He operates mostly in silence — the only part of his job he wishes people to remember is the fact that he is “the guy who keeps the team's uniforms clean.”
He does the job. But for Wong, “it’s never work.”
Travis Wong knows the grind, he revels in it. He’s a simple man. After work, he’ll go work on his music projects or play MLB The Show.
He operates in silence, but he isn’t unnoticed.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
The job was never on his radar. His path to it, however, was simple: he saw the application online and applied. And now, his workday starts at 6:00 a.m.
Given the nature of the job, his laundry cycle begins at six. Taking four hours from the first load in the washer to the last clothes hung and placed in a locker.
Then, it’s miscellaneous deeds time.
Mail runs. Fixing equipment. And of course, the occasional errand with the players.
“They are in a new city, and what’s the alternative? Uber? That isn’t cheap,” Wong said on one of those elusive off-days.
There’s also the impact of sharing a facility with the Oregon Ducks — on the day of this interview, the Ducks didn’t send Wong their practice schedule, meaning he isn’t sure when his fieldwork will take place.
He does his best to balance the shared facility. He controls what he can — making the lives of his players as easy as possible.
“These guys are always on the road. I want to make it seem as much like home as I can,” Wong said.
Wong says there’s a respect factor that takes place between the player and “clubbie” — each a professional going about their job the best they can.
But also: “I was an athlete. I want to stay out of these guys' way and let them do the work they can. We see in the major leagues, those guys have job security — in the minors they don’t.”
One bad game, one off-day, and their jobs are in jeopardy. Wong knows the feeling.
“I can’t really have a bad day,” Wong said. “If I get sick, I’ve got to be able to push through.”
He’s adopted some tricks with experience, folding laundry in different ways, managing the player's name tags, and doing his best to stay out of the office on the rare off-weeks are among the most significant.
Still, there’s the ever-present uncertainties that make his job “interesting.”
“You never know what could happen,” Wong said. “They get sent down, they get called up, they get traded… and then they are here.”
He loves the grind though, even playing MLB The Show on his days off. And can he see himself doing anything else? Maybe “like retiring if I win the lottery.”
After running around and managing things for the players, he goes back and moves equipment and such — readying himself for the game, laundry-loop organization and the post-game work that awaits.
At 10:30 he goes home, rinse and repeat…66 games a year.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
He didn’t know if he’d make it. In more ways than one.
His first A in college — where he was a “terrible student,” was in a How to Study Properly and Time Management class. Yes, he understands the irony.
Being a good clubbie, he says, is simple. “It’s time management. If you're not prepared, and you can’t manage your time, you’re sunk.” — something he learned hours into the job.
“[General Manager] Allan Benavides and [Assistant General Manager] Chris Bowers saw me two days in and said ‘I don’t think Travis is gonna make it’,” Wong said. “They were right to think that, but something clicked on the third day and I’ve found a groove.”
The consensus would agree, the award he received was the first time it had been awarded to a rookie clubbie.
Now that he’s more than a year settled in, the reward for Wong is enormous. The players and coaches — the few groups of people that do see him every day share their thanks.
“Shout out to Listher Sosa of the Hillsboro Hops,” Wong said. “Every day he asked me about how I’m doing and how my family is doing. He doesn’t even know my family!”
He knows the grind has its toll on his body — the calluses, bumps and bruises on his arms and legs represent that of a ballplayer. Still, Wong loves it. The connections and reward the work comes with is worth all of his labor.
“I’ve never had a job like this. Yes there are sacrifices, but I never consider it work and love it every day.”
Eugene Emeralds Announce 2025 Coaching Staff
The Eugene Emeralds have announced their coaching staff for the 2025 season. Manager Jeremiah Knackstedt will lead the team for the 2nd straight season. Hitting coach Jared Walker & pitching coach Mario Rodriguez will also return to Eugene for their 2nd season. Drew Martinez will be joining the staff for
Unmissable Moments in Sports: Emeralds Style Revealed
Sports fans from all walks of life know that certain events transcend the game, offering moments of triumph, tradition, and excitement. For supporters of the Eugene Emeralds, we’ve curated a guide to the biggest and most prestigious sporting events worldwide. From motorsports to tennis and college athletics, each event showcases
Emeralds Home Clubhouse Manager Danny Okada named 2024 Home Clubhouse Manager of the Year
Minor League Baseball today announced the winners of the head groundskeeper of the year and home and visiting clubhouse managers of the year awards for each of the full season Minor League teams. The Emeralds home clubhouse manager Danny Okada has been named as the Northwest League home clubhouse manager
Joe Holstedt: A life of service
Joe Holstedt was a little nervous for this interview. He’s the most gregarious, loud, overtly friendly person in the Emeralds’ orbit. But the very nature of his job forces him into the background, where he operates far more comfortably. Watching the game — the man only called upon by injury.
Emeralds Announce Specialty Nine Jersey Honoring the Negro Leagues and Eugene’s Black Community
The Eugene Emeralds are excited to announce a new speciality jersey that honors the Negro League and Eugene’s Black Community. The Emeralds put together a focus group with Black community leaders to create something that represented them. The NAACP of Eugene-Springfield, the Black Cultural Initiative and former Emeralds player George
Emeralds Visiting Clubhouse Manager Takes Home Clubhouse Attendant Award
Minor League Baseball has announced the 2023 groundskeeper and clubhouse attendant awards. Travis Wong, the Emeralds visiting clubhouse attendant, has been given the award in the Northwest league. The winners were selected using the results of league managers, players and executives throughout the 2023 season. “We are extremely proud of
Emeralds Win Golden Bobblehead Award For Best Promotion
The Eugene Emeralds were announced as the winners of the Golden Bobblehead award for the best promotion or event after honoring their local history with the Exploding Whales identity. It was announced the Emeralds won the award at the MiLB Fall meetings that are taking place in Las Vegas. Allan
Emeralds Baseball Submits Funding Options for New Facility to MLB, Seeks Additional Time for Completion
EUGENE, OREGON - October 2nd, 2023 - In accordance with the Major League Baseball (MLB) September 30th deadline, the Eugene Emeralds announce the submission of all current funding options for their proposed new multi-use facility. With approximately two-thirds of the estimated $90.4 million funding identified, the team is cautiously optimistic
In honor of National Hat Day, here are 10 of MiLB's most popular caps of '24
We are celebrating the small yet mighty canvas that is the Minor League cap for National Hat Day. Clubs across the Minors utilize them as a fun way to represent their teams, regions and sometimes even their parent organizations. Not to mention they also look pretty sweet. Here's a close
Here are 10 of the top Minor League jerseys in 2024
Fans typically buy a sports jersey because of who's wearing it. But in the Minor Leagues, what’s on a jersey can often mean so much more. Teams have a way of making fans part of franchises by bringing local culture into their jersey and theme nights. “It's taking pride in
Eldridge among Giants prospects on AFL stage
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Bryce Eldridge has plenty of ingredients to become a frontline starter. He's a 6-foot-7 left-hander with a 92-94 mph fastball that reaches 96 and a low-80s slider that misses bats, and he dominated as a reliever while helping Team USA win the 2022 World Cup at the
Minor League Player Spotlight: Giants' Eldridge
Bryce Eldridge feels like he always plays up to the competition. It could explain how his numbers have improved with every new level of the Minors he has reached since being drafted by San Francisco No. 16 overall in the 2023 Draft. He even has his chance to show it
Top Minor League moments from 2023
In 2023, Minor League Baseball featured thrilling prospect debuts, electric performances and moments that went beyond the box score. All commemorated by the inaugural MiLB Awards on MLB Network. Let's look back on the year in MiLB.
The Road to The Show™: Giants’ Whisenhunt
Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken toward achieving his Major League dream. Here's a look at third-ranked Giants prospect Carson Whisenhunt. For more stories about players on The Road to The Show, click here. There’s been a lot working against Carson Whisenhunt over
MiLB honors top promotions of '23
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. Subscribe HERE.
MiLB honors Golden Bobblehead Award winners
LAS VEGAS -- Minor League Baseball announced the winners of the 2023 Golden Bobblehead Awards for top promotional activities and events in six categories.
Ben's Biz eats: Best of the Pacific Northwest
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. Subscribe HERE.
Some of the Minors' most popular jerseys
Jerseys can be gateways. And in the Minor Leagues, there’s plenty to explore. The kit can represent the town, a favorite food, the local culture, an important issue. And with longer affiliation partnerships, more teams have used them to connect with their parent clubs. Not to mention, they’re nice to
Hops Take Series Finale Against Eugene
The Eugene Emeralds dropped the series finale against the Hops by a final score of 7-1. With the loss today the Emeralds take a series split this week in Hillsboro. The Ems record now sits at 61-59 on the season and 27-27 in the 2nd half. The Hops jumped out
The best of the Giants' Minor League ballparks
The Minor League Ballpark Guides series presented by Wyndham brings all the most fun features of Minors ballparks across America (and one in Canada!) onto your desktop, tablet or mobile device, whether you're interested in taking a virtual tour from where you sit or planning a trip to catch some
MiLB clubs embrace communities on Juneteenth
Over the past week, Negro League Baseball has had a welcome presence on the Minor League landscape. Teams have taken on alternate identities, worn Negro League-inspired jerseys and welcomed special guests to the stadium in honor of Juneteenth. Declared an official holiday in 2021, Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery
Emeralds make themselves at home on the road
As the University of Oregon baseball season was winding down, the High-A Eugene staff couldn't help but scoreboard watch. While the Ducks' success didn't directly impact the Emeralds’ standings, there’d be a ripple effect, as the two clubs share PK Park in Eugene, Ore. “It kind of just became more
Copa de la Diversión en la comunidad
Copa de la Diversión is a multi-faceted fan engagement platform focused on embracing the cultures and values that resonate most with local Latino/a communities. Indeed, some of the greatest success stories within Copa -- sponsored by Nationwide, the platform's official insurance partner -- relate to each club’s ability to make
Minor Leagues bring the love on Mother's Day
Where would we be without our moms? While people everywhere celebrated Mother's Day, teams and players around the Minors made their affection known with pink uniforms, moms honored before the game and even home runs hit in maternal honor. Because moms always support their kids win or lose, it made