Sports Spotlight: Mark Weidemaier

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – The final Sports Spotlight of the summer baseball season falls on Larks Manager Mark Weidemaier. The man has coached in baseball for over four decades. He’s coached in the majors and the minor leagues, in Mexico and South Korea. He’s also quite fond of a certain hotel.

“So, the most important thing for your listeners is this: basically at one time, I had approximately 14, almost 14 million Marriot points. That means I lived 14 years of my life in a Marriott hotel. And that’s not to mention all the dumps I’ve stayed in over the years,” said Weidemaier.

Weidemaier also spent time in the Korea Baseball Organization with the Kia Tigers as a bench coach.

“I think the fans are tremendous there, and the noise, the thundersticks— they all cheer throughout the game,” said Weidemaier.

“Food wise, there was a few crazy things, like sea snakes that they’d chop up live out of the tank and put them on a skillet right in front of you while they’re frying and jumping around in the skillet and you’re about to eat them,” said Weidemaier.

Weidemaier also had a stint with the New York Yankees.

“Yankees, field coordinator, minor leagues, fired by George Steinbrenner and Bucky Dent and seven other guys on June 6 of 1990— I remember it very well,” said Weidemaier.

And that brings us to today. As the field manager for the Larks, Weidemaier now has a roster made up of young, college-age players.

“I hope my player can pick up something I’ve passed on to them with the knowledge I have, and it’s not that I’m smarter than anybody else, it’s that I’ve been around a lot of really good baseball people,” said Weidemaier.

One of those people was Hall of Fame Manager Tony La Russa, who has a golden rule for people involved with baseball.

“You have to learn a little something about the history of the game, you have to respect the game, you have to involve yourself in knowing a lot about the game,” said Weidemaier.

His first year in Bismarck has been a challenging one, but Weidemaier remains unphased.

“I don’t like to lose. We’ve done too much, but that’s another story. Just coming to the ballpark, being a part of the game, I love the smell of the grass, pine tar, you name it, dirt,” said Weidemaier.

“I’ve not only worked in baseball the majority of my adult life, I’ve been a great fan of the game of baseball. I love baseball,” said Weidemaier.

“You know, except for my wife, dogs, and my property in North Carolina, I don’t play golf. Baseball is what I do. I’ve done it for so long, I’m not ready to stop doing it,” said Weidemaier.

Four games remain for the Larks, and all of them are at home. Bismarck plays the Mankato Moondogs on Wednesday evening at 6:35 p.m.

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