Missoula Paddleheads’ ‘Sammy B’ stepping down as director of entertainment after 7 years

MISSOULA, Mt. — If you’ve ever attended a Paddleheads baseball game, you’ve definitely seen the guy leading the charge in Paddleheads pride in front of the bleachers in his Paddleheads-themed suit.

You might know Sam Boyd as Sammy B, the wacky Paddleheads entertainer. Amusing a large crowd has been second nature to Boyd since he was a high schooler.

“In high school, I got most school spirited. I was the one who created our student section,” Boyd said.

Boyd spent the past seven summers roaming the stands at Ogren Park, developing new ways to create an unforgettable atmosphere.

“I’m just really good at putting on my persona, my Superman suit and doing what is needed for the fans. I believe it’s being outlandish and outstanding. I want you to leave the ballpark and say wow,” Boyd said.

When Sammy B takes off his cape at the end of the summer, he turns back into Clark Kent, crunching numbers and diving into promotions research to figure out how to raise the outlandish bar on a new baseball season.

“In October we start to set budgets. I maintain a piece of this business, and then November through January we ‘re looking at what promotions we want to bring back to the ballpark,” Boyd said.

Boyd tracks everything sold in the ballpark, from jerseys to hot dogs, to calculate the perfect fan experience.

“I have a ton of Excels tracking when people arrive, sales on those nights, how many beers and hot dogs are sold. I geek out on that,” Boyd said.

Before you know it, it’s opening day, and Boyd turns back into Sammy B with his infamously strong vocal cords.

“It’s like a muscle. You go to the gym and work out, well I do the peanut inning and my vocal cords are just ripped,” Boyd said.

It creates a home-field advantage for a team with a higher winning percentage than any pro ball club over the past two years.

“We feed off that crowd energy that Sammy provides for us,” Paddleheads infielder Kamron Willam said.

However, this season will be Boyd’s last hyping up the Missoula fans. Boyd is trading in his Paddleheads suit for a noble cause. He plans to work with a youth organization known as Young Life to help mentor high schoolers in need and get them back on the right track.

“It’s an organization I was connected to in high school. I had a mentor who cared for me and changed the trajectory of my life,” Boyd said.

Boyd leaves the business having set the standard for sports entertainment in the Garden City.

“Sammy B is second to none. You will never find another Sammy B in this country,” Willman said.

“I got to test and fail and try and play in the sandbox more than I ever dreamed of. I’m so thankful for the Paddleheads organization. It’s a chapter of my life coming to an end. Missoula has loved me more than I ever could’ve imagined,” Boyd said.