COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. — Hundreds of players have come and gone through the Whitecaps franchise, but one man has remained constant, Bob Wells.
His technical title at LMCU Ballpark is on-field host. But hype man, entertainer, Whitecaps front man all describe Bob’s role for the past 25 years, pumping up fans and making each home game a memorable one.
It perfectly blends two things I enjoy, baseball and entertainment,” Wells said.
For the majority of those years, Bob’s primary job was as a teacher at Rockford High School, bringing the entertainment factor from the field into the classroom and vice versa.
And like he’s seen his own students grow, Bob has seen young baseball fans return to the stands as adults, even bringing their own kids and their own kids back to watch the caps play ball.
A highlight for many is watching Bob dance the night away from on top of the dugout, or in the outfield.
Regardless of the outcome of the game, hopefully, everyone has fun, you know, and that's been my whole mission,” Wells said.
That mission has remained the same even though ballpark changes, ownership changes, new players and even a massive fire that threatened the Whitecaps season back in 2014. Through it all, Bob’s smile and energy have helped people escape the troubles of their day, to cheer on the home team.
“He had a wicked curveball to go with it and just made really good hitters look silly,” Wells reminisced.
Walking the grounds of LMCU Ballpark still thrills Bob, and reminds him of all the players he’s witnessed play. It’s what drives him to come back season after season to entertain the next generation of baseball fans.
“I look forward to the grandkids coming out and you know, taking in a ballgame and having fun in West Michigan,” Wells said.
“I really look forward to that a lot.”
