The “heart and soul” of communities varies and is dependent on a variety of factors. But when you talk about Two Rivers, the Polar Bears baseball team often comes up among its citizens.
The Polar Bears have been a fixture of the “Cool City” since 1939 and, under the leadership of Howie Timm, won four Shoreland League titles.
They ended operations in 1984, leaving a void that, for many, was impossible to replace. It took 17 years to bring them back, with the second iteration lasting from 2001 to 2017.
When they disbanded and moved the team to Manitowoc in 2018, where they became the Bandits, again, the community was left without a summer baseball team, and that’s when Two Rivers native A.J. Lorrigan acted.
With a lot of hard work and help from many others, the Polar Bears were resurrected in 2025. Lorrigan says preparations are well underway for the 2026 season.
” We are getting back on the field doing the basics. The weather up until recently has limited us somewhat, but preparations continue for what we expect to be an exciting and fun baseball season. “
Lorrigan, a native of Two Rivers, had run the Branch Blaze of The Shoreland League for the previous 19 years but deep down knew that Shoreland League baseball needed to return to his hometown.
During a recent appearance on WOMT Sports Talk (Monday, May 11th), he admitted he was deeply conflicted about what to do, but says that the Two Rivers community made his decision an easy one.
” I live in Two Rivers, so I asked myself why I am doing this when I can go to a field that’s five minutes from my house. Also, the Two Rivers community truly supports the things they love and feel are an integral part of their history.” Lorrigan adds—
“It was proven by the huge crowds that came to watch us play, along with tremendous support from the business community, which has doubled from last year. It’s been simply fantastic.”
Word began to quickly spread that the Polar Bears were returning, leaving some, according to Lorrigan, literally crying tears of joy.
” When I talked to Howie Timm, who ran the Polar Bears in the 1970’s and 80s, and one of his daughters about the Polar Bears’ return, she gave me a hug and literally began crying. She then called her sister to share the news, and she began to cry tears of joy. So many people reacted in kind, and we’re thrilled to have the Polar Bears back and be a part of summer in the Cool City.”
This year’s team consists of a good mix of youth and experience. Manitowoc Lutheran graduate (2024) Caden Stanzel returns for another season, and he speaks about the biggest adjustments he’s needed to make playing semi-pro baseball.
“One day, you can face a pitcher that throws in the mid-to-high eighties, then go back to high school, where velocity is 10 miles per hour slower. Another adjustment is how to hit with a wooden bat. Those were really the biggest learning curves for me.”
Marques Trost is a 15-year veteran of The Shoreland League. The Manitowoc Lincoln graduate has played for several teams, including the now-disbanded Manitowoc Heat and Two Rivers. He feels this iteration of the Polar Bears has a chance to do something special.
” We had a lot of close games early in the year that we were able to win, but then we hit a bit of a speedbump against some good teams. I feel the schedule early on benefits us, and if we can stockpile some wins, we should be in a position to have a good season.”
The Shoreland League will have a new look in 2026 as The Manitowoc Bandits have disbanded and have been replaced by The Manitowoc Whitecaps. However, some of the old guard return, including defending champion Denmark, last year’s runner-up Casco, and The Algoma ‘Guins.
Two Rivers will once again play their home games at Walsh Field and have plenty of exciting surprises and promotions for the fans to enjoy. Lorrigan says he’s really pumped up for July 13th, when arguably the most popular Polar Bear in franchise history, Denny Hrdina, takes his rightful place in the Shoreland League Hall of Fame.
” I’m expecting a lot of people to come out on that night. A lot of people know the name Denny Hrdina and not only know of the great career he had, but what he means to the city of Two Rivers as a whole.”
The Polar Bears open the season on the road in Sheboygan, May 27th, against the Sheboygan A’s, and their home opener is Friday, June 5th, against the Denmark Devil Bears.
There’s free admission to all home games, and to follow or find out more information, go to TRPolarBears.com, facebook.com/TRPolarBears, or instagram.com/TRPolarBears.
