Franklin, Wisconsin(September 9, 2019) – The Milwaukee Milkmen, coming off of their very first season in the American Association of Professional Baseball League, have dismissed manager Gary McClure.

It was a bumpy first campaign that kicked off with “home” games in Kokomo due to weather related construction delays at brand-new Routine Field Stadium in Franklin, WI. The Milwaukee Milkmen ended the season with 38 wins and 62 losses.

“We learned a lot during this first season, and the entire organization appreciates the outstanding efforts of Gary McClure,” said Mike Zimmerman, CEO of ROC Ventures. “He provided structure and direction during a  period when there were a lot of unknowns to confront and solve on and off the field.”

The team has promoted assistant coach Anthony Barone to a new role as Milwaukee Milkmen manager. Barone was formerly manager of the Jamestown Jammers from 2015-18 before coming to the Milkmen as an assistant coach. During his tenure in Jamestown, the Jammers were 2017 PGCBL Western Division Champions, and won the 2018 Championship. Barone was named Coach of the Year in 2017 and 2018, the only coach in PGCBL history to be honored twice.

“I’m very grateful and excited about this opportunity to manage the Milwaukee Milkmen,” Barone said. “Mike Zimmerman, Dan Kuenzi, and ROC Ventures have created a wonderful environment for professional baseball. We had great community support in year one, and we are excited to see what year two brings. Our roster has a great foundation, and in coming weeks we’ll be rounding out the coaching staff to help us compete for an American Association title. This is a very humbling experience, which I am ready to work at extremely hard.”

While the team’s win-loss record was disappointing in 2019, the Milkmen enjoyed spirited support from new fans at theme nights like “MOO..tober Fest” and “Woodstock Night.”

“We set out to create great affordable and accessible entertainment for the whole family, and in 2019 we were able to achieve that goal,” Zimmerman said. “The entire organization really came through, and we can’t wait for the 2020 season to get underway so we can top ourselves.”

Visit milwaukeemilkmen.com for more information.

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About Anthony Barone

Anthony Barone attended Jamestown Community College for two years, where he played basketball and baseball and was named one of the institution’s Top 50 Athletes of all time. He finished his academic career at New Jersey’s Felician University, where he was an All-Conference athlete and two-time Academic All-American. As head coach at Jamestown Community College, he amassed 207 victories and a 101-62 regional record. Barone was named National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 3 Coach of the Year in 2008 as Jamestown advanced to five consecutive NJCAA Regional Tournaments. From 2012 to 2014, Barone was an Assistant Coach at California State University–Bakersfield where the team won a Western Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship. Barone managed the Jamestown Jammers from 2015-18, leading the team to the PGCBL Championship Series in 2017 and winning the Championship in 2018. Under Barone’s management the Jammers ranked 13th in 2015, 4th in 2017, and 10th in 2018 among top collegiate teams in the country. He was recipient of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League Coach of the Year Award in both 2017 and 2018, and came to the Milwaukee Milkmen as an assistant coach in 2019. He has coached or managed 46 players who became pros.

About ROC Ventures

ROC Ventures manages a collection of brands in the sports, entertainment, and real estate sectors. These include the MASL Champion Milwaukee Wave, The Rock Sports Complex, a Summer College Baseball franchise, the Milwaukee Milkmen professional baseball team, and the mixed-use Ballpark Commons development featuring Routine Field Baseball Stadium and Luxe Golf Bays, among other retail, entertainment, and residential features. ROC stands for “Return on Community,” a goal which informs each and every endeavor undertaken by the organization. For more information, visit rocventures.org.