Editor's Note: The Casper Ghosts were affiliated with the Colorado Rockies. The Team was under new ownership that changed the name from the Casper Rockies to the Casper Ghosts. The article below does not make that clear.
June 25, 2026, Oil City News, published an article entitled “Casper Pride partnering with local businesses for free book crawl, baseball game,” advertising “Big Gay Day.” The flier, created by Casper Pride, promises free books and baseball. The article goes on to claim partnership with local businesses including the Casper Spuds. As presented, the article clearly implies that the Casper Spuds, an independent baseball team, sponsored “Big Gay Day.”
The Open Range Record spoke with the Spud’s owners, Kristi and Paul Hack. They paint a very different picture. There is a difference between providing a service or experience and partnership implying endorsement.
Upon examining the website and social media of the Spuds, it’s clear they are not political. They don’t promote causes or apply labels. Their business is baseball. Just baseball. Kristi envisions “fans entering the stadium, setting aside the troubles of the world to enjoy the game. Baseball is for everyone. Including members of the Casper Pride community.”
According to the team’s owners, like any other client, Casper Pride made arrangements to rent the party deck at Mike Lansing Field. They paid for tickets and meals for members of their community. Spudly, the Spuds’ mascot, attended the pride event earlier this month to hand out vouchers so both parties could keep track of attendance and final expenses. There was no sponsorship of “Big Gay Day.”
At the game, there was no fanfare, no recognition, just sheer enjoyment of the game. The Hacks provided fun, family entertainment for all.
It’s Just Baseball
In our conversation, I brought up the Texas Rangers, the only Major League team that has chosen to not participate in pride nights. Their reasoning is simple: keep baseball baseball.
In 2024, The Texas Rangers issued a statement concerning their refusal to participate in any LGTBQ events: “Our longstanding commitment remains the same: to make everyone feel welcome and included in Rangers baseball—in our ballpark, at every game, and in all we do—for both our fans and employees.”
The Spud’s owners have a similar vision to keep the focus on the game so everyone from any background can enjoy an iconic American pastime. Unfortunately, outside of Casper, Wyoming and Arlington, Texas, baseball has been politicized and not all viewpoints are welcome.
Around the Horn
Under presidents Bill Clinton and Barak Obama, June was designated as pride month. In 2023, the L.A. Dodgers offended thousands of Catholics and people of faith by awarding the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence the Dodgers hero community award. The “Sisters” are a group of drag queens dressed as nuns claiming, since 1979, their mission is “love, acceptance, and celebrating human diversity.” Instead, they mock people of faith.
This month, the San Francisco Giants made headlines when three of their pitchers wrote the Scripture reference, Gen 9:12-16 on their mandated pride-themed caps. The pride caps sported the logo in rainbow colors.
Genesis chapter nine, verses twelve through sixteen state: “And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations; I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth…and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh . . .’”
Landen Roupp, J.T. Brubaker, and Ryan Walker wrote the Genesis verse on their caps. Reliever, Sam Hentyes chose to wear the standard ballcap with the orange logo rather than the pride one. MLB officials erupted with fury. A spokesman for the Giants put out the following statement: “We understand that the choices by individual players have caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community and we are sorry for that.” They went on to make a statement about being a . . . welcoming environment for all . . .”
Unless you are a Christian. In York, Pennsylvania, convictions clashed with a forced pride night celebration. The minor Atlantic League team, York Revolution forfeited their game on June 18 because several players refused to wear pride jerseys. They were slated to play against the Maryland Blue Crabs at WellSpan Park in York, PA.
Their team spokesperson was “. . . deeply troubled and profoundly disappointed by the decision of these few players.” And as with the Giants, the WellSpan Park was touted as the “most welcoming place in York.” The team donated ten thousand dollars to the local pride organization.
Welcome to all except, it seems, for the players who uphold Biblical values; and welcome to all except those who disagree with the LGBTQ + community.
Meanwhile, Back in Wyoming
Though Wyoming is one of the thirty-three states without a Major League team, in the early 2000s, the Colorado Rockies Pioneer League team called Casper home. The Casper Rockies entertained fans from 2001 to 2007. After that, the Casper Ghosts played at Lansing field from 2008 to 2011.
After the Civil War, teams formed to keep isolated soldiers occupied. That morphed into professional ball clubs in Buffalo and Sheridan. Prosinski Ball Park in Buffalo is the same field where professional baseball games were first played in Wyoming in 1913.
The Sheridan Post reported on May 30, 1913: “It is Here—The Biggest Day in Local Baseball History. For today, neath sunny skies, the Midland Empire League will be born. The stage is set, the actors await their cue in the wings. This afternoon the curtain will go up on the greatest event in the history of sports in two states.
Four cities today rejoice in the birth of a new epoch. Of the four—Buffalo, Sheridan, Billings, and Lewistown—Sheridan and Billings are destined to witness the formal inauguration of the league. Thousands in the two cities will raise their voices in thunderous applause and the hour of three-thirty arrives for the long-awaited cry, ‘Play Ball!’”
That’s what the Casper Spuds are trying to do: just play ball.