Thank You, Dillon: The Community Behind the Dillon Cubs

Thank You, Dillon

Now that our season has come to a close, I wanted to take a minute to thank everyone for your support of the Dillon Cubs this season and throughout the years. This season was special on so many different levels.

Being able to host the Montana American Legion State Tournament for the first time in the history of the Dillon Cubs was something I know I’ll remember for a long time. The support from our entire community to make it happen truly showed why Dillon is such a special place to live and how much our community values opportunities that bring people to our town. During the tournament, I can’t tell you how many times fans, players, and coaches stopped me to comment on our incredible home ballpark at Ray Lynch Field.

As many of you know, having a facility like Ray Lynch Field doesn’t come cheap, nor does it happen without the countless hours of dedicated volunteers. Our Cubs Board of Directors has worked incredibly hard over the last several years to make this year’s State Tournament a success. It really started with everything that was done to host last year’s South A District Tournament, proving to the Montana American Legion directors that Dillon not only has an amazing community, but one of the finest baseball facilities in the state.

Just days after we were awarded the opportunity to host the 2026 State Tournament, disaster struck when a windstorm caused significant damage to our backstop and field. From the very beginning, the City of Dillon stood beside us and worked tirelessly to make sure the field would be ready in time so we wouldn’t lose the opportunity to host. They recognized the blood, sweat, and tears that have gone into making Ray Lynch Field what it is today.

I am incredibly thankful to everyone who stepped up to make it happen. A special thank you goes to Dallas Osburn and the crew at Osburn Fence and Fabrication for taking our plans and making sure everything stayed on schedule. Because of their efforts, not only were we able to host the State Tournament, but the Beaverhead County High School baseball team was also able to finish its successful season with home games on the field.

This season, 28 young men wanted to wear a Dillon Cubs uniform and represent their community alongside their friends. With 28 players, we were able to field two teams and even organize games specifically for younger Dillon Middle School players who weren’t yet eligible to play at the high school level. Providing opportunities for young athletes to develop their love for the game is something we’re very proud of.

The Cubs organization works hard every year to keep costs affordable for our players and families. One of the biggest reasons we’re able to do that is the tremendous support we receive from our local businesses through sign sponsorships, donations, and our annual raffle ticket sales.

This year we had 65 outfield sign sponsors, filling every available panel on our fence. Just a few years ago, we only had room for 46 signs. When demand exceeded our available space, we built an additional fence on the berm in right field so every business could be recognized. That level of community support is truly incredible.

I’d also like to thank Draggin Y Cattle Company and McCartney Mountain Beef for generously donating local beef for our concession stand. I can honestly say there wasn’t a better burger served at any ballpark we visited this summer, and their generosity helped keep concession costs affordable while supporting the Cubs.

Another exciting step forward this season was being able to livestream every home game. Thanks to Mike Clarke’s research and the support of Air Grids in upgrading our internet service, family, friends, and Cubs fans who couldn’t make it to the ballpark were still able to follow the team all summer long. It was a tremendous addition to our program. If you haven’t had a chance to watch, every 2026 Dillon Cubs game is still available on GameChanger.

A special thank you also goes out to KDBM/KBEV for broadcasting our home games on the radio so fans could stay connected wherever they were, and to Southwestern Montana News and the Dillon Tribune for their outstanding coverage of all our home games and the incredible photos they provided throughout the season. Your support helps tell the story of our team and our community in a way that means so much to the players and families.

While our win-loss record may not have reflected all of the progress we made, this team accomplished some remarkable things. Early in June, we traveled to Burley, Idaho, and captured the annual Wood Bat Tournament championship, highlighted by a 4-1 victory over the host Green Sox, who would later become Idaho State Champions.

We also earned impressive wins over Belgrade, the eventual Montana State Champions, 12-8, and the Gallatin Valley Outlaws, 9-8, our first victory over them in five years. At the State Tournament, we opened by upsetting the Bitterroot Red Sox, who entered the tournament riding a 23-game winning streak, with a thrilling 4-3 victory.

More important than any individual win was watching this group grow throughout the summer. The boys were playing their best baseball at the end of the season, and while it was difficult to see it come to an end, I can honestly say every player improved, every player contributed, and every player helped shape the success of this year’s team. I couldn’t be more excited to see what next season has in store.

It doesn’t seem that long ago that what we now call home was little more than gopher mounds, bare dirt, and weeds. Since the Cubs and the City of Dillon partnered to make Ray Lynch Field our home in 2013, the transformation has been incredible—not only for the Cubs field, but also for Beaverhead Little League’s new complex. The future is even brighter, with plans already underway to construct a third field and expand the infield on the field closest to the Cubs so it can accommodate all levels of baseball and softball. Those improvements will allow us to host even more teams and tournaments while continuing to grow the game in our community.

If you would like to help make this vision a reality, whether through volunteering, sponsorship, or other support, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d be happy to sit down with you and share more about our plans for the future of baseball in Dillon.

None of this would be possible without the dedication of our volunteers, board members, coaches, players, parents, sponsors, and every fan who came out to support us. Thank you for believing in the Dillon Cubs and in what we’re building together. Your support means more than you know.

We are proud to represent Dillon, and we’re already looking forward to next season. Thank you for making 2026 a season we’ll never forget.

Sincerely,

Andy Bartlome


Head Coach


Dillon Cubs