Graves gains ‘big league’ experience
PRESQUE ISLE – Sixteen-year-old Quinn Graves’ goal of working in the front office for a professional sports team is right on schedule.
Graves’ latest internship venture took place July 15-21 as he and his family made the trip to Minneapolis so he could work under Patrick Klinger, the senior vice president of marketing for the Minnesota Twins.
The trip became possible for the junior-to-be at Presque Isle High School after Graves had sent an exploratory e-mail to Matt Hoy, the head of baseball operations for the Twins.
“I went online and checked out all the Major League Baseball teams, but [the Twins] were the only ones with e-mail addresses on their website,” Graves said of the breakthrough. “They were a team I liked anyway because they have the brand new stadium (Target Field) and I’ve heard great things about their organization and how they operate.”
The response from Hoy didn’t lead anywhere, but as a last-ditch effort Graves then tried an e-mail address he had for Klinger and hit paydirt.
“He told me I could come for a week and try it out,” Graves said.
Upon his arrival to Target Field on his first day at the job, “I got to tour the stadium and then would do random tasks during the day all the other interns would do,” he said.
“For example, I made about 100 table tents (three-sided paper advertisements displayed at eateries) which promoted a new book on Target Field and we delivered them throughout the stadium,” he said. “We also drove around and dropped off the actual books at radio and television stations throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul.”
On his third day at the job, Graves spent his time helping out at a Latino Twins Rally away from the ballpark. Promotional items were packed up and driven 2-1/2 hours south to Medelia. “It was 93 or 94 degrees that day,” he recalled. “We set up displays and hosted games, there were street vendors all around. That was a 12-hour day and was by far the longest time I spent doing one thing, but it was fun.”
When he wasn’t working, Graves was able to take in the baseball action. On the first night, he watched the Twins game from the public address/video room. On another night, he watched it from what is called the “staff balcony.”
He was able to take his father, Mike, to a game and got to sit in seats behind home plate which belong to former Twins star Dan Gladden, who wasn’t able to attend that particular night.
“That was a treat for both of us because we got to be right by the field,” Graves said. “Plus they made a comeback in the ninth inning to win it, so that was a great game to see from right there.”
He was also able to take both his father, his mother (Sue) and two younger sisters to another game later in the week. “That was nice because that gave me a chance to show them all the stadium,” he added.
Graves’ interest in sports-related work was elevated when he joined the Presque Isle High School Future Business Leaders of America Club as a freshman. That year at the state convention, he tested in a sports management category and placed first in a crowded field that also included several upperclassmen. He turned the feat again this past March as a sophomore.
Last summer, Graves was able to job shadow under Chris Cameron, the assistant general manager and head of media relations with the Portland Sea Dogs. He helped distribute statistical packages, put team rosters and game notes together and even restocked the press box refrigerators.
He also interned for the Springfield (Mass.) Falcons of the American Hockey League and the Hartford Wolfpack, also of the AHL, during his February vacation. On July 11-13, just before the Minnesota trip, Graves worked with other interns for the Lowell (Mass.) Spinners, the Boston Red Sox Class A Minor League affiliate.
After all these experiences, a career in sports – especially baseball – is certainly a goal for Graves and he’d like to try some more ventures if he can.
“I’d like to get exposed to baseball operations because I know the business side of it but I’d also like to see the baseball side of it, like with what the general manager does and all of that,” he said.
At this point, Graves joked that as long as he can keep the driving to a minimum, he’s willing to go just about anywhere.
“Being from a small town, I think I would like working with a minor league team because those teams are located in smaller towns,” said Graves. “If I was in a Major League city like Minnesota and could walk to or take a bus to the stadium, I’d be fine with that.
“Right now, I can’t even drive into Bangor without getting nervous.”?
Contributed photo
QUINN GRAVES, left, a 16-year-old junior at Presque Isle High School, recently spent a week as an intern in the marketing department for the Minnesota Twins at the new Target Field in Minneapolis. At right is Patrick Klinger, the senior vice president of marketing for the Twins.
