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2025 La Crosse Loggers Baseball There’ s No Place Like Copeland
Dan Kapanke Team Owner
Dan was born and raised on a small dairy farm in nearby Coon Valley, Wisconsin where he developed a love for the game of baseball. As a young boy, Dan loved to watch and play baseball. Believe it or not, in the middle of school, Dan and his friends skipped their classes to watch the 1960 Yankees vs. Pirates World Series Game 7. In addition to playing and watching the game, he coached youth baseball in the La Crosse area for fifteen years. Knowing that baseball has long been a fixture and passion to the people of La Crosse, Kapanke and his wife Ruth turned dreams into reality when they decided to bring the La Crosse Loggers to Copeland Park in 2003.
Being a UW-La Crosse graduate in Economics and Political Science, Dan became heavily involved in local politics and is well-known throughout the community. Dan was elected to the State Senate in November of 2004 and represented the 32nd District in Wisconsin until 2011. Along with his involvement in the political realm, Dan has over thirty years of experience in the agriculture business. You can find Dan throughout Copeland Park during Logger’ s home games, taking in the experience with fans and tossing peanuts into the stands. The love of Dan’ s life, Ruth, has put up with Dan for fifty years! Dan and Ruth have a family of four children and twelve grandchildren.
Ruth Kapanke
Team Owner
Ruth has been Dan’ s life partner for fifty years and is happy to participate in all things“ Loggers.” Her biggest joy and privilege is training and working with our staff. As a staff developer, her main goal is to ensure that we treat others the way we would want to be treated.
Ruth recently retired from a very rewarding career in nursing, which has allowed her more free time to spend with her twelve grandchildren! She loves to read and, along with Logger Dog, was instrumental in the creation of Logger Dog’ s Reading Incentive Program. As the program grows, she hopes kids will develop a deep love for reading. With the couple’ s four children, their spouses and grandkids all close by, life is busy and fulfilling for Ruth and Dan.
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