Doug Simunic, an All-state catcher from Romeo High School, was a workhorse behind the plate for the Skippers during the 1975 and 1976 seasons. His steady play did not go unnoticed, as he was voted All-Conference both years. Simunic was recognized as an NJCAA Division I 2nd Team All-American in 1975 with a batting average of .422.

Simunic was more than a hitting threat. He formed a dominant battery with some great arms and was always in control of the game as the Skippers signal-caller. Legendary manager Dick Groch praised the toughness of Simunic, sharing that he caught 27 consecutive innings to help the team earn a spot in the 1976 NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, CO., where they finished runner-up.

He was selected in the third round of the 1976 Major League Baseball draft by the Montreal Expos and played professional baseball for nearly a decade with the Expos, Cleveland Indians, and Seattle Mariners organizations. Simunic finished his professional playing career in 1984, appearing in 813 games with 61 home runs and 319 RBI’s. He was a wall behind the dish, allowing only 78 passed balls during his entire professional career.

He was also a player/coach for two seasons in the Italian Professional Baseball League and continued coaching at the professional level with the Houston Astros and LA Dodgers organizations. Simunic is considered the most successful manager in Independent Baseball League history for guiding the Fargo-Moorhead Red Hawks to five championships over his 22 seasons between 1996 and 2017.

In total, Simunic spent 42 years in professional baseball as a player, coach, or manager in the USA, Canada, Italy, and Mexico. In addition to his success in Fargo, he won six championships in the Northern League and another one in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada. He also coached with USA Baseball in three World Cup Qualifiers. He met his wife, Stefanie, while playing AAA baseball for the Cleveland Indians in 1983. They have a daughter named Allasyn, who is an elementary school counselor. Simunic is now retired and lives in Charleston, W. Va.