Inspired to share his lifetime love of baseball with his children by taking them to a professional baseball game, Denny Baxter along with partner Lew Chamberlin brought the Whitecaps to West Michigan in 1994.

When inducted in 2016 the franchise was annually the area’s most attended sporting event, and had won six Midwest League championships in 23 years.

His accomplishments included helping develop the Whitecaps Community Foundation that served families and children primarily through support of the Inner City Young Baseball program, the development of Blue Cap Promotions and Blue Cap Entertainment entities that planned, organized and brought concerts, festivals, charity banquets and various sports promotions including “Boxing at the Ballpark” to the area and throughout the Midwest. The former CPA and owner, founder and president of the Whitecaps also was co-owner of Berlin Raceway for seven years.