OTTUMWA — Professional wrestling fans can be found in a number of different places. If this past weekend was any indication, many of them reside right here in southeastern Iowa.

One of those southern Iowa wrestling fans, however, might go unnoticed this fall at a local high school cross country meet. But Davis Eidahl, head coach of the two-time defending Class 1A girls state champion Pekin Panthers, has a long-running passion for the action of the ‘squared circle’ that got to continue in a fun way last weekend.

Eidahl got to attend the first live professional wrestling show in years to be held in Ottumwa when TNA Impact Wrestling put on their first-ever show at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa. The event was also a chance for Eidahl to bring his nine-year-old grandson, Carson, to his first-ever live event.

“Carson was really excited afterwards. He couldn’t stop talking about it,” Eidahl said after Saturday night’s event.

The event was also a great night for all fans to interact in unique ways with the talented performers of Impact wrestling. Fans were allowed to attend special meet-and-greet sessions with wrestlers before the event, during a mid-event intermission and afterwards when fans were allowed to get their picture taken in the ring with world heavyweight champion Austin Aries.

Saturday’s first-ever Impact show brought out several fans to the Bridge View Center with high hopes that the facility will become a regular stop for the nationally-televised wrestling promotion. Eidahl, who has enjoyed professional wrestling since his childhood, said the experience was certainly well worth it. 

“They really put on a great show,” Eidahl said. “It was fun to be able to get that close to the action. I thought it was great to see how much they appreciated being here.”



Ottumwa’s Lott moving on to Murray State baseball

From a pretty early age, Ben Lott has dreamed of playing college baseball on the Division I four-year level. It may have taken a little longer, but next spring Lott will be living out that dream.

The former Ottumwa Bulldog star, who has been an all-region star at Marshalltown Community College over the past two years, will play next season in Kentucky at Murray State University. For Lott and his family, joining the Ohio Valley Conference school marks the culmination of years of hard work.

“He is fulfilling a goal and a dream I think he set when he was about 10 years old,” Brett Lott, Ben’s father, said of his son’s achievement.

For Lott, the reality that he might be able to play major college baseball really started to set early on in his high school playing days

“Ever since I started as a sophomore at Ottumwa, it’s been my goal to get to Division I,” Lott said.

Despite finishing his high school career on a high note, earning Class 4A first-team all-state honors as a .514 lead-off hitter, Lott didn’t receive a lot of attention from the intercollegiate level. In fact, Lott received only one four-year offer and an offer to play two years at Marshalltown in the hopes of getting the opportunity to play on the highest four-year level possible.

“I chose Marshalltown because of it being a better fit,” Lott said. “I felt like that would give me a better opportunity to play Division I. I was able to get a little bigger, faster and stronger.”

Lott had a big season last year in his sophomore campaign, leading the Tigers with a .388 batting average, .617 slugging percentage, 71 hits, 20 doubles, 55 runs scored and 18 stolen bases. The former Bulldog also got the chance to play with several former prep teammates including Tyler Evans, J.C. Salter, Zach Throckmorton and Ben Ryder this past season.

“Five of us were up there this past season. They’re all great guys and I’m happy I was able to help get to Marshalltown,” Lott said. “We’ve all grown up playing together and getting someone like Ben Ryder up there as a teammate and roommate was really special.”

For Lott, next season will be special as he plays major college baseball. The Ottumwa native is now also hopeful that he can extend his dream to a major future in baseball.

“Maybe with some hard work over the next two years, maybe there will be something more waiting for me (on the minor or major league level),” Lott said. “This is definitely a dream I’ve been working toward since I was little.”



Baseball showcase coming to Ottumwa

October 13 could be a very big day for those young local baseball players that are hoping to pursue a dream similar to Lott’s. The first Southeast Iowa baseball showcase will be taking place later this fall at the Ottumwa Babe Ruth diamonds and is open to all juniors and seniors to showcase their skills in front of college scouts.

Cal Evans, who is heading up the showcase, says that the early response is very encouraging.

“The kids are rolling in right now. We sent out the e-mail to the coaches and a lot of them are getting their kids on board,” Evans said. “I thought getting the coaches on board would be the hardest part, but they’ve done a great job getting the kids fired up about participating in this.”

According the Evans, players from Davis County, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont, Twin Cedars and Ottumwa have are already set to take part in the 48-player showcase. The event will feature two games, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, on one of the Babe Ruth diamonds while the other diamond will hold skill training sessions for the players.

Truman State, Coe and Central College as well as defending NJCAA champ Iowa Western are among the schools that have already committed to coming to the showcase. The cost for each participant is $75 with profits going to help with field renovations for the Ottumwa Babe Ruth League.

“That ($75) is about half of what it would cost to go to another camp like this,” Evans said. “We’re trying to keep the price reasonable so kids here can afford it and get out there in front of the coaches and people that can help get them an opportunity to play college baseball.”

Campers are still invited to contact Evans at 641-777-5148 or Brett Lott at 641-777-5793 for more information on how to be a part of the showcase. The deadline to sign-up is Oct. 1. If necessary, a tentative rain date is set for Oct. 18.

Fall ball will also be starting on the Babe Ruth diamonds this Sunday. Evans said work is also continuing to work on the dugouts at the same time.

“Some of those kids are going to have to play without a roof over their heads,” Evans joked.



Former Missouri Tiger stars to headline Ottumwa softball camp

A former Pleasantville ace pitcher who helped lead the University of Missouri to three straight College World Series will be joined by one of her Tiger teammates this weekend in Ottumwa for a weekend softball camp.

Chelsea Thomas, who went from on of the best prep pitchers in Iowa at Pleasantville to an all-American hurler on the college level, will be joined by all-American Missouri teammate Ashley Fleming this weekend as part of a softball camp being put on by the Ottumwa Girls Softball League. The camp, which is expected to have around 60 girls in attendance, will be held with two different sessions starting with the first session Saturday morning at 10 a.m.

Saturday’s session will last for three hours as will Sunday afternoon’s. That session will be held from 1:30-4:30 p.m.

While at Missouri, Fleming led the Tigers in batting while Thomas was one of three finalist for national college player of the year in 2011. Thomas is also currently a member of the Team USA national softball squad that travels throughout the world representing the country in tournament play.



Got an item for the Scott Jackson’s Area Sports Notebook? Contact Jackson at sjacksonsports@yahoo.com.