River Falls-native Marty Herum was in Arizona at spring training competing for a job in the Diamondbacks' organization during late February 2019. He was weeks away from being sent to the Reno Aces, Arizona's AAA affiliate, and one step away from the Major Leagues. But that night, by himself in a hotel room resting for the next day, Marty Herum was watching a live River Falls High School girls' basketball game online.

"Marty's a Wildcat," said his River Falls' High School Baseball Coach Ryan Bishop. "He's been a lot of different things over time, but Marty Herum's a Wildcat.

"Marty had to earn every opportunity he had. You wouldn't know a lot of that unless you know his story."

Herum's story is not your typical path to the pros, but Marty Herum is anything but a typical professional athlete. 

Herum graduated from River Falls High School in 2010 and played on the state tournament baseball team that included then junior J.P. Feyereisen and freshman Alex Call (both currently in the Major Leagues with the Dodgers and Nationals, respectively).

UW-Whitewater Coach John Vodenlich gray-shirted Herum during his first season with the Warhawks. The next two seasons, Herum captured WIAC Player-Of-The-Year awards in 2012 and 2013.

Major League scouts were inquiring about Herum but Vodenlich told them Herum wasn't signing a pro contract and wanted to stay at Whitewater. The scouts left.

Enter Mark Hallberg. Hallberg was a Barron (Wis.) High School grad and played college baseball at University of Illinois-Chicago and then transferred to Florida State. Hallberg was drafted in the ninth round by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2007 draft and played five years in their minor league system. He retired due to a nagging arm injury.

Hallberg was finishing his college degree at UW-River Falls in 2013 and helping coach in the Wildcat baseball program. After some prodding from Bishop, Hallberg watched Herum playing for the River Falls Fighting Fish town ball team.

Star-Observer sports reporter Bob Burrows said, "Marty hit a home run over the trees at the Plum City Tournament when he was playing for the Fish and I heard a player from Menomonie say, 'That guy does not belong in the St. Croix Valley League.’"

The ball sounds different coming off the bat of a professional baseball player. Like a chart-topping pop song, it's impossible to describe why the song is great, but it's easy to identify when heard.

The ball made that different sound when it came off Marty Herum's bat. Coach Bishop had heard it since Marty's high school freshman year. Mark Hallberg heard it, too. Hallberg made a call to the Arizona Diamondbacks and it took one afternoon workout and one Fish game for the Diamondbacks to offer a minor league contract to Herum. 

UW-Whitewater Coach Vodenlich couldn't hide Herum in his back pocket any longer. Herum was off to rookie league for the remainder of the 2013 season and his two-year UW-Whitewater playing career was complete.

The thing about Herum is he shrugs off accolades and stat questions with a half-smile, a shoulder shrug, and leans his head to the right while answering it with a "pretty decent" or "not too bad" when speaking about himself. 

Stats, however, can be researched and Herum was in extended spring season for two weeks in 2014 before going 19 for 24 at the plate. He was promptly sent to single A South Bend.

On June 17, 2017, while playing for the Visalia Rawhide (high A), Herum won the home run derby at the California League All-Star Game with 39 home runs. One of the other participants in the final four of the same home run derby was Josh Naylor, current Cleveland Guardian and third ranked MLB RBI leader.

Visalia, a farming community in rural California, hosted the home run derby and other player competitions including chicken chasing, cow-milking, and lasso-roping. The Rawhide fans loved Herum and they had their cowbells clanking for him.

"Thankfully, the ball flies a little farther in California," said Herum with his half-smile.

"We went to a number of Marty's games and he was a fan favorite wherever he went," said Bishop. "The apple didn't fall too far from the tree if you know his parents, Kevin and Joni."

"I don't really know why I was a fan favorite," said Herum when asked. "It's probably because I'm not the most athletic looking guy. I'm bright blonde and pale. You see a lot of the same people at the small-town parks every night and it's just more fun to mingle with the fans and talk with the kids. You get what you give, I guess."

Herum took to small-town minor league baseball like a fish to water and the fans did love him. Herum was an all-star four out of his seven years in professional baseball.

"Some of those places were a lot like River Falls," said Herum. "If my mom (Joni) waves to a car in River Falls, there's a 75% chance she knows them. That's how it was at the ballpark.

"We had host families in Kane County and Visalia. People just taking in total strangers to their home. They saved all of us with room and board. Financially, it was a struggle. You only make about $1,000 per month. I still trade messages with my old host families to this day."

Fast forward to the Spring of 2020. Herum had played the entire 2019 season in AAA Reno, one step from the Major Leagues. He was 28 years old and in the last year of his contract when Covid hit. Minor League baseball was shut down for the summer and it ended up being the last pro season for Herum.

"The St. Paul Saints were still independent then and offered a contract," said Herum. "But it just ended up getting to the point where I thought, I have to move on."

Bishop had email conversations with then Arizona Diamondbacks Vice President of Player Development Mike Bell (son of former MLB legend Buddy Bell).

"Marty was going to get a chance," said Bishop. "He had earned a chance and that Covid year ended it for him unfortunately."

"Coach Bishop coaches baseball," said Herum. "But he really taught us about how to handle life and how to get through adversity. I have an awesome wife (Tasha) and two daughters (Aubrey and Braylee) and I love my new job.

"That last year was the toughest and I don't know what I would've done without my mom and dad. I don't even know how it's possible to say 'thank you' to my parents for all they've done."

Herum was a career .292 hitter over seven seasons from rookie league to AAA in the Diamondbacks organization.

He is now a real estate agent for Property Executives Realty in River Falls and his business is sponsoring the Fighting Fish game this Wednesday night (July 26).

"I've known Marty for over a year," said Property Executives Realty Marketing Director Lisa Christianson. "And I didn't even know he played baseball. He's never said a word about it."

"I like the real estate business because it's competitive," said Herum. "I like the strategies of making offers better without raising the price."

Herum is back in River Falls and it's like he never left.

"I was down at Johnnies (Bar) watching J.P. (Feyereisen) pitch for the Rays last spring and the place was packed," said Herum. "It got so loud when J.P. came on the mound and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. It kind of makes you tear up how much River Falls supports their own. I'm so proud of J.P. and Alex because I know exactly what they went through to get where they are."

"Marty is more than a best friend to me," said Feyereisen via a phone call. "He's a brother to me. When people say baseball is more than a game, they aren't kidding and Marty is the best example of that."

River Falls Fighting Fish fans can see Herum throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Wednesday night. Is there a chance Herum could lace up the cleats again for the Fish down the road?

"I'd love to play for the Fish again," said Herum. "But there's other things I have to do before I get on a baseball field again."

Wednesday's Fish game starts at 7:30 p.m. against the Stillwater Loggers at First National Bank of River Falls Field.

Those in attendance will receive a major league smile and major league handshake from Marty Herum.