{"id":401496,"date":"2026-07-17T00:10:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T00:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/401496\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T00:10:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T00:10:09","slug":"amazing-america-bakersfield-train-robbers-team-unites-fans-fuels-players-pro-dreams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/401496\/","title":{"rendered":"Amazing America: Bakersfield Train Robbers team unites fans, fuels players\u2019 pro dreams"},"content":{"rendered":"

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK\/KBFX) \u2014 On a dusty field, under the Bakersfield sun, the Bakersfield Train Robbers are putting in the work.<\/p>\n

The team practices and plays at Sam Lynn Ballpark, where manager Bill Rogan recruits players and helps give them a chance to develop. Asked what he likes about baseball, Rogan said, \u201cEverything except the losing. I don’t like losing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rogan said the team\u2019s purpose is to give players an opportunity to show what they can do and keep moving forward in the sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt gives guys a chance to prove themselves on a nightly basis,\u201d Rogan said. \u201cThe goal is to move up. The ultimate goal is the major leagues. And we’ve had some players make the major leaques but it is a long journey for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The roster includes players from a range of backgrounds, including 25-year-old Max Fullerton, who has played in Australia, Jordan, Nebraska and Colorado before coming to Bakersfield. Fullerton said he\u2019s grateful for where he is now.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m happy where my feet are. It’s a good spot to be and I’m happy to be around the guys that I’m with. I’m very thankful that I’m around such a good group of guys,\u201d Fullerton said.<\/p>\n

Another player, Jed Downham, left his home in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to secure a spot with the Train Robbers. Downham said his competitive drive started early.<\/p>\n

\"KBAK\/KBFX\"<\/p>\n

\u201cEver since I was a kid, I’ve always been a big competitor with my dad and my brother in the driveway playing basketball or wiffle ball and I just wanted to see how far God could take me in the sport of baseball,\u201d Downham said.<\/p>\n

Rogan said he admires the commitment it takes for players to pursue that kind of goal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey gave it a shot. There’s something about people chasing their dreams that I admire,\u201d Rogan said.<\/p>\n

And it’s the American Dream to go after those goals. America’s pastime is their passion, playing out on the field at Sam Lynn Ballpark.<\/p>\n

\"KBAK\/KBFX\"<\/p>\n

\u201cI played for another team before this but I am happy I am here and happy I am playing for Bill and out here in this wonderful town,\u201d Fullerton said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey could be on a beach somewhere. They could be hanging out at a movie theater or just doing fun stuff at an amusement park but they’re here in the middle of the afternoon. It’s over 100 degrees and they are working on their craft living the dream. And I would say to anybody if you have a goal or a dream go for it,\u201d Rogan said.<\/p>\n

Downham said his focus is on steady progress. \u201cIt’s just about getting 1% better everyday. So as long as you’re putting the time and you know, believing in yourself, believing in the Lord you know he’ll take you there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK\/KBFX) \u2014 On a dusty field, under the Bakersfield sun, the Bakersfield Train Robbers are putting…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":401497,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[151,153,152],"class_list":["post-401496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bakersfield","tag-bakersfield","tag-bakersfield-headlines","tag-bakersfield-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401496","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=401496"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401496\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/401497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=401496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=401496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=401496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}