There is a new face to the Butler BlueSox — five of them, in fact.

Majority owner Leo Trich announced Tuesday the sale of 50 percent of the team's stock to five Butler area businessmen.

"This all came about so quickly," said Trich, who put the team up for sale only two weeks ago. "Within 48 hours, this ownership group was in place."

The five-person board — spearheaded by Butler attorney William "Wink" Robinson — also includes Butler attorney Ray Conlon, Dr. Mike Fiorina, Mars resident Gordon Marburger, Meridian resident and former major league pitcher Matt Clement.

Each will own 10 percent of the team. Trich will maintain 10 percent of the ownership as well while the Butler stadium authority will maintain its 40 percent share.

Fiorina said what duties fall to what owners "will be sorted out in future organizational meetings."

Trich remains acting general manager of the Prospect League baseball franchise and will assist in the re-assembling of the coaching staff and roster over the next few months.

The ownership group expects to hire a part-time general manager in late April or early May to operate the BlueSox during the season.

Robinson learned of Trich's intention of selling the team during a stadium authority board meeting. Robinson is a member of the board.

"I raised my hand like a first-grader when Leo made that announcement," Robinson said. "It took all of five or 10 seconds for me to convince the rest of this group to get on board with this.

"The common thread among the five of us is we have a passion for this community, a passion for sports in general, for Pullman Park and for the BlueSox."

Conlon said that "great ideas don't require a lot of thought" in explaining his decision to join the group.

Fiorina described the BlueSox and Pullman Park as "a civic treasure."

"All of us have children and in some cases grandchildren," he said. "This isn't about a bunch of businessmen looking to turn a profit. It's about ensuring that something good in our community will be here for a number of years to come."

The BlueSox will enter their third season next June. The Prospect League lists the value of the franchise at between $125,000 and $150,000.

Robinson admitted that the prospect of a minor league team eventually coming to Pullman Park has crossed his mind.

"Knowing the stadium has the ability to expand ... Sure, I've thought about it," he said. "That would be fantastic. That would the ultimate.

"But we're moving one step at a time here. There's plenty of room for the BlueSox to grow."

"There's people in parts of this county who still don't know what they're about," Conlon said of the BlueSox. "We're planning on doing plenty of marketing. We can tell patients and clients about a fresh form of entertainment in their own backyard."

Trich said Marburger's involvement with the team gives the BlueSox a contact in the Mars/Cranberry region that didn't exist before.

Marburger's wife, Diane, is county treasurer and Robinson serves as her legal counsel.

"Wink asked her about it and it didn't take long to convince me," Marburger said of joining the group. "Our family has been involved in baseball for years. This seemed like a neat thing to get into."

Marburger's father, George, was secretary-treasurer of the Eagle County League for 40 years. Another relative, Chester Marburger, was involved in Butler County Legion baseball for four decades.

Marburger's family owns George Marburger Field in Callery.

Clement may be able to give players more direct contact with major league organizations, further enticing prospects to come to Butler.

Clement could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

More construction work will soon be done on the entrance to Pullman Park, including planting of trees, curbing and laying asphalt.

"Mr. Conlon raised the idea of having bands play outside the ballpark entrance (on game nights)," Trich said. "Things like that would certainly add to the atmosphere."

Fiorina and Robinson have other ties to Pullman Park.

Fiorina's father, Ernest, a knuckleball pitcher, once tried out for the New York Yankees at Pullman Park. Robinson played at the ballpark in the Butler Prep League.

"We'd have a game scheduled for 6 p.m. and both teams would show up at 3:30 to play among ourselves, with no coaches or manager, beforehand," Robinson said. "That's the way it was.

"A lot of my skin was left out on that field. A lot of its dust piled up in my parents' plumbing at home. We've always considered that ballpark a diamond in the rough.

"To be involved with it now. It's just exciting."