Cape entrepreneur to strengthen Cape Catfish off the diamond

Cape Girardeau businessman Glenn Campbell has joined the Cape Catfish as the organization's President and Director, as well as a minority stakeholder.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

In the four years since the Cape Catfish baseball franchise was created, team general manager Mark Hogan has made the types of decisions to make the club as good as there is within the Prospect League.

On Wednesday, the franchise got even stronger than it already was — off the field.

The organization announced the addition of Cape Girardeau businessman Glenn Campbell to its ownership group, as a minority stakeholder in the organization.

“Anissa and I welcome Glenn as an owner and business partner to the Cape Catfish,” majority stakeholder Andy Patel said. “His unique resume and leadership skills will certainly add to an already successful franchise.”

Campbell, 57, is a Cape Girardeau native, 1983 graduate of Notre Dame Regional High School and 1987 graduate of Southeast Missouri State.

He was the co-founder and executive vice president of Lids/Hat World Inc., before selling the venture to Genesco Inc. in 2004.

“I am excited to join the Cape Catfish team with Mark Hogan, Cindy Gannon, Donna Wheeler and Jim Limbaugh,” Campbell said. “I am also grateful to Anissa and Andy Patel for this opportunity. I am looking forward to joining this ownership group and seeing what is next for the Catfish!”

Campbell will serve as the organization's president and director. He will be responsible for various business-related and off-the-diamond aspects of the Prospect League franchise.

“At this point, in being three years old as a franchise, it has become apparent that we needed more help,” Hogan said. “When you get a chance to not only have that desire, but also add someone who understands the community and has had his career, which has been phenomenal, and he is a baseball lover, it is hard to think that there could be a better choice than Glenn.”

The Catfish compete in the 17-team Prospect League each summer and won the West Division before advancing to the Championship Final in their first season (2019). In the final series, Cape fell to the Chillicothe Paints in a decisive Game 3 of a three-game series.

Following a year off due to COVID, Cape advanced to another Championship Final in 2021 after winning both the Prairie Land Division and West Conference. The Catfish beat Lafayette 2-1 to win the team’s first Prospect League championship in the three-game series.

Hogan will continue to oversee the baseball operations for the Catfish, while Campbell will replace Limbaugh as president.

Limbaugh will continue to serve as both an owner and consultant for the franchise.

“Everybody associated with the Catfish, I know,” Campbell said, “so, it was fun when they came to town. I love baseball, it is my favorite sport.

“I wanted to come here and see if I could help the Catfish.”