Two busloads of individuals and other people led the second-annual German Heritage Night at the Minnesota Twins-Arizona Diamondbacks game at Target Field Friday.

“We’re thrilled that New Ulm was invited back for German Heritage Night. Last year was such a success, the Twins couldn’t wait to have us return,” said New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Sarah Warmka. “It’s a fun way to showcase our city and invite fans to join us again this fall for Oktoberfest (Oct. 3-4 and 10-11).”

New Ulm’s Narren led polka dancing outside Gate 6 at Target Field before a steady rain drove them inside and the performance really picked up steam with a good crowd taking notice.

The honorary first pitch of the game featured Hermann the German throwing to New Ulm native and former Minnesota Twins infielder Brian Raabe.

Raabe, Bethel University Head Baseball Coach, played for the Minnesota Twins in 1995-1996, the Seattle Mariners and Colorado Rockies in 1997 and Japan’s Seibu Lions in 1998.

Raabe said meeting the New Ulm delegation before the Twins game rekindled some of his fondest memories of growing up in New Ulm.

“I feel all the baseball tradition in New Ulm and how it affected me watching Terry Steinbach and his brothers and other great players like Jeff Schugel and Doug Palmer excel, going to the 1978 American Legion World Series. I was the batboy for them,” said Raabe.

He later played on a New Ulm Legion team that advanced to the 1985 Legion World Series and played baseball for the University of Minnesota.

Selected by the Twins in the 41st round of the 1990 Major League Baseball Draft, Raabe made his major league debut for the Twins in 1995 and played the next season with the team. He was released after the 1996 season and signed as a free agent with the Seattle Mariners, who traded him to the Colorado Rockies in the 1997 season.

The next season, Raabe was purchased from Colorado by the Seibu Lions of the Japan Pacific League. He played 37 games for them in 1998, mostly at second base.

Raabe was head baseball coach at Forest Lake High School from 2001 to 2011.

“My memories of New Ulm are unbelievable. I remember going to Heritagefest in New Ulm. It’s a great place to raise a family and great place to live,” he said. “I loved playing second base but I also played third and shortstop in the majors,” he said. “New Ulm High School Baseball Coach Jim Senske was a huge mentor for me along with my dad (Chuck). Watching the great New Ulm teams in the 1970s as a batboy showed me such success and made me feel, why couldn’t I do it?”

Living in Forest Lake, Raabe said he’s happy coaching baseball at Bethel University. His son Zach, 24, played for the Minnesota Gophers before minor league baseball. He was one of the final players to be cut by the Milwaukee Brewers this spring.

Last year, he hit .269 and had a .412 on-base percentage and .835 on-base plus slugging percentage in 10 games with the high-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. He works as a medical sales rep in Madison, Wi and plans to get married in December.

Staff photo by Fritz Busch Hermann, right, gets ready to throw the ceremonial first pitch to New Ulm native and former major league baseball player Brian Raabe at the Twins-Arizona game at Target Field Friday. Braxton Boelter, pictured at left, actually threw the first pitch. Staff photo by Fritz Busch The New Ulm delegation sing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” in the seventh inning of the Twins-Arizona game at Minnesota Twins German Heritage Night Friday. Pictured from left, The Narren, Bryce and Braxton Boelter, Bentley Gasow (in front) and Hailey Boelter, all of New Ulm. Staff photo by Fritz Busch New Ulm native and former Minnesota Twins player Brian Raabe caught the ceremonial first pitch Friday at the Twins-Arizona game at Target Field.

Staff photo by Fritz Busch New Ulm native and former Minnesota Twins player Brian Raaba caught the ceremonial first pitch Friday at the Twins-Arizona game at Target Field.

Staff photo by Fritz Busch The Narren dance to polka music from Adam Munsterman and Dain Moldan at Target Field Friday.