Note to readers: This story is excerpted from an exclusive one-on-one interview with Old Pueblo Tribe co-owner and player Marcus, conducted by Bear Sports News. To hear the full conversation and dive deeper into the journey behind Tucson’s new independent baseball club, you can find the interview here:

Just a few months ago, back in April, Marcus and Gary were chatting on the phone like they always do. Nothing big at first—just two friends catching up and tossing around an idea.

“Hey, what do you think about joining this league in the Midwest?” Gary asked. The league would’ve required weekend travel and a serious commitment. But they were interested. The Old Pueblo Tribe was getting ready.

As the details came together, though, it became clear: the league wasn’t quite ready for them.

That didn’t stop Marcus and Gary. They had bigger ideas in mind. So they started asking around—talking to people in the industry, figuring out what it would take to build something even better. What they kept hearing was the same: if you want to build a legit league, make it so players can be seen, scouted, promoted.

Fast forward to July, and now Gary and Marcus are gearing up for what might be their biggest moment yet as new team owners: a Fourth of July showdown at Kino Memorial Park. They’ll be playing as an Independent Team against the Sun Belt College All-Stars.

What Is the Old Pueblo Tribe?

Tucson has seen dozens of baseball teams come and go in recent memory—the Toros, the Sidewinders, and even the Padres for a short time. But one thing they all had in common? The name “Tucson” was always a part of it.

Even the newest baseball teams coming from Mexico will be playing under the Tucson name, as Marcus pointed out during our interview.

So I asked him: Why the name “Old Pueblo Tribe”?

Turns out, it took a lot of thought and research, but once Marcus landed on it, he knew it was the right call.

“I just wanted to be different and go by Old Pueblo. It’s one of those things like, you know, you know. Like, if you’re from Tucson and you hear the name ‘Old Pueblo,’ you’re gonna be like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s cool, that’s my city.’”

He also explained the deeper meaning behind the word “Tribe”:

I just wanted something that also represents what our goal is: to unify the baseball community, the city, and the fans with the team. Tribe also means unity.

On top of that, we have 22 different tribes in Arizona. So it’s a way to show respect not just to one, but to the whole state as a nation. We represent Tucson, Arizona—land of Indigenous tribes. We want to reflect the people of the city, not just the scenery or animals, but the people of Tucson. The people of the Old Pueblo.”

Marcus shared that he did a ton of research and talked with people across the community before settling on the name. And even though “Old Pueblo Tribe” was the first name they considered, it stuck. Gary—who was in on the early planning—agreed immediately.

Marcus also looked at local and even out-of-town schools for inspiration, studying team names and mascots. That’s when the vision really clicked.

They weren’t just creating a team—they were building a movement that represented Tucson and beyond.

Representing the City—and the Game

The Tribe’s roster is filled with players and coaches from all over—not just Tucson. Marcus mentioned they have guys from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and even a head coach all the way from Oregon.

When Gary originally brought the league idea to Marcus, the goal was to give players from Tucson an opportunity. With Marcus experience as a player, coach, and now team owner, his insight helped guide the mission.

They started recruiting guys from Tucson and the surrounding areas—players who were willing to make the drive and chase a dream. Some are looking for professional opportunities, and while OPT isn’t a pro team (yet), their goal is to get guys seen and scouted by those at the next level.

According to Marcus, the hype around joining has been real.

With the All-Star roster limited to just 27 players—since the game is only seven innings—tough decisions had to be made. But Mark emphasized that the guys who earned it grinded for it.

A League That Wasn’t Meant to Be

Originally, Marcus and Gary were planning to enter a national league that would’ve required travel for 7 out of 14 weekends. They planned to start as early as June and had already gotten things rolling—assembling a team, securing uniforms, and handling logistics. But as Mark said, it felt like most of the other teams weren’t quite as prepared.

Eventually, they decided to stay independent.

I asked Marcus if the league falling through was a “blessing in disguise.”

“We had zero experience and knowledge on how to do anything like that. We just said yes. At first, it was intimidating and worrisome. When it fell through, it was kind of defeating.

But now that we’ve redirected our energy and effort into this? Absolutely. It’s one of those ‘blessing in a curse’ things.”

He also pointed out how much talent exists right here in Arizona—from Tucson to Phoenix—and how there’s no shortage of quality teams to play.

“I’d rather save the trip to go kick someone’s butt. I’d just rather stay in town or nearby so family and friends can come watch.”

Beyond Baseball: Giving Back

The Old Pueblo Tribe isn’t just here for a season or two. They’re planning for the long haul.

Behind the scenes, they recently launched a non-profit organization—designed to give back to the community, support local youth, and build a legacy that lasts beyond the scoreboard.

Mark made it clear: this is about more than just baseball.

“I want this to be a fun experience for everyone—families, players, the community. I want the Tribe to be something people remember.”

See It for Yourself

Now that you know the story behind the team, you’re officially ready for your first Tribe game this weekend.

🗓 When: July 4th

📍 Where: Kino Memorial Park

💵 Entry: $1 or a canned food donation

⏰ First Pitch: 6:30 PM

🎆 Fireworks: 8:50 PM

What better way to spend the Fourth of July than with friends, family, food, baseball, and fireworks?

Game Day Mentality

I asked Marcus how he gets his players ready for a game this big—especially since this might be the biggest crowd some of them have ever played in front of.

“Keep it simple. That’s what I remind myself—not just when I played, but it’s what I preach to my son, too.

Every game, treat it like it’s your last. Your biggest competition is yourself. Whether you’re facing a pitcher, a batter, a fly ball—you are the only person who can stop you.

I always tell myself, ‘I worked my butt off, I’m here for a reason. No way this guy is getting in my way. He’s just a stepping stone.’ And that’s what I’ll tell the guys, too. Just go play. Let your hard work show—just like you would when you study for a test. Play your hardest, and that usually leads to a lot of fun.”

The Old Pueblo Tribe is writing the first chapter of what could be a legendary Tucson baseball story. From the vision behind it to the product on the field, this is a team worth rooting for.

Get on the train now—you’ll want to say you were one of the first fans during the Tribe’

ROSTER

#00 Cristofer Tejada 

#1 Robert Valenzuela

#2 Arturo Madrigal  

#04 Danifer Diaz

#5 Michael Vasquez

#8 Kaiden Reeve

#9 Angel Faras

#10 Tony Villegas

#11 Oscar Estrada

#13 Ivan Murillo

#15 Cesar Santiago

#18 Hector Torres

#19 Matt Jankowski

#20 Marcus Cataland

#21 Daniel Davila

#22 Anthony Moreno

#24 Dylan Hartmann

#28 Rodrigo Almeraz

#29 Juan Rodriguez

#32 Jojo Escarcega

#34 Juan Aguilera

#36 Sean Phelan

#40 Adan Koch-Rodriguez

#43 Alex Gamez

#44 Gilbert Valenzuela

#45 Christian Olea

#77 Daniel Alvarez

#99 Kenneth Sigman

Coaching Staff:

#33 Mike Benson – HC

#12 Mike De La Cruz

#42 Devin Henderson

NOTE FROM ADIRAM: A huge thank you to Marcus! I know you have been extremely busy and i just wanna thank you once again for the opportunity for being able to tell this amazing story. Thank you for your time during the interview!