Bruce Schumacher Honored as Sagamore of the Wabash

INDIANAPOLIS – Indianapolis Indians Chairman of the Board Bruce Schumacher has been recognized by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb with a Sagamore of the Wabash Award, presented to those with distinguished service and contribution to Hoosier heritage. Bruce joins his father, Indians chairman emeritus Max Schumacher, as a recipient of Indiana’s highest civilian honor.

After beginning his Indians career as ticket manager in January 1983, Schumacher was promoted to director of special projects and provided leadership as the organization made the move from Bush Stadium to Victory Field in 1996, hosted the 2001 Triple-A All-Star Game, and established itself as one of the premier franchises in Minor League Baseball.

In 2012, Schumacher transitioned to the position of vice president of corporate affairs in addition to being elected to the Indians Board of Directors. He was named chairman of the board and chief executive officer in November 2016, signaling a new era of leadership for the organization.

“I’m flattered and honored to receive this prestigious recognition from Governor Holcomb,” Schumacher said. “I look forward to continued service in the state of Indiana and to it’s capital city and a successful 2025 season at Victory Field.”

Since 2012, the Indians have drawn over seven million fans, including leading Minor League Baseball in attendance in 2013 and establishing Victory Field attendance records in 2014 (660,289) and 2015 (662,536). The Indians led Minor League Baseball in average attendance in 2024 and overall attendance in 2016 and 2017, and in 2022, Victory Field ushered in its 15 millionth fan.

In 2018, the Indians were named Ballpark Digest’s Team of the Year. The online publication stated, “few teams achieve success as consistently as the Indianapolis Indians, who deliver a quality product in a competitive market on a continual basis.” Ballpark Digest chose the Indians for their focus on fans, their ballpark and their strong support from the Central Indiana community.

Schumacher is active in the community, having volunteered in the IPS and Washington Township School systems. He also served on the Board of the Delaware Trails Neighborhood Association, as a member of Indianapolis' Abandoned Housing Task Force and High Performance Government team, as well as on the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership Board. Schumacher is currently a member of Mapleton Fall Creek Development’s Housing committee and the Indianapolis’ Metropolitan Development Commission.

Max Schumacher was named a Sagamore of the Wabash by governors Otis R. Bowen (1973-81), Mitch Daniels (2005-13) and Holcomb.

*About the Indianapolis Indians
*The Indianapolis Indians are the professional Triple-A baseball club affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In continuous operation since 1902, the organization believes in creating affordable and memorable experiences for fans so they can grow closer together with family, friends, and the community through the game of baseball. The Indians play their home games at Victory Field, a 13,750-seat ballpark located in downtown Indianapolis and White River State Park. The venue opened in 1996 and has received numerous national accolades as one of the best minor league ballparks in the United States. The team has led Minor League Baseball in combined total attendance over the past 14 seasons. In 2018, the organization was recognized as Ballpark Digest Team of the Year. It was also named a 2019 Best Places to Work by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.