Omaha, a 2-year old rescued Golden Retriever and Flat-coated Retriever mix, retrieves a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha gives a high five to her owner David Lamm as she waits for a treat after retrieving a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha’s owner David Lamm releases her to go retrieve a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha retrieves a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha receives attention from a member of Inland Empire 66ers as her owner David Lamm wipes down bats with a scarf containing his scent prior to the 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha gets distracted by a baseball as she retrieves a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha’s owner David Lamm holds her back as she waits to retrieve a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha retrieves a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha greets Inland Empire 66ers catcher Yeremi Villahermosa as her owner David Lamm looks on prior to playing the visiting Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha walks through the Inland Empire 66ers dugout as her owner David Lamm guides her prior to playing the visiting Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha’s owner David Lamm puts an Angels jersey on her in the Inland Empire 66ers dugout prior to playing the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha returns a bat to her owner David Lamm following a batter during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha receives a treat from her owner David Lamm after retrieving a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha looks out from the Inland Empire 66ers dugout as her owner David Lamm, right, speaks with bat boy Kelton McClain, 14, from San Bernardino, prior to playing the visiting Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha hesitantly greets Bernie, the Inland Empire 66ers mascot, as her owner David Lamm looks on prior to playing the visiting Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha races to retrieve a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha waits to chase a disc from owner David Lamm as he warms her up prior to retrieving bats during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha anticipates chasing a disc from owner David Lamm as he warms her up prior to the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha catches a disc as owner David Lamm warms her up prior to retrieving bats during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha retrieves a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha retrieves a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha, a 2-year old rescued Golden Retriever and Flat-coated Retriever mix, carries a bat back to the dugout in between batters during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaharetrieves a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha and her owner David Lamm walk through the concourse at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. Omaha has been trained to retrieve baseball bats following a batter. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha and her owner David Lamm walk onto the baseball field at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. Omaha has been trained to retrieve baseball bats following a batter. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha retrieves a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha retrieves a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Omaha, a 2-year old rescued Golden Retriever and Flat-coated Retriever mix, retrieves a bat during the Inland Empire 66ers game against the Lake Elsinore Storm at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Inland Empire 66ers‘ bats were nearly as hot as the 100-plus degree temperatures during the first inning Thursday night against the visiting Lake Elsinore Storm. But the biggest cheers weren’t for the players — they were reserved for Omaha, the bat-retrieving dog.
Omaha, a 2-year-old rescued golden retriever and flat-coated retriever mix, has been trained to run to home plate after a player hits the ball, pick up the baseball bat laying on the ground in her mouth, and return with it to the dugout. Omaha’s owner, David Lamm of Corona, is a college baseball fan and named his dog after the home of the college baseball World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
Lamm began training his female dog to retrieve bats in between batters this past February by taking her to lower level post season college games to practice. Omaha has since retrieved bats at minor league games in San Bernardino, Lake Elsinore and Rancho Cucamonga. Lamm hopes he and Omaha can become a regular fixture for a minor league team much like the Clearwater Threshers and New Hampshire Fisher Cats who have bat-retrieving pups.
