Long ago, before the days of the Arena being widely known to all, Bates was the head crew member of a construction group. During the construction group's prime, it consisted of several current Arena roster members, including Bosh, Dooey, and Manderly. The group originally was intended to have five members, but despite Trent's usefulness with a nail gun, he wasn't super interested in the safety aspect by the time they found him. So the four would travel around, finding new people and places to erect buildings for a modest and fair price. For a time, this worked wonderfully and the group was seeing success left and right.

This would not last however, as soon, technological advancements replaced the need for brick and mortar and replaced the need for hand crafted work. Automation was becoming the new normal. Bates was not fond of this development and despite his attempts to resist the winds of change, soon enough all those who had previously employed his small company had severed their contracts with him. Unable to compete with the demand for instant gratification, in favor of perhaps slower, but to Bates, realer and more heartfelt progress.

After the disbandment of his life's work, Bates would take a good look at the world around him, and for the first time he truly began to take in just how different the world was from the one he grew up in. Machines did the jobs people like Bates were doing forever, and for someone like him, it's incredibly difficult to overcome the sense of having no purpose. Despite being on the older side, Bates felt as though he had a good amount of years left in him to continue working and contributing to a society he felt indebted towards for how well it treated him over the years. Often Bates would sit at home and simply reminisce about the days of him and his construction pals working jobs day in and day out. The routine felt great, and now it was gone.

In the present however he has lived alone for a long time, as just a few years after the birth of his daughter, Bates realized he didn't feel quite right about the relationship he was in with his now ex-wife. Eventually this led to divorce, however it was not one fraught with turmoil. During this time the two parents would remain completely involved in their daughter's life as she grew up into a very well adjusted and successful adult. Things would suddenly take a turn however, when Bates was visited by his daughter Cate, who informed him that he was about to become a Grandfather. Overjoyed at the news, Bates would feel a sort of second wind within him and decided to look into retirement. He got to work immediately making all kinds of things for the nursery, among other things that would make things easier for his daughter and grandchild. Then finally the day his grandson, Nate was born and Bates couldn't get enough of him. The times that he got to take care of him felt just like when he was younger and taking care of his own daughter. Who now as a grown adult, has a job with the Arena's science and research team.

Despite the joys he felt from taking care of Nate, Bates found that he still felt rather bored and restless during the days where he wasn't watching his grandson. Being quite perceptive, Cate would notice this and one day have a talk with Arena Officials. Afterward he would be offered a job working for the Arena as a repairman for the Arena's battlegrounds. These days he remains employed by the Arena, most often seen repairing wall damage after the day's matches.

Eventually, he was approached by a man with a bat named Mick, who said he was looking for a partner in the Arena's upcoming tournament. At least, it seemed as though it was him talking. Bates couldn't really tell, as it seemed odd that Mick's mouth never opened. Yet he could still hear a voice coming from him, almost sounding as if it was coming from beneath his ball cap. Bates wasn't sure why someone of Mick's caliber would be looking for a guy like himself. He also wasn't really interested in joining the team anyway as he wasn't even a fighter. Just a guy with some bricks, repairing walls when needed. So despite the offer, Bates politely declined. However, at that moment, sweat began to pour down Mick's face and he almost looked like he was shaking. At that moment he tilted his ball cap upward, and grabbed something from under it. Mick then produced what appeared to be a normal looking baseball. Which Bates would then look at and grab, thinking it was being offered to him. He would then toss it in the air a couple times from hand to hand, as Mick stared in disbelief before quickly snatching it back and holding it out once more. This confused Bates until he looked closer at the ball and saw a fairly irritated looking frown upon it. What was even more strange was it almost immediately shifted into a wide grin. Then it began to speak.

"Brickman, would you kindly join our team for this upcoming tournament? Surely you would want that prize money for that daughter and grandson of yours…"

Bates was taken aback by what he had just heard. How could this baseball talk? How was it smiling and how did it know Bates' personal information? Regardless, he was too nervous to question anything, and simply nodded in agreement. The baseball's expression suddenly shifted back to the large smile and he said "Perfect…I will now be your new manager. Don't tell anyone this but my name is…" It seemed to hesitate for a moment, before saying "You can just call me…BallKind. After all, I don't suppose you tell your name to each of your bricks. Goodbye for now." The ball then turned to face Mick who returned the ball back inside his ball cap. Bates then watched as Mick's eyes became a crimson red color and he turned and walked away.

Bates was left confused and very worried. But he knew what he had to do. Prepare himself for the challenges ahead. Bates would be by Mick's side for the tournament and despite them not going the distance and not making it to the Grand Finals. BallKind told Bates he had no further use for him and that he was free to do whatever he pleased. Later he would be informed of the Season 4 Boss Gauntlet, and while he wasn't sure why, he felt a deep sense to go in and lend what help he could, if it meant potentially protecting those he cares about from anything that could do them harm.

After seeing a lonely, and rather pale looking Trax Carter chugging about the Arena grounds, he asked him if he would be willing to form a team with him to go down into the Gauntlet. Trax initially said nothing, but then looked at Bates with lifeless looking eyes and simply said. "I don't think we can do it. But I will try." Then with one more spot to fill, Bates would do some research and call up someone from his past who he hadn't seen in a long time. He wouldn't normally feel compelled to make such a call. But it had been many years since they last spoke and the time felt right to do it. Bates would call his former lover, a man he met not long after his divorce, Trafik, to meet once again. Much to his surprise Trafik was quite pleased by the call and would, in short order, make it to the Arena facility to register for the Gauntlet after he was told he could come out of hiding after becoming a wanted criminal. While Trax was off staring into the distance moving aimlessly about, Trafik and Bates began reconnecting after so many years. They felt as though despite the time that had passed between them seeing one another, to them it seemed just as if no time at all had passed whatsoever.

Even if things ahead were going to be tough and challenging, Bates now felt more ready than ever to defend his family from danger, and to foster a new chance at a relationship with his former turned once again current boyfriend. Bates, Trafik and Trax make up the team Infrastructure.