We have a name for the new Silver Cross Field team in the independent Frontier League: the Joliet Slammers, as team ownership goes with a penal theme for its inaugural season. “We deliberated over this for many days and many nights,” said team president Bill Waliewski. “And when all the evidence was considered, we came […]
Tag Archives | independent
Personnel moves for the New Year
More changes in baseball front offices: John Kuhn takes over in River City, six new staffers for the Hagerstown Suns, Nancy Friday is in charge of group sales in Wisconsin Rapids, Bobby Baseball returns to Trenton, and the Ultimate Baseball League hires a new public-relations director. At T.R. Hughes Ballpark, John Kuhn is now team […]
New for 2011: Amarillo Sox
We have a name for the new Amarillo team in the independent American Association: the Amarillo Sox, as management goes with a name that evokes the Amarillo Gold Sox while not infringing on a trademark held by the city of Marysville. As you’ll recall, ownership had originally announced Gold Sox before the owners of the […]
Feldman new voice of Intimidators
Josh Feldman, who started out as an onfield MC and later moved into the Orange County Flyers (independent; Golden Baseball League) broadcast booth, is the new voice of the Kannapolis Intimidators (Low Class A; Sally League). Feldman, a graduate of USC, worked for the Flyers and the GBL’s Long Beach Armada over the last four […]
Saints jump on Metrodome deflation with whoopee-cushion promotion
In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of “Inflation Day” of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, and, subsequently, the 2010 “Deflation Day,” the St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) announced a Metrodome Whoopee Cushion giveaway during the 2011 season. The first 2,500 fans attending the Saints vs. Sioux Falls Pheasants game on Saturday, May 14 will […]
St. Paul makes Saints ballpark state-funding priority
Good news for the St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) in their pursuit of a new ballpark: the city of St. Paul is actually backing up its stated support of the project with a real commitment to seek state funding at the upcoming legislative session. The Saints braintrust has been pushing a replacement for Midway […]
New ballpark pitched in Malden
Here’s a name from the past: Alexander Bok, who pitched a new independent-league ballpark to Boston officials back in 2006, is back with another plan for a privately financed ballpark in Malden, Mass. The plan from Bok and a set of investors: build a $30-$35-million privately financed ballpark on the edge of Malden Center on […]
American Association schedule released: Amarillo in, Pensacola out
The independent American Association is going with 14 teams in the 2011 season, as new additions Amarillo, Fargo-Moorhead, Gary, Kansas City and Winnipeg offset the loss of the Pensacola Pelicans for the year. The schedule still features some of that grueling travel so loved by players and front-office staff alike: the Sioux City Explorers, for […]
Opponents of Ramapo ballpark to file suit
Opponents of a proposed Can-Am League ballpark in Ramapo, N.Y. have informed interested parties — potential lenders, title-insurance companies and the city — that they intend to file suit opposing the funding plan for the new facility currently being pursued by the town’s economic-development agency. The group, Preserve Ramapo, argued that the transfer of 61 […]
NAL at 12 teams, tentatively; no schedule yet
The new independent North American League — made up of former Golden Baseball League, Northern League and United Baseball League teams — now sits at 12 teams, as franchises looking toward the 2011 season are still waiting on a schedule. The current lineup, we’re told, consists of a Midwest Division (Lake County Fielders, Rockford RiverHawks, […]
New for 2012: StarTex Power Field
We have a name for the new Sugar Land (Texas) ballpark: StarTex Power Field, as StarTex Power Company buys naming rights for the new $30-million home of the Sugar Land Skeeters (independent; Atlantic League), slated to open for the 2012 season. “A naming rights partnership is a big commitment,” said Skeeters President Matt O’Brien. “There […]
New for 2011: Bethpage Ballpark
The home of the Long Island Ducks (independent; Atlantic League) will have a new name, as Bethpage Federal Credit Union ponies up $2.1 million for a naming-rights deal running through 2020. The deal must be approved by the full Suffolk County Legislature after passage today by a subcommittee. The ballpark opened as Citibank Park and […]
Potter County commits $30K to ballpark improvements
Potter County (Texas) must be pretty happy to have the independent American Association in town: the municipality is committing $30,000 to ballpark improvements for the 2011 season. True, that’s not a large sum, but it’s more than what the city put into Potter County Memorial Stadium in recent years, during the tenure of the Amarillo […]