Ricketts: Boise’s Memorial Stadium is substandard
Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts may have done the Boise Hawks (short season A; Northwest League) a huge favor by coming to the Treasure Valley and ripping Memorial Stadium as being a substandard facility. Ricketts was in town to review the Hawks operations and speak to the Boise Chamber of Commerce. He was pretty pointed […]
Indians extend Snow Days promotion with Buckeyes-Wolverines hockey bash
The Cleveland Indians struck gold last winter with a Snow Days promotion that turned Progressive Field into a winter wonderland, and the team is poised to do much more after scheduling a Ohio State-Michigan hockey game at the ballpark. The Indians drew over 50,000 fans to the ballpark for “Snow Days” last winter by bringing […]
Councilman pitches Frontier League ballpark for Port Huron
A Port Huron, Mich. council member is pushing a 4,500-capacity ballpark for an independent Frontier League team, but right now there’s no funding plan on the table. Jim Fisher says a new ballpark on the shores of the St. Clair River would add to the quality of life in the lakeshore city. Minor-league sports have […]
NAL ending season early; Na Koa Ikaika Maui shuts down completely
Despite all the well-documented problems with the Lake County Fielders, the first team in the independent North American League to go under is Na Koa Ikaika Maui; meanwhile, the league announced it’s shutting down the 2011 season a week early. In announcing the end of the season will come Aug. 28, league officials said the […]
Manchester struggles with ballpark debt
Despite projections that revenues from a new Manchester, N.H. ballpark for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Class AA; Eastern League) would be enough to cover debt, they’re not, so residents are paying the difference. When planned in 2006 and 2007, debt service for Northeast Delta Dental Stadium was projected to be covered by rent from […]
R-Phils bring back Gluttony Night for 2011
The Reading Phillies (Class AA; Eastern League) are bringing back one of the most popular and noteworthy promotions in Minor League Baseball in the last year: Tomorrow night is Gluttony Night at FirstEnergy Stadium. For just $7, all fans – especially hungry fans — can chow down on all-you-can-eat hot dogs, pizza, French fries, funnel […]
Windy City fetes millionth fan
The Windy City ThunderBolts (independent; Frontier League) honored the millionth fan in team history, Karen Kenny of Tinley Park, with a grand time at Standard Bank Stadium. Kenny was given a crown, sash, flowers, and a plaque, and her group of 14 were treated to free food and drink in te team’s Party Box; she also […]
AppleSox, Wenatchee Valley College extend ballpark lease
The Wenatchee AppleSox (summer collegiate; West Coast League) and Wenatchee Valley College extended the team’s lease at Paul Thomas Sr. Field, the team’s home since 2000, for the next four seasons, through the 2015 season. “I appreciate [Wenatchee Valley College president] Jim Richardson and athletic director Greg Franz for working hard to create an agreement […]
It’s Fielders versus Fielders in Lake County
The Lake County Fielders will finish out the season as a member of the independent North American League, but if an NAL team doesn’t show up for a series, the opponent will be the Kenosha County Fielders. The Washington Generals Kenosha County Fielders could be pressed into action tomorrow, when Na Koa Ikaika Maui is […]
Reed steps down as voice of RiverDogs
Danny Reed, the voice of the Charleston RiverDogs (Low Class A; Sally League), is stepping down but isn’t going too far: he’s accepted a position as the new voice of The Citadel athletics. Reed will remain with the club through their August 18-21 series at Augusta, and College of Charleston announcer Jeff McCarragher will complete […]
Arizona Wildcats to Hi Corbett Field for 2012 and beyond
The Arizona Wildcats are moving to Tucson’s Hi Corbett Field for 2012 and beyond, as the program’s leaders decided a larger and more professional venue was needed to replace Jerry Kindall Field at Frank Sancet Stadium, which opened in 1967. Moving off-campus is always a risky move, but University of Arizona officials say the ability […]
Fielders: We’re still in NAL — for now
The independent North American League has pulled back on kicking the Lake County Fielders from the circuit for the time being, as Rich Ehrenreich says the team will finish out the season playing against NAL teams or squads from a different league. This isn’t to say that a league action won’t come shortly: we get […]
Hi Corbett Field / Arizona Wildcats
A venerable and historic baseball facility gets yet another new lease on life, as Tucson’s Hi Corbett Field — home to MLB spring training for decades — will be the home of the Arizona Wildcats beginning with the 2012 collegiate season. FAST FACTS Capacity: 9,500 Year Opened: 1937; renovated in 1992, 1997 and 1999 Dimensions: […]