Baseball

2-5-10

Easy go, easy come back.
It was as if Mayor Dick Miller caught the news of the Oneonta Tigers’ departure as it bounced off the outfield wall, then fired it home for an out.
Not quite yet. 
But before Minor League Baseball has even officially approved the Tigers moved from Damaschke Field to Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Conn., the mayor may have already drafted a replacement – unnamed, so far – from the New York Collegiate Baseball League.
“They’re dying to come here,” the mayor told Common Council at its Tuesday, Feb. 2, meeting.  “We would have the best field in the league.”
If you see this in time, Miller is hosting a public meeting on the future of baseball in Oneonta at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, at the Stella Luna. Admission free.  Hors d’oeuvres served; cash bar.
And the mayor may ask you to invest in the team to come:  There’s no time to spare, as the NYCLB season starts in early June and the league needs to know by the end of next week if Oneonta is in.
He said E. Miles Prentice, Tigers owner, has been helpful in lining up NYCBL interest.
NYCBL players are from collegiate baseball powerhouses – Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State, the University of Washington, the University of Virginia, Pepperdine.
“These are players who are probably going to be drafted next year,” said Miller.
Cooperstown is also fielding an NYCBL team next summer – the Hawkeyes, at Doubleday Field – so perhaps a cross-county rivalry is in the offing.
In addition to the NYCBL team, the mayor hopes to draw Cooperstown Baseball World teams to the field, as well as local American Legion teams; maybe OHS’ team would like to play games at Damaschke, he said.
“Frankly, the whole thing is kind of fun,” said Miller. “If you have the time for it.”