|
6/25/2015-Could Wichita Falls
ever become home again
to minor league baseball?
The Midland Rock
Hounds have been a
force in the Texas League
for years, so why not a revival
in The Falls?
Due to lack of talent
from the Brooklyn Dodgers
organization, wicked
spring weather and miserable
attendance, 1957
could hardly be called
a season since the team
folded before the first
month was in the books.
The last true WF
Spudders team was an
outstanding Big State
League representative
that was well supported
in 1956. So from 1920 to
1956, with a few gaps in
between, Wichita Falls
split time between the
Texas and Big State
League. Through its 25
years of play the Spudders
were farm affiliates
of the St. Louis Browns,
Cincinnati Reds, Boston/
Milwaukee Braves,
Washington Senators
and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Some will reason that
since we had pro teams
fold in football and basketball
(CBA), what
makes anyone think
we would support minor
league baseball? Its
played outdoors. Nights
can be muggy and hot,
and the season is long
and cheap seats are
around 10 bucks a pop.
This isnt 1956. Neighborhood
watermelon
stands and well-used
front porches are gone
forever. Folks dont get
around andminglemuch
anymore.
Youd likely have to
sell at least 2,000 season
tickets and walk-up
crowds need to be decent.
Right now athletic
success in the "bottoms
in the seats" category
is for MSU football and
mens and womens basketball
and one high
school football game a
year--Rider vs. WFHS.
High School baseball
does well but not at the
attendance level needed
for professional baseball.
And then there is the
field.Where do you build
a minor league park of,
say, 5,000 seats, and how
do you foot the construction
bill? Do you try and
figure a way to throw in
with MSU and petition
for a healthy amount of
sales tax dollars?
And if you do build it,
will they come? Remember
this isnt heaven or
an Iowa cornfield. Its
a fine midsize city in
North Texas hopefully
on the edge of creative
growth despite not having
a Jerry Jones or Bass
brother in sight. It can be
done, but it wont be easy.
And if the city one day
becomes a member of the
Double A Texas League
or a Class A affiliate of
the Astros, Rangers, Diamondbacks
or Cardinals
how does this help our
city grow?
Financial or population
gain would be vague
at first, maybe for a long
time. The immediate impact
would come through
that very broad, but important
label called
quality of life. Its a nobrainer.
Where new residents
look for bright new
schools, a quality university,
medical and social
services, professional
sports entertainment is
icing on the cake.
There are those who
would like to see a revival
of baseball at the
pro or collegiate level
here, but it takes money
and this is where most of
us bowout. Its one thing
to want it. It is another to
crack open the wall safe.
In almost every case
of smaller mid-size cities
like WF, Midland,
Abilene and even Lubbock
andAmarillo, there
is a bank,amajor grocery
chain, and several endowments
and tax advantages
to build a franchise
or college team.
In the minors, sponsors
purchase signage on
outfield walls and program
advertising. Season
and gameday tickets are
sold and concessions are
supported. Sounds simple,
but if we build it, will
they come?
Id love to see it, but
I dont think this would
be one of those scripted
movies with a captivating
Shoeless Joe Jackson
ending.
Ted Buss, a native Wichitan, is
a former writer for the Times
Record News. You can email
him at tedbuss@hotmail.com
|
