Amid financial troubles, the indy pro Worcester Tornadoes (Can-Am League) took the field for the second game in a row last night in league-issued uniforms after the team’s regular unis were seized by a debt-collecting lawyer. The uniforms were used by the league’s traveling squad, the Grays, in 2005 and 2007. Read more here. Read about debt details and view jersey photo here. Thanks to John Cerone for the story.
Gray Days in Worcester
Filed under Money & Financials
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When all else fails in the northeast, ballparks end up with collegiate summer teams. I just happened to catch a game in Worcester the previous homestand. Despite it being a mid-week (Thursday) game, there was a good crowd actually there. It took me about 10 minutes to get into the ballpark though, as their ticketing system was down and they were using a sharpie to list seat info (sec, row, seat) on blank tickets. Even more, having only one concession stand open meant long lines, which acted like a road block for anybody entering the ballpark and needing to go left (the majority of people). So perhaps they had already given up, given what was going on and what has since happened. But if Fitton Field is used next year and it’s not by a Futures Collegiate Baseball League team then that would be more surprising than all the recent developments the current team, and its players, have faced.
Correct, for me it was like a hypothetical statement or more of a “wishful thinking” as I love Yale Field there is a certain charm there, Atlantic City was and still is one of the finest constructed ballparks just needs some TLC but I was there a few weeks ago and it looks great, Brockton was nice, but seems anything Carminucci touches turns to ruins, I agree with your statement of Sussex.
Where is Rockland going ? They can’t get an affiliated team because they are too close to NYC and I’m not sure that the Atlantic League is looking to expand next year. The Boulders had better hope there is a Can-Am League next season, because if there isn’t, that will be one beautiful ballpark sitting empty.
There are far too many beautiful ballparks empty as it is. With the right concept there could be a use for a league with teams in Brockton, Worcester, Nashua, Ottawa, New Haven, Rockland, Sussex, New Jersey, Atlantic City…
Brockton, Nashua, Ottawa are not empty. Atlantic City is a complete wreck. Worcester and Newark will probably be empty. Sussex, nice park, never knew I passed by it several times over the years, 30 minutes from me but it’s way back in the sticks. New Haven didn’t want any type of baseball back. New Jersey would be empty if there’s a fold.
Would make a decent league if they were all empty but several of the ballparks have issues.
Could these be the last days of the Can-Am League? You have Newark and now Worcester as two franchises that are in dire straits. Quebec, Rockland and New Jersey cannot make it by themselves next season.
Not to mention the loss of Brockton, Atlantic City, Sussex, Ottawa, Nashua, New Haven all in the three years prior to this one. Rockland is at the end of a two year commitment to the Can-Am in which no one expects them to stay, and Danielle Dronet in Newark has been the worst thing that’s happened to baseball since the black sox scandal she is completely incompetent and it shows on everything she writes or says to the public.