Whether It Is a Pete Rose Appearance, Community Pride Or Anti-Bullying Efforts, Independents Bring Dividends

Pete Rose’sone-day managerial stint provided the biggest national publicity bump in some time, but if one is willing to look just a bit beneath the surface of the baseball games themselves it is easy to find all sorts of positives emerging in communities with Independent Baseball teams.

We will see all sorts of flag-waving events in a few days when Fourth of July activities take center stage at the ballparks although two types of happenings crossed my desk in recent days which are more than worthy of being noticed.

A 150-year-old company in York, PAshowed an abundance of community pride, which is one primary showcase the Independent leagues have produced since their emergence 22 years ago while the Rockland Bouldersin Ramapo, NYtook advantage of their local prominence to address the national concern of bullying.

The specialized paper-manufacturing giant P. H. Glatfelterchose a York Revolution game as a way to show its hometown support by purchasing every ticket not reserved by season-ticket holders or sky box owners at Santander Stadiumso their employees and families could be part of the 150th anniversary celebration.

“It’s an investment in time and money that’s helping to highlight a very important asset to downtown York, the stadium and the Revs,” CEO Dante Parrinitold The York Daily Record.  “It’s a great family venue.” A crowd of 5,199, perhaps two-thirds out of the Glatfelter family, was treated to a 13-inning thriller, won by the home team, 6-5, in the Atlantic Leaguecontest.

The Rockland Boulders have been luring fans in at Provident Bank Park, claiming more than 16,000 in attendance at their last three home games, including 6,005 heavily tilted to school children on a recent Tuesday morning against therival New Jersey Jackals (Little Falls)for the team’s second “Boulders Against Bullying” day, which included a pre-game program in which the home team’s Can-Am Leagueplayers shared stories about their own bullying experiences and tips on how to prevent it.

Rose Did What Was Expected

Pete Rose’sday as guest manager of the Bridgeport Bluefishwent about as one would expect with the all-time major league hit king helping draw the season’s largest crowd (4,573) on a Monday night with most Connecticutschools still in session for a final week.  The adept but major league-ineligible 73-year-old showed he is still capable of helping win games while also imparting what one national writer called sometimes “crude” stories during a $150-a-plate luncheon which helped cover the heavy payout due Charlie Hustle.

“At the luncheon, he was entertaining and crass and unfiltered,” reported SI.com writer Kostya Kennedy, who authored a new book, “Pete Rose: An American Dilemma”.

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Can-Am Among Those Interested If Double-A Team Moves

We do not often get new franchise news this time of year, but it has been coming from various quarters with the naming of the 2015 Can-Am Leaguefranchise in Ottawa, Ontarioas the Championsand the potential Atlantic Leagueteam in Virginia Beachas the Neptunesand the emergence of a possible new target city in New Britain, CT.

“The Can-Am League has an interest (in New Britain),” said Commissioner Miles Wolff,  if the proposed move of Minnesota’sClass AA franchise to a discussed new stadium in nearby Hartfordtakes place.  Other leagues, including collegiate summer leagues, also likely will have an interest because of New Britain’s quality record of support and its 18-year-old, 6,146-seat New Britain Stadium. 

Every Game Free on Television

The intertwining of television and computers has allowed Miles Wolff’stwo leagues, the American Associationand the Can-Am, to lay claim to be the first professional baseball circuits to offer every game all season free of charge to their fans.

“We had to scramble to do this,” Wolff said this week from his summer home in Quebec.  Working with InnovaTV, live streaming for the 16 teams (plus Joliet, ILof the Frontier League) will take place across multiple platforms.  Wolff admits “the quality of the broadcasts will vary from club to club” because some teams will use numerous cameras while a few may only have one.  Fans are advised to go to www.independentprofessionalbaseball.com to find the games which will be compatible with desktop and laptop computers plus such devices as the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

(This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes on Independent Baseball.  Thirty-six columns are planned during 2014.  Fans may subscribe at www.WirzandAssociates.com , enjoy added stories on the blog www.IndyBaseballChatter.com , or comment to RWirz@aol.com .  The authorhas 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)