Basebal. Dwyer stadium

There was  a Halloween Trick or Treat family event at Dwyer Stadium Saturday afternoon.  This event appeared to be very well attended by the community.  Business gave away candy to the children there was also a bull ride, face painting and pumpkin painting. The children walked through the stadium and infield gathering top shelf candy from tables and booths with different holiday decorations set up by the business that took part in the event. 

Listen I know you all have probably read posts here online or elswhere about our Batavia Muckdogs. I'm sure you all know that the Muckdogs have had financial problems over the last few years and that this is a very important year for the future of our franchise.

Something you might not have thought of is the quality-of-life issue for our city and county. The Muckdogs have been a part of our area since 1939. I believe that's the year both the "Wizard of Oz" and "Gone with the Wind" came to our theaters. Needless to say, it's been a long time. During those years, many players have passed through Batavia with their dreams of some day playing in the big leagues. Most go onto other cities, carrying those dreams until one day they either make it to the big leagues or they get sent home looking for a job in "the real world."

Seasons pass, but one thing has always remained, our Clippers, Pirates, Indians, Trojans and Muckdogs have always returned. The "Boys of Summer" come to Batavia with their dreams. This could very well be the last summer where that happens! The 2010 Batavia Muckdogs might be the last season of professional baseball to ever play at Dwyer stadium on a beautiful summer night. What will that mean for the people of Batavia and Genesee County?

Our community will welcome next spring like it always does after a long hard winter! Spring fever will be everywhere! The "snowbirds" from the south will come back north to Batavia to be with family and friends for the summer. Kids will be getting out of school looking forward to a summer of fun! Yes some things will always remain the same, but something will be very different, something that has always been taken for granted. Our Muckdogs could be GONE FOREVER!

Summer nights at Dwyer stadium aren't just about baseball games. They are the last place in our county where people gather weekly to see old friends and make new ones.  Many kids from the NY State School for the Blind come to games, kids of all ages gather at Dwyer for a summer night of fun. Some even get to run on the field with Muckdog players. Buses come to Dwyer with Batavia's older generation from area retirement homes for a night out of summer fun. Area businesses promote their own businesses at Dwyer and promote community togetherness. Church groups join together for a summer night. Everyone in Genesee County seems to come to Dwyer on the 4th of July for their traditional fireworks!

Please never take anything for granted, because once you do, you stand a great chance of losing it forever! Our baseball team (no matter what name you call them) will be the same! Oh yes we will have the stories to share with friends about fun nights at Dwyer.  Just like many have of former nights at many other local area traditional places that are now nothing but ghosts!  I can already picture it now for the 4th of July celebration for 2011. Cars driving down Bank Street packing the sides of the street and people walking down to a quiet Dwyer stadium. All of them questioning if they already missed the fireworks?  Then maybe they will realize that they missed out on a lot more. That they took things for granted and now start to realize what they have lost forever!

It's not too late! You can make a difference Batavia and Genesee County! You can start with coming out tonight and tomorrow night (July 30th &31st). Pack the stands, show your support, spread the word, enjoy new friendships and old ones as well, watch young men start their dreams and end the night with fireworks both nights! Nobody would take our team if the stands were packed the rest of the season! Why would they? But if they aren't packed, be ready to start sharing your past stories once this season is over!