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Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League

Muckdogs' owners purchase Niagara Falls franchise, sign on to operate Sal Maglie Stadium

By Mike Pettinella
Robbie and Nellie Nichols

Calling it “a good market that just needs some work,” Robbie Nichols is ready to perform his baseball magic in Niagara Falls.

Nichols, owner of Can-USA Sports along with his wife, Nellie, (photo above) confirmed today that his organization has purchased the Niagara Falls Americans’ franchise of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League and has signed on to manage Sal Maglie Stadium, the team’s home ballpark.

Can-USA Sports also owns the Elmira Pioneers and the Batavia Muckdogs, both members of the PGCBL. Nichols, General Manager Marc Witt and their staff have been credited for rejuvenating baseball in Batavia.

“Niagara Falls, I believe, is a good market that just needs some work,” Nichols said. “The gentleman that owned the team last year wasn’t returning and I think our league needs a team there.”

Last year, the team was called the Niagara Power and competed in the PGCBL’s West Division along with Batavia, Elmira, Jamestown, Auburn, Newark and Geneva.

Nichols said Niagara Falls’ leaders have committed more than $2 million for repairs of Sal Maglie Stadium.

“They put in a new turf field. It will be a very good-looking ballpark,” he noted, adding that Michael Gabriele, a former Niagara University baseball player, will be the club’s manager. He said the team already is signing players for the 2024 season.

City and state politicians reportedly are enthusiastic about the team’s prospects with Can-USA Sports on board.

“We are really excited to introduce them to the city of Niagara Falls and the Sal Maglie Stadium,” Mayor Rob Restaino told WIVB-TV.

State Sen. Rob Ortt echoed his sentiments, telling the television station that the Nichols team “chose Niagara Falls because of the stadium, because of the history, because they believe in Niagara Falls.”

“And hopefully that will inspire and tell a lot of other people here that we too should believe in Niagara Falls.”

Nichols announced that Niagara County Community College and D’Youville University baseball teams will play their home games at Sal Maglie Stadium next year. He said he plans to book many other events there, just as he does with Dwyer Stadium in Batavia.

When asked if he was stretching himself too thin – having to juggle the activities of three franchises, Nichols said he will continue to be “stationed” in Batavia once the season starts but will rotate among the three.

“I’ll probably be at 65 baseball games, working, so it will be a busy summer,” he said. “Nellie and I are excited about the new opportunity. It’s a market that needs work, but we’re not afraid of a little work.”

Nichols admitted he’s taking a financial risk as the Niagara Falls team did not attract many fans last year,

“Definitely, it’s a risk because it’s no Batavia. They weren’t drawing the crowds that we were drawing last year,” he said. “Everything’s a risk, but our staff – and how hard we work – I’m confident that we can turn Niagara Falls around.”

File photo: Robbie and Nellie Nichols by Jim Burns.

Perfect game league to allow recently graduated college seniors to play ball

By Press Release

Press release:

In a unanimous decision by the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL) Board of Directors, the 16 member teams will now have the ability to sign graduating college seniors that do not have remaining college eligibility.  The PGCBL will provide a platform for the most talented, graduating collegiate seniors, to improve their Major League Baseball (MLB) draft status by offering additional opportunities to be seen by scouts and compete against the highest level of competition.

Additionally, any other current collegiate player that will be exhausting their remaining college eligibility will be considered for roster inclusion.  This provision will address any eligibility anomalies that were created by the Covid-19 pandemic.

As always, the PGCBL will continue to strive to serve as a showcase league for current top draft-eligible prospects leading up to each summer's MLB draft, as well as future top tier prospects not currently eligible to be drafted.

The MLB draft has historically taken place in early June but was held in mid-July for the first time in 2021.  The 2022 draft will take place from July 17th-19th and feature 20 rounds of picks.  Until a Covid-19 modified draft in 2020, the MLB draft had historically featured 40 rounds.  With the draft now scheduled later in the year and featuring fewer rounds, the PGCBL felt it was important to provide additional opportunities to those exhausting their collegiate eligibility. 

"We're excited to announce the inclusion of all players who have just exhausted their college eligibility," said PGCBL President & General Counsel, Robert Julian.  "We hope to provide as many opportunities as possible to those players looking to increase their draft prospectus.  With the reduction in draft rounds and the later draft date, we felt this was an important opportunity to provide for affected players." 

The PGCBL will begin league-wide play for the 2022 season on Friday, June 3rd.

Muckdogs' promos include fan favorites -- postgame fireworks, Thirsty Thursdays, Free T-shirt Night and more

By Press Release

Press release:

The Batavia Muckdogs of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League are gearing up for their first season in their new league and are gearing up to make it the place to be in Batavia this summer!

With the release of the promotional schedule today the Muckdogs are proud to bring back exciting events like: Meet the Team; Postgame Fireworks; Free Posters; Thirsty Thursdays; Sahlen’s Dollar Dog Nights; Free T-shirt Night; O’Lacy’s Irish Night; 716 Night; Free Face Masks; and many more! 

All of the Muckdogs promotions and their regular season schedule can be found at canusamuckdogs.com.

Baseball returns to Batavia on Friday June 4th as the Muckdogs take on the Elmira Pioneers with fireworks presented by the Graham Corporation immediately following the action!

Single game tickets are on sale now by calling the box office at (585) 524-2260! Be sure to like our Facebook page and subscribe to our YouTube channel, “Batavia Muckdogs Baseball.” Go Dogs!

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Here's the PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE for the 2021 season:

  • Friday, June 4th -- Opening Night -- Postgame fireworks presented by Graham Corp.
  • Saturday, June 5th – Opening Weekend  -- Postgame Autographs on the Field
  • Monday, June 7th -- Free Poster Schedules
  • Tuesday, June 8th -- Meet the Players After the Game on the Field, Guaranteed Win Night
  • Friday, June 11th -- Batavia Blue Devils Night
  • Sunday, June 13th -- Free T-shirt Night
  • Monday, June 14th -- Dewey's Birthday Party
  • Thursday, June 17th -- Thirsty Thursday Drafts $2
  • Saturday, June 19th -- Postgame Fireworks presented by UR Medical & Skyworks
  • Sunday, June 20th -- Father's Day Game -- Play Catch With Dad on the Field
  • Monday, June 21st -- Sahlen's $1 Dog Night
  • Thursday, June 24th -- Guaranteed Win Night
  • Saturday, June 26th -- Faith & Family Night
  • Monday, June 28th -- Arc of Genesee Orleans Giveaway
  • Thursday, July 1st -- Canada Day -- Canadian $$ Taken at Par
  • Saturday, July 3rd -- Postgame Fireworks Presented by Tompkins Bank and Chapin Manufacturing
  • Sunday, July 4th -- Free USA Face Masks
  • Monday, July 5th -- USA Homestand
  • Tuesday, July 6th -- USA Homestand
  • Thursday, July 8th -- OLacy's Irish Night
  • Saturday, July 10th -- Free Diamond Dance Team Photo
  • Monday, July 12th -- Sahlen's $1 Dog Night
  • Thursday, July 15th -- STOP DWI Night
  • Saturday, July 17th -- Postgame Fireworks Presented by Batavia Downs & Oak Orchard Health
  • Sunday, July 18th -- 716 Night
  • Thursday, July 22nd -- Thirsty Thursday Drafts $2
  • Friday, July 23rd -- Postgame Fireworks Presented by O-AT-KA Milk and Turnbull Heating & Air
  • Sunday, July 25th -- Genesee Valley Penny Saver Free Team Photo Night
  • Thursday, July 29th -- Bring Pet Food -- Get In For Free

Team's owner is calling on community to get behind collegiate baseball league entry

By Mike Pettinella

nichols_a.jpg

Paraphrasing a line from the movie “Field of Dreams,” Robbie Nichols of Elmira believes that if he builds a quality and entertaining baseball club, the people of Batavia will come in droves to Dwyer Stadium this summer.

A former pro hockey player in the American Hockey League and International Hockey League, the 56-year-old Nichols has his sights set on starting a new franchise in Batavia as a member of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.

As reported first on The Batavian, Nichols will present his plan to Batavia City Council on Monday night and is hopeful the governing body approves terms of a lease agreement put forth by Interim City Manager Rachael Tabelski.

“City Council’s approval is the final step,” said Nichols, who, along with his wife, Nellie, owns the Elmira Pioneers in the PGCBL and the Elmira Enforcers hockey team in the Federal Prospects Hockey League. “I will meet with them on Monday night and we have a press conference scheduled for Tuesday at 3:30 at Batavia Downs Gaming.”

Nichols said he will announce the Batavia team’s nickname – reports indicate that “Muckdogs” is a possibility – and will announce the team’s manager.

“We’ll also have some other good things to share about the club and then we’ll hit the pavement running,” he said.

Owner Promises Top-Notch Play

Nichols said the PGCBL features mostly Division I college prospects from the ages of 18 to 21 who are hoping to catch the eye of scouts and get drafted by a Major League team.

“It’s top quality ball,” he said. “We had a player drafted in the first round by the Baltimore Orioles last year – Jordan Westburg” (a shortstop who signed a $2.3 million bonus with the Orioles last June). Westburg played for Elmira in 2018.

Nichols said the players are “serious” about their craft – “good athletes and I think that everyone is going to be really surprised by the talent that will be out on the field.”

“We really need the support of City Council to get this approved as fast as we can because we are a little bit behind the 8-ball,” he advised.

He said the Elmira Pioneers already have 35 players signed and all set for the season, and most of the other teams do as well.

“We’re getting a late start (in Batavia) but I know we can get this done and be able to get a top quality team on the field,” he noted, adding that he expects 13 or 14 teams in the league in 2021.

The wood bat league season runs from the end of May into the beginning of August – 56 to 60 games equally divided between home and away contests, Nichols said.

'It's the Community's Ballpark'

Nichols said he is energized by the prospects of duplicating what they have done in Elmira, where attendance at Dunn Field has soared in recent years. The Nichols have been involved with the Pioneers since 2012, taking sole ownership of the team in late 2017.

“We took our team that had averaged about 700 fans a night to 3,000 a night, and we do a lot of promotions – a lot of exciting things,” he said. “A lot of fireworks shows and we really want the community to be involved because it’s their ballpark. We’re the holder of the keys and we want Dwyer Stadium to be a multi-use facility, so we’re going to encourage Little League games and high school games. We want it to be used by everybody and that’s what the park is there for.”

He spoke of the rich history of Batavia baseball.

“Everybody I have talked to in Batavia – everyone’s got a story about the baseball team. They used to go to the field with their grandfather or their grandfather was an original batboy of the team,” he said. “Everyone’s got great stories and memories and we just want to continue the tradition of baseball in Batavia.”

Nichols said he hopes to bring in special events such as games against a club from Canada and also against the Wounded Warriors team.

“You should see the Wounded Warriors; they are just amazing,” he said. “Some of the players have no legs and it’s amazing to see what these guys do. It’s a real baseball game and they have really good players.”

Connection to the Buffalo Sabres

He couldn’t guarantee an appearance by the Wounded Warriors in Batavia this year, but said there will be a Buffalo Sabres alumni softball game and, “if I can pull it off, an alumni hockey game on an outdoor rink at Dwyer Stadium.”

“I have many friends with that (Sabres) organization.Ric Seiling was an ex-roommate of mine, and I’ve already talked to him,” the Hamilton, Ontario, Canada native said.

Nichols made it clear that the success of the franchise hinges upon community involvement.

“We will be knocking on the door of every business owner as we really want the community and the city to get behind it,” he said. “I’m excited about the way things have happened here in Elmira with the team. The fans love it. The players are very accessible and meet with the fans. They’re all just looking to advance their careers.”

He mentioned that since the players will be in Batavia for about 75 days, he will be reaching out to the community to identify some host families.

“These kids will become the fabric of the community, and these players are so much different than athletes of the past. They come in in just incredible shape, and they’re here to work out every single day,” he said, adding that the team’s manager has signed about 20 players at this point.

The Nichols Believe in Giving Back

The Nichols are heavily involved in civic activities in the Elmira area.

On Thursday, Robbie Nichols and 10 of his hockey players participated in a food bank.

“I believe in giving back to the community and we do so in a number of ways,” he said, “including Christmas drives for the needy where we provide food, gloves, hats and other items.”

He and his wife have owned the hockey team for about two and a half years.

“Somehow, 10 years ago I bought a baseball team and then they asked me to bring a hockey team back to the area, and I did that, too,” he offered. “My first love, I guess, is hockey – being from Hamilton – and my wife, Nellie, is a huge Dodgers’ fan from the Los Angeles, California area. And that’s how we came up with CAN-USA Sports LLC (their legal business name).”

dunn_field_crowd_a.jpg

Submitted photos -- Top: Nellie and Robbie Nichols; bottom, crowd at an Elmira Pioneers baseball game.

Previous: Owner of Elmira collegiate baseball league team to make pitch to operate a club in Batavia in 2021

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