Hoping to snag the 2010 American Legion Baseball World Series for Muzzy Field, a championship that would pump hundreds of thousands of dollars into the area economy, a delegation of officials heads Saturday to Indianapolis to make a pitch for the event.
Mayor Art Ward said he is “very optimistic” about the city’s chances of winning the right to hold the yearly event.
Ward is one of five people from the city and the American Legion post in Bristol who is making the trip to try to convince decision-makers to pick Bristol.
He said they’re slated to make a presentation on Sunday afternoon and may know the success of the bid by early next week.
Snagging the Legion’s World Series would likely be “the largest sporting event ever to take place in the city,” Paul LaFleur, general manager the American Legion Post 2 baseball team, has said.
There are about nine municipalities competing for the right to host the event.
Ward said this might be the last opportunity for Bristol to win the right because of a new national rule that puts the World Series in whatever city holds the national American Legion convention.
Since Bristol isn’t likely to host a major national convention – given its lack of hotels, restaurants and meeting space – the 2010 competition is probably the city’s final opportunity to play host to the event.
Muzzy Field was built in 1912, making it one of the nation’s oldest ballparks. American Legion teams from Bristol have apparently played there for the past 80 years.
Bristol is well known in American Legion circles because of its active veterans community and the success of its baseball program over the years.
But the trump card for Bristol’s pitch for the World Series may be ESPN’s willingness to lend its name to the effort.Ward said ESPN’s support is crucial because of its clout in the sports world.
If the city gets the right to hold the Series, the Legion post will need to pony up $60,000 to help pay for it. The mayor said there are pledges in hand for about half the money already.
Ward, Park Director Ed Swicklas and several Legion officials are flying to Indianapolis on Saturday. They intend to rehearse their presentation there today in order to be ready for the real thing on Sunday.
They fly back home on Sunday night.
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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
31 comments:
Let's just rename Bristol City Hall ..... E.S.P.N. annex and get it over with .
Before the naysayers start spewing their venom...
Good luck guys and thank you!
who is paying for it? In light of the mayor's edict, is he ponying up his own money, or is he spending taxpayer money?
I am not a Ward supporter at all, but this is a no brainer. It is great for the city, brings in business, and shows Bristol off to outsiders.
Good luck Mayor, I hope you get this done.
Didn't Ward ask for Department input on the budget by May 5, which is this monday?
If the mayor and the team are successful this will mean additional dollars being spent in Bristol. This is a good thing!
4:05 - Get your head out of your butt. The city stands to gain substantial revenue and the chance to showcase Bristol to potential investors from around the country...and you want to quibble about who's paying for a one night trip to Indianapolis???? Get over your anti-Ward rhetoric and try being a little more pro-Bristol.
Bristol has a good shot of hosting this event.
Good luck Mayor! I wish you success.
The point is the mayor has a double standard. FIrst he says the budget is good, then he says no its bad. First he says no more city funded trips, then he goes off on one anyway.
Double standard my butt. He never said the budget was good. He wasn't thrilled with it either, but he thought it was fair, and he's obviously willing to work to make it better.
The trip to Indy could potentially rake in major revenue for our city and was planned far in advance of his calling for no more city-funded trips. Enough with the anti-Wardism.
GO BRISTOL! Good luck Mayor Ward & co!
If we get it, will that mean no tax increase?
Hey ...... If this all works out perfectly , the city might be able to acquire enough tax revenue to pay for the sign re-naming the Bristol Center Mall , which , any developer will immediately remove .
Bristol in it's finest hour .
Any chance of Ward staying in Indiana?
3:50, I don't think he'll be staying, but I know I'd be tempted to stay there if I were him. Dealing with the ungrateful morons that he has to deal with here on a daily basis would be more than I could handle. Guess he's got a lot more integrity (and much thicker skin) than I do.
May 3, 2008 4:02 PM:
Oh give us a break. He doesn't have to "deal" with this chat room. He can just ignore it.
Indiana is actually a pro-business pro-growth, Right to Work state. If Ward or you didn't/don't work for the gov't, you might be wise to move there.
Sorry I got your panties in a twist 4:51. I don't work for the government (thank God!), but I do think that the amount of wise ass crap thrown at that the people who we've chosen to represent us is excessive, but hey, as I stated earlier, they obviously have a lot more integrity (and much thicker skin) than I do, and you're absolutely right - the mayor can ignore this chat room, probably does for all I know.
Guess I just find the lack of regard or respect for people who are working to make Bristol a better place for all of us to live a little disgusting. But hey, you don't seem to like Bristol much. Maybe you ought to consider making that move to Indiana? Sounds like plan to me!
This is mild compared to what the dems, including Art, did to the last mayor.
May 3, 2008 6:22 PM:
Luckily there's alot of nice people in Bristol as well as obnoxious, crude, blow-hards like you.
But don't worry, I'm getting a piece of the great CT scam too. Too bad you're not. LOL! GFYS.
Wow 12:09, guess you got all confused when you twisted those panties in a knot. You say "GFYS" to me, and then call ME "obnoxious and crude." I'd say that's the pot calling the kettle black.
But good for you for getting a piece of the "great CT scam." Guess that means you won't be moving to Indianapolis after all (damn). Luckily, there are lots of nice people in Bristol....I certainly hope you don't think you're one of em. But hey, have a great day!
May 4, 2008 8:31 AM:
Wow, bet you never heard that one before, you crude, obnoxious, hypocritical buffoon.
Grow up and shut up.
Wow, real clever comeback 12:17. Hope you didn't strain yourself. Fascinating that you resort to crude remarks and name calling, and then tell me to "grow-up".
LOL!!!
May 4, 2008 4:55 PM:
Otherwise I'm right then, correct?
Lets rename City Hall... Union Hall
May 4, 2008 4:55 PM:
It's too bad you're too dumb to understand contructive criticism.
The fact is that Connecticut is a economic slow-growth (actually we've lost population), high tax, high business cost, rust belt state. Why don't people understand that?
When I say Ward would be better off (if he or anyone) didn't work for the gov't (the government class does well in CT no matter what) moving to Indiana, it's for the obvious reasons that I cited.
Obviously you are the one who has "panties in a twist". I'm just stating facts. You are obviously too dumb to comprehend the facts.
reworded:
When I say Ward would be better off (if he or anyone didn't work for the gov't because the government class does well in CT no matter what) moving to Indiana, it's for the obvious reasons that I cited.
Constructive criticism is CONSTRUCTIVE. Your original comment, "any chance Ward will stay there?" was definitely NOT constructive, just a jab at the mayor. When I attempted to (constructively) point out that public servants deserve some respect - you explode into a "GFYS," 3rd grade style name calling tirade (also, NOT constructive)...and you think I'M the one who's "too dumb to comprehend the facts"??? LOL!!!
Well I didn't state, "any chance Ward will stay there?". That was someone else.
And when I was in thrird grade I didn't utter words like you're suggesting. I was much older. Perhaps you did, and that would be more evidence of your trashy up-bringing.
There is therapy available for people who were exposed to "adult situations" as a child. Perhaps you might enroll?
8:49, Doesn't matter whether or not you made the initial comment...You are still one angry, hostile little person. You may not have uttered those nasty words in third grade. I still don't use that type of language today (so much for your "trashy-upbringing" theory). The fact that you resort to swearing and name calling instead of intelligent argument is exactly the type of behavior I would expect from a petulent third grader.
As far as the therapy you suggest. I was never exposed to "adult situations" as a child and actually had quite a happy and healthy upbringing right here in Bristol. I do believe that YOUR anger and hostility could effectively be treated with perhaps some anger management classes. A little introspection on your part might be exactly what the doctor ordered! I know you're pretty angry, but try to have a nice day...I know I will!
May 5, 2008 9:46 AM:
You're nuts.
"but try to have a nice day...I know I will"
May 5, 2008 9:46 AM:
---Somehow I doubt that.
LOL
May 5, 2008 9:46 AM:
Actually whether I am angry or whether you're ignorant and crude makes no difference to the facts.
Connecticut still is a "rust belt" state with government seemingly beholden to special interests (unions). Connecticut is one of the costliest states for doing business and this reflects the fact that Connecticut's economy is amoug the slowest to recover from an economic downturn.
You sir would be wiser to concentrate on facts and solutions to our state's problems rather than personal attacks and criticisms. But I'm sure you're too busy "enjoying your day" to worry about such trivial matters.
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