Letter: Attendance needed to keep Cats

It is almost Border Cats baseball time again.

Baseball is underway in many other levels and leagues – TBBA starting soon – and they deserve support as well. The Cats are the flagship of local baseball without intending to slight any other league or teams and they need our fan support or they will be gone.

Who can blame Brad and Janice Jorgenson for selling the team given the fan support over the last few years?

Last summer we had a very successful World Junior Baseball tournament thanks to volunteers and great fan support. We will be reporting shortly just how successful that was, but we need our success to translate into success at the gate for the Border Cats.

Improvements to the Stadium already completed and others intended as we plan on bidding for an array of possible events to come to Thunder Bay, will be for naught if the Cats are sold. Who will play at the stadium?

It is highly unlikely that there will be another local buyer given the attendance of the last few years so the move will be out of the city and likely out of the country. The franchise is where the money is in leagues like the Northwoods and I am sure there are a number of communities in the U.S. who would like a team and league of this caliber in their community.

Yes there still are tough economic times in both of our countries, but things are turning around. About 1,500 fans a game would do it. More is even better.

Come out and see some great ball from young men all on baseball scholarships. You may even see some of the young men who played here for various countries at our tournament last year.

This is one of the best summer leagues around for college baseball players because it is modeled after Major League Baseball since that is the goal of many of these players.

Come out and enjoy good baseball and friendly fans.  

Coun. Larry Hebert,
Thunder Bay