THUNDER BAY – After sitting in the stands for the past three summers, the Thunder Bay Border Cats will be back on the field in 2023.
The team on Friday confirmed the Northwoods League will welcome the team back, after restrictions at the border, due to COVID-19, forced them off the schedule in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
“The Border Cats organization and our fans have been waiting for this day for a long time and we are thrilled to bring Northwoods League baseball back to Thunder Bay next summer,” said Border Cats president David Valente.
“We truly appreciate the loyalty of our fans, corporate partners and host families and are looking forward to seeing everyone back at Port Arthur Stadium in 2023,” added Valente.
The team is expected to name a manager in the coming days. Mike Steed, who was supposed to take the reins in 2020, but eventually took a job with the Atlanta Braves organization. The team, in a release, said it already has 20 player commitments for next season.
Led by a local ownership group, the team was 24-47 in its most recent season in 2019, but has two Northwoods League titles under its belt, wining it all in 2005 and 2008.
Border Cats vice-president Bryan Graham said the waiting has been the hardest part.
"Obviously it's been a long, long time waiting for this day to happen. We had planned to try to play every year through the pandemic, but unfortunately because of the border being either closed or ongoing restrictions at the border, we were not able to," Graham said. "This is a big day for the Thunder Bay Border Cats. Our all-local ownership group, under Grand Slam Sports and Entertainment bought the team in 2019 and it was a big effort to make sure the Border Cats remained in Thunder Bay.
"We've only been able to play one season since that happened. We thought we were making great strides in 2019, before the pandemic hit, so we're very excited to bring baseball back to Port Arthur Stadium in 2023."
The team's schedule and season ticket packages will be unveiled soon.
"The schedule is being worked on right now and should be completed sometime before the end of November or early December," Graham said. "We've already submitted all of our playing dates well in advance. So we're looking forward to the unveiling of the schedule and finding out exactly when our first home game will be. That'll be a big, big day."
League officials announced the Minnesota Mud Puppies will return as a road opponent in 2023, with the Minot Hot Tots joining as an expansion team, leaving an odd number of full-time teams on the schedule.
"As the Northwoods League enters its 30th year, we as a League are looking forward to having all of our affiliates be a part of the 2023 season," said Northwoods League President Ryan Voz, in a release issued by the league.
"This is a milestone as the Northwoods League will celebrate 30 years of providing family entertainment across the upper Midwest in 23 different locations with 24 teams."
