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June 20, 1988
Commissioner Bush, esteemed general managers, fans of Brewer League Baseball...lend us your ears.
Let us first start out by saying how honored we are that Batavia has been selected as a finalist for the 1989 All-Star game. In a city with just over 15,000 people and a relatively new expansion team, this is truly a great moment. Our plan today is to show the deciding powers to be why Batavia should be selected as the host city.
Venue
Batavia is located in Western New York and was named in honor of the Batavian Republic, a short-lived Dutch republic at the turn of the 19th century. Incorporated as a village in 1823 it is often referred to as the "Birthplace of Western New York" because it was the core from which the rest of Western New York was opened for settlement.
Fast forward 160 years (don't worry you won't miss much) and in 1983 the city was awarded a Brewer League Baseball expansion team. In 1978 a new commissioner took over the the BLB and resurrected it from the grave after ex-Commissioner William "Choo-Choo Train" Harris single handily destroyed the once promising league when he was indicted on racketeering charges in 1972. With the new found success of the late 70's/early 80's the general managers voted for and approved that two teams would be added to the Domestic League after '81, and two teams added to the Import League after '83. After a fierce marketing campaign Batavia was selected for the IL and the Muckdogs were born.
In 1984 the Muckdogs played their first home game at Lawrence Stadium. The open ballpark covered in grass has a 12 foot wall that surrounds the park and its dimensions from left-field to right-field are 328-375-405-375-328. Equally friendly to both left and right handed batters it has proved to be just as fair to the pitchers. In the off-season of 1986 the park was remodeled and two thousand more seats were added, giving it a seating capacity of 37,000. Talks have been underway of adding even more seating this off-season as well.
Travel
Getting to and from Batavia has never been easier. Just north of the city runs the famous I-90 freeway, the longest freeway in the United States. Running from Boston to Seattle it spans 3,020 miles and passes through several prominent cities. On that freeway from downtown Batavia you can reach the Buffalo International Airport in 30 minutes going west, and the Greater Rochester International Airport in 35 minutes heading east. All though small in stature both airports are hubs in Western New York and have flights daily to Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Atlanta, NYC, Boston, and Baltimore among others.
As for room and board Batavia has many of the small-town places you would find all over America. If you are looking for something a bit fancier once again Buffalo and Rochester are only a short ride away. Why spend 30 minutes getting lost driving through a huge, dirty, dangerous city when you can spend 30 minutes driving on a freeway through beautiful Western New York.
Did we also mention that Batavia, Buffalo, and Rochester have teamed up with Greyhound and Amtrak? Well they have and if Batavia is selected for the 1989 BLB All-Star game both businesses with be giving free rides for the entire week to anyone with a BLB All-Star ticket.
Weather
The weather in Batavia for the month of July is by far the nicest of the year. The average temperature for the month is 68 degrees, the average wind speed is 8 MPH, and the chance of a sunny day is almost 80%. You just can't ask for better baseball, or travel, weather.
Attractions
Niagara Falls...need we say more? Located only one hour from Batavia, or 30 minutes from Buffalo, this natural beauty is one of the most well known landmarks in the United States.
Also within a short distance of Batavia there are several nature parks. Darien Lakes State Park (also home to an amusement/water park), Iroquis National Wildlife Refuge, and Carlton Hills State Forest are three majestic areas which highlight the best this region has to offer.
Finale
Needless to say we believe that Batavia would be an outstanding choice for next years Brewer League Baseball All-Star game. The small town appeal of Batavia combined with the bigger sister cities of Buffalo and Rochester make it the perfect American community to represent America's favorite pastime and its "Midsummer Classic."
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