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Arrogance in action

It is high school playoff baseball time once again, and several area baseball teams will be playing in the first round of states on Monday. Williamsport Area High School, South Williamsport Area High School, and Lewisburg Area High School through extreme effort and excellence on the field all won the right to play hosts to opponents from outside District IV at a site near them. These sites are supposed to give them a competitive home field advantage and reward them for their stellar accomplishment.

All three schools have had special seasons deserving of recognition and reward. Williamsport has won consecutive District II/IV Championships for the first time since 2002-2003 and has a legitimate shot at advancing far into the state playoffs.

South Williamsport won it’s first District IV title since 2002 and is seeking it’s first ever state playoff victory. Lewisburg has made a dramatic improvement in it’s baseball program this year. All three schools face very difficult tests against good teams in the first round of states. Having a virtual home game with tons of local fans would make their tasks much easier.

Here comes the shame part. For many years Bowman Field has hosted tons of District and State playoff games as well as the State Baseball Championship games a few years ago. Now, however, Williamsport city government, in cooperation with Major League Baseball is keeping our local teams from using Bowman Field because they could do “damage” to the field before the Major League Classic two and a half months from now during Little League World Series week that does absolutely nothing for the people of this community or the local businesses. The Little League players and their families and Little League fans are already here, and would be whether the Major League Classic was played or not.

MLB, Mayor Campana, and Bill Nichols do not own Bowman Field. It belongs to the taxpayers and their families. You know, the players and their families and fans who now have to drive all the way to Central Columbia High School to play and to watch their teams on a high school field.

Many parents and fans won’t have to opportunity to drive that far to see the games. So much for home town support and the competitive advantage these kids earned through their hard work.

Furthermore, the city doesn’t even have the decency to return phone calls to those who are seeking to use Bowman for these playoffs games, or they wait until they know it’s too late. How unprofessional, arrogant and high handed.

Meanwhile, other teams from across the state are going to being playing their games at PNC Field in Scranton, home of the Triple New York Yankees, Lubrano Field in State College, Home of a Cardinals franchise, Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona, home of a Pirates minor league franchise, First Energy Stadium in Reading, home of another Phillies franchise, and FNB Field, home of a Nationals franchise. But not our kids, no, no, no.

Another little tidbit regarding PNC Field in Scranton – the Railriders are actively recruiting area high school football teams to play neutral site games at the stadium. Apparently football games cause less harm to a baseball field than baseball games. Sarcasm intended.

In case you are wondering why the games are at Central Columbia, it is the only field in District IV with the infrastructure in place to be able to charge admission to the games.

The incredible district final between Loyalsock and Montoursville had to be played at Central Columbia as well for the same reasons, meaning many people didn’t have the opportunity to watch one of the most exciting games in District IV history because of travel involved.

Shame on city officials, for you arrogance, and your disdain of our local kids and their taxpaying parents. But hey, at least we have the Major League Classic to look forward to, oh wait no, local fans aren’t invited in. Tell me again, what does that game do for us?

Tom Griffith

Williamsport

Submitted by Virtual Newsroom

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