December 2007 Press Release

Baseball officially back in Pulaski

Dated: December 14, 2007, 11 a.m.

For immediate release:

PULASKI__ Pulaski is the new home of a rookie league baseball team. Officials with Pulaski Baseball Inc. announced this morning that the Seattle Mariners will join the Appalachian League in 2008. The farm team will become the 10^th organization for the league.

Pulaski has been without a team for the past year after the Toronto Blue Jays pulled out in 2006. For the past six months, negotiations have been underway with three different major league parent teams to come to Calfee Park.

Lee Landers, the president of the Appalachian League, spoke during the press conference. He said he was very pleased with the return of baseball to Pulaski.

Local officials are also excited. Tom Compton, the president of Pulaski Baseball Inc., said the news was an early Christmas present. He is very excited about the return of “America’s favorite past-time” to the community.

“We look forward to the opening of the 2008 season,” he said.

The parent club, Seattle, was also excited about the move. Director of Player Development Greg Hunter said the organization feels Pulaski will be a good spot to develop younger players. “We are looking forward to working with the people in the Pulaski community, and it is exciting for us to have a hand in bringing baseball back to Southern Virginia.”

Landers unveiled a 10-team schedule this morning that has the Mariners opening June 17 on the road for a three-game series at Princeton. The home opener will be on June 20.

Notes:
This is the third time that Pulaski has been without a team. The Atlanta Braves pulled out in 1992, and then the Texas Rangers a decade later. The Blue Jays left following the 2006 season, and the lights have been dim since.

This will be the Mariners first in the Appy League, making it one of the first west coast franchises to enter play in the league.

Pulaski has been home to teams from the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, and most recently Toronto Blue Jays since 1947. The franchise captured league titles in 1948, 1969, 1986, and 1991.

The Pulaski franchise will be known as the Mariners.

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Copyright 2007, Mark Turner
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