The List updates – Indy Leagues

This month’s updates on The List focus on the land of the Independent Leagues in baseball and we’ll focus on the doomed-from-the start North American League. Only a matter of time before this conglomeration of distant teams and mis-management finally ended up folding. Not that I ever root for this sort of thing, but what a joke this league was. The mess the NAL left resulted in a re-forming of three leagues. The Texas teams were the most stable and they brought back the United League Baseball, but there is not even a website yet. So, I’ll wait before updating The List with those teams. The other two leagues, the Pacific Association and the AWBL are already on shaky ground and I’m doubtful they will ever get going.

Back to where there are teams playing, the Can-Am League somehow keeps going and despite the loss of Worcester, we have a new ballpark entrant as the Canadian city of Trois-Rivieres makes an appearance. Welcome Fernand-Bedard Stadium (or I should say Stade Fernand-Bernard). This renovated old time ballpark is a great addition to a league that also has Quebec City’s classic stade. The Can-Am just needs one more to get to six…maybe Atlantic City can make a comeback?

Speaking of Canadian baseball, the Ottawa Fat Cats will not be back in the Canadian Baseball League. Sadly, that team got the boot from Ottawa Stadium as the city has aspirations for the Eastern League. So far it is not working out and I think Ottawa made a big mistake letting the ballpark just sit. They won’t even have amateurs play there. We’ll see how the next few years play out.

One last note, I’ve been thinking about the inclusion of qualifying high school arenas, stadiums and ballparks on The List for awhile. Right now, the ones I can find are on there, but I’m planning on taking them away. After seeing a qualifying stadium in New Britain that I had no idea about, I realize that it is impossible to maintain that information. Plus, visiting high school football or basketball games has never really been a goal of mine and that is what I think this list has morphed into. When I started it some 17 years ago, it was somewhat of a complete stadium listing…now it’s more of a template for which teams I want to see. So over the next few weeks, I’ll be removing those facilities (which are mostly just a side-set of bleachers anyway, the places I try to avoid), but still keeping any places that play host to state or regional championship games. I will also keep an eye out for any pro teams that may use the high school complex. Hope that all makes sense and though it is my strange way of maintaining some organization in this venture, I’m happy with this adjustment.