Pullman Park remains empty during crisis
No game today.
No games this week.
No games this month — and maybe next.
Michelle Krill Memorial Field at Historic Pullman Park is feeling the pinch.
“This is hurting us, for sure,” said Dean Selfridge, executive director of the Butler baseball facility. “We had 109 games canceled here in April alone.”
Butler County Community College, Clarion University and Penn State-Greater Allegheny had all committed to playing their entire home schedules at Pullman Park. None of those three schools, of course, will play at all this spring.
“That's about 50 games right there,” Selfridge said of the park's mounting losses.
Butler, Knoch, Moniteau and Karns City had committed their respective high school baseball home games to Pullman Park as well. North Catholic had a handful of home games slated for the facility.
While the high school season has not been canceled yet, that strong possibility exists.
That makes Pullman Park's summer schedule that much more critical to the facility financially.
“We had at least two games scheduled there every day throughout the spring months,” Selfridge said. “Since the (stadium) authority is not directly connected to the City of Butler, we receive no revenue that way.
“Our funding comes from (team) rental, concessions, ticket sales, sponsorships.”
Given the financial instability of shut-down businesses, Selfridge said it's “just not proper to contact anybody for potential sponsorship right now.
“Besides, no one is going to put an advertising sign on the outfield wall if there's nobody in the park to see it,” he added.
Pullman Park does have a busy summer schedule on tap. The Tri-State Collegiate League begins play May 29 with the Butler BlueSox and Butler Iron Bucks both playing their home games there.
West Penn Elite and Atlantic Coast Baseball are slated to bring numerous youth tournaments to the park, mainly on weekends.
“We've been in steady contact with those two organizations,” Selfridge said. “They're willing to push into October, if that's what it takes.”
The Iron & Oil League, featuring Core Athletics 15-under and 16-under teams, will play games at Pullman on Tuesdays and Wednesdays this summer.
The BlueSox and Iron Bucks have games scheduled at Pullman through mid-July.
“The Tri-State league can be moved back to the second week of August,” Selfridge said. “They could start in early July and get the schedule in.
“We're lining up volunteers and interns for the BlueSox season. That's our focus right now. Obviously, we're hoping that season happens.”
