Play Ball!	Happy 125th Birthday, International League by Andrew Kulyk & Peter Farrell

Quasquicentennial.” Add that to your lexicon of word power, for that is what describes a 125-year anniversary. And for the International League, that means a year-long party that will be celebrated at all of its member venues come 2008, and Dunn Tire Park and the Buffalo Bisons will be a big part of the festivities.

While 59 different cities, including Montreal, Toronto and even Havana, have fielded teams in the International League, Upstate New York has long been the geographic footprint and the soul of the league. The Buffalo Bisons joined the league way back in 1886, and then held membership off and on through the next three decades, before fielding a continuous franchise from 1920 until the team folded during the 1970 season. In the modern era, the Bisons rejoined the IL in 1998 after the American Association was disbanded.

The league held a news conference at Frontier Field in Rochester last month to unveil plans for the celebration, and Syracuse Chiefs General Manager John Simone made the point that selecting this venue for the announcement was no accident. “The long-term support and resulting history that you find in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse is unmatched. Upstate New York has been very good to the league over the years and we are here today due to the fact that Rochester has been in the league longer than any other team, 120 of the 124 years. Both Buffalo and Rochester have been members for 93 years.”

Buffalo Bisons General Manager Mike Buczkowski echoed Simone’s sentiments. “Certainly the Bisons can take their rightful place as one of the league’s marquee teams. We’re looking forward to showcasing our history in a big way throughout the 2008 season.”

The league’s front office has planned a number of events and activities to showcase. A book on the league, being written by noted minor league author Bill O’Neal, will be released by opening day. A series of videos titled “This Day in International League History” will run in ballparks, on television broadcasts and on Web sites throughout the season, and the Internet will also give the fans a chance to participate in online contests relating to International League history.

The long-dormant International League Hall of Fame will be revived with the hopes that a separate induction ceremony can be held in each of the individual ballparks.

While Buczkowski has been very active in the planning for this celebration, he is looking forward to hosting a traveling exhibit of league memorabilia, which will also include the original and current Governors Cup trophies. “It’s probably not too well known that almost 100 former players, managers and team executives are enshrined in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown,” said Buczkowski. “We want to pay tribute to the many people who helped to build this league, and especially here in Buffalo.”

Buczkowski was tight-lipped about other plans in the works for the celebration, although he mentioned the possibility that the Bisons might participate in a neutral site game in Cooperstown next season.

On a recent visit to Dunn Tire Park, International League President Randy Mobley proudly stated that his league has never been healthier and in better shape. “Since we absorbed the teams from the former American Association in 1998, we have had no franchise movements or divisional realignments. Our member teams are secure, attendances are up and interest has never been stronger.”

When asked about the impending move of the Ottawa Lynx to Allentown, Pennsylvania, Mobley insisted that every attempt was made to keep the team there. “We did everything we could to keep the team in Ottawa, but in the end the fans there just did not want the team and did not support it. But interest in Lehigh Valley for next season is off the charts.”

Mobley stated that in addition to a new ballpark in Lehigh Valley, new stadiums in Columbus and Charlotte will offer state-of-the-art venues and further enhance the league. “Construction is underway in Columbus with a 2009 opening planned. Talks are advancing quickly to begin work in Charlotte, and from there the only ballpark situation that we still have to address is in Richmond. But across the league our fans and players are enjoying top-notch facilities for baseball.”

This week in Columbus a special induction ceremony will take place to induct former league presidents Harold Cooper Jr. and George Sisler into the IL Hall of Fame. These two men will be the first entrants since the league inexplicably let the distinction go dormant in 1963. “There’ll be as many as 28 new inductees next season and the next couple years after that so we can properly honor the many people who have made our league great,” Mobley promised. “After that an annual enshrinement will become a part of our regular program. This is something that is long overdue.”

Happy Quasquicentennial!