Could Springfield once again support a professional baseball league? Maybe someday.
Representatives of the Frontier League met with interested parties in Springfield this week to investigate the matter, about 15 years after the Springfield Capitals left town when the team was sold to Rockford.
Frontier League Commissioner Bill Lee says there may be one thing the city has against it right now.
“The permeating feeling still is that in order for any professional sports team or baseball team to be successful, a new facility would be mandated,” says Lee.
Many of the Frontier League stadiums in use now like in Normal, Lee says, are multi-purpose facilities, and some of those have artificial turf.
Aldermen suggest further encouraging support of teams like the Springfield Sliders first, before going any further.
“Before we start looking at bringing other things to Springfield, with regard to baseball, we should look at what we can do to encourage support and enrich what we already have,” says Ald. Doris Turner, Ward 3. Which, Turner says, is the Springfield Sliders. Some aldermen say new owner Todd Miller would be a great Frontier League owner someday, if the need and desire were there.