DOUG SMITH: Friday Night Bashin’ in the street

By Doug Smith
Greater Niagara Newspapers

March 23, 2008 10:10 pm

— Ever hear a party described as so fine that it spilled out onto the sidewalk?
That’s what’s happening to the Bisons’ Friday Night Bashes.
And you don’t even need a ticket to attend.
Friday nights outstrip all others by far as big-crowd dates for the Herd. They’ve actually copyrighted the name, gathering huge numbers of fans for rocking and sipping in the area beyond right-center field.
Now — starting with Opening Day April 11 — they’ll be held on the broad sidewalk of Swan Street, fenced in to conform with the law, but still open to all. You don’t need a ticket, but in that atmosphere, who couldn’t buy?
Large pre-sold groups were straining the back lot’s resources and will now have it to themselves — so it will still emit that puff of white smoke that suggested the election of a new Pope — while individual bashers will convene on Swan.
Also new — a smaller (14-ounce), $3 beer. Base Paths will drink to that. He always thought the substance-savvy Bisons ought to offer smaller suds options.
RED WING RESCUE: With Batavia’s New York-Pennsylvania League franchise hanging by a thread, the Rochester Red Wings had two options:
1. Try to sell more tickets to disenfranchised Batavia fans;
2. Lend a helping hand for the sake of the game.
Naomi Silver, who calls most of the shots for the community-owned Red Wings, told Base Paths it was a no-brainer to run to the rescue, which is not the “what’s-in-it-for-me” way most of baseball thinks today. She told Base Paths that what benefits Batavia benefits the region, and what benefits the region benefits the Wings.
So the Wings will incrementally assume operation of their neighbors 30 miles to the southwest. One Red Wing official said the arrangement enables a lot of shared resources. Batavia may wind up with more post-game fireworks displays than in the past.
As for the Muckdogs playing up to four games at the Red Wings’ Frontier Field, that’s a work in progress, he said.
Mrs. Silver added, “we’d like to have some of our own fans see just how hard these players have to work at the lower levels to make it up to ours.”
The Red Wings also turn over their old uniforms to neighboring Geneva’s collegiate-league team.
POWER BY TWILIGHT: The collegiate league’s Niagara Power will play its Sunday games at 5 p.m. this year.
YOU ASKED? Base Paths would rather watch junior varsity softball in person than a major-league game on TV. Nonetheless, because it’s expected: American League, Boston, Detroit, Angels, Blue Jays as the Wild Card; National League, Mets, Brewers, Dodgers, Phillies as the Wild Card; Series, Mets over Tigers in seven.
Signal Base Paths at pollyndoug@hotmail.com.