Yankees great Ford dies
Yankees Hall of Fame pitcher Whitey Ford dies at age 91.
If Yard Goats president Tim Restall ever has to spend another summer with his creative energy directed toward Trivia Night events at Dunkin’ Donuts Park — hopefully, he doesn’t — some questions could focus on the details of his attempt to lure a Major League Baseball team to a minor-league stadium back in pandemic-stricken 2020.
“We were doing our Dinner On The Diamond and I got a call from Zach Wilson,” Restall said of the Colorado Rockies assistant general manager. “He said, ‘How’s it going?’ I said, ‘Good. We have a bunch of tables and chairs on the infield instead of minorleague baseball players.’
“He said, ‘How would you like some Major League players?’ I said, ‘You have my attention.’”
Wilson was facilitating a conversation between the Yard Goats and the migrating Blue Jays. After being notified by Canadian officials they couldn’t play in Toronto, and after plans to play in Pittsburgh were thwarted by the Pennsylvania officials, the Jays chose Buffalo over Hartford as their 2021 home.
But if there was a moment to capture what a strange experience this summer became for Restall, it was probably that weeklong pursuit of the Jays — or a seconds-long walk onto the field for a photo that would be part of the pitch.
“I went to second base and took a picture of the Hilton,” Restall said. “I said, ‘This is the hotel where you’d be staying.’ Meaning, we’re so close that they could change in their hotel rooms before the game. … We found out the next day they had chosen Buffalo.”
Coronavirus and the cancellation of the minor league season has brought Restall and the Goats back to a familiar place, one where all there is to do is adapt and roll with the punches.
The organization’s debut season of 2016 was knocked out by ineptitude and delays that went into the construction of the ballpark. The Goats existed by roaming the country, play
ing 141 road games while cranes and jackhammers remained where there should have been bats and balls.
This season was canceled in late June, leaving Downtown North without baseball for the second time in five years.
The organization’s truncated bio should read: Three years of record-setting attendance that showed what a vibrant minor-league market looks like sandwiched by debacles that left no means or reason for baseball.
Hartford has been shortchanged at each end of this bizarre five-year chapter. Still, the Goats’ existence has been a resounding success.
The team drew over 400,000 fans in 2018 and again in 2019, leading the Eastern League in attendance both years. The team had 51 sellouts and averaged about 6,200 fans per game last season.
I wasn’t necessarily skeptical but I was curious during the 2017 season, wondering to what extent fans would return once the novelty of the team, the wacky but brilliant name and the shiny new ballpark wore off.
What’s clear today is that — construction snafus and pandemics aside — this has worked and it will continue to.
“We’re not rocket scientists or brain surgeons,” Restall said. “Our job is to put smiles on people’s faces, from the baseball player having a place to play, to the sponsors seeing their sign in the outfield, to the kids dancing pre-game, to the season ticket holder who has their seat and hot dog for every game. Missing the smiles was the hardest part of my job, because that’s how you see what you’re doing is making an impact. You miss that. Because that’s really why you’re in this business.”
The cancellation of the season meant the cancellation of so much else, from merchandise to baseball equipment to promotional items and plans for all that goes into a summer production center on a sport.
The teams has served its base and the community, with events for season ticket holders (annual batting practice day) and the public at-large (Dinner on the Diamond). On Wednesday, a boxing documentary about Hartford fighters was shown at Dunkin’ Donuts Park, which was the site on Saturday for the Connecticut State Police’s 129th graduation ceremony.
Governor [Ned] Lamont said ‘I wish I just just say play ball!’” Restall said. “We all wish it. It will be back.”
For now, we’re in a make-the-most-of-it world. The Yard Goats have made the park available for charitable causes, hosting events for Camp Courant (a free summer camp for Hartford youth), the Miracle League (baseball for those with disabilities), the Jordan Porco Foundation (suicide prevention).
These pursuits aren’t new. The Yard Goats were the recipient of the 2019 John Henry Moss Community Service Award, the top community award from MILB, given to a club that “demonstrates outstanding, ongoing commitment to charitable service, support and leadership.”
But this is a baseball team, one trying to pick up its usual fall routine with no real summer to look back on. “There’s a lot of pivoting going on,” Restall said. “That’s a basketball term but we’ll use it as a baseball term. We’re starting to put together the best game plan with the knowledge we have now. And as things evolve, like in 2016 when our opening day got pushed, we pivoted and just made the changes. We’re planning now. 2021 will be a great year. As we get closer and have more information, we’ll make adjustments that are needed.”
The team’s contract with the Colorado Rockies ran only through 2020 and, in a volatile minor league landscape that has included advanced talks of contraction (not in Hartford) a new affiliation is possible.
Restall would not comment on that issue, or this one: What financial impact has the loss of the 2020 season had on operation?
“Not great,” is all he said. Of course not. But the foundation of this organization is strong, and its people are smart.
“If you think with regard to what baseball has done over the years, it has helped heal people,” Restall said. “I think after going through 2020, 2021 will have a lot of healing going on and people getting back to some level of normalcy. We want the Yard Goats to help with that healing.”
Dunkin’ Donuts Park is scheduled to host the Eastern League All-Star Game next year. That pitch was put together, and accepted, long ago.
“The 2020 baseball season is in the books and it’s behind us,” Restall said. “I said this in 2017: We’re driving forward and not looking back, and that’s really the approach you take. We know 2021 will be great.”