USPBL bids adieu to weirdest season yet
‘We made the best of it’
A partial inventory while packing up after the unprecedented 2020 United Shore Baseball League (USPBL) season.
Cleats? Check.
Bats? Check.
Uniforms? Check. Thermometers? Check. Disinfectant wipes? Check. Yep, it was that kind of season at Jimmy John’s Field in Utica.
“All and all, we made the best of it,” said Andy Appleby, owner and CEO of theUSPBL. “There were so many different times when we weren’t sure if we should bring back the players and get things started, but inthe endI think it was a great decision to have a season. Actually, in terms of quality of play, it was one of our best seasons ever.”
The USPBL consists of four teams; the Utica Unicorns, the Eastside Diamond Hoppers, the Woolly Mammoths and Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers.
All of the teams play out of Jimmy John’s Field, a magnificent minor league park situated in downtown Utica.
Due to the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the start of the USPBL was delayed a number of times until teams finally took the field on July 3.
While it was a full season, the games were played in front of greatly diminished crowds due to the governor’s edicts about limits on social gatherings. A tradition of sellouts and near sellouts ended with a distinctive thud.
For much of the season, the maximum number of fans allowed at Jimmy John’s Field was 100. The ballpark’s listed capacity is 4,500.
It was just recently when
Governor Whitmer raised crowd limits to 1,000. For much of the season, only 100 could be in attendance.
“They say that necessity is the mother of invention,” said Appleby. “We upgraded our television status. All of our games were televised and lo and behold, we averaged 16,000 views pergame. That is incredible howwe expanded the reach of our league. While it would not be confused with an ESPN broadcast, we used four cameras so the quality is still darn good.”
Local television is great, but it still does not take the place of being at a game. Jimmy John’s is a remarkable venue, one of the best minor league parks of its size anywhere. There are approximately 2,000 box seats between first and third base. There are seven Founder’s Level suites, five Premium Dugout suites, 12 Private Patio Cabana suites, 18 On Field Diamond tables, three summer picnic, group and birthday areas, a grass berm seating area, a Wiffle Ball field and a playground area for kids.
There is also Appleby, a presence at almost every game during the league’s five seasons.
That is why it could’ve been so difficult for Appleby this year. Hewas used to seeing large crowds.
“It was sad on a number of fronts. After all, we are here to serve families of southeast-Michigan and particularly, Macomb and Oakland counties,” continued Appleby. “We could not do that due to the restrictions on attendance, but still even with so few fans allowed, any one who did come to a game really enjoyed themselves. Even without the typical electricity a large crowd brings, it was still a great environment for fans.
“I can’t count the number of people who thanked me for playing this season. I have always said that if you can make one kid smile, it makes your night,” said Appleby.
Anyone in attendance during championship weekend had to be smiling. They saw the Utica Unicorns defeat the Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers to capture their third USPBL championship in five years.
The Beavers had an improbable run to Sunday’s championship game. The lower seed, they defeated the Woolly Mammoths 7-6 on Friday and the Diamond Hoppers 10-9 on Saturday.
Despite the obvious rigors of the 2020 season, Appleby has no regrets about his decision to have the umps shout “Play Ball!” back in July.
“What is it they say, that if you find something you enjoy doing you’ll never work a day in your life,” said Appleby. “That is the reason I got into sports; I have always enjoyed sports. It is really not like work.”
Appleby is the founder of General Sports in Rochester. General Sports previously owned and operated the Fort Wayne Wizards, aminor league baseball team, and the Derby County Football Club, an English soccer club in the English Premier and Championship Football Leagues.
“I haven’t taken a sick day in 35 years. It doesn’t feel like I am working, especially at this ballpark. I enjoy being here. I enjoy seeing the smiles. Even though we had less people running the bases this season and not as many bells and whistles like fireworks, it was still an enjoyable summer.”
The Eternal Boy of Summer. Somebody pass the thermometer.