CRABS SUSPEND SEASON
The Humboldt Crabs announced Thursday via social media that the team’s 2020 season has been indefinitely suspended.
The decision comes as local and state officials have given little indication that current shelter-in-place orders will be softened enough to allow for team sports anytime in the near future.
“It is with great dismay that the Humboldt Crabs Board of Directors announce the 2020 has been suspended until local and state authorities allow live sports to resume,” Thursday’s release read. “Humboldt County’s current shelter-in-place prohibits team sports, nonessential travel and large gatherings. Without the ability to have players, opposing teams and fans, we cannot realistically fulfill our mission of promoting family entertainment by providing highquality summer baseball games to the public.”
But the team will reconsider if conditions allow it.
“If there is a sensible way to safely bring Crabs baseball to our fans, our players, our staff, and the youth of our community
we will make every effort,” the release stated. “But at this time and in the nearterm, the risk outweighs the rewards.”
The release also says the team will address any questions regarding tickets and sponsorships with another release within the next week.
The Crabs were originally slated to open the 2020 season June 2 at home.
Entering its 76th season, the Crabs are the nation’s longest continuously operated summer collegiate wood bat baseball team.
According to team scheduler and coach Eric Giacone, as of Tuesday the Crabs had 30 games remaining on the schedule after season cancellations by other teams removed 20.
The Humboldt B52s, a Eureka-based club in action since 2014, canceled its season on May 4. The club had five scheduled games against the Crabs this summer.
County Health Officer Dr. Teresa Frankovich said Wednesday during a media availability session that the process of bringing sports back is a “two-fold” venture.
“One is fans and the other is just assembling the number of people needed to have teams,” Frankovich said.
“I think some of these things and things that would be later, not earlier in this whole approach,” she said. “I can’t really make an estimate right now, we’re going to have to see where we are.”