Wahconah Park Update

Monday, July 05, 2004 - Berkshire Eagle column by Brian Sullivan: The park lives for one night

On the verge of being knocked out more than a few times, the "Comeback Kid" of parks fought off the ropes Saturday night and delivered a flurry of punches to indicate there is some life left in those old stadium legs.

It was, by all accounts, one of the great nights of baseball the park has ever hosted. Jim Bouton, who has the uncanny ability to both tame wild beasts with his easy smile and infuriate otherwise dormant objects with one sharp swing of his literary sword, was indeed the king of his domain as his vintage baseball game between the host Pittsfield Hillies and Hartford Senators captivated both a live and television audience and further put credence into his belief that an old stadium -- a makeover Bouton says exists for the park in the near future -- can come to life and still act as a responsible host.

Bouton is riding his go-cart on a smooth downhill portion of the road as of this morning. His ESPN Classic televised game was shown to millions, who no doubt fell in love with the park and its surroundings. The local Pittsfield players and Hartford team also were able to pull out of their hats an exciting vintage game.

The competitiveness of the contest and the quirky rules and old-time uniforms were a magnificent blend that tickled and aroused the senses. The ESPN talking heads played into Bouton's storyline that he of such magnificent heart stood in front of the symbolic bulldozer that was scheduled to level this field of dreams. How could, Bouton cried, the city cast its collective glance to a new park when this magical piece of turf that sits on the Housatonic River is already there for us to massage back into life?

Time can distort facts and create myths. I don't know that the city was ever going to say farewell to Wahconah Park and put up a grave marker. The new park wasn't going to be a burden on the taxpayer and Pittsfield icon Larry Bossidy was going to try and bring in affiliated baseball. That's "affiliated," as in tied directly to a major-league club with real prospects that you might see on network television some day. Yes, thumbs-up for vintage baseball and the rebirth of the Pittsfield Hillies. Thumbs-down, though, for yet another abysmal independent league team, filled primarily with hangers-on and dreamers who have yet to reach into their back pockets and pull out what amounts to Plan B in terms of the rest of their lives. Imagine a new park with New York-Penn League baseball and Wahconah Park for a vintage baseball team. But that's to imagine a city still not emotionally crippled by an economic slam to the solar-plexis that has rendered it unable to breathe properly.

My god, this is the city which if it had its way would still be bowing before the great (but empty and poisonous) England Brothers building on our grand North Street. Oh, the tears that flowed when that once beacon of all that was right with Pittsfield was shaken down.

So, here's the lineup as we look ahead to 2005. We have Jim Bouton leading off and playing whatever position he wants. It's his ball, and we dare not make him sulk or he may go home and take the ball with him.

Batting second is Bouton's partner, Chip Elitzer. Chip is sort of the bench coach in this game. He whispers into Bouton's ear and it's up to Jim whether what's being whispered is important or not.

Batting third is the baseball fandom that represents Pittsfield and the surrounding towns. Chest-thumpers buoyed by the claim that we are the origin of baseball must now step up and back Bouton all the way. Otherwise we will all be exposed as frauds. Some legacy that would be.