06/20/08 12:07 AM Bryan Bostic continues to preach patience and long-term thinking for the Richmond area in its quest for a new professional baseball franchise. Bostic is part of a local group formed to investigate potential franchise ownership.
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05/16/08 12:06 AM Minor League Baseball yesterday broke its silence regarding Richmond's situation, confirming in a statement that its executives met with area representatives here early this week, and projected additional meetings.
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05/15/08 12:06 AM Bryan Bostic's grandfather, Ed Phillips, helped raise money in the 1950s to convert a fairgrounds facility on the Boulevard into a baseball stadium. "He wasn't a baseball man, but he cared about the community," Bostic said of Phillips.
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05/12/08 12:07 AM Minor League Baseball officials today and tomorrow will get a feel for Richmond, its baseball stadium and potential owner/operators of a new franchise. Minor League Baseball will play a significant role in deciding what franchise moves into Richmond after the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A affiliate relocates.
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04/29/08 12:07 AM The Atlanta Braves' Triple-A franchise is leaving The Diamond following this season. What about Connecticut?
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04/24/08 12:50 AM Former Richmond City Manager Robert C. Bobb confirmed yesterday that he's vying to redevelop the North Boulevard area with a new ballpark to replace The Diamond and other uses.
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04/13/08 12:07 AM Some fans don't care what level of professional baseball replaces the Richmond Braves here. Other fans do care about the ability of the players. It's possible Richmond could get a Class A franchise, one from Double-A, or hold out for a Triple-A club to succeed the Triple-A R-Braves.
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04/13/08 12:07 AM Richmond Braves Jim Pankovits feels the pain of Richmond baseball fans. He was one. The Douglas Freeman High alum grew up watching the Triple-A Richmond Braves. Pankovits, 52, is a veteran minor-league manager and instructor who laments their loss, and sees potential silver linings.
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04/13/08 12:07 AM COLUMN: Paul Woody Let's save ourselves a lot of trouble and a great deal of angst and remove minor-league baseball from our worry list. Let's get used to the idea that when the Richmond Braves make their last out this summer, minor-league baseball will forever be gone from the region.
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04/09/08 12:09 AM Two local groups are interested in becoming owners of whatever minor-league baseball team replaces the Braves in Richmond. |
04/09/08 12:09 AM Local investor Bryan Bostic confirmed yesterday that he is part of a group studying the possibility of bringing a new professional baseball franchise to Richmond. |
04/08/08 11:00 PM Even when you're having success -- a lot of it in Jo-Jo Reyes' case -- change can be beneficial. The left-hander went 14-3 last season at three levels, including the major leagues. |
04/01/08 12:07 AM The R-Braves, defending International League champions, open their season Thursday at The Diamond. |
03/24/08 10:00 PM Informal canvassing suggests residents won't cut attendance. |
03/25/08 12:07 AM At least one Richmonder seems optimistic regarding uninterrupted professional baseball here following the Richmond Braves' departure. |
03/01/08 12:08 AM Peanuts, tickets and Cracker Jack The Richmond Braves might be leaving town, but the team still needs people to operate The Diamond during this season's 72 home games. |
02/23/08 12:08 AM Six companies submitted ideas for redeveloping the area that includes The Diamond, which is where the Richmond Braves are expected to play their final season this summer. |
02/08/08 12:07 AM In the minor leagues, Guy Hansen has developed pitchers for decades. He works in vision, projection, speculation. The Richmond Braves' pitching coach, a year-round resident of Goochland County since 2003, has a vision regarding a new ballpark for the Richmond area: think western Henrico County. |
02/02/08 12:09 AM If they were talking, Richmond and the Braves weren't talking much. And they didn't always seem to be hearing what the other side said, city e-mail, faxes and letters show. |
02/01/08 12:09 AM NEWSMAKERS: Richmond Mayor L. Douglas Wilder Richmond Mayor Wilder says the loss of the Braves is hurting his reputation, adding that running a city with a new form of government is more difficult than being governor. |
02/01/08 12:09 AM Emerging from a closed-door meeting last night, regional officials said they are increasingly confident of together winning a baseball team for the Richmond area without a season's interruption. |
02/01/08 12:08 AM If Richmond region officials formed a baseball team, they'd roll up to the ballpark in separate cabs, don different caps and communicate through their agents. |
01/31/08 1:15 AM County won't rule out effort; regional meeting is today. |
01/28/08 12:09 AM Richmond could become most populous metro area without baseball. |
01/26/08 1:50 AM WASHINGTON -- Richmond Mayor L. Douglas Wilder says he is confident a minor-league baseball team will play in Richmond in 2009. |
01/24/08 12:07 AM Some frequently asked questions about the pending departure of the Richmond Braves: Why can't another Triple-A team come to Richmond when the Braves leave after next season? |
01/23/08 12:10 AM Jon Lugbill sees Richmond Sports Backers 's role for venue, team as 'complementary.' |
01/21/08 12:08 AM Stephen Blue and Paul Moyer don't believe that it's too late to keep the Richmond Braves from leaving. They have created two Web sites to gather support for their efforts. |
01/15/08 12:05 AM The potential departure of the Braves, after 42 years in Richmond, left city political and business leaders baffled and dismayed. |
Boulevard transformation?
The city is seeking proposals for development of properties near The Diamond as an entertainment complex, including a replacement stadium.
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The Diamond timeline
1985 -- The Diamond (12,134 capacity, cost of $8 million) opens on April 17, replacing Parker Field. The Diamond is operated by the Richmond Metropolitan Authority.
1986 -- The Richmond Braves win their second Governors' Cup (International League championship)
1989 -- The Richmond Braves win their third Governors' Cup.
1994 -- The Richmond Braves win their fourth Governors' Cup.
2000 -- Exterminators are hired to address The Diamond's problem with rats -- some visited the visitors dugout mid-game.
2003 -- A football-size piece of concrete falls from The Diamond's roof into stands during a Sunday game. No one is hurt.
An $18.5-million renovation plan stalls (and eventually is canceled) as developers and the Braves discuss a downtown stadium.
2004 -- Poor field drainage forces game postponements and changes of game venues in August.
2005 -- The Diamond gets a new playing surface, at a cost of $418,000.
2007 -- The Richmond Braves win their fifth Governors' Cup.
The RMA board and the Braves agree on a lease extension through 2010. The Braves can opt out of the lease after each season.
Richmond Mayor Douglas L. Wilder and Atlanta Braves executive Mike Plant meet during an R-Braves playoff game. Wilder characterizes the talks as "very productive."
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