ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 2, 1997 TAG: 9702040020
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RADFORD
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
More than 130 years after Union and Confederate armies volleyed cannonballs at one another across the New River, battle lines again are being drawn over who controls this territory.
This time, it's professional baseball generals who are wrangling over Radford, the prize in what so far has been a civil war.
A group led by Sam Lazzaro, a longtime Roanoke Valley baseball executive, has approached city of Radford and Radford University officials about the prospect of putting a minor-league team in the city, possibly as soon as 1998.
The proposal to field an Appalachian League club could be blocked by none other than Kelvin Bowles, owner of the Carolina League's Salem Avalanche and Lazzaro's former boss. Bowles contends Radford is part of his team's territory under guidelines set forth by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, the governing body of the minors.
Those guidelines were established to ensure clubs would not be competing for the same markets. Some of the territorial rules are vague, but essentially a club is guaranteed exclusivity to the territory in its town, its county and its bordering counties.
``I cherish that area,'' said Bowles, a Franklin County-based cable television mogul who has owned the Salem ballclub since 1985. ``I put the cable systems into that area; I know it well. The rules in baseball are so confining, it's difficult enough to run a business and make money. I'm not willing to give up part of my territory. I don't want to fight over it, but I will if I have to.''
It may never come to that. The Radford group faces several obstacles before it even gets to the question of territorial boundaries. Lazzaro, the general manager and vice president of Bowles' Salem clubs from 1986-96, believes the obstacles can be overcome.
``This is something that would be great for the city of Radford,'' Lazzaro said. ``It's a win-win situation for Radford and a great fit for the Appalachian League.''
Lazzaro brings an impeccable baseball resume to the Radford effort. He resigned from the Avalanche following the 1996 season, during which Bowles had promoted him to vice president but had taken away his duties overseeing the club's day-to-day operations. Lazzaro said he resigned to pursue other interests, including writing a book and attempting to bring minor-league baseball back to Radford, which hasn't had professional baseball since the Radford Rockets of the long-defunct Blue Ridge League ceased operations in 1950.
The most pressing issue facing the Radford group is improving Radford University's baseball field, which is the only place in the city even remotely close to being suitable for minor-league play.
Also of concern is whether or not neighboring Pulaski County keeps its minor-league team. The Texas Rangers will field an Appalachian League club this year in the town of Pulaski, which hopes to keep professional baseball past 1997. If Pulaski keeps a team, Radford definitely would not be allowed to have a minor-league club under the NAPBL's territorial rules.
Improving the university's baseball field or building a new ballpark is the first order of business. Either option would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars by even the most conservative estimates.
The university's field, which lies next to the Dedmon Center, has no lighting, no clubhouse and limited seating. Each item would have to be addressed before the park would be deemed suitable by professional baseball standards.
Radford University has been hit hard by cuts in state funding in recent years and may not have the money to make major renovations to its ballpark.
``There are definitely hurdles,'' said Greig Denny, Radford University's athletic director. ``We're very interested in having a minor-league team play here, but at the same time, I don't know if we have the necessary resources.
``We don't have every athletic program funded the way we want it now. Minor-league baseball could be good for Radford University and the community, but we can't take that money out [to make improvements to the ballpark] without crippling programs. We want some guaranteed answers before saying we'd move forward.''
City and university officials plan to meet Feb.10 to discuss the feasibility of upgrading the ballpark.
``We know we don't have adequate facilities, presently,'' said Radford Mayor Tom Starnes. ``We're not sure about costs at this point. It would be nice if we could make this happen. The cost aspect is important.''
Then looms the territorial battle with the Carolina League, which contends Radford should be considered part of Montgomery County and, therefore, part of Salem's exclusive domain.
``You've got to go across the river [from Radford] to get into Pulaski County,'' Bowles said. ``If you draw the line between Pulaski and Montgomery and insert the city of Radford, you'll see it's in Montgomery.''
Lazzaro's group, however, points out Radford is an independent municipality that lies on the western edge of Montgomery County - not in it - and is bordered by the New River to the west. The Radford group contends the city has the necessary one-county buffer from Salem and, therefore, could field a minor-league team.
The matter ultimately would have to be resolved by the NAPBL, which has said only that it will consider Radford to be part of either Pulaski or Montgomery County for its territorial purposes.
``Even though Virginia law says [Radford] may not be part of the county, it has to be part of either one [county] or the other for purposes of our rules,'' said Jim Ferguson, spokesman for the NAPBL. ``However, the National Association has made no determination at this point in regard to the status of Radford and which county it would be considered to be in. It's going to be concluded to be in some county, whichever one it turns out to be.''
If the NAPBL uses the New River as a geographical boundary, Radford most likely would be placed in Montgomery County, because the city and the county lie east of the river. If the line is drawn at Radford's eastern boundary, it most likely would be considered part of Pulaski County and could have a minor-league club providing the town of Pulaski does not keep its team.
``Radford is definitely not a part of Montgomery County,'' Lazzaro said. ``It's more than 15 miles across Montgomery County from the Roanoke County line [another NAPBL stipulation], therefore, Radford is open territory.''
Another plan that has yet to receive serious consideration is to build a new ballpark in the Pulaski County community of Fairlawn, which lies just across the New River from Radford and would not be part of Salem's territory.
Then again, if Pulaski shells out approximately $100,000 to improve 62-year-old Calfee Park and is able to keep an Appalachian League team, the point is moot for the Radford group.
``I endorse Pulaski having a team,'' Bowles said. ``I hope they improve that stadium.''
According to information the Salem ballclub uses in its marketing and season-ticket plans, 10 percent of the Avalanche's fan base is in Montgomery County. As much as an additional 8 percent comes from outlying areas that might be a potential fan base for a New River Valley-based ballclub. It is a percentage of fans Bowles does not want to lose.
``There's no question that it is Carolina League territory,'' he said. ``We have tremendous support from that area. We have to be protective of what little territory we have.''
LENGTH: Long : 128 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Map: by staff.by CNB