From Chapter 8:

1991-1994: Tarnished Silver

1992

The year 1992 would bring to a head the debate of whether to again renovate Silver, or to build a new ballpark. The discussion fully entered the political arena in March, when the Rochester City Council passed a resolution stating its “strong preference that Silver Stadium be retained as the home of baseball in Rochester for the balance of the facility’s useful life.” City officials expressed a need to study the impact on the neighborhood if the Wings left Silver Stadium, while the Group 14621 Community Association had already begun a lobbying campaign to keep the Red Wings on Norton Street.

The issue was clearly brought into the public focus when the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle ran a three-part special report on the state of the Red Wings and Silver Stadium. As the build-versus-renovate debate was pondered, the major question was: what went wrong with the original renovation?

“Nobody’s been so bold as to walk up to me and tell me what a jerk I was for doing it,” stated Fred Strauss, RCB chairman of the board and president at the time of the 1987 renovation. “I feel that as time goes on I have to defend the renovation more than I used to.... That’s why I always preface conversations such as this by saying it was absolutely necessary. We didn’t have a choice.”

The condition of Silver languished in the early ’80s due to the Proxy Fight. With no significant work done since 1977, the board had felt pressure to make repairs or risk having the stadium condemned as unsafe. “You can’t forget the fact that we wouldn’t be playing baseball in this community today if we did not do that renovation,” defended Strauss.

RCB originally intended to spend $6 million on the stadium, but due to problems raising money, had to cut back to $4.5 million. When the deal to sell the stadium to the Lawyers Cooperative Publishing Company fell through in the planning stage, RCB was forced to finance $3 million of the renovation on its own. The remaining $1.5 million was at first thought of as a state grant, but since RCB was a for-profit corporation, it would have to repay the amount. Strauss stressed that the project was done without taxpayer money. “No one else could put the financial package together,” he stated. “We did not have any enthusiasm on the part of the city or county,” although Monroe County did guarantee the loans, affording the team a lower interest rate on the bonds.

Every case RCB studied indicated that a new or renovated stadium prompted an increase in attendance. But less than a year later, the trend in stadiums turned from the renovation of existing facilities to the construction of new parks. And since most of the work on Silver had been structural, the stadium did not look radically different in appearance. “So much of that money was hidden. That’s why an awful lot of people, when the stadium reopened, were somewhat disappointed,” said Strauss. “They were looking around for more evidence of $4.5 million being spent.” The strain of the construction loans left little additional money to promote the renovation.

Perhaps the largest problem was the new Player Development Contract with the majors. When the deal was signed in 1990, attention primarily focused on the new financial arrangements that would prove more costly to the Wings. Little consideration was initially given to the new facilities standards imposed by major-league baseball. But the 19-page document ran the gamut, down to the number of urinals and shower heads required in each clubhouse. In September of 1991, an inspection by major league representatives found Silver Stadium deficient in 18 categories, including some clubhouse facilities and field conditions. The costliest repairs and/or additions would be to increase parking and upgrade the lighting system, the latter found to be very inadequate. (Major-league standards called for average lighting of 100 foot candles (fc) in the infield and 70 fc in the outfield. Silver Stadium averaged 54 fc in the infield and 40 fc in the outfield.) The major leagues required that all facilities be up to code by April 1, 1994, or have plans in place to correct any deficiencies.

Complicating the entire matter was one simple fact: the Red Wings did not have any money for additional upgrades. Even without stadium problems, the financial picture for RCB continued to be bleak. The Wings had lost money in every year since the renovation and in 1996 a balloon payment of more than $2 million was due and would have to be refinanced. Furthermore, the club had been remiss in putting money aside in a bond escrow account. By December 1991 there was to have been $400,000 in the account; as of Oct. 31 there was only $179,000. The numbers were quite clear as to why RCB needed public help.

There were those who directed at least some of the blame at organization itself. The issue of a new stadium had been bandied about in 1982 and was one of the chief causes of the Proxy Fight. Former President Bill Farrell, ousted in the struggle, said, “It looks to me like the same things are being debated that were being debated back then. You’re back to square one. Silver needs a lot of repair and people are looking at a new stadium. And you know what the sad thing is? This all could have been resolved 10 years ago and Rochester Community Baseball Inc. would have been the envy of professional baseball rather than the laughingstock.” RCB’s inability to issue new stock as a means to raise capital rankled some critics. There were also those who felt the Wings’ marketing techniques had not kept up with the times.

There was no consensus on how to best approach the problem. Assistance with the franchise’s debt load would have to be done whether a new stadium was built, or Silver again bandaged. The City Council, mayor and county executive all differed on solutions. County Executive Robert King favored a new stadium downtown, while the City Council was already on the record as wanting to keep Silver. Mayor Thomas Ryan had yet to take a public position, but was lobbying for a state-funded study to determine if a new facility was needed, and if so, where.

There was even a lack of agreement on how much would be needed to bring Silver up to code. RCB’s estimate was between $500,000–$1 million, but only to fix the basics. Ryan feared that added amenities (including skyboxes, which many felt necessary to make the stadium financially viable) would push the figure closer to $4-$6 million. That price tag would include the purchase of land necessary to increase parking to 2,500 spaces.

The public was divided as well. Many felt that public assistance to a private company was inappropriate. Some took the position that it would be no great loss if the Red Wings left Rochester. Times-Union sports columnist Bob Matthews had become an outspoken advocate of a new stadium and explained his position to those who felt the millions needed for a new or renovated facility was better suited to go to improving things like education: “One of the biggest misconceptions is that the money that would be used to build a stadium could be used instead to bail out the city school system. What people don’t understand is that much of the money has been appropriated by the state for economic development projects. That money can’t be used for schools. The option isn’t: Should we use the money for the school system or a stadium? The option is: Is the money going to go to Rochester or is going to continue going to Buffalo, Syracuse, Binghamton, Albany and New York City?” Matthews and his supporters were quick to point out state funds that had gone to other municipalities in the past: $22 million to Buffalo for Pilot Field; $1.4 million for a new baseball stadium in Binghamton; $5 million in state land and $6.5 million in funds for Albany’s Knickerbocker Arena; and $15 million for Syracuse University’s Carrier Dome. For the 1993 World University Games in Buffalo, New York State had committed $42 million for a new field house and stadium in Buffalo.

There were some who felt that financing a new stadium could easily be done without sacrificing local taxpayer money (other than state funds). County Executive King was one,figuring that the revenue from a new facility could repay the stadium bonds over 20-30 years. But somehow, some sort of consensus would need to be reached before progress on any solution could be made.

The 1992 Red Wings would look different in a number of ways. The bulk of the coaching staff was new, as were many of the players. Freshman Manager Jerry Narron had already made his presence felt in an unusual way. He suggested a sartorial change for the Wings — since the team prescribed shirts with black sleeves under its uniforms, the players should don matching black hats. The new headwear featured the same script “R” as the red caps that had been worn since 1987, the letter stitched in red with a white outline.

Narron’s first Triple-A club would be young. Only seven players returned from 1991, the core consisting of the players that had done so well in their first half-season of Triple-A ball. Yet Narron believed their youth to be an advantage: “They come to play hard. What they don’t have in talent, they make up for in desire.” He was familiar with many, having managed 14 of the 23 players during his stints in the Orioles’ lower affiliates.

Narron’s three previous teams had had little power but moved well on the bases and it looked like his Red Wing squad would continue this trend. Much of the speed came from shortstop Ricky Gutierrez and right fielder Luis Mercedes. Mercedes, who led the IL with a .435 on-base average and stole 23 bases, was the likely lead off hitter. Either Gutierrez or second baseman Juan Bell, back after a year in Baltimore, would bat second. The other starting infielders were Tommy Shields (3B) and Ken Shamburg (1B). Bobby Dickerson was the utility man.

Mercedes was joined in the outfield by Ed Yacopino, who hit .343 for Hagerstown, in center, and Doug Jennings in left. The left-handed-hitting Jennings played part of 1991 with the Oakland Athletics and would get at-bats as the designated hitter. Jack Voigt and Scott Meadows would also see time in the outfield. Meadows, a converted infielder, was looking to bring his defensive play in line with his offensive production.

Top pitching prospect Arthur Rhodes would start on Opening Day. The lefty split time with Baltimore and Hagerstown in 1991, with the bulk of his action at Double-A, where he was 7-4, 2.70. Richie Lewis, who had one late-1991 start for the Wings after being acquired in trade from the Montreal organization, and Mike Oquist (10-9, 4.06 at Hagerstown) were two more rookies in the starting rotation. Anthony Telford and Dennis Rasmussen, the latter a seven-year major leaguer, were counted on to add experience to the rotation.

Long relievers Todd Stephen (14 saves) and Pat Leinen (10-6, 3.03) earned promotions after strong seasons in Hagerstown. Israel Sanchez was back after surgery on his elbow. Imports Jim Lewis (San Diego) and Alan Mills (Yankees) were expected to share the closer role. The entire staff was well balanced with four left-handers and six right-handers.

Handling the staff would be catchers Mark Parent and Doug Robbins. Parent, who spent most of 1991 on the sidelines, was picked up the O’s after being cut by Texas. Before that he had played five season with the San Diego Padres. Backing him was Robbins (.304 at Hagerstown), a member of the 1988 gold medal U.S. Olympic baseball team, and Mike Lehman.

With the demise of the Triple-A Alliance, the International League returned to a four-team playoff system. The Wings would play Syracuse 24 times, with 20 contests against its other Eastern Division foes, Pawtucket and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Weeknight home games at Silver would start at 7:05 instead of 7:35, in response to a survey of season ticket holders.

Rochester opened in Rhode Island, and in a memorable debut for Narron and Rhodes, manhandled Pawtucket 18-1. It was the most ever runs scored by a Rochester team on Opening Day. The Red Wings tallied 16 of those runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, with 19 of their 22 hits coming in those middle frames. Yacopino and Meadows each had four hits. The Wings split four games against the Red Sox, with one rainout. Particularly impressive in the series was Shamburg, who had three home runs and nine RBI.

The same two squads matched up for the Silver opener. The Wings debuted their new black hats, and the maligned ballpark sported some minor improvements. The foul poles had been extended from 24 feet to 30 feet and painted white; foliage growing over the top of the wall in right field had been removed; the 12 1/2-foot center field wall had been rebuilt and painted dark green; the infield had a new layer of dirt, and there was new carpeting and fresh paint in the home clubhouse.

Unfortunately the players came home to find that some of their cars, parked in a locked area at the stadium, had been broken into and vandalized. Nine players had personal property stolen, with Shamburg the hardest hit, losing 60 wedding gifts. It was another black mark on the Silver Stadium neighborhood, which had been taking criticism in the wake of the stadium debate.

Baltimore, which had yet to come out and demand a new stadium as a condition for continued affiliation, was quick to use the incident to make a veiled threat. “We have not decided if we want to return for 1993 and beyond, but incidents such as this sure don’t help,” stated Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Development Doug Melvin. “I personally don’t understand how much more evidence people there need to support a new stadium at a different location.” It was common knowledge that Baltimore dreamed of having all of its affiliates in Maryland, and with 20 cities making bids for the two Triple-A expansion teams for 1993, leverage was with the Orioles.

A crowd of 8,066 was on hand to watch their home team drop a 3-2 decision. It was the only action they would see in the first four dates of the homestand, as three straight days of poor weather canceled games. When the Wings did play, the offense produced, but poor defense and spotty pitching helped pile up the numbers in the loss column. Five every-day players were well into the .300s and Telford won his first three starts, but 13 errors, only seven home runs and an 0-6 record in one-run games were major factors in the team’s 6-10 April.

The new month didn’t start much better. A May 1 home game was rescheduled (as was an Amerks’ home playoff game) when violence in the downtown area erupted in the wake of riots in Los Angeles. Two days later, the team was on the short end of a seven-inning perfect game by Richmond’s Pete Smith.

The team’s lack of power was glaring. On May 13 Shamburg hit his first home run since April 12 and despite a month-long slump that brought him down to .180, his four home runs and 19 RBI led the team. The juggled pitching staff wasn’t able to carry the team until the bats got untracked. Mills had gone to Baltimore and Jim Lewis was struggling, so the closer’s role was split between Stephan and Tim Layana, an ex-Cincinnati Red signed to replace Mills. Evidence of the bullpen woes was displayed in a May 12 game versus Toledo. The Wings went into the last frame tied at three, but came out at the short end of an 11-3 loss. Sanchez, who was on and off the DL trying to nurse his surgically-repaired elbow, was released and rookie Daryl Moore given his spot.

Mid-May brought a stretch of 20 consecutive games against division opponents. May 17 was Rochester’s turn to host its own version of a trendy promotion — Turn Back the Clock Day. The Wings were attired in early ’60s-style flannel jerseys, complete with the winged-ball cap. But after a strong start on the homestand, the Wings dropped seven of eight and fell a season-low six games below .500. Bell was loaned to Texas, and Rasmussen (0-7, 5.67 in nine starts) released.

A pair of bizarre losses in early June seemed to put the hex on the Wings. On June 7 in Columbus, Rhodes carried a no-hitter one out into the eighth inning. The next 11 batters combined for five singles, three walks and three triples and all scored, en route to an 11-0 win. Three days later the Wings had a fourth-inning, 13-3 lead on Toledo. The Mud Hens stormed back to score 14 unanswered runs and went on to the 17-15 victory.

Late June and early July provided no relief. Narron’s team went through a streak of losing baseball unequaled since the dark days of the mid-’80s. The July all-star break mercifully brought to a close a stretch in which the Wings lost 22 of 26 games. It was an almost total collapse — the team was losing at home, losing on the road, losing doubleheaders, blowing leads, losing one-run ballgames (six straight at one point). In one doubleheader loss to Scranton/Wilkes-Baron, the team surrendered 6-2 leads in each game. The break found the Wings buried in the cellar of the Eastern Division at 33-55, 18 1/2 games from first, and 10 1/2 from a playoff berth.

Only the defense had remained solid. The end of June found the Wings tied for first in fielding percentage, with only 56 errors in 70 games, the lowest total in the league. Shields were outstanding at third base, Mercedes and Meadows improved in the outfield, and Yacopino, Voigt and Dickerson, the new shortstop, all reliable.

There was no way the organization could stand pat in the midst of such a breakdown. The pitching staff, whose ERA had gone up a full run to 4.51 during the skid, was the first to be revamped. Up from Hagerstown came left-handed reliever Brad Pennington, a somewhat-wild flame-thrower almost impossible to hit, Dave Miller, and John O’Donoghue. Rhodes went to Baltimore, with ex-Wing Bob Milacki coming down. Pat Leinen retired after his demotion to Double-A.

The position players were not immune either. Meadows was sent down, as his average had dropped to .260 with sparse run production (only nine RBI all year). First baseman Paul Carey, who had come up in mid-May but saw action in only 30 games, was sent to Hagerstown to see more playing time. (The ex-Stanford All-American made a mark with his off-beat “Ask Paul Carey Show” on Red Wings’ radio broadcasts. He sold play-by-play man Josh Lewin on the format, in which listeners sent in questions for Carey to answer. If the query, which often ranged beyond the sport, was used, the viewer would get two free tickets.) Brought up was first baseman/designated hitter Mel Wearing (.258, 5, 46).

Carey’s quips aside, it was perhaps the worst possible season for the Red Wings to have a losing product on the field. The poor play combined with uncooperative weather to bring attendance down to the lowest levels in years. The average crowd of 3,156 placed the team fifth in the eight-team International League and 22nd among the country’s 26 Triple-A franchises. The team’s front office said there was no need to panic over the small crowds — the spring had been especially rainy and the Wings had reduced the number of complimentary tickets. But at a time when the franchise’s future was being debated, critics pointed to the figures as proof that a new ballpark would not necessarily cause an attendance boom.

The stadium situation had not improved since spring training. King and Ryan decided to ask the state to help determine if a new facility was needed, but not all in Rochester were convinced that was the route to go. Like the Orioles, International League President Randy Mobley was playing hardball with the Red Wings. In June, he stated that another renovation of Silver would be a “tremendous mistake.” Mobley said RCB officials were getting to the point where “they’ve got to start looking at all options, and that includes going someplace else.” He told the Wings to consider starting to shop for a new community if Rochester and Monroe County could not come together on a new stadium. Mobley set a deadline of late Oct. for completion of a feasibility study.

Thus prodded, the Red Wings and city and county officials agreed to fund a study if the state would not pick up the tab, a step which made Curwin optimistically feel a new stadium was imminent. But due to the lack of consensus on a site, the state did indeed refuse to fund and conduct the study, saying it would pay for one if and when one location was involved. Already a number of potential locations had been mentioned, including a downtown site next to the War Memorial, as well as on the Monroe Community College campus in Brighton. Regardless of where, the Wings’ position was becoming more cast in stone. At a public hearing concerning the MCC site, Curwin stated, “We can’t survive in Silver Stadium. We will not stay in Silver Stadium. We believe to survive in the future of baseball, we need a new stadium.”

After the Triple-A All-Star Game, in which Parent was the only Rochester participant, the Wings resumed their schedule with a 10-game homestand against the division’s top two teams. With newcomer Wearing swinging a hot bat and Mercedes closing in on the .300 mark, Rochester took four of five from first place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The last game was of particular drama. Down 8-0 after three innings and 9-5 in the eighth, the Wings scored five in the bottom of the frame to take a 10-9 win, the key hit a bases-loaded triple by Gutierrez.

The Wings extended the victory streak by dominating Pawtucket, taking five games from the visiting Red Sox. After the last win, third baseman Shields was called up to Baltimore. Voigt was moved to third, and center fielder Damon Buford (.239, 41 steals), son of former Oriole Don Buford, called up from Hagerstown. The consecutive-win register peaked at 10 with an 8-6 win at Tidewater in which the Wings rallied from a 5-0 deficit.

Milacki had two wins in the streak. Parent had a stretch of four home runs in six games and climbed onto the league charts in home runs and RBI. It earned him a recall. Voigt went up as well, but the moves did not slow the Wings. A 19-5 pasting of Tidewater on July 29 vaulted the Wings into second place by a half game. The team’s post-break run of 14 wins in 16 games allowed it to pick up 11 games on Pawtucket.

There was still precious little power — without Voigt and Parent, current roster players had only 24 home runs to their credit. But the additions of Wearing and Buford, and the resurgence of Mercedes, Jennings and Robbins (two five-hit games in the space of three days) gave Rochester a lineup with speed, and absent an easy out. The Wings ranked second only to powerhouse Columbus in batting average, runs and stolen bases.

The 12 consecutive victories at Silver spurred climbing turnstile counts. Only uncontrollable incidents could stop the Wings at home. A July 6 game was postponed by to a fire at a nearby lumber warehouse, and on Aug. 3, a chemical spill from an adjacent chemical plant forced a cancellation as well. But on other nights the fans came out in droves. A crowd of 11,624, the largest draw since 1986, was in the stands for an Aug. 6 game.

The Wings’ hold on second place reached its largest margin at 3 1/2 games on Aug. 12. The next night Gutierrez gave Rochester its 23rd win in 29 games when he stroked an 0-2, two-out, bases-loaded single in the ninth to beat Columbus. The game marked his return to shortstop. The day before, Juan Bell (on loan) had been traded to Philadelphia for second baseman Steve Scarsone, an IL all-star with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (.274, 11, 58). Scarsone moved in at second and Dickerson returned to the bench.

Unfortunately the Wings had a number of games left with Columbus. The Clippers, who were dominating the league, took the next four from Rochester, handing Milacki his first loss in six decisions. The losses dropped the Wings hold on second to a mere 1/2 game.

The margin was back up to 2 1/2 when the Wings began an 11-game homestand in late August. Columbus was the first opponent and the Clippers captured three of four, taking the season series by a lopsided 16-4 margin, and dumping Rochester back into third. The sloppy play continued into the next opponent, as the Wings committed six errors in a 9-7 loss to Toledo that left them two lengths behind Pawtucket.

As August came to a close, the Wings were buoyed by the fact that it had nine consecutive games against last place Syracuse, while Pawtucket had contests remaining with Columbus. The squad blew a chance to move into a tie for second on the last night in August, however, as they blew a 3-2 eighth inning lead in a 5-4 loss. The day was especially damaging as Mercedes (.314, league-leading 35 steals) and Milacki (7-1) were called up before the game and Parent (.285, 17, 69) and Jim Poole (10 saves in an extended rehab stint) ticketed for Baltimore after the loss. The Wings had already been hurt by revolving pitchers, as Lewis and Telford were shuffled up and down from Baltimore, who was involved in a three-team race for the American League East title.

The replacements were all from Hagerstown: shortstop Manny Alexander and pitchers Tim Drummond, Stacy Jones and Grady Hall. Drummond was immediately thrown into the fire and responded with a 4-0 shutout of the Chiefs. Alexander arrived one hour before game time and started at shortstop in the revamped infield, which had Scarsone at third, and Gutierrez at second. (Regular third baseman Shields was in limbo, waiting to clear waivers before he could play. He had been moved off the Orioles’ 40-man roster to make room for a late-season acquisition. If not claimed, he could rejoin the team.) The win put the Wings back to within a game of second.

The next night, in the spirit of a season of bizarre occurrences, the Rochester pitching staff allowed no runs in a doubleheader at Syracuse, but managed only a split. The first game was the completion of a game suspended by rain in July, led by the Chiefs 1-0 at the time of suspension. Syracuse preserved the margin for the win, and then the Wings came back to win the regularly-scheduled game 4-0.

The Red Sox were equal to the challenge, taking an improbable three of four from the mighty Clippers, leaving the Wings 1 1/2 games back with four to play. Rochester had four with Syracuse — two home and two away — and Pawtucket had four at Toledo. The Wings blasted the Chiefs 14-1 at Silver in the first game, but Pawtucket kept pace. The team’s post-season hopes were further damaged by the recall of Scarsone, and the trade of Gutierrez to San Diego. However Shields finally cleared waivers and rejoined the team after missing four games.

The Wings routed the Chiefs 10-4 the next night — the crowd of 9,243 pushing paid attendance over the 300,000 mark — but once again Pawtucket matched the result. The series shifted to Syracuse. Pawtucket played an afternoon contest with the Mud Hens and lost, so the Wings went into the game knowing that a win would push their season to the final game. Rochester jumped out with six runs in the first inning, three on a Voigt homer, but Syracuse slowly chipped away and tied the game at seven. Three Syracuse runs in the eighth sealed the Wings’ fate and eliminated them from post-season play.

The Red Wings closed out the season with a 4-1 win the next day. In its last 23 games the team had played .600 ball (14-9), but Pawtucket closed even more impressively, wining 18 of its last 23 to claim the final playoff berth. Narron’s players could take pride in its 37-19 mark down the stretch, and turning what was an embarrassing season into a wild, tense and unpredictable playoff race. “I’m definitely proud of the guys that have been here and have battled through it,” Narron said. “It would have been very easy to quit.”

The 70-74 final mark belied some strong offensive performances. The Wings actually outscored opponents by 68 runs and had a solid .274 batting average. Mercedes lost the batting crown by .00004. J.T. Snow of Columbus, also the league MVP, sat out the last two games to nip Mercedes, who was riding the pine in Baltimore, .3130081 to .3129584. Mark Parent had a team-leading 16 homers (many of the tape-measure variety) and 69 RBI. Doug Jennings added 14 round-trippers and a team-leading 76 RBI to go with his .275 average. (He had been visited late in the season by the “Doug Jennings Fan Club,” a three-member organization that traveled 3,000 miles in a 1963 bread truck to see him play.) Jack Voigt (.284, 16, 64) and Tommy Shields (.301, 10, 59) put up strong numbers and became fan favorites for their hustle on the field. Mel Wearing (.326, 45 RBI) and Damon Buford (.284, 23 steals) gave glimpses of potential in their half seasons. Steve Scarsone was the lone all-star, mainly on his statistics with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The pitching staff was led by Richie Lewis (10-9, 3.28, second in the league with 154 strikeouts), Anthony Telford (12-7, 4.18) and Mike Oquist (10-12, 4.11). Bob Milacki (7-1) and Arthur Rhodes (6-6) contributed during their partial stints. Reliever Brad Pennington had perhaps the most interesting line. He had a 2.08 ERA and five saves, and opponents hit only .101 against him. He struck out 56 in 39 innings but walked 35. Unfortunately pitching, especially the bullpen, was the team’s weakest category. A 22-31 record in one-run games, and a sub-par 38-34 mark at home were other telling statistics.

The final attendance was 305,199, with a the turnstile count of 220,667, ranking the team fifth in the league. But contrary to the perception that the Red Wings were a poor draw, the team was one of only five minor-league cities to top 300,000 in attendance in each of last six seasons and one of 10 to top that figure in each of the last three years.

Just as the playoff chase heated up during the summer, so had the stadium debate. The Orioles continued to subtly press for a new facility by keeping RCB in the dark as to whether or not the affiliation agreement would be renewed. However, most observers felt the Orioles would return.

League President Mobley likewise kept on the pressure. In July, a group chaired by former RCB President Frank Horton was named to guide the feasibility study, toward which the Wings pledged $10,000. A consultant was to be selected by September and the report due by the end of the year. This went against Mobley’s deadline of October and he did not view the delay as a “positive move.”

The most surprising development during the summer was the disclosure of competing bids from adjacent counties. Rumors had swirled for months that the Wings were talking with other municipalities, but the shocking part was that the communities were in Rochester’s back yard. In July, Ontario County officials revealed that they had met with Rochester Community Baseball board members to discuss construction of a stadium near the New York State Thruway exit in Victor. The Ontario County plan called for private financing, with no public tax monies to be spent on the project.

Later that month Livingston County officials announced their intention to present a stadium proposal to the Red Wings. The county’s industrial development authority was ready to exercise an option on a 60-acre parcel in Avon, near Route 390. Moving at a pace seemingly unheard of in Monroe County, Livingston set aside $22,500 for a study that would develop a price for the project and means for funding.

Curwin said the Wings would give both counties legitimate consideration. County Executive King, not surprised by the offers, stated that he did not see either proposal as a serious threat. A potential stumbling block for the Red Wings to leave Silver was set aside when, for the first time, Anna Silver gave public support towards a new ballpark. She said it was time to replace the stadium named after her husband and didn’t believe moving the team would diminish his accomplishments or memory.

Consultants for the Monroe County study were selected in September. The winning bid of $99,500 was made by a group which included Minneapolis architects Ellerbe Becket Inc. The firm’s stadium work included the design of Atlanta’s Olympic Stadium, which would be converted to the new home of the Atlanta Braves after the 1996 games. By October it was revealed that the committee would consider 22 different sites in Monroe County; of those, 13 were within city limits and four were downtown.

Yet Monroe’s progress paled in comparison to the other groups. Three days after the list of potential sites was made public, Livingston County’s stadium plan was presented. The proposed 12,000-seat facility would be part of a industrial/office complex and include 6,500 parking spaces. Cost estimates were placed at $25 million and Livingston County officials stated that the ballpark could be built in time for Opening Day 1994.

Buoyed by competing bids, the Wings made it clear they would not remain at Silver Stadium. “We have no preference [regarding the site],” said Curwin in October. “All we know is, by 1996 the Red Wings won’t be playing at Silver.” He had no qualms with the possibility of moving the team out of Monroe County. In Avon or Victor, “we’ll still be the Rochester Red Wings,” he stated. “The New York Giants play in New Jersey, but they’re still the New York Giants, aren’t they?” Part of the problem — what to do with Silver if the team left — appeared to be answered when a group of investors announced they were ready to turn the stadium into a year-round, multi-purpose sports and recreational facility. The unidentified parties hoped to hold, among other activities, rock concerts, amateur baseball and midget car racing at the stadium.

RCB expected to receive three bids. By November the Monroe County study narrowed the site list down to four — two downtown, one in the town of Gates, and one at the stadium’s existing Norton Street site. The committee made its recommendation on Nov. 23: a downtown location north of the former Sibley’s building on Main Street, bordered by Franklin and Pleasant Streets.

The selection was not a unanimous choice of the committee, nor did not receive universal support from other involved parties. Mayor Ryan stated his preference for a site on West Main Street, near the intersection with Plymouth Avenue. RCB leaders, who had set the November date as a deadline, felt the decision to be worthless if not endorsed by city officials. Echoing the sentiments of many, Curwin said, “I don’t know why they had a feasibility study,” after hearing of Ryan’s dissent.

Ontario County officials turned in a 40-page proposal; Livingston’s was 130 pages. The best Monroe County could do was a letter drafted by King urging the Wings to delay the decision until the site debate could be settled. Ryan refused to sign the letter. King, who endorsed the committee’s decision, was said to be livid at Ryan’s decision. Rather than unifying the Rochester/Monroe County delegation, the consultant’s findings split the parties into three camps. King was backing Franklin Street, Ryan held out for West Main, and state Assemblyman David Gantt favored another rehabilitation of Silver. Gantt was the ranking member of the county’s delegation in state government and would be essential in garnering state money for the project. The trio seemed only to agree that the Wings’ deadline was “artificial,” and that the two other proposals were not realistic alternatives.

RCB officials were not willing to grant the extension that Monroe County officials requested. “If we accept that delay, the other two counties may drop us,” said Curwin. Fred Strauss complained that “two counties jumped to the opportunity and did it, and here, the giant of the three, can’t seem to deal properly with the issue.” One Livingston County official stated, “we made certain assumptions going in. That was one, that they [Rochester/Monroe County] would self-destruct.”

The Monroe County feasibility study was publically released in early December. The price tag for the proposal, which included a new stadium, expansion of the War Memorial and redevelopment of the Silver Stadium site, came to $60 million. It called for a facility with a seating capacity of 12,500, expandable to 14,000-18,000. The ballpark would have a natural grass playing surface, up to 25 skyboxes, and a 300-seat restaurant and sports bar. Outfield dimensions would mirror those of Camden Yards. Estimated costs were given for each site: $31.9 million at Franklin St.; $35.2 million at West Main; $35.6 for Gates; $40 million for completely renovated Silver (one that would be equivalent to a new facility); and $43.8 million for a new stadium at Norton St. Consultants estimated that a downtown stadium would draw 500,000 annually to Red Wing contests. The report also called for the assumption of $3.5 million of the Wings’ remaining $4 million debt.

(The War Memorial expansion, while not as controversial as the new stadium, presented problems for the city’s other professional sports franchise. The expansion was a pet project for Ryan. The facility was consistently losing larger concerts to competing arenas in Buffalo and Albany that could sit between 15,000–20,000. The Americans’ hockey club was opposed to the plan, fearing that it would ruin the atmosphere at the War Memorial — what was at present a boisterous sell-out crowd of 7,000 would leave empty seats in a larger arena. Ryan hinted at a rent increase for the Amerks if the expansion did not go through, even though the team’s annual attendance of 300,000 represented half the total number of people who attended events at the War Memorial. Already saddled with one of the worst leases in the AHL, one that gave them no parking or concession revenue, the Amerks were not happy. Pessimists painted the worst case scenario: higher rent drives up ticket prices, attendance plummets, and the owners — the Buffalo Sabres — move the team. Rochester is left without the Amerks or Red Wings.)

Released around the same time was RCB’s year-end financial statement. The team ended with a net 1992 profit of $72,024, but that included a one-time infusion of $384,615 from league expansion fees, meaning a net loss of over $300,000 without the payment. Debt service was close to $300,000 — evidence that if the team didn’t own Silver, even in a year marred by cold, rainy weather, it would have broken even.

The information presented by the two reports drove the dissenting groups farther apart, as each faction pointed out certain details that supported their position. The Wings’ financial statement bolstered Gantt’s belief that “we have to help the Red Wings with their financial problems. I would think if we took away the debts, the Wings are automatically in the black.”

Since the consultant’s report projected revenues and attendance at West Main Street would be almost identical to those at Franklin Street, Ryan felt it backed his position that West Main was the better choice. As city mayor, he felt, “I’m the one that ought to have the right to say which one is the best out of the two.” Clouding the rancorous debate over the two sites were questions over possible underground storage tanks, problems with the destruction of historic buildings, and the potential delay in rerouting an Inner Loop exit ramp at the West Main Street site.

Another reason for the stance by Ryan (and others) that the West Main Street site was better — or more accurately, that the Franklin Street site was the poorer choice — had to do with the city’s Vision 2000 report. Completed in 1990 at a cost of $150,000, the 72-page document called for residential development in the area. Supporters of the study said a stadium would radically alter the plan. Critics of the blueprint pointed out that several changes had already been made. “It’s flexible when they want it to be and is as impenetrable as they want it to be,” said County Executive King.

But support for Franklin Street slowly weakened as other groups announced their opposition. Meanwhile the Group 14621 Community Association pushed its goal of another renovation of Silver. The debate got even more testy, as illustrated by a Dec. 29 “speak-out” program about the future of the stadium and the Red Wings, hosted and broadcast by WXXI television and radio. Gantt, Ryan and King were all present for the 4 1/2-hour session, which drew 175 people at the studio and generated more than 600 calls with questions or comments. All three politicians staunchly defended their positions and no consensus was attained. Rochester baseball fans, however, were clearly reaching the end of their patience with their elected officials’ inability to come to a compromise solution.

The RCB Board of Directors held two meetings in December to discuss the proposals and after the second session, set Jan. 14 as the day they would make a decision. On that same evening, however, five state legislators from Monroe County met to renew the possibility of renovating Silver as a more affordable option. They felt the $40 million figure given in the report was “absurd,” and that $10–$20 million was a reasonable figure to bring Silver up to standards and up to date. The price tag was reduced by decreasing the number of parking spots added at Silver. The consultants’ report estimated that 4,167 would be needed; however local officials had been told that parking spots were only “recommended” figures and not requirements.

The renovate-Silver movement gained momentum when Curwin backed off his stance that the Red Wings would not return to Silver. “If the legislators say they can renovate and put millions of dollars into it, then we would have to look at it differently,” reacted the RCB president. Gantt continue to push his plan: get the state to forgive the $1.5 million loan, have Monroe County assume the remaining debt, and make Silver Stadium a public facility. At that point the Wings would be out of debt and in a position to ask the state for money to renovate the ballpark.

This time King wasn’t ready to hop on board. Newly-released figures showed revenue projections for a new stadium to be better than those for a renovated Silver. King stated that, based on those figures, Monroe County would be reluctant to support renovation. IL President Mobley was also not enamored with the growing swing back to a renovation. “To simply meet the standards is to buy a year or two and delay the problems,” he said. Mobley also stated that projections for an opening date of 1996 or ’97 were “unacceptable,” reiterating that baseball would not extend the deadline that far. “It’s [the April 1994 date] a hard and fast deadline. If it’s not met, the Red Wings’ life is in jeopardy and they may have to consider other proposals just to stay alive,” warned the league chief, who said the area’s stadium debate was more controversial than any he could remember.

The renewed debate focused attention on what many felt was the key issue between King and Gantt — whether or not the Wings would really draw more in a new facility. Gantt felt that taking the Wings out of debt would allow them to free up money for better marketing. Fred Strauss questioned if Gantt’s proposal could reverse the negative perception of Silver. “I don’t think it’s [Silver] is in a bad condition, period,” said the Wings’ chairman of the board. “It’s perceived as being in a bad condition and the neighborhood is perceived as being a bad neighborhood.” Attendance had dropped at Silver in each of the past six seasons, and Strauss said the stadium debate had contributed to the decline, and did “a pretty good number on putting the stadium down, as well as the neighborhood.” For his part, Gantt, as well as other government officials, questioned whether a downtown stadium could actually draw the 500,000 estimated in the report. “They’ve cooked the damn numbers,” said Gantt. “Rochester, in my opinion, will never draw 500,000.”

Silver’s viability increased when the Avon and Victor sites were put in question by UDC rules which prohibited it from providing funds when a project or business was moving from one state municipality to another without consent from the first locale. This, along with an earlier disclosure that the non-Monroe County sites would fall with the 35-mile “territoriality rights” of New York-Pennsylvania League teams in Geneva (Victor site) and Batavia (Avon), cast some shadows over the two competing proposals.

On Jan. 11, three days before the Wings’ announced decision day, an unusual coalition of labor leaders and black ministers urged public officials to “stop the squabbling” and build at the Franklin St. site. But unknown to this group and everyone else involved, Bob King had been developing one more option for the Red Wings. And on this same day, he would unveil it, to the shock and surprise of everyone.

The town of Greece, said the county executive, was the place to build a ballpark. Maintaining that Tom Ryan was the major roadblock to keeping the team in Monroe County, King removed the city as a player by pitching a new stadium in Greece. Fifty-six feet outside the city line, the new site was within the boundaries of Canal Ponds Business Park, just west of Route 390 and south of Ridgeway Avenue. The park was owned by Eastman Kodak, which planned restaurants, hotels and offices on the land.

Ryan called the proposal another example of the county executive’s “destructive and divisive” style. King hoped to secure state financing for it by backing the War Memorial expansion, a tactic he called “horse-trading” and Ryan called “blackmail.” A city councilman labeled King “anti-city.” In a television interview, Gantt dismissed the Greece site as a realistic alternative and called King a “spoiled brat.”

Elliot Curwin, however, called the proposal “viable.” As the decisive meeting date neared, RCB’s board was divided among four camps: downtown, renovate, Greece or Victor (Avon seemingly had no support among those contacted). Yet only three proposals — Greece, Avon and Victor — would be brought up for vote.

On Jan. 14 the Wings’ board made it official — the franchise was leaving Rochester. But it was to be a short move, as by a vote of 27-1, the board chose the Greece site. Yet despite the near-unanimous decision, the board (as did King) left the window open for a downtown stadium. State Legislator Joe Morelle said, “the fact that it’s the least serious of all the offers made and the one chosen tells me that the Red Wings want to buy some time, which is good.”

In the end, the Red Wings were attracted to Monroe County’s financial lure. Officials from Avon and Victor held no regrets and felt fairly treated. But unlike Monroe, Livingston and Ontario Counties were unwilling to take over Silver Stadium and refinance the team’s $4 million debt. The Victor site was a competitive proposal, said board members, but Ontario County did not have the fiscal resources to offer the incentives that Monroe could. Livingston County’s plan was rejected because officials there wanted to control about half the team’s board of directors.

So it was Greece — maybe. It was incredibly ironic; King, Ryan and RCB all wanted a downtown stadium, but it would likely be built in Greece. The City Council, shocked into action by the possibility that the Red Wings could and would leave the city, gave the chance of a downtown site another lift by expressing support for the West Main Street site. Officials of the Rochester Downtown Development Corporation (RDDC) began meetings with King, Ryan and Gantt in hopes of still salvaging a downtown stadium.

In late January the Red Wings gave officials one week to agree on a location in the city. Curwin told the 200 shareholders present at the annual meeting that “unless something happens in the next few days, we are playing in Greece.” By the stated date, no agreement could be reached, and the county announced plans to go ahead with the suburban location. The Red Wings were leaving Rochester.

Copyright © 1997 Brian A. Bennett. All rights reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system - except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper - without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, please contact Triphammer Publishing, P.O. Box 45, Scottsville, NY 14546-0045.