Introduction to Chapter 6:

1983-1985: The Darkness and the Dawn

The mid-'80s were a disaster. Rochester suffered through its worst teams in 30 years. There were no prospects at the higher levels of the Baltimore farm system, forcing the parent club to stock the Wings with aging veterans, questionable prospects and rushed youngsters. And most of the high-priced big-name Triple-A old-timers signed by the Orioles were, obviously and unfortunately, past their primes.

Not even respected manager Frank Verdi could stem the tide. The 1984 team was even worse than the 1979 edition and attendance dipped below 200,000 for the first time in RCB history. That season was perhaps the ugliest - literally and figuratively - in post-WWII history. Some of the fans that still came to the ballpark wore paper bags to hide their identity. Part of the left field scoreboard burned down and was not repaired during the season, the tarp-covered remains standing silently and symbolically over the destroyed hopes of the lost season. Only three exhibition games - with the Orioles, the U.S. Olympic team and the IL All-Stars - saved the Red Wings from red ink.

It would get worse before it got better. The 1985 team was 18-40 when the embattled Verdi was fired. The team righted itself and played respectably for the remainder of the season, climbing out of the basement and posting a winning record at home. Fans began returning to the ballyard and a faint, but distinct light could be seen on the horizon.

Despite the hapless teams, there were a number of notable players that wore the red and navy (changed to red and black in 1985), including Bobby Bonner, John Valle, Glenn Gulliver, Mike Boddicker, Mike Young, Larry Sheets and John Shelby. Bonner and Valle, two of the classiest and most popular performers in team history, ended their professional careers with Rochester.

Local banker Fred Strauss became president in 1983 and brought relative peace and stability to the front office, despite rumors of financial trouble. RCB moved - slowly - toward a resolution of the stadium problem. The condition of Silver had reached a point where massive repairs were needed in order to keep it a viable facility. Local sentiment favored renovation over building anew, but the necessary repairs were too costly for the franchise to bankroll by itself. An optimistic consultant's study spurred development of a proposal that would sell the stadium to a local corporation, who would in turn pay for the renovation and lease the park back to the Red Wings. State aid and county cooperation were needed for the complex plan to reach fruition.

As Rochester Community Baseball geared up for the risky undertaking, winning squads and larger crowds were essential components of the blueprint. Once again Baltimore's ability to supply competitive teams was questioned, but this time the stakes - the survival of the franchise - were much higher.