Baseball and summer go hand it hand. We are fortunate to have a team of up and comers call The Hat City home.
The Danbury Westerners are a collegiate summer baseball team that is part of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. You can catch home games right at the edge of downtown at Rogers Park. Fun fact: They are the oldest team in the league, having played the inaugural season in 1995. The organization behind the team is a non-profit with the mission to provide “Major League Baseball-supported summer professional development baseball entertainment.”
These college players are out there with dreams of playing in the big time. Some of them make it. “The Danbury Westerners currently have five former players in the major leagues and more than 45 playing in the minor leagues and independent professional leagues. Between this year and last, 18 Westerners were drafted by Major League Baseball teams,” pointed out Jennifer Morandi, the board of directors vice president of operations. She added that, “Before they got there, though, each of the them played here in Danbury for eight weeks, one summer - sometimes two summers. They stayed with volunteer host families, and they visited local schools, libraries, senior centers and other community organizations. They became a part of the greater Danbury community while they were here.”
We finally made it to our first Westerners Game this year. It was great to be outside on a clear, warm summer night watching some baseball. The stadium seating is small, but you can bring your own lawn chairs and saddle up to the sideline fences instead. We totally plan to do that next time. There are the classic baseball concessions like burgers, hot dogs, and soda. This year there’s also Hog Wild BBQ.
We love the crack of the wooden bat. We love the passionate crowd cheering on the players. The games are perfect for families. It was sweet to watch kids eagerly awaiting a chance to get their photo taken with Westy, the team mascot. Tickets only cost $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens, and free for children under 12. Current and former military personnel also get in for free. If you’re a baseball fan, a Danbury Westerners game is simply a great way to spend a summer evening.
The season is fairly compact, starting in early June and going until the end of July, with the playoffs beginning in early August. To get the full home game schedule visit the team website: www.danburywesterners.com or you can check out the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/WesternersBaseball.
A variation of this post was featured in the Tribuna.Labels: baseball, danbury, downtown, sports
