Senator Sanders Recognizes 25th Anniversary Of The Return Of Professional Baseball To Vermont
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IN VERMONT
Mr. President, I wish to rise today to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the return of professional baseball to Burlington, Vermont.
I recall that moment 25 years ago with great clarity, as it occurred when I was Mayor of the City of Burlington. After a series of lengthy, but eventually productive negotiations with the Eastern League and the owner of one of its teams, my administration - with the help of some local and very dedicated baseball buffs - was successful in bringing the Vermont Reds to Burlington. This AA-league team thrilled baseball fans - young and old, who watched them play at Centennial Field, which boasts a grandstand that is the oldest complete grandstand structure in use in minor league baseball. We watched Barry Larkin, Jeff Montgomery, Rob Dibble, Chris Sabo, Paul O'Neill and Norm Charlton play for the Vermont Reds. These fine athletes later went on to become the core of the 1990 World Champion Cincinnati Reds. Larkin won the National League MVP Award in 1995 and O'Neill won four more World Series rings with the New York Yankees. The Reds eventually left, to be replaced by the Vermont Mariners, and Vermont spectators had the thrill of watching certain Hall-of-Famer Ken Griffey Jr. speed around the bases as he played for our new team.
When the Mariners left, the Single-A Expos took their place; when Montreal's franchise moved to Washington, the Expos became a Washington Nationals farm team and were renamed the Vermont Lake Monsters. Today, the Lake Monsters fill the stands during the summer months, as baseball fans come to watch America's pastime in picturesque surroundings.
It is worth celebrating this quarter-century of baseball in Burlington, as Centennial Field has been called home by some outstanding players and amazing minor league teams. Apart from those I have already mentioned - many of our players continued their careers in the Big Show. The scenic setting, the welcoming stands, the fan-based promotions, and of course the thrill of professional baseball all combine to make this a great family-friendly arena. Throughout the years, more than two million fans have enjoyed rooting for the home team.
As Mayor of Burlington, my work was centered on building civic life and creating a vital community. Baseball proved to be an excellent catalyst for bringing people together and helping to foster a greater sense of community. Perhaps minor league baseball would be taken for granted in a big state or a big city, but in Burlington, Vermont it is cherished by many. It is a source of pride to me that, working with a citizens committee led by local businessmen I was able to bring minor league baseball to Vermont and that it has continued to thrive in the quarter of a century since.
As we look for a new dawn in this time of economic difficulty, the past 25 years of professional baseball in Burlington are a shining example of how important community-based activities are, and how much they can enrich a city and a state.
Senator Bernard Sanders - July 9, 2009