ABL tourney plans hit snag

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Sports Editor

In a cost cutting move, the six organizations of the Alaska Baseball League voted unanimously last month to forgo invitation to the annual National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan. and host an ABL season-ending tournament in Alaska.

The creation of the tournament was contingent on precise scheduling, and obtaining the use of Mulcahy Field in Anchorage for that schedule. During this process, one hurdle stood between, ABL and a season-ending tournament in Anchorage -- the American Legion, and its request to use Mulcahy during a similar time. The hurdle proved to be too large.

The ABL, American Legion and the city of Anchorage were unable to come to an agreement and the ABL organizations have decided to table the decision to add an ABL season-ending tournament to the

schedule.

"I'm surprised and disappointed," Anchorage Bucs general manager Dennis Mattingly said.

Mulcahy Field is the home of the Bucs and Mattingly has acted as a representative for the league during the discussions about the use of the park for the ABL and American Legion tournaments.

The debate revolves around one date -- Aug. 2. The American Legion tournament is scheduled to end Aug. 1 and the organization had reserved Aug. 2 for an emergency day, in case games are called due to extreme weather at any other time in the tournament. In order for the ABL to make its postseason tournament work within its schedule, teams must begin tournament play on Aug. 2.

Mattingly said options for the American Legion were discussed, such as using the Kosinksi Complex, which lies adjacent to Mulchahy Field, or Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer as alternative emergency sites, but the American Legion was not interested in either.

Mattingly and Mat-Su Miners general manager Pete Christopher were supposed to meet with representatives with the Anchorage Parks and Recreation, American Legion and City of Anchorage on Wednesday, but representatives from the American Legion and the Anchorage Parks and Recreation met a day earlier and sent a memo to Mattingly informing him of their decision.

With an ABL tournament out of the picture, for at least 2005, the league has moved onto Plan B. The league will now send one team to Wichita for the NBC tourney and each team in the ABL will pitch $5,000 into a fund to cover expenses for the ABL champion in the tournament.