It’s a Whole New Ballgame! Answering a question that has been on many local baseball fans’ minds, the six-time national champion Santa Barbara Foresters baseball team announced that it will play its 2017 summer season at Pershing Park in downtown Santa Barbara. The City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department, Santa Barbara City College, and Major League Softball joined the Foresters in making the announcement and in helping to make this dream come true for the team and its fans. The team’s home Opening Day is Friday, June 9. The Foresters will play at Pershing Park, at the corner of Castillo and Cabrillo near the waterfront, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in June and July. The schedule also includes a return to the team’s successful Fourth of July event there.
“Just like our championships ballclub, this was a total team effort,” said Foresters executive director and team manager Bill Pintard. “The city and the college and the adult softball program were very supportive of this move, and they will be tremendous partners for us this summer, and, we hope, in the years ahead. We are excited about bringing baseball to downtown Santa Barbara.”
The Foresters were forced to leave its longtime home at UCSB after last summer’s NBC World Series National Championship. The search for a new field began then and soon zeroed in on Pershing, which will be the site of 26 home dates starting June 9. The complete schedule is available on the team’s website at www.sbforesters.org. The first road game is June 6; all games will once again be heard on AM1290, KZSB.
“Our longtime fans will feel right at home rooting on the ’Sters,” added Pintard. “We’ll have the same energy, games for kids, great food, and more. Plus, we’re excited about the opportunity to make new fans, whether they live in the area or are just visiting the Santa Barbara waterfront.”
Games will start at 6 pm (Sundays at 2 pm), so fans can enjoy baseball under the lights after their work days are over. Pintard said that the 2017 team looks like yet another strong group of outstanding college players.
A special announcement ceremony will be held on APRIL 28 at 11:30 am at Pershing Park. Foresters fans and supporters are welcome to join Pintard and city officials for the event, at which fans can buy season tickets, get schedules, and find out more about the upcoming season.
The Foresters are part of the 14-team California Collegiate League, which includes top college players from around the country. The Foresters have won six national championships, tied for the most ever, as well as 19 CCL titles. The team also supports the Hugs for Cubs, its longtime support program for families and children battling cancer and other serious diseases.
“We can not only welcome new fans, but we can also spread the message of the Hugs for Cubs to a wider audience in our new location,” said Foresters board president Christina Songer.
The Foresters/Hugs for Cubs is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting championship baseball for the community and making sure the Hugs for Cubs reaches as many families as possible.
Contact Bill Pintard at [email protected] or Jim Buckley at [email protected] for additional information or media queries.
