Attendance concern for Legion Series

Las Vegas has many lures at its disposal. And just like a fisherman, all it needs is one nibble to get someone hooked.

A couple years ago, American Legion baseball took the bait and Las Vegas landed the organization's prestigious World Series.

But since the eight-team tournament started Friday, there has been a problem keeping American Legion officials on the line when it comes to committing for the future.

Once the final out is recorded in tonight's 7 o'clock championship game at Cashman Field between Cherryville, N.C., and Edwardsville, Ill., the tournament will be thrown back to smaller towns and may never return.

Local Legion baseball proponents had quietly hoped this World Series would make a statement, giving Las Vegas consideration as an eventual permanent site. The tournament switches sites every year, generally opting for small- to mid-sized towns.

"The (Las Vegas) organizing committee did a great job," tournament coordinator Jim Quinlan said. "But it's going to be very difficult to get (another) one in the next few years.

"To come back in at least the next 10 years, they're going to have to come up with an extraordinary bid."

Out-of-state advance ticket sales surpassed 2,000, a number that encouraged American Legion officials. But their excitement waned when the actual number of fans who showed up didn't match.

"Attendance has been good, but not the best," Quinlan said. "Were usually in such remote locales there's nothing else to do in town but go to the World Series. There are no other distractions like there are in Vegas."

The advance sales, coupled with Bishop Gorman's presence in the field, boosted turnstile expectations even more. It marked only the seventh time in the World Series' 73-year history the host site featured a hometown crowd.

Friday's crowd totaled 3,483, while Saturday's came in at 3,133. No official figure was available for Sunday.

On Monday, the day after Gorman was eliminated from the tournament, only 1,369 attended.

"We got 1,100, but we know we sold 2,000 in advance," Quinlan said. "We just weren't able to convince those sponsors (who purchased tickets for clients) to have those people come out.

"When we were in Rapid City, S.D., last year, we sold 2,500 seats and those 2,500 people showed up."

The American Legion collects a $50,000 fee from every host site. All money made at the World Series -- through tickets, concessions, souvenirs -- goes to the local fund.

"We paid the bills," said tournament co-chairman Frank Brusa, a former principal at Las Vegas High.

But Las Vegas did not rake in the cash like its tinier predecessors. It's average ticket price was $4 a game, compared to $6 in Rapid City.

"They did $12,000 a day in concessions at Rapid City and $30,000 in souvenirs," Quinlan said. "They did $10,000 in concessions here the first day, which is good. But souvenir sales here are nonexistent. That's money that should be going back into the local program."

According to Quinlan, about seven cities usually apply each year to host the World Series. Cities formerly were chosen two years ahead of time, but the next selection process will assign locations through 2003.

"I'm not going to worry about what's going to happen in the future," said Brusa, who took his position as a favor to Fred Darling, a local American Legion benefactor now battling cancer. "1998 was my only concern.

"We planned for two years to do it the right way. We really did it right, did it professional, did it in a way the American Legion wanted it done."

Brusa was pleased overall with the World Series, but agreed it probably isn't the ideal permanent site. In fact, he stopped just short of recommending the American Legion never stay in one place.

"Fred had a plan to go to the (American Legion) selection committee with a plan to make Las Vegas the national site like Omaha, Neb., is to the College World Series," Brusa said.

"But there are a lot of other towns in this country that deserve a shot as well. The American Legion is national, and small towns should be able to enjoy it, too."

Cashman Field will host the 1999 Region 8 tournament, the same event that sent Gorman to this year's World Series. Las Vegas last hosted the regional in 1995.

To set up this year's World Series championship, Cherryville posted a dramatic 5-4 victory over Danville, Calif. Relief pitcher Ralph Roberts struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth, leaving runners stranded on second and third.

Trailing by two runs heading into the final frame, Danville loaded the bases with two outs on a walk, a single and an error. Roberts then threw a wild pitch, allowing Mike Kimball to score.

But Roberts struck out designated hitter Matt Crudale, who hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, to end the game.

Earlier on Monday, Edwardsville cruised to a 9-3 victory over State College, Pa. Edwardsville scored two runs in the first, three in the second and four more in the seventh.

Starting pitcher Ben Hutton went the distance, allowing only two earned runs on eight hits and a walk. He struck out six.

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