Prairie Dogs announce schedule

By ARN

The Abilene Prairie Dogs will kick off their third season in the Texas-Louisiana Professional Baseball League on May 22.

The defending league champion Prairie Dogs begin the 1997 season on the road with three-game series against the Tyler Wildcatters and Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings. The Prairie Dogs will return to Crutcher Scott Field for their home opener on May 29 as they begin a six-game homestand consisting of three-game series against the Alexandria Aces and Amarillo Dillas.

Last week, T-L League manager of the year Phil Stephenson announced that he will return for a second season in Abilene as the Prairie Dogs' field manager.

Along with the other five teams in the league, the Prairie Dogs will play a more "fan friendly" schedule in 1997, according to T-L League officials. Each team in the league will summer will play 88 games on 84 dates between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. Each team will play 42 home dates nad 42 road dates with four doubleheaders scheduled.

"Upon review of our past two seasons (when the league played a 100-game schedule), the league directors and general managers agreed that our schedule was simply too long," Texas-Louisiana League president Byron Pierce said. "We were starting our season well before school got out for the summer, and then it seemed to run into school activities again toward the end of the summer. So we've cut back a few games, but we don't think it will affect our attendance."

In fact, league officials are counting on improved attendance in 1997. The schedule is designed to have teams at home or on the road for just three to six games at a time.

"This schedule will be much more suitable for our fans this season," Pierce said. "Last year, we had teams playing 14-16 games in a row at home. That's hard on everybody, especially the fans. You can't expect even your most ardent supporters to commit to 14 straight days like that.

"In addition we've tried to formulate a travel schedule that's more friendly to our players - and the fans. By not being away from home very long, our fans won't lose any interest in the team. And our players will like the fact that, when possible, they will be traveling to only one or two cities and then back home."

The Abilene Prairie Dogs will play 14 three-game home series and four additional doubleheader games with seven series scheduled during the first and second half of the 1997 schedule. The Prairie Dogs' schedule includes home series during Memorial Day weekend and the Fourth of July.

Season tickets and Fanflex coupons for the Prairie Dogs' 1997 season are now on sale at the Prairie Dogs Shop in the Mall of Abilene and at the Prairie Dogs' office at 401 Cypress Street, Suite 300. For ticket information, call the gift shop at 698-4361 or the Prairie Dogs' office at 673-7364.