Tigers press conference postponed

January 21, 2010 | Uncategorized

By Dean Russin
Sports Editor

The Tigers will have to stay in Oneonta for at least a few more days, whether they want to or not.

The city manager’s office in Norwich, Conn., postponed a media conference intended to announce the arrival of a new minor league baseball team that was scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday at Norwich City Hall.

Jill Brennan, the executive secretary in for the Norwich city manager’s office, said the media conference has been rescheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 28 at the same location.

“The league president (Ben Hayes) couldn’t get a flight out of wherever he is,” Brennan said, who added that city manager Alan Bergren was not in his office at the time of the announcement.

Oneonta Tigers General Manager Andrew Weber reiterated Wednesday that he could not comment on whether his team was headed to Dodd Stadium in Norwich this season. Weber cited a league-wide gag order imposed by Hayes earlier this month. Hayes did not return a call to his office Thursday.

Bergren said Wednesday that Norwich approved a contract Tuesday to lease the 6,000-seat stadium to a NY-Penn team. Dodd Stadium became vacant when the Double-A Connecticut Defenders left for Richmond, Va., following the 2009 season.