Return of Charlottetown Islanders baseball 'promising'

The general manager of the Charlottetown Islanders senior baseball team is hopeful P.E.I.'s boys of summer will return to the diamond next year.

The team was granted a one-year leave of absence from the New Brunswick Senior Baseball League in 2018 because it couldn't find enough players.

Now, things are looking better, said general manager Peter McDonald.

"It's promising," said McDonald.

"The league is backing us. They'll do whatever they can."

Head coach also needed

McDonald has been in touch with some of the team's previous players, as well as some junior players who are now eligible. People aren't ready to fully commit yet, he said, but there is a lot of interest.

"I think the day of somebody committing to the full summer is long gone but there's a good potential of a lot of the part-time players coming on board," he said.

The team is also looking for a head coach and volunteers to help with the numerous tasks involved in keeping the players on the field, including fundraising. With equipment, umpire and field fees, and transportation running the team costs about $32,000 a year.

McDonald said he is hearing from fans who are missing the game.

The next league meeting is in February, and organizers will be looking for an answer from the Islanders then.

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With files from Island Morning