LOYAL FANS SUPPORT SUNS; CHANGE OF VENUE FOR BASEBALL NEEDED, THEY SAY.Byline: Jim Inghram Daily News Staff Writer Although victories have been few, the field is isolated and shrouded shroud n. 1. A cloth used to wrap a body for burial; a winding sheet. 2. Something that conceals, protects, or screens: under a shroud of fog. 3. a. in fog and chilly breezes for night games, the consensus among Suns fans is that professional baseball is a good thing for Oxnard and Ventura County. ``I think it's great,'' Larry Donofrio of Camarillo said. ``It's convenient and it's right in our backyard Our Backyard was a series for pre-school children which aired at lunchtime on ITV from August 1984 until January 1987.It was produced by Granada Television. The format was simple. .'' Donofrio and his friend Al DeWulf and son Larry Jr. attended Sunday's game with the Reno Chukars The Reno Chukars were a minor league baseball team located in Reno, Nevada. The team played in the independent Western Baseball League, and was not affiliated with any Major League Baseball team. Their home stadium was Moana Stadium. and have attended several others. Despite the team's trouble winning, a player strike, the trade of a pitcher for catfish catfish, common name applied to members of the freshwater fish families constituting the suborder Nematognathi. The catfish is related to the sucker and the minnow, and like them has a complex set of bones forming a sensitive hearing apparatus. and front-office turmoil, they plan to come back for more in 1999. ``I hope they do well enough to stick around,'' said DeWulf, also of Camarillo. ``We like coming out to the games, there's nothing like coming to a baseball game Noun 1. baseball game - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs; "he played baseball in high school"; "there was a baseball game on every empty lot"; "there was a desire for National League on a Sunday afternoon.'' Said Bill Reyes of Oxnard, who attended the game with his wife Julia: ``We bought two of the 10-game family packs and we're very happy. It's a pretty good deal. I think the DiCarlo family did a wonderful job here (Condor Field at Oxnard College Oxnard College is a California-state funded community college located in Oxnard, California. It was established in 1975. It serves the Oxnard Plain cities of Oxnard, Camarillo, and Port Hueneme. ). There was absolutely nothing here, just a few bleachers, now they have the makings of a decent stadium and they have brought in excellent lights. It's nice. We're going to be loyal fans.'' The team has averaged more than 1,000 fans a game in its first year, but the numbers have been down some since opening date. The decline can be attributed to the team's dismal won-lost record Noun 1. won-lost record - (sports) a record of win versus losses athletics, sport - an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition . The Suns were 14-50 at one point and lost 17 of their first 18 games at the start of the second half. The initial night games in April and May, when it felt more like Alaska than Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, , did not help. ``Everybody loves a winner,'' Reyes said, ``and the newness wore off. The diehards have remained. I mean you can't beat this. It's sunny and warm and we're watching baseball.'' Said Patricia Crane of Ventura: ``It was impossible to come at night. I love the day games, but I still can't come at night. It gets too cold.'' The team moved all night games in the second half from 7:05 to 6:35 to allow for most of the game to be played in sunlight, and it switched all Saturday games into daytime affairs. ``Moving the game times up helped,'' Roz Minovsky of Camarillo said, ``but just being August helped, too. Those first night games were unbearable. We would have blankets, gloves and drink hot chocolate. It felt like football weather.'' The weather and the site seemed to be the only complaints fans had about the Suns' first season, which ends Sept. 2. The final home game is Aug. 28. The team, of course, needs a permanent facility to remain in the area. Condor Field is serviceable ser·vice·a·ble adj. 1. Ready for service; usable: serviceable equipment. 2. Able to give long service; durable: a heavy, serviceable fabric. for this year but has no built-in concession stands Concession stand is the term used to refer to a place where patrons can purchase snacks or food at a cinema, fair, Stadium, or other entertainment venue. Some events or venues contract out the right to sell food to third parties. or restrooms. The parking lot is dirt and half of the available seating is bleachers. ``We know that they will need a new stadium,'' Reyes said. ``The perfect place would be Camarillo. It's the only appropriate place in Ventura County.'' CAPTION(S): 3 Photos PHOTO (1-2--Color) Fans who attend minor-league baseball in Ventura County average about 1,000 per game and have to protect themselves from both the sun and the night cold (top). Below, fans are allowed onto Oxnard's Condor field to get autographs from Suns players and coaches. (3--Color) ``I hope they do well enough to stick around.'' - Al DeWulf Pacific Suns fan Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News |
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