GUY CAN BE IN THE MAJORS, WHEN YOU’RE WATCHING THE MINOR
LEAGUE.
LEAGUE. OUT IN THE REAL WORLD, NOT SO
MUCH ANYMORE.
MUCH ANYMORE. LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, WAS ONCE
THE HEART OF THE INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION.
REVOLUTION. THE CITY’S MILLS THAT SPUN FOR
DECADES, NOW SILENT.
ACROSS TOWN, ON THE EDGE OF
MERRIMACK RIVER, LOWELL’S
BASEBALL STADIUM SITS QUIET,
TOO, WAITING FOR SPRING.
ROBERT BOBBY MOORE IS AN USHER
HERE.
HERE. >> IT’S FUN.
>> Reporter: BUT BOBBY AND THE
FOLKS IN LOWELL, WITH WORRIED
SICK.
SICK. THEY THINK THE THREAD THAT
CONNECTS THEIR SPINNERS, MAY
HAVE RUN OUT.
WHEN YOU HEAR AN IDEA THAT MAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALL WANTS TO GROW
THE NUMBER OF AFFILIATED TEAMS,
WHAT DID YOU THINK?
>> WHY?
>> WHY? YOU’RE TAKING ME OUT OF THE
GAME.
GAME. IT’S A PART OF THE AMERICAN
PASTIME.
PASTIME. I DON’T THINK THEY REALIZE THAT.
>> Reporter: LAST FALL, MAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALL HAS PLANS TO CUT
TIES AT THE END OF THE COMING
SEASON.
SEASON. COMMUNITY LEADERS GATHERED TO
RALLY FORCES AND FIGHT BACK.
>> I THINK EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS
NOT JUST THE ECONOMIC IMPACT,
BUT ALSO, THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
IMPOSSIBLE
IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSSIBLE.
IMPOSSIBLE. >> Reporter: LORI IS NOW THE
LOCAL CONGRESSWOMAN.
LOCAL CONGRESSWOMAN. >> LOTS OF FANS, THERE ONLY
ACCESS, IS LEADING TO THESE
GAMES.
GAMES. >> IT’S A BIPARTISAN EFFORT, THE
TO GET BASEBALL.
>> IT’S A TRANSCENDENT
PARTISANSHIP BECAUSE IT IMPACTED
OUR COMMUNES AND HOMES.
>> MORE THAN 40 MILLION PERSON
AMERICANS LEADING A BASEBALL
GAME EVERY SUMMER.
THE SPINNERS DRAWS 4,000 A
NIGHT.
NIGHT. WHAT DO YOU ANY BRINGS THE
BALLPARKS OUT?
BALLPARKS OUT? >> A FUN NIGHT OUT.
IF YOU DON’T LIKE BASEBALL,
THAT’S OKAY.
THAT’S OKAY. >> Reporter: BRIAN LINDSAY HELP
PD BRING
PD BRING HELPED TO BRING PEOPLE DOWN HERE
FOR 30 YEARS.
HOW GREAT IS IT TO SEE YOUR SON
AT WORK HERE?
>> FANTASTIC.
>> FANTASTIC. I GET TO BRING MY KID TO WORK.
WHAT WOULDN’T WANT THAT.
HE WORKS IN OTHER JOBS IN TOWN.
IT’S -- SEEING HIM GROW, SEEING
ALL OF MY KIDS GROW.
>> LEST MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
THINKS, THIS IS JUST BASEBALL.
WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT MAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALL THROWS OUT THE
IDEA OF CON TROKT INGTROKTING TH
HE SAYS THE CONNECTION TO THE
RED SOX AND OTHER BIG LEAGUE
TEAMS IS CRUCIAL.
>> WE’RE DEVELOPING THE NEXT
GENERATION OF FANS.
THAT’S A WONDERFUL THING.
>> WITHOUT THAT CONNECTION, THE
CHANCE OF SURVIVAL IS ZERO.
>> WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE FOR YOU
IF YOU NEEDED TO GET ON THE
PHONE AND CALL THE FRONT OFFICES
AND THREE BALL CLUBS AND SAY,
WE’RE OUT OF BUSINESS?
>> I DON’T KNOW HOW I WOULD DO
THAT.
THAT. CERTAINLY NOT WITHOUT TRY
CRYING.
CRYING. YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE I
LOVE.
LOVE. >> WOW.
>> WOW. >> IT’S SO INTERESTING.
HE GOES TO A LOT OF GAMES.
AND HE SHAKES HANDS WITH
EVERYBODY THAT GOES IN AND
EVERYBODY THAT COMES OUT.
>> WHAT’S MAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALL’S MOTIVATION --
>> IT’S A LOT ABOUT MONEY.
IF YOU’RE A FOCUS PLAYER, SIGN
FOR A COUPLE MILLION.
THERE’S GUYS ON THE TEAM THERE
AREN’T GETTING MUCH MONEY AT
ALL.
ALL. THEY’RE GOING TO RAISE THE PAY
OF MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS.
IT’S VERY CONTENTIOUS.
A BIG MEETING.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IS GETTING
MAD AT MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
BECAUSE OF THE STIR IT’S
CREATING.
CREATING. >> THEY ARE NOT THE OUTSIDE OF
THE COMMUNITY.
THE COMMUNITY. >> WE’RE GOING TO GO DOWN TO THE
GAME.
GAME. >> $2 BEER NIGHT.