BY ERIC AHLQVIST
THE COOPERSTOWN CRIER
The Cooperstown Hawkeyes are
adding some hometown flavor.
Cooperstown graduate Frank
Petroskey, son of former Hall of Fame
president Dale Petroskey, will play
for the New York State Collegiate
Baseball team this summer, according
to team president and general
manager Tom Hickey.
The Hawkeyes will begin their
inaugural season at Doubleday Field
on June 6 at 5 p.m., when they will
host the Mohawk Valley Diamond-
Dawgs
They will host the Oneonta Outlaws,
also playing their inaugural
season, on June 11, also at 5 p.m.
``This was something that was in
the works for quite a while,’’ Hickey
said of adding Petroskey to the
roster. ``It will be great for us and I
think great for him. We really want to
promote the hometown talent.’’
Petroskey, a 2007 CCS graduate
and the son of former Hall of Fame
President Dale Petroskey, was a four year
starter for the Cooperstown
baseball team, helping lead the team
to a Section Three Class C title during
his senior season.
He set a program record by
accumulating more than 100 hits
during his career. He was awarded
a baseball scholarship by Vermont
University, and played two years for
the Division I program before transferring
to Division III Tufts, located
just outside Boston, last fall.
``I can’t wait to play at Doubleday
Field again,’’ Petroskey told Hawkeyes
assistant general manager David
Pearlman recently. ``I jumped at the
opportunity and it all worked out.’’
Hickey said he and his staff also
tried to recruit another Cooperstown
graduate, Philip Pohl, to play for the
Hawkeyes this summer, but he was
already committed to a team in Cape
Cod, where he played last summer.
Pohl is a sophomore catcher at Division
One Clemson University.
The Outlaws, who will play their
home games at Damaschke Field,
announced on Monday they had
added 2009 Oneonta High School
graduate Jeff Wiltsie to the roster.
Wiltsie was The Daily Star’s player of
the year last spring, and is currently a
freshman at Cortland State.
``I’m hoping we have a friendly
rivalry with the Outlaws that will
increase community interest as well,’’
Hickey said. The teams will meet six
times this summer.
The Hawkeyes recently announced
ticket prices for the upcoming
season.
They are as follows. Season Passes:
Family, $125; Adult, $75; Youth (7-
12), $35; Seniors (62 and over) $35;
Children (6 and under) free; Students
(13-18) $50 (season discount only).
Single game prices: Adult, $5;
Youth and Seniors, $2; Children, free.
Hickey said the team’s website,
www.cooperstown-hawkeyes.com,
will be up and running by next week
and most ticket sales will be handled
through the website.
According to the NYCBL website,
the league is a summer wood bat
development league for professional
baseball.
The league gives college players
who have not yet signed a professional
contract the opportunity to
develop their skills at a higher level
of play, gain experience with wood
bats, and be evaluated by scouts, the
website added.
``It feels great to be part of a
venture to bring organized baseball
to Cooperstown,’’ Hickey said. ``This
team will be good for the area and
especially for the kids. We want this
to be the community’s team and
fully intend to provide an affordable,
family-oriented baseball experience
for all our fans.’’
