In making the announcement, Big Train Founder Bruce Adams thanked Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, County government staff, and County residents for making the sacrifices necessary to allow this reopening. “I particularly want to thank County Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz and Andrew Friedson for helping guide us through this process,” Adams said.
“With the county’s decision, we will be able to bring the fun back to Shirley Povich Field this summer,” Adams said. “After all the sacrifices our residents have made these last fourteen months, we all deserve the enjoyment of a summer’s night at ballgame.”
The Bethesda Big Train is a team of top level college players playing in the summer wooden bat Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League. The Big Train, named the best summer college baseball team in the nation in 2011, is an eight time Ripken League champion. Sixteen Big Train alumni have made it to the major leagues.
The Big Train Return to Play Plan provides for 250 fans to sit in pods of two, three, and four -- socially distanced from other pods of fans. All fans will be masked except while eating or drinking in the picnic pavilion or in their assigned seating pod.
With the support of The Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation, the Big Train will honor a different group of 25 Community Heroes with free tickets at every game this season. “The nurses, community nonprofits, first responders, doctors, grocery store clerks, educators, and delivery personnel who have heroically helped our community through these challenging times deserve a night of fun,” explained Adams.
Adams thanked the leaders of the Ripken League and the members of the Covid-19 task force that produced the Big Train’s 27-page Return to Play Plan, especially BCBBC Vice President Eric Cole, Director of Baseball Operations and Manager Sal Colangelo, and General Manager Chris Rogers.
“Special thanks to Community Radiology Associates and Gelberg Signs for providing the resources we need to make sure we have the signage, protective equipment, sanitizers, and ballpark modifications necessary to protect our fans, players, staff, and volunteers this summer,” said Adams.
Information about buying tickets, scheduling picnics, and sponsoring games will be posted on the Big Train website shortly at www.bigtrain.org.
