Windy City ThunderBolts Waiting To Hear If Season Can Be Salvaged

CRESTWOOD, IL — After many months of COVID-19, Major League Baseball isn’t the only thing on hold this summer. The Windy City ThunderBolts are also waiting to hear if they can scrape together a season in 2020.

A typical home game at Ozinga Field in Crestwood is chock-full of promotions and lots of fan-interactive action, including character nights, fireworks, jump roping competitions, battle of the sexes, dirty car contests and post-game professional wrestling, in between innings of a professional baseball game. The ThunderBolts play in the Frontier League, an independent professional baseball league that includes the area rival Joliet Slammers, as well as teams throughout the Midwest and Eastern United States, and Canada.

The Frontier League is expected to make an announcement this week if the season can be salvaged.

“We’re obviously still hoping for a season,” ThunderBolts GM Mike Verschave said. “It’s not looking good. Time is not on our side.”

When Illinois enters phase 4 of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan on June 29, outdoor seated spectator events can resume with no more than 20 percent of seating capacity. Concessions are permitted to be sold with restrictions. Ozinga Field, home of the ThunderBolts, seats 3,200 and is the smallest park in the league, so there is no realistic way to get a significant number of fans in the park.

“Since there are teams in so many regions, everyone is in a different phase of reopening,” said Terry Bonadonna, media relations director for the ThunderBolts. “The Canadian teams [Quebec Capitales and Trois Rivieres Aigles] have already been ruled out of play this year because the border is closed.”

While the team’s administration office has remained intact, but with no games 150 players, coaches and seasonal employees, including ticket takers, concession workers and vendors, aren’t needed. The Village of Crestwood’s July 3 “Sparks In The Park” fireworks display, as well as team tryouts and the dozens of charitable organization fundraisers scheduled for 2020 have been scrapped.

“Naturally it's better to have a season than not have one,” Verschave said. “ We’re not unique, everyone is hurting, and our world is not the same. When its all over you just hope you've done the best you could.

To get through Phase 3, the Windy City ThunderBolts have been renting out Ozinga Field for workouts and practice to college and high school teams.

“At the very least we know we’ll be able to have travel baseball and softball teams, and community games,” Verschave said. “Those games we’re okay with the spectator rules, since they attract only parents.”

For rates and availability, email Mike VerSchave at [email protected] or call 708-489-2255. Organizations and teams interested in renting Ozinga Field should Regulation's Guide for specific information regarding activities allowed, attendance, field regulations, and participation/spectator safety (face coverings and social distancing).