The Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League announced Saturday that there will be no Shelter Island Bucks baseball this summer, due to difficulty finding housing for players.
“It comes with deep sadness that we have to announce that the HCBL will not be able field a team in Shelter Island this year due to the inability and difficulty to find housing,” said HCBL President Sandi Kruel in a text message. “We look forward to a season this year and hope to see the Bucks back next year.”
Bucks management has been working since early this year to secure housing, with limited success. General Manager Brian Cass said Saturday he had three beds, but needed 30 — 27 for players and three for coaches.
“I want to thank everybody that’s been a part of this so far,” Cass said, singling out for special appreciation Frank Emmett, Frank Vecchio, Ebeth Lones, Adam Bundy, Julie O’Shea, Charles Hart and Dave Gurney.
Housing for players has traditionally been provided by host families, including some who have welcomed players for many years, but with COVID-19 still a concern, it’s been difficult to find willing hosts.
Cass said that efforts to provide group housing — for example, at Stony Brook’s Southampton campus — fell through. He received pledges of $15,000 from donors (who choose to remain anonymous) toward local rental housing, but was unable to find suitable lodgings.
“There were donors willing to lay out the funds but we just couldn’t come up with anything,” Cass said, adding, “I don’t blame anyone for not wanting to house this year.”
The season last year was cancelled due to COVID-19; it is unclear whether the other six teams will be able to secure sufficient housing for their teams.
Cass said he and other volunteers will work toward resuming the popular program in 2022. “But people need to seriously think about housing in 2022,” he said. “If we don’t get housing next season, the Bucks will be finished.”
“I don’t think the community wants to see this go away,” Cass said, noting that up until late this week, local businesses were buying ads and field banners, and signing up to provide post-game meals for players.
“We are very lucky to have a community that’s willing to give even though we can’t give back.”
