In his cover story today in the Weekend section of the Erie Times-News, veteran reporter Dave Richards writes with gusto about a subject dear to many newspaper readers' hearts in this region -- baseball.

Richards' story describes a new exhibit at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland called "Baseball as America." It features hundreds of items -- uniforms, bats, balls, gloves and other articfacts from the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y. It will remain on display through September.

The timing couldn't be better, because, with the arrival of spring, a lot of people in Erie are thinking about baseball. As the major league teams break camp in Florida, Ron Leonardi, a Times-News sportswriter, is on the scene covering the players who will likely make up the roster of the Erie SeaWolves this summer.

The SeaWolves, a Class AA Eastern League affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, will journey north next week to being preparations for the home opener in Erie on April 5. This year's opener at Jerry Uht Park marks a significant milestone, as a new $3 million addition to the 12-year-old ballpark will be unveiled.

Progress of that story has been a staple on the news and sports pages of the Times-News for the past three years. More than $4 million in improvements at the ballpark are being funded by an Erie County bond issue. A hot political debate in the community preceded the approval of the funds.

It's all been reported and, in some cases, re-reported in the Times-News. Baseball, it seems, is a never-ending saga. But the SeaWolves regularly attract more than 300,000 fans every spring and summer.

As Erie emerges from another hard winter, the spring looks inviting, and so does the promise of another baseball season. Just keep your eye on the Times-News sports, news and features pages for all the details. And, of course, keep your eye on the ball.

-- Kevin Cuneo

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