The Pony Express lasted barely a year. That’s what St. Joseph considers a business success — so much so that the community continues to hang its cowboy hat on its lightning-brief Old West adventure 140-plus years later.

The St. Joseph Mustangs might want to keep that in mind as they try to re-establish summer baseball at Phil Welch Stadium. If longevity is a goal, this city sometimes proves harder to court than a Louisa May Alcott heroine.

The Mustangs follow in the footsteps of the failed St. Joe Blacksnakes, an unaffiliated independent minor league team that gave up on Phil Welch Stadium in 2007 after just two years of play. Prior to the Blacksnakes, the nonprofit St. Joseph Saints — a college wood-bat league — built a generally successful summer following for about a decade.

The Mustangs open MINK League play tonight in Nevada, Mo., and the team returns home Friday to the upgraded Phil Welch Stadium for a 7 p.m. tilt against Chillicothe.

As it gets started, the organization needs to understand the community if it hopes to establish itself. This brings to mind a few people who have originated successful entertainment outlets in St. Joseph — and each leader offered a thought or two of advice for the fledgling sports venture.

Karen Graves, one of the founders of the annual Trails West! summer festival: “The minute people step out of the car and onto the curb, they want all of their senses to be satisfied. They want to smell the barbecue and the popcorn, hear the music and the game play by play; they want to see the banners flying. All the senses need to be engaged. This is what they should try to create every night.”

Graves made the point that even Major League baseball isn’t just about the baseball anymore. It needs to be focused on whole-family entertainment, with plenty of different activities, party decks for groups, event nights and other festivities.

“People really are looking for a less expensive entertainment option in this economic environment,” Graves said. “If they can engage the whole family in an affordable way, then I think they can be successful.”

Linden Black, one of the founders of the St. Joseph Saints: “Make this team St. Joe’s team. Give the fans ownership. For instance, at the end of every game, have the team be accessible to the fans for at least 30 minutes, signing autographs and just talking to people.”

Black said that this is one area of the Blacksnakes’ biggest failures. They didn’t reach out enough to the fans, and they didn’t focus on keeping their product affordable.

Rob Calloway, local boxer, gym owner and sports promoter: “I think they need local ties. They need to recruit local kids and showcase them. They’ve already got a few, like (Benton High School star) Johnny Coy. Then get the players out in the community and get them involved. That means such a great deal to these young kids to see these successful athletes showing an interest in them. They’re like heroes.”

It’s just another way to create connections and keep expanding the organization’s foundation — while also helping out the community — Calloway pointed out.

Robert Boudreau, owner/operator of Boudreaux’s Louisiana Seafood & Steaks restaurant: “Start with quality, and don’t change things. Consistency is your key to anything.”

This is another area that challenged the Blacksnakes and frustrated their fans. The team occasionally ran out of hot dogs and other popular items before the first inning even finished. Sometimes the concession stands just randomly closed. And, in its second year, the quality of the team itself disappeared quicker than the average swine flu panic.

Tom Smith, the ever-succinct men’s basketball coach at Missouri Western: “Win.”

The Blacksnakes in their inaugural year proved a surprise and contended down the stretch. They drew better-than-expected crowds. The next year they slashed payroll and started the season with a 12-game losing streak. Attendance plummeted.

“If they’re successful from day one,” Smith said, “they’ll be supported.”

Some of the advice is simple. Some is a little more complicated.

But the team already has a head start. Renovations at Phil Welch Stadium added a party deck and hospitality area. They also shortened the outfield to make home runs more likely (adding a little excitement to the game). Ticket and concession prices stand significantly lower than the Blacksnakes’ era.

But it all boils down to one thing. The Mustangs must care.

The Blacksnakes generally seemed to harbor little interest in St. Joseph, no respect for Phil Welch Stadium and were bewildered about how to achieve any sort of excellence.

The Blacksnakes didn’t care. The Mustangs must.

Sports Editor Scott Pummell can be reached at scottp@npgco.com