St. Joseph News-Press

Blacksnakes player Caleb Balbuena looks toward the sky as thunder and lightning threaten a late-season game at Phil Welch Stadium.

The return of professional baseball to St. Joseph ended nearly as abruptly as it began.

With no fanfare after the St. Joe Blacksnakes closed out a dismal second season both on the field and in the grandstand, most evidence of the independent minor league baseball team was quickly swept from Phil Welch Stadium. That left city officials and fans alike wondering about the club’s future.

The City Council pressed the issue less than two months after the end of the season, notifying team owners that it intended to terminate the lease because of alleged violations of the contract, including leaving the gates unlocked and lack of field maintenance.

“I don’t think they’re coming back anyway,” Councilman Bill Falkner said at the time.

Mr. Falkner, chairman of the council’s parks committee, was right. On Nov. 13, Blacksnakes managing general partner Mark Schuster informed the city that the team would not return for 2008.

“It’s a sad day for the ownership group of the Blacksnakes, who have invested a lot of money in bringing the team to St. Joe,” Mr. Schuster said.

The team, which never drew fans as expected, drastically cut payroll in 2007 and still lost money. Nearly every veteran player was sold or traded, leaving a roster of low-priced and overmatched rookies to compete against the other American Association teams.

Attempts were made to sell the team, with Kansas City-area restaurant owner Dan Gerson expressing an interest. Mr. Gerson met with city officials on possible stadium improvements to help make the club a viable minor league venue, but ultimately he opted not to purchase the club.

“We’re disappointed it didn’t work out, obviously,” league commissioner Miles Wolff said. “Everybody was very hopeful St. Joe would be very good for us, but it didn’t draw enough fans. We never even had that little honeymoon, where you could draw 2,000 or 3,000 fans.”