Baseball league in search of a field
By NICK JOHNSON
Published January 24, 2007
Burg Baseball. It's the name Mike Fintak chose for his new league.
The league is for kids from 6 to 8 years old and their parents, who want a more competitive environment than Little League offers.
"Burg" is short for St. Petersburg and more specifically for Midtown and the southeast quadrant of the city where Fintak and his partner Charles Castle have been recruiting players.
There's only one thing standing in the way for Fintak and his league: a home field. Although practices have started and games are scheduled to begin in March, they still don't have a field to play on.
"There's a need for competitive baseball here on the south side. I'm trying to do what I can to provide it," Castle said.
More than 40 kids have signed up and are practicing on Saturdays at the fields behind Lakewood High School at 12th Street S. Those four fields are used by Bay Point Little League, whose season starts in February.
Bay Point practices and hosts games at 5801 12th St. S and has first rights to the fields through a contract with the city.
Fintak and Castle brought this issue to the Bay Point Little League board at a recent meeting. The league would be unable to give up the time for Burg Baseball's games before Bay Point completes registration, said Bob Henry, president of Bay Point's board.
Before Burg Baseball, Bay Point was the only league available for kids in southeast St. Petersburg. If parents wanted an alternative, they were often forced to into an AAU league as far away as Fossil Park or Seminole.
Fintak is optimistic that Burg Baseball will get to play on one of the fields.
Sue Tegarden, an athletic supervisor for St. Petersburg, who has been working with Fintak and Bay Point, is also confident that the issue will be resolved.
More information
Burg Baseball
For more information on Burg Baseball, Mike Fintak can be contacted at 727-866-6578 or via e-mail at stpetecane@aol.com