That Jose Mercedes pitched a complete game two-hitter for the Kane Cougars Monday in their 2-0 victory over the Rockford Expos was very good news to him.
But even better news to the Cougar organization was that the 5,726 fans at the game in Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva pushed the ballclub`s season attendance to record levels.
The club has drawn 245,557 in its first 57 Midwest League dates this year, snapping the league attendance record of 242,322 set last year by Quad City, based in Davenport, Iowa. With 13 home dates remaining before the season ends Sept. 3, general manager Bill Larsen said the club is on target to pass 300,000 for the season.
The Cougars, who drew 240,290 fans last year in their first season, led all Class A clubs in attendance, and would be second to Charlotte, N.C., in Class AA, Larsen said.
Even though the ballclub has languished below .500 on the field, Larsen credited the front office staff with maintaining enthusiasm after last year`s success.
The Cougars, who made the league playoffs in 1991, finished sixth in the seven-team Northern Division during the 1992 season`s first half and are currently in fourth place during the second half.
”All the factors would indicate that the second year shouldn`t be like this,” Larsen said. ”It would have been easy to slack off the second year. People have recognized how hard we`re trying day in and day out.”
Kane County ranks 15th in attendance among all 175 minor league franchises, prompting Larsen to call for further expansion of the 4,800-seat stadium.
The Kane County Forest Preserve Commission, the stadium`s owners, authorized installing 1,200 permanent seats down the right field line after last year`s successful premier season. Now Larsen hopes to fill in the left-field line with bleachers.
”Obviously it`s a lot more comfortable sitting in a seat than on grass,” Larsen said.
