Griffin Park Has a Nice Ring

Count me among those who think re-naming Dunn Tire Park to Griffin Park is a fitting and proper memorial to Buffalo's late mayor. There was no greater supporter of baseball in Buffalo than Jimmy Griffin. He played a key role in bringing professional baseball back to Buffalo in 1979, after a long drought when the original Buffalo Bisons left in the early 1970s. Griffin, of course, was a major force behind the downtown ballpark push in the 1980s. Long time observers reminded me today that Griffin originally wanted a grandiose downtown domed stadium to impress Major League Baseball, back when expansion was on baseball's front burner. He eventually agreed to push for a scaled back model with 19,500 seats, a stadium that had the capacity for installation of an upper deck, should Buffalo ever get a big league franchise. As mayor, Griffin pushed constantly for stadium construction and was the greatest booster the remarkable ballpark ever had.
I count April 14th, 1988, as one of the great days in Buffalo sports history. It was opening day at the downtown ballpark and Griffin threw out the first pitch. Back then, I broadcast Bison baseball for WBEN Radio with Pete Weber, and Mayor Griffin was as loyal a fan as the team ever had. He would sit in his first row seats in the upper deck, just to the right of the broadcast booth, and take his turn fielding the foul pop ups that came back his way. Jimmy Griffin found a home in the ballpark and understood the pace and nuances of the game.
I know there are financial considerations involved in forgoing the naming rights fee currently collected from Dunn Tire. Perhaps the rent charged to the Bisons should be adjusted to account for the shortfall, since the city and county take care of all maintenance and upkeep at the stadium.
But without much delay, the ballpark should be named for Mayor Griffin, in recognition of his leadership role in bringing professional baseball back to Buffalo, and enhancing the baseball experience in Western New York for generations.

Let us know what you think--should Dunn Tire Park be re-named Griffin Park?