By Steve Kemme
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - Even though the Frontier League team that will play in Hamilton this summer belongs to Florence, a lot of people think it will score big.

"People in this area love baseball enough that they will support it," said Lynn Kincaid, Butler County's chief deputy auditor and former president of a local Little League.

Because the new baseball stadium in Florence won't be ready for this season, the team's owners reached an agreement with Hamilton allowing the team to play this year at city-owned Foundation Field, the home field of the Miami University Hamilton campus' baseball team.

In exchange, the Florence ownership group, called Northern Kentucky Professional Baseball, will waive its league territorial rights for Hamilton. That opens the possibility that Hamilton could be awarded a Frontier League team of its own, beginning play in 2005.

Hamilton and Butler County officials are working with a group of potential investors to draw a Frontier League team and build a stadium.

Before the Florence team opens its season June 3, 2,000 seats must be added at Foundation Field, which now seats 350. The new seats, more fencing and a tarpaulin will cost $35,000 to $50,000, said Hamilton Councilman Richard Holzberger.

It's likely that the city, the Florence team's owners and the Hamilton investors will split the expense, he said.

Kincaid and others said watching Florence's team at Foundation Field in Hamilton this season will be a welcome alternative to driving all the way to Cincinnati and paying top dollar to see a Reds game.

"A person on an average wage cannot take their family to a Reds game without spending a small fortune," Kincaid said. "This is a good thing for Hamilton."

"I'm planning on going to the games," said John Ross, athletic director for the Hamilton School District. "It's good, clean fun. All the talk I have heard about the team playing in Hamilton is very positive."

Adolf Olivas, former Hamilton mayor and a former fast-pitch softball coach, said he thinks the Florence team's games will be well-attended at Foundation Field.

"I think there probably will be a decent amount of interest because of the novelty of it," he said. "We'll draw some Northern Kentucky people who want to see their team. I think this season, the odds are stacked for success."

E-mail skemme@enquirer.com