As announced Tuesday by League President Gary Haase, the 2020 Dunkirk Little League baseball and softball seasons have been officially cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Submitted Photo.

Dunkirk Little League is the latest in a long list of cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday, the decision to cancel the 2020 season was finalized and made official.

“It is with great sadness that we have to report that the Dunkirk Little League board of directors has voted to cancel the 2020 baseball and softball season due the coronavirus,” said League President Gary Haase. “While this was not a easy decision to make, we feel that it was the right decision to make at this time for the safety of our kids and the many spectators that come and watch. While there are still many unknowns about the virus we feel that there would be no way to safely play and make it fun for the kids.”

The league still will be holding its annual lottery calendar fundraiser. Moving forward, the league will be contacting every parent that had registered their child or children to offer them a refund, a credit for the 2021 season or the purchase of the lottery calendar fundraiser. These phone calls will be coming from a league representative in the coming weeks. All sign and team sponsors will be contacted by mail.

“I wish to thank all of the parents for their patience as they waited on a decision,” said Haase. “The board felt that with recreation being in Phase 4, we would not be able to start until sometime in July.”

If anyone has any questions, or would like to contribute to the fundraiser, they are urged to call Gary Haase at 679-6929 or email gry–haase@yahoo.com.

Elsewhere, the Fredonia Little League Board of Directors will meet later this week to discuss their options. As shared by the Facebook page, Fredonia still has the option to hold a shortened season if they are given the green light from the state to begin in early June. If not, according to the Facebook page: “If the season were not able to begin until July, we would be forced to cancel the regular (spring) season. In this case, participants would have the option to have registration fees refunded in full or used toward the 2021 regular (spring) season.”

Fredonia Little League President Tim Cowan said, “We have been maintaining the complex so we would be prepared as soon as we’re allowed to play.”

Cowan said the board will discuss whether to cancel season or play prorated season this week, but that a decision may not come during the meeting. If the spring season is forced to be cancelled, Fredonia’s Fall Ball season in August and September could still be in play.