09/23/2004 2:01 PM - KANSAS CITY – Coming off a season which saw them win the second-half Southern Division title in only their second year of existence, the Kansas City T-Bones released their 2005 schedule on Thursday. The 2005 season, which once again will feature 96 games, will also welcome two expansion teams in Alberta, Canada, as well as a slightly realigned league.

The T-Bones will open their season on Friday, May 20, when they welcome the yet to be named expansion team from Edmonton to CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The season will begin with three games against the Northern Division newcomers and then see the T-Bones hit the road for a seven-game trip.

The realignment of the Southern Division doesn’t bring wholesale changes to the league, which now has two divisions of six teams each. The Southern Division, of which the T-Bones are a part, also features three Chicago-area teams (Gary, Schaumburg, and Joliet), I-29 rival Lincoln, and 2004 Northern League champions St. Paul, who move down from the Northern Division.

With the expansion to Edmonton and Calgary, the league has adopted an unbalanced schedule. This means that the T-Bones will play just 31 games against Northern Division rivals while going up against Southern Division clubs for 65 contests. As well, the T-Bones will make a trip to Winnipeg without hosting the Goldeyes, and welcome the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks without heading up to Newman Outdoor Field.

The home schedule features two homestands of over nine games, with one from May 31 to June 8 and the other from August 12 to August 22. The T-Bones will complete their home regular season on August 28 before ending the regular season with six games in Alberta.

Specific game times, promotions, and ticket packages will be devised during the off-season. “We enjoyed having a couple of day games last season,” remarked T-Bones Vice President and General Manager Rick Muntean. “We’re looking forward to a few more of those this season as well as the promotions that our fans have grown accustomed to as a part of the overall family entertainment package at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.”

For more information about season ticket packages as well as groups and suite rental availability, please call the T-Bones at 913-328-BALL, or visit www.tbonesbaseball.com. The Kansas City T-Bones… Fun, Well Done!

Click here to view the 2005 schedule.

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