Jan. 31, 2011
Scott ReissCSNBayArea.com
Thepush to save five Cal varsity teams,including baseball and rugby, advanced Monday as the supposed deadline to eliminate them loomed.
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Monday was reportedly the university'sdeadline for a final decision on those sports but a source close tothe situation told CSNBayArea.com there will be a "few days reprieve" amidst hopes that the effort could be met by a positive report from the UC Berkeley Chancellor. The Save Cal Sports group reportedly has raised16 million in an effort to save the five teams -- baseball, rugby, men's and women's gymnastics and women's lacrosse.
Comcast SportsNet Bay Area was provided a copy of the most recent email from the Save the Cal Baseball committee, which is reaching out for more pledges. According to Save Cal Sports' Web site, the University and the Chancellor's office "have stated that the number for reinstatement of all five programs is 25 million."
The following is correspondence from the Save Cal Baseball committee obtained by CSNBayArea.com:
Cal Baseballers: I know many of you are anxious to know the latest status of our Cal Baseball Program after the recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle. Here is what I have for you after my conversation with Doug Nickle.
News
1st of all. Monday is NOT the drop dead date for the decision on the fate of Cal Baseball. Nextweek will begin further talk and evaluation as to where we are in our fundraising efforts to save the program. There will be verification of the funds that have been pledged to our cause and then analysis of how close we are to meeting the financial demands that the Chancellor and AD feel that we have meet in order to sustain the Program. At the end of the week we hope to have a better idea of howmuch further we have to go or whether we have done enough, at this point, to gain reinstatement.
Nothing is engraved in stone but we are close enough to meeting their number to where it issafe to say that if you are sitting on the sidelines waiting to see what will happen next or what will happen with Sandy Barbour or what will happen with Dave Esquer---GET OFF THE SIDELINES AND STEP UP WITH YOUR PLEDGE!. That may just be enough to push us over in their eyes.I know the process the University is making us go through may not sit well with many of you.But, after many hours of meetings and communication with the Chancellors Office and the AD by the committee members representing OUR Program they feel that the positive approach that is beingtaken is the best way to achieve our 1st and most important goalThe Reinstatement of Cal Baseball. The other concerns that you may have is something to be addressed after we get Cal Baseball back. The University is as attentive as they have ever been.I know that everyone feels a great deal of frustration as to how long this has taken and the way we have seemingly been strung out. But I urge you to not wait to be a part of the immediate solution,which is by you financial pledge to Save Cal Baseball.