There's a buzz around town about a potential baseball stadium for Marshall.

Again.

We all have been there, buzzed that before.

But who knows?

Maybe this time it won't fizzle like the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District offering the Veterans Memorial Field House property.

Maybe this time it won't be contaminated like the CSX property scenario.

Maybe this time it will have more of a prayer than the 20th Street Baptist church property plan that eventually became Marshall's new student recreation center.

Maybe this time it won't disappear off the architect's rendering like the Edwards Stadium plans that included a baseball field where the current Marshall soccer field is located.

Maybe this time it won't sputter and die like the ACF and BASF properties plan.

Let's hope so.

This time the plans for a long-needed baseball stadium involve Kinetic Park, the city of Huntington and an entrepreneur, who reportedly owns businesses in New Jersey and Florida.

A Marshall Dugout Club booster group meeting was held last week, which included Herd interim athletic director David Steele in attendance. The Marshall president's office as well as incoming athletic director Mike Hamrick reportedly were apprised of the meeting.

Then, last Friday (Aug. 14), Marshall head baseball coach Jeff Waggoner accompanied the entrepreneur to the Mitch Stadium press box, during the Warner Robins (Ga.) 6-3 victory over Chantilly (Va.), in the 11-12 year-old Little League Baseball Southeastern Region championship game televised by ESPN.

The lead investor appears to be very serious.

He reportedly has been very successful in the aerospace industry and considers it a shame that a Conference USA school such as Marshall doesn't have its own baseball stadium.

Of course, he also has a vested interest. Apparently, the entrepreneur's son is joining Marshall's baseball program.

That's one reason he reportedly has offered to put up $1 million of his own money to get the project started.

Don't mistake that for charity, however.

The lead investor has made it clear that he expects to make money from this venture. There also are reports that he plans to relocate one or more of his businesses in Kinetic Park.

If all this comes to fruition it would be a win-win scenario for both Marshall and Huntington.

Marshall could get the baseball stadium it has needed for so very long and the city could get a short-season minor league team to augment the quality of life in Huntington.

And best of all -- from both Marshall and the city's stand-point -- the project is based solely on private donations.

Will it happen?

It's difficult to take anything more than a wait-and-see attitude, considering the many, many past plans and the many, many past disappointments.

Yet, some key sources are talking about the possibility of a formal announcement as early as this week.

Talk about creating a buzz.

If that were to happen, it would be the talk of the town, the talk of the Tri-State and the talk of the entire Herd universe.

But just for luck, just to be safe. ... I recommend turning your ball caps inside out.

If ever a situation could use that, it's the long-awaited, much debated Marshall baseball stadium issue.

"Rally caps," indeed.

Chuck Landon is a sports columnist for The Herald-Dispatch. Call him at 304-526-2827. e-mail him at clandon@herald-dispatch.com.

National Video