Quincy Gems Baseball Reports 23K Loss for 2012

The Quincy Gems summer collegiate baseball team in the Prospect League reported a loss of over $23,000 for the past summer.  General manager Rob Ebbing stated gate receipts were $16,000 below budget projections and beer, picnic, and catering revenues were also down.  Ebbing claims the weather played a significant role in the short falls.

Quincy Civic Center authority chairman Hubert Staff has had concerns in the past and still has concern but states "i'm not suggesting at this time that we will discontinue", and "i'm sure we will be making a recommendation in the near future."

The Gems have been around since 1996 as a collegiate summer team and participated in the Central Illinois Collegiate League from 1996-2008.  In 2008 the Prospect League absorbed the Central Illinois Collegiate League and the Gems have participated in the Prospect League since.

Other summer Illinois collegiate teams have had financial issues in 2012 include the two teams owned by Jamie Toole, the Will County CrackerJacks and the Illinois Lincolns.  The two teams were kicked out of the Midwest Collegiate League for failure to pay anybody, including umpires.