ONEONTA – State Senator James L. Seward (R-Oneonta) yesterday announced that he has pitched legislation that would designate baseball as New York's official state sport.

Per a media release from Senator Seward's office, the legislation was crafted after the Senator received an appeal from Anne Reis' fourth grade class at Cooperstown Elementary School that pointed out the state has yet to designate an official sport.

“While studying New York State government and state symbols, the students realized that we lack a state sport,” said Reis.

“They immediately decided that baseball would be the perfect fit to fill the void and set to work building a strong case to present to Senator Seward,” Reis said. “Learning that legislation has been introduced based on their work is extremely rewarding and exciting.”

New York State currently has an official gemstone (garnet), fossil (sea scorpion), slogan ('I love New York'), bush (lilac), salt-water fish (striped bass), insect (ladybug), snack (yogurt), tree (sugar maple), and reptile (snapping turtle) to name a few, but has yet to recognize an official state sport.

Consequently, Senator Seward has taken it upon himself to put legislation in place that would fill that void.

“Baseball is known as our national pastime, but the game has deep roots and a rich history here in New York State,” said Senator Seward.

“From the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in storied Cooperstown, to the Mets and Yankees – the pinnacles of Major League Baseball, to our recently crowned Little League World Series champions from Maine-Endwell,” said Senator Seward. “New York State is clearly the epicenter of baseball greatness. It is time that we formally recognize baseball as our official state sport.”