Crusher is the "Cracker-Cat." Large, blue and looking nearly exactly like the various logos used by the team. Like his mascot bretheren he can be found walking around the ballpark leading cheers, greeting fans and on the field helping out with different promotions.
Telus Field was built for the Edmonton Trappers of the PCL in 1995. They played there through 2005 when that franchise relocated to a more "southerly" location in the U.S. For the Cracker-Cats inaugural season there were remained lots of signs and memories of the Trappers. Some, such as the dedication plaques and maybe the etched glass windows (with Trappers logos) will likely remain as long as the ballpark stands. Others, like the numerous posters of MLB players who spent time playing for the Trappers may remain only for a limited time.
The posters of the former Trappers include a lot of famous names such as Ron Kittle and Tim Salmon. For many baseball fans these may warrant a short walk around the concourses to see some of the history of baseball played in Edmonton. More Edmonton baseball history can be found in the Home Plate Club where there are many photos of historic Edmonton baseball and a few trophies.
The ballpark itself is quite attractive with large arched windows along the indoor concourse that easily provide significant shelter during inclement weather. The only missing ingredients are minor things like cup holders and concession stands at the top of the concourses instead of "inside." Of course the latter is more of a benefit since it (probaly) provides a somewhat warm retreat on cold nights in the Northern League's northernmost city.
With all the history of quality AAA baseball played in Edmonton the transition to the independent Northern League was seen by many as a major step down.What fans did show up the first year could not help but compare the Cracker-Cats to the Trappers. Unlikes in Calgary where professional baseball was gone for several years, the transition was all the more obvious (and painful) since there was no such transition. The fact that the ballpark was only 10 years old when the Trappers left didn't help relations betwenn the community and baseball.
Still there are many baseball fans in Edmonton but the crowds at Cracker-Cat games during their inaugural season tended to be small. The small turnouts are made all the more obvious when played in a AAA facility designed to have seats for 9000 people. As is the case in Calgary, the team had to overcome some unique problems during their first season but should improve attendance in the future..