Boston College Baseball Ends Fall Ball, Cancels Fall World Series

The Boston College baseball team ended its fall practice schedule this week. But the annual rite of passage and indoctrination of new Eagles was cut short with the cancellation of the Sonny Nicktakis World Series due to a rash of injuries befalling the BC team.

The athletic department had no direct comment on who was injured or the nature of the injuries, citing HIPAA laws as their reason. Boston College cannot confirm or deny the existence of injuries on players without the players granting permission for the release of medical information. But the department did confirm that the Eagles did not have any serious injuries that will threaten any players' availability for the start of the 2014 season in late winter.

While the cancellation of the series due to injury is alarming, it is, of course, done as a precaution in the gloomy autumn weather. The best-of-three intrasquad series would have been played in the morning hours under the cold, raising an alarm for the likelihood of further injuries or the aggravation of current conditions.

The fall ball World Series is named in honor of Sonny Nictakis, a former Eagle and teammate of current manager Mike Gambino. A two-time captain and and 1999 graduate of Boston College, Nictakis passed away in 2000 after a battle with Hodgkins' disease that lasted over seven years. In 2011, Boston College began a tradition of giving one player the honor of wearing Nictakis' number eight, honoring a player with strong leadership and relentless work ethic. The number is reflective of football's tradition of giving one player the #31 worn by Jay McGillis for senior day.

The team has not yet announced who will wear the Nictakis #8 this season.

Boston College will resume baseball practice in January under the Bubble at Alumni Stadium. They will host their annual Baseball Night on January 22nd at Fenway Park's State Street Pavilion. The event, which serves as the program's largest fund raiser, will feature Boston Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington as the featured speaker.