There's nothing more American than apple pie and baseball.
Well, for apple pie, you could sample one of the many restaurants in the area that offer it, often times homemade. But for baseball, there's none other than the Jamestown Jammers to help get you through the long summer.
Jamestown has had a minor league baseball team in the New York-Penn League since 1939. The ''Jammers'' were founded in 1994, one year after the Jamestown Expos relocated to Vermont and the Niagara Falls Rapids relocated to Jamestown. Fans were given the chance to vote on a new name. The ''Jammers'' won out against Lucys, Lakers, Furniture Makers, Muskies, Steamers and All-Americans.
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The area’s own minor league baseball team, the Jamestown Jammers play 78 games throughout the 83-day season. Games usually produce a crowd anywhere from 500 to 2,600 people.
The Tasmanian devil character that was the original Jammers logo was replaced with the current grape logo in 2006 because of the constant question of ''what is a Jammer?'' The grape theme represents the strong grape growing and wine tradition in Chautauqua County.
The team plays 78 games throughout the 83-day season according to George Sisson, assistant general manager of the Jamestown Jammers. ''These guys are coming from some of the top college baseball programs in the country. ... All these guys are drafted... and all they do is play baseball,'' Sisson said.
''When people are coming down here, they're watching some of the best young professional prospects in the business.''
The games usually produce a crowd anywhere from 500 to 2,600 people, according to Sisson. Souvenirs - including hats, apparel T-shirts, jackets, sweatshirts, logo baseballs, bobble heads, pens and replica jerseys - are available at every game along with a full snack bar.
Another great sporting event to attend in the area is a race. Between Stateline Speedway in Busti and Little Valley Speedway in Little Valley, you're sure to find a race that's convenient for you.
Stateline first opened in July 1956. Just two years later, a primitive NASCAR race was held at the -mile dirt track. Though several key NASCAR drivers failed to show up to the race that day, it was an event to go down in the history books for Stateline.
Today, Stateline hosts races for seven categories of racers - super late, challenger, cadet, sportsman, E-mod, spectator and lady challenger. The track operates Saturdays, April through September, with gates open at 5:30 p.m. and races beginning at 7 p.m.
The Little Valley Speedway is a -mile track and is part of the Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds. Visitors may watch races there from the end of May until September.
Racing classes include late models, super late models, super stocks, street stocks, sprint cars and modified cars. Four demolition derbies are also held at the track each year. Three of the demolition derbies will be held during the Cattaraugus County Fair in early August.