A seat for the missing: The Larks honor prisoners of war with a new seat

BISMARCK, ND ( KXNET ) — At the Bismarck Municipal Ballpark, a dark, black seat sits taped off from the rest of the silver bleachers.

No one can sit there because that seat is reserved for those who never made it home but still remain alive today — the prisoners of war and the missing in action.

Following the tradition of the MLB and NFL, the Bismarck Larks installed a POW-MIA seat in the ballpark in late May, first debuting the dedication during their opening game.

Sponsored by H.A. Thompson & Sons, the seat is just one of the many ways the Bismarck Larks honors America’s heroes, with the team also doing military salutes and announcing North Dakota service members missing in action during games.

“We want someone to realize,” says Bismarck Larks Director of Entertainment and Community Relations Anthony Spooner, “that when they look at this seat that yes, it could be a completely full night at the ballpark, a complete sell-out, the most raucous crowd we’ve ever had. But there’s also a reason why we’re able to do this so freely and so openly and just have an amazing night at the ballpark and that’s because of the great sacrifice of those who have fought for this nation.”

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, more than 80,000 American service members have gone missing in action. Of those 80,000, 38,000 of them are recoverable.

But the department notes that repatriation is a difficult process, often confused by time-intensive identification measures and sensitive diplomacy.

Still, for the families of loved ones who go missing or who are imprisoned, they live in a constant state of worry, confusion, and grief for those who are not entirely gone but not entirely there. And for those families, this seat is a symbol of solace, showing that even though their family members are gone, they’re not forgotten.

“It’s a really nice moment to be able to take that opportunity to recognize those who have given so much for this country,” says Spooner, “and really, we’ve only heard positive feedback about it from folks, who say they really enjoy the opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices they’ve made.”

What’s more, the seat also honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can enjoy such freedoms as America’s favorite pastime.

But for Spooner, who served as a military musician, the seat holds special importance.

“It’s just something that’s so special to me personally,” says Spooner, “that we’re able to recognize the sacrifices of those who left the United States to defend it and protect freedom and weren’t ever able to return back to the United States.”

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