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4:42:51 AM |
The Online Magazine FOR and ABOUT Southside Virginia |
2/27/2021 |
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SoVa Baseball
By Maria Scinto Did you know… Hall-of Fame slugger Rogers Hornsby, who was born in Texas and went on to play for teams in St. Louis, New York, Boston and Chicago, had ancestors who settled in Virginia back in the early 18th century? Yes, he’s a local boy, give or take a few centuries. Hornsby is justly famous for his superb hitting, fielding, and managing skills, but may be best known for having summed up the off-season in the following quote: “People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” If you agree with him, you are no doubt rejoicing that baseball season is here at last,
Perhaps, however, you’re a casual fan or a would-be fan, but you’re wondering who on earth you should root for and how you’re ever going to catch a game, with the nearest MLB teams being the Nationals way up in D.C. or the Braves down in Atlanta. Well, as it so happens, southern Virginia is home to no fewer than five minor league teams. Check out the ones closest to you, and if you see me there, feel free to buy me a beer to thank me for putting you on to your new favorite pastime. Danville Braves The Danville Braves are a minor league affiliate of the
similarly-named Atlanta Major League ball club.
Lynchburg Hillcats The Lynchburg Hillcats are also, as of this year, Braves affiliates, but play at the somewhat more advanced High-A level in the Carolina League against rivals such as the Northern Virginia-based Potomac Nationals. Their ballpark, Calvin Falwell Field, was originally constructed in 1939, and the first teams to grace its diamond were the 1940 Yankees and Dodgers. The 2,000 seat stadium has been refurbished several times over the past 70 years, most recently in 2005. New additions include luxury boxes, seat backs, a state-of-the-art scoreboard and expanded concessions. The season runs from early April through early September, and promotions include $1 Menu Mondays featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, candy, peanuts and Domino's Pizza; Win-Win Wednesdays, where each ticket purchased for a Wednesday game comes with a free ticket for the next Wednesday game, Theme Night Thursdays with dollar drafts and Fireworks Fridays with discount drink specials. Salem Red Sox The Salem Red Sox are, as you’ve probably guessed,
a minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees. Oh wait, April Fools’ Day has already passed. Okay, they’re actually the
high-A affiliate of you-know-who up in Beantown – so why aren’t they located in South Boston, then?
Richmond Flying Squirrels The city of Richmond has long been proud of its baseball stadium, the Diamond, home to the Richmond Braves for some 40 years. While the Braves relocated to Gwinnet, Georgia after the 2008 season, the 9,560-seat Diamond didn’t remain empty for too long. In addition to housing VCU’s baseball team (yes, they’ve got one of those, too), they soon attracted a new franchise, the Eastern League Richmond Flying Squirrels double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Having a world-series champion parent club always adds to a team’s popularity, but the Squirrels, who play from April through early September, also attract fans through numerous promotions. This season’s special events include weeknight fireworks, “Bark in the Park” nights, numerous giveaways and a sure-to-be popular “Tribute to Bacon” sponsored by the Virginia Pork Industry Board and Smithfield Foods. (It’s May 24, mark your calendars.) Norfolk Tides The Norfolk Tides play at the highest level of any minor league
team on this list, competing in the Triple-A International League and affiliated with the Baltimore Orioles. Triple-A baseball can be very
exciting to watch, as the player you see today may well be called up to the majors next week. Players sent down from the bigs on rehab
assignments are also not uncommon. The Tides play at Harbor Park, a 12,067-seat stadium once recognized by Baseball America as the best park
in minor league baseball. While its chair backs and cup holders are no longer rarities in other minor-league parks, they are still a nice
feature, and its harborside location adds to the attraction. If soon-to-be big league players, comfy seats and a water view aren’t enough for
you, there are always baseball card giveaways, Saturday night fireworks, and Thursday lunchtime matinee “Business Special” games.
________________ Maria Scinto has a master's in library and information science from the University of Denver. Her work has appeared in publications including "Northern Virginia Magazine," "The Montgomery County Gazette" and "The Fairfax Times". She has co-authored two books, "The Takeout Cookbook" and "Savvy Convert's Guide to Choosing a Religion." Her favorite subjects are sports, food and the paranormal, and her dream is to eat a hotdog in a haunted ballpark. ________________
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