Sunday, October 26

Welcome to the Baseball Traveler newsletter. It's 10/16 and this, naturally, got me to wondering: Who was the last MLB pitcher to post a single-season win-loss record of 10-16? I’ll provide the answer at the bottom of this newsletter, but for now? Let's do the usual thing. Let's talk about Minor League Baseball.

Synovus Park, the home of the Columbus Clingstones, was one of four new Minor League ballparks to debut in 2025. Or was it?

The Clingstones play in what could perhaps be more accurately described as a massively old ballpark, formerly known as Golden Park. The grandstand and brick archways ringing the concourse remain intact, supplemented by an array of new structures and group areas. It's brand-new and ancient all at once, a merging of the 1920s and 2020s into a singular Minor League experience. 

The Clingstones, Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, moved to Columbus, Ga., after relocating from the Jackson suburb of Pearl (where they were known as the Mississippi Braves). Columbus is Georgia's second-largest city, located in the center of the state's western edge. A Clingstone is a type of peach -- one whose flesh "clings" to the pit -- so it figures that the team utilizes peach as a primary color and even has an all-peach alternate uniform.

Golden Park opened in 1926 and hosted professional baseball from the jump, starting with the Columbus Foxes of the Southeastern League. The last team to play there prior to the Clingstones were the 2008 Columbus Catfish, who then relocated to Bowling Green, Ky., and became the Hot Rods.     

The Legacy Gateway Arches, located on the first-base side of the ballpark, fit in with the ballpark's original architectural aesthetic. They only date to 1996, however, when Golden Park hosted Women's Softball in the Olympics (which were otherwise held in Atlanta, located approximately 100 miles north).

The arches feature photos from various eras of the ballpark's history, paying tribute to legendary local figures like "Goody Goody Peanut Man" Willie Bowman. One sign has a list of baseball notables who played in Columbus, and it is a most formidable array. 

Most fans enter the ballpark through the right-field entrance, making the arches one of the first things they see. The Orchard team store is to the right of the entrance, while further back and to the left is the Aflac Club (a second-level premium area). 

Synovus Park is located just west of the Columbus Civic Center, home of the Lions (Arena League football) and River Dragons (hockey). Parking lots are located in between the two facilities, and (as I accidentally discovered) limited parking on nearby Magnolia tree-lined residential streets is available as well.

The Chattahoochee River, separating Georgia from Alabama, runs along the first-base side of the ballpark. The pathway along the river is part of the 22-mile Columbus Riverwalk, a great way to explore the area on two feet or two wheels.

The concourse behind home plate is bounded by brick archway and concrete wall, with the underside of the seating bowl providing much-needed shade. Here is where I had the greatest sense of being in a classic ballpark, because they don't make 'em like this anymore.

And as regards the "debate" whether this is a new ballpark or a renovated old one, I definitively decided on the former after seeing this steep ramp leading from the concourse to the seating bowl. This vantage point reminded me of several classic ballparks, including Birmingham's Rickwood Field.

The seating bowl structure may be vintage, but the seats are all new.

I talked to several locals about Golden Park and the contrast between those days and the Synovus Park reboot in 2025. Shawnesse Benton, a stadium operations worker who exuded Southern hospitality, first attended games at the ballpark during the Columbus Astros (1970-88) era. That team rebranded as the Columbus Mudcats prior to the 1989 season, and in 1991 moved to Zebulon, N.C., and became the Carolina Mudcats. 

"It's really sentimental to me to see what's happened, because it was nothing like this," she said. "To see it transformed like this has been really amazing."

Meanwhile, on the field, the Clingstones wore their peach-colored uniform tops. These things really pop.

One key Clingstone this season was pitcher Ian Mejia, who went 12-3 with a 2.67 ERA over 131 1/3 innings pitched. He said that he had no idea what a clingstone was prior to the season, but that the name is, "Fitting and catchy, and the colors are awesome."

The anthropomorphic peach on the Clingstones uniform is, of course, a living, breathing ballpark entity. Fuzzy the mascot, a fruit with formidable dance moves, roams Synovus Park all game long.

To sample the peach cobbler and other Clingstone delights, I recruited a Designated Eater with an improbably awesome name: Bear Elder. 

Bear is originally from Conyers, Ga., but moved to Columbus at the age of 8. He attended plenty of games at Golden Park as a kid and was now fully embracing this new era. As for his real name, I'm not sure he ever told me. He said that he was nicknamed Bear at the age of 1, due to the "growling noises" he was prone to make.

Bear loved the peach cobbler, remarking that "it should be hot, but this is the best peach cobbler I've had cold. … Always get this, whether you want dessert or not."

On this early Saturday evening, Bear's dessert was part of a massive ballpark meal that surely put him into hibernation. One highlight was the Fountain City Burger, an homage to Columbus' nickname (the city has a preponderance of public fountains, most dating to the early 20th century).

The Fountain City Burger is topped with pimento cheese, bacon, red onion jam and crunchy onions.

"The pimento cheese has a good kick to it, and the jam helps cool it off," said Bear, giving it a "nine out of 10."

Next up was the Burnt End Brisket Sausage, topped with peach barbecue sauce and pickled red onions.

"Peach barbecue sauce is my favorite on this thing," said Bear. "9.5 out of 10."

The Pulled Pork Nachos are served in a full-size helmet, a meal suitable for a Bear.

Other highlights of Bear's culinary odyssey included Mexican-style street corn and Blue Razz Lemonade, an incandescent vodka cocktail. The Clingstones' food and beverage team, led by general manager Alex Lilley, is off to a great start.

I, meanwhile, got off to a great start while dressed as Mustard in the Clingstones' Hot Dog Race. Unfortunately, I tripped near the finish line, allowing my opponents Hot Dog and Relish to rush on by.

When I return to Columbus, Mustard shall have his revenge.

Good night from Synovus Park, Minor League Baseball's oldest new ballpark. Or maybe it's the other way around. 

Please tell at least some of the people you know to subscribe to this newsletter. Also, please follow me on Instagram (@thebensbiz), X (@bensbiz) and -- hot off the presses! -- Bluesky (@bensbiz.bsky.social).

Oh, and I almost forgot: John Lackey of the Anaheim Angels was the last pitcher to post a season win-loss record of 10-16. He did this in 2003, his first full Major League campaign. (Yes, he started and won Game 7 of the World Series prior to pitching a full season).

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