Saturday, August 09

At the time that this edition of the Baseball Traveler newsletter lands in your inbox, I and my indispensable colleague Josh Jackson will be driving back to NYC from Altoona, Pa. One doesn't necessarily need a reason to visit beautiful Altoona – the birthplace of John Gochnaur -- but we were there to witness the annual subversion of the norm that is Awful Night. Stay tuned for a full report. 

It's the final countdown. As of today (Aug. 7), you have 10 chances left to see the Carolina Mudcats play a regular-season home game at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C. They don't make them like this anymore.

In 2026, the Mudcats -- Single-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers -- will move 25 miles to the southeast and become the Wilson Warbirds. A new ballpark, which I toured the next day, is currently under construction in downtown Wilson.

One of the most interesting elements of this new ballpark is that there will be an onsite hotel, located along the first-base line. It also sits in the shadow of Wilson's Whirligig Park, which is filled with Vollis Simpson's idiosyncratic "whirligigs." These idiosyncratic wind-powered sculptures will be visible from beyond the left-field wall.

Simpson, a World War II veteran, was an inveterate tinkerer who crafted his first whirligig from the parts of a B-29 bomber. A warbird, meanwhile, is a term for retired and restored military aircraft. Wilson's Industrial Air Center was originally developed as a World War II naval aviator training center. Everything is connected.

There will be plenty of time to get to know the Warbirds, however. The more pressing task is saying goodbye to the Mudcats (watch the video in the linked photo at the top of this email-- and here -- to hear the perspectives of longtime fans and team employees). They are currently in the midst of their penultimate homestand.

The Mudcats' name was first utilized in 1989 for Columbus, Georgia's Double-A team, which relocated to Five County Stadium in 1991. The Mudcats' logo, featuring a catfish poking its head out from inside a letter C, was a pre-internet "viral" sensation. Merchandise was advertised in national publications, and orders flooded in to Zebulon from all over the country.

Prior to their current partnership with the Brewers (who own the team), the Mudcats maintained affiliations with Pittsburgh (1991-98), Colorado (1999-02), Florida (2003-08), Cincinnati (2009-11), Cleveland (2012-14) and Atlanta (2015-16). They switched from Double-A to High-A in 2012 (after the original Double-A franchise relocated to Pensacola) and then became Single-A in 2021 following a larger reorganization of Minor League Baseball. 

Five County Stadium was built in a huge rush over the 1990-91 offseason, with construction still ongoing in the hours and minutes leading up to first pitch on Opening Day. The below photo, from 1992, shows the ballpark in a more embryonic form.

Over the rest of the decade, Five County Stadium was built up into the concrete behemoth that exists today. It is unique among today's Minor League parks in that a large portion of the fixed seats are located within the upper-level bowl. 

Zebulon, N.C., has tripled in size since the Mudcats moved to town, and yet it still has less than 10,000 people. The town was chosen for strategic purposes -- outside of the territorial rights claimed by the Greensboro Grasshoppers and Durham Bulls, but close enough to draw from more populated areas. Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina, is located just 25 miles west.

The view from the upper-level concourse, from behind the playing field, showcases the vast expanses indicative of the area. The housing complex visible from beyond the trees is a relatively new addition. Closer to the foreground, just beyond the grassy field, sits a wastewater treatment plant. 

On this Thursday evening in late May the Mudcats took on the Salem Red Sox. The home squad was hunkered in their bunker, ready to go.

Meanwhile, I got caught up with my friends Muddy and Mini Muddy. 

Mini Muddy low-tailed it to the concession stand shortly after the game began. It’s safe to assume that he did not order the catfish. 

But order catfish you can, and order catfish you must. It's part of the Mudcats experience. Jeff and Aimee Schulze, my Designated Eaters, were on hand to give it a try. 

Jeff and Aimee have East Coast roots; he’s from Jersey, she’s from northeast Pennsylvania. They now live in New Bern, N.C., but still root for the Phillies because old habits die hard.

The Schulzes' ballpark spread was highlighted by the fried catfish sandwich and complemented by barbecue (in both platter and taco form). They'd never had catfish at a ballgame before but were immediately hooked. Aimee said that it was "crisp and juicy" and praised the "light breading." Jeff nodded along with his mouth full, muttering the occasional "Uh-huh!"

The barbecue was available with sauces representing North Carolina's eastern and western portions (vinegar-based in the east, tomato-based in the west).

Aimee was impressed by the barbecue's "bark," the crispy, charred edges which complement the tender, chewy meat. "I can always go for a little bark in the park," she said. The barbecue taco was her favorite, while Jeff said that the catfish could not be beat.

Indeed, the Mudcats cruised to a 10-4 win over Salem. The crowd was sparse -- threats of an impending storm didn’t help matters -- but it felt great to walk around Five County Stadium one last time. It's a relic of another era, and it will be missed.  

Five County Stadium is one of six ballparks that will not be part of the Minor League Baseball scene in 2026. For your reference, here are the other five. Visit now if you can, because it’s the end of an era for these locales:

AT&T Field (Chattanooga Lookouts) -- A no-frills facility that opened in 2000, AT&T Field sits high on a hill in Chattanooga's downtown. It will be replaced by Erlanger Park, the centerpiece of a revitalization of the city's South Broad District.

Hillsboro Ballpark (Hillsboro Hops) -- After just 12 years, the Hops are moving into a new ballpark adjacent to where there their current home stands. The High-A Diamondbacks affiliate promises a "dramatically enhanced fan experience."

John Thurman Field (Modesto Nuts) -- The Nuts, founded in 1946, have played at John Thurman Field since 1955. This is the end of the line for Modesto's long California League history, however, as the Nuts will be replaced by a new team in Ontario next season.

Ripken Stadium (Aberdeen IronBirds) -- Last week it was announced that the Aberdeen IronBirds and Frederick Keys are changing places. The IronBirds will become a Draft League team, while Frederick will become the Orioles' High-A affiliate. Frederick is no stranger to this arrangement, as the Keys were a High-A O's affiliate from 1989-2020.

The Diamond (Richmond Flying Squirrels) -- The Diamond, a hulking concrete edifice, was built in 1985. The Flying Squirrels' new ballpark, CarMax Park, is located in what is now known as the Diamond District.

Please get in touch to share your memories of any of the Minor League facilities mentioned above. Or, alternately, get in touch for any reason at all. Also: Please tell everyone you know (and everyone you don’t know) to subscribe  to this newsletter and follow me on Instagram (@thebensbiz) and X (@bensbiz).  

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