Welcome to the Baseball Traveler newsletter. Let's talk about Minor League Baseball, starting with my next ballpark road trip. It's coming soon! |
ON THE ROAD: A TOURIST ON THE LOOKOUT FOR BATS |
Last week I went to prison to see a game. Now I’m breaking out to visit the following three Minor League cities: |
May 12: Louisville Slugger Field, home of the Louisville Bats (Triple-A CIN) Why: It’s Nothing Night! This is a promotion with a simple premise: "No promotions, no giveaways, no anything! Just an old-fashioned day of baseball" The first Nothing Night promo was staged by the Lake Elsinore Storm in 2008, and various teams have since followed suit. The Bats currently have a great iteration going and I am looking forward to covering a whole lot of nothing! |
May 14: HomeTrust Park, home of the Asheville Tourists (High-A HOU) Why: The Asheville Tourists own the trademark to "Thirsty Thursday," so this means I'll be at the original home of Thirsty Thursday on a Thirsty Thursday. And that's not all: The Tourists' home of HomeTrust Park (known as McCormick Field prior to this season) has been extensively renovated, breathing new life into an idyllic Minor League Baseball location that first opened its doors in 1924. Asheville is one of very few active ballparks endorsed by Babe Ruth, who called it a "Damned delightful place!" in 1926. I’m ready to feel damned delighted |
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May 15-16: Erlanger Park, home of the Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A CIN) Why: The Lookouts, whose roots as a franchise date back to 1885, are in a new ballpark built in a former industrial area that was once home to a foundry. It'll be interesting to see how this history has been incorporated into the ballpark's design, plus I'm looking forward to catching up with team icons such as Wanda the Program Lady and broadcaster Larry Ward. Erlanger Park will be the 192nd Minor League ballpark I've visited in my career; surely the Lookouts will install a plaque at the ballpark to commemorate this fact. Designated Eaters Needed!
At each ballpark I visit I recruit a Designated Eater to sample the ballpark cuisine that my gluten-free diet prohibits. Interested in being a Designated Eater at any of the above spots, on the dates in question? Email me benjamin.hill@mlb.com and tell me why you're the fan for the job. As always, feel free to get in touch with recommendations related to the city or the ballpark. And if you see me at a ballpark, please say hello! Stay tuned for material from the road. The above was just a trailer, and now it's time for this newsletter's feature presentation. |
GET YOUR MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL KICKS ON ROUTE 66 |
The United States is home to 41 cities named Springfield, give or take a Springfield or two, and that’s not counting the iconic fictional hometown of "The Simpsons." The Missouri-based Springfield Cardinals are working to make their Springfield, the nation's most populous Springfield, stand out from the rest. The ballpark formerly known as Hammons Field, home of St. Louis' Double-A affiliate since 2005, has been renamed Route 66 Stadium. This initiative, announced last month and implemented this week, pays tribute to "The Mother Road." "Springfield was the birthplace of Route 66," said Springfield Cardinals general manager Dan Reiter, noting that a telegram from Springfield sent to Congress 100 years ago resulted in the road being named Route 66. "Because of that, we were just selected to host the National Route 66 Centennial Kickoff. And [the Springfield Cardinals] were on the national scene, being on 'The Today Show' and highlighting what was going on." |
Renaming the ballpark, initially christened in honor of local businessman and steadfast baseball booster John Q. Hammons, was a process that took years. "Before we even knew about the centennial, the name came from the idea of 'What would a fan love to take their family to?' said Reiter. "The thought process was about highlighting Route 66 as opposed to one company." A remarkable coalition, consisting of the Springfield Cardinals, the city of Springfield, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Missouri State University and Mercy Health, came together to make this vision a reality. The result is what the team called a "first of its kind naming rights collaboration to create a destination for travelers near and far." "The one link that I'll say every one of these companies had, what they understood, was the rising tide," said Reiter. "Naming this stadium something that the community could rally behind. It wasn't just a local marketing deal. This was something that had a chance to put us on a scale of regional and national attention. When people across the country are planning their Route 66 travel, does it become a stopping point because of Route 66 Stadium? … It's that nostalgia that ties in. Baseball, [apple] pie, Chevy cars and Route 66." |
What's there to do in Springfield beyond seeing a Double-A baseball game? Reiter, referring to the city as "the urban heart of the Ozarks," mentioned the local dining and brewery scene, ample outdoor activities, its status as Brad Pitt's hometown and the sprawling tourist attraction that is Bass Pro Shops Headquarters. Oh, and don’t forget the regional specialty that inspired the Springfield Cardinals' first alternate identity. "Springfield-style cashew chicken, locals know it. It's served in every elementary school in the entire Ozarks," said Reiter. "Where it started was Leong's [Asian Diner]. I think it's absolutely wonderful there." |
The first Springfield Cardinals game at what is now officially known as Route 66 Stadium took place on Wednesday, a day later than scheduled due to a rainout. A new era has begun, one that may inspire other professional sports teams to think beyond standard ballpark corporate naming rights deals. "It's a passion project, which took a really big team and community lift," said Reiter. "I think it speaks so much to the city of Springfield that we’re not afraid to innovate. We're not afraid to collaborate. It'll be interesting to see if it's something that other people look at and shake their head and say, 'No way.' Or if it's something that other communities look at and think 'Hey, this is a pretty neat path that we should explore.'" |
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