Day 3 (8/14/21)
Durham, NC → Asheville, NC (227 Miles)
Game: Rome Braves (Atlanta High A) vs. Asheville Tourists
(Houston High A)
McCormick Stadium/Asheville, NC
My 42nd Birthday
On the road again.
But first a stop at Waffle House.
When my family and I drove to Atlanta for the Olympics in 1996, my
sisters and I had a game counting the signs for Waffle Houses on the way.
Not only had we never been to one, as Yankees we had never even heard
of one which made us that much more amazed as sign after sign on the
highway featured the black and yellow, all caps font calling us to the
WAFFLE HOUSE.
Over the last 26 years, if we ever go far enough south to once again
see those signs we are sure to stop in for an American classic, each
time being sure that we ordered too much food and it might not fit on
the table.
This morning there was no better place to start my 42nd birthday as
well all took down a feast of eggs, waffles, grits and hash browns
(Smothered, Covered and Chunked). As I sat drinking my coffee
I again thought about how badly I wanted my own Waffle House
mug but alas they were not for sale. For Waffle House prose
check out this Bourdain clip
We headed off while still digesting our morning feast, westward
for Asheville on I-40, the ONLY Interstate that spans the entire
state, east to west (thanks Ike!)
Since we headed straight to the stadium, let's start with the baseball.
Before this trip I was unaware of just how many minor league teams
there are in North Carolina, particularly along the aforementioned I-40.
Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Hickory are all homes to teams in
the South Atlantic League before you reach Asheville, home of the
Tourists for the last 107 years, with baseball here in Asheville going
further back than that with the Asheville Moonshiners founded in 1897.
The Good
-A lot to say here, starting with the golf cart (complete with Tourists logos)
that magically appeared when we got out of our car at an overflow lot to
bring us to the stadium.
-Minor league games are always good for a cheap ticket and we "splurged"
to get these seats behind the plate fo $14 a piece. Great view of a unique,
small field (297 down the right field line only 370 to dead center). Sitting
that close to the field is always a different experience when you see just
how fast these guys throw, even at this level.
-The stadium was great as well. Small but charming and seemingly cut into
a mountain. That actually seems like a good description of Asheville as well.
To connect last night's game, one of the final scenes of Bull Durham was
filmed in McCormick Stadium and Crash Davis is highlighted as a former
player of the team.
-Mascots....thank god. After last night's Wool E. Bull debacle we were
thrilled to meet not one, but two mascots: Ted E. Tourist, a bear that dates
back to an earlier logo and Mr. Moon who is featured on current uniforms.
The boys got pictures and autographs, teaching their in state minor league
colleagues a lesson on class.
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