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Mascot memories
Team mascots are popular with fans for photo opportunities, and Splash takes time to pose during the Myrtle Beach Pelicans games. The Pelicans ballpark pays tribute to its parent team, the Chicago Cubs, in the food and features at its stadium.
Photo by Mic Smith
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Have a catch
Young RiverDogs fans have their gloves at the ready to catch any foul balls that come their way. “The Joe,” as the fans call Charleston’s baseball stadium, is the oldest of South Carolina’s minor league ballparks, but it added new padded balcony seats and an indoor lounge for 2017.
Photo by Mic Smith
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Best ballpark
Ballpark Digest named the Columbia Fireflies’ Spirit Communications Park the Ballpark of the Year for 2016. The stadium will host the South Atlantic League All-Star Game in June 2017 and special solar-eclipse-viewing events on Aug. 21, 2017, in addition to its regular home games.
Photo by Mic Smith
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Green monster
The Greenville Drive plays its home games downtown at Fluor Field, a replica of Boston’s Fenway Park, including its own manually operated Green Monster scoreboard. Fans can watch the game from a grassy berm next to left field, atop an adjacent building and, new in 2017, from seats atop the scoreboard.
Photo by Mic Smith
Just 5 years old at the time, John Katz walked into Boston’s Fenway Park beside his dad, eager for his first ball game. Climbing up into the stands, gazing awestruck at the giant Green Monster scoreboard, surrounded by throngs of pumped-up baseball fans—that day seared into him lifelong memories that, years later, still give him goose bumps. “That’s the type of memories we want to build for people here,” says Katz, now president of the Columbia Fireflies, the minor league ball club that took up residence in downtown Columbia last baseball season. “We’re creating memories for families and bringing generations together.”
In communities where minor league baseball teams have a home—and South Carolina now has four—spring and summer ball games step up to the plate as spots for affordable family-fun nights and relaxing entertainment for fans of all ages.
A night at the ballpark is more than just baseball. Wacky costumed mascots, silly between-inning contests, fan interaction via videoboards, theme nights, fireworks displays—everything is designed to keep the fans engaged from the first pitch to the final out. Food offerings have moved well beyond hot dogs and peanuts—care for a shrimp taco or a brie-and-blueberry grilled cheese? Seating options suit your tastes, be it a picnic blanket on a grassy berm, reserved field-level seats, tables with wait service or barstools overlooking the outfield. And where else do you get to hear the theme songs from “The Addams Family” and “Green Acres” played in organ music?
“Whether or not people watch the baseball game is not that important,” Katz says. “What’s important is the experience they are having while they’re here. It puts a smile on your face.”
Here’s a look at what South Carolina’s four minor league ballparks—in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville and Myrtle Beach—have to offer.
BASEBALL IN THE HOLY CITY: CHARLESTON RIVERDOGS
Opening pitch
“The Joe,” as fans call the RiverDogs’ home stadium, is the oldest of South Carolina’s four ballparks. It has a casual, broken-in feel, like your favorite, frayed-around-the-edges jeans. The concourse gets action-packed and a little tight with fans milling around on game days, and that’s the way they like it.
“It’s much more than a ball game going on,” general manager Dave Echols says.
Perched beside the Ashley River and an adjacent marsh, The Joe offers water views on the first-base side and beyond right field, when you’re not watching the game. With winds coming off the river, this can be a tough park for batters to launch big hits. Fly balls can swerve into the stands; bring your glove.
Best seats in the house
Families like to stake out space on Shoeless Joe’s Hill, a cushioned green berm at the far reaches of right field, where they can spread picnic blankets under palm trees. On hot days, try to catch a breeze off the marsh in the highest seats. The brand-new Riley Park Club takes advantage of scenic views while offering padded balcony seats and an indoor lounge.
Buy me some peanuts and ...
Charleston scores extra points for creative ballpark food. Last season, they introduced a shrimp-and-grits corn dog, a double chicken-and-waffle burger, and a Lowcountry rice bowl topped with pulled pork, collard greens and mac and cheese. If you insist on a hot dog at a baseball game, take a swing at the Homewrecker: a $10, one-pound, foot-long, all-beef hot dog that can be loaded with up to 20 toppings, including okra and pimiento cheese.
Camera-ready moment
Charleston leads the league in videoboard fan interaction. Top of the list: “Simba cam,” during which fans mimic the scene in The Lion King where Rafiki hoists newborn cub Simba overhead. Be ready to woof along during “Who Let the Dogs Out?” after home runs, dance The Charleston or greet your neighbors when the video screen flashes “Holy City—friendliest city in the South.”
Let the games begin
Between-innings entertainment on the field takes some goofy turns at The Joe. One crowd favorite involves selecting fans from the stands to dance to the theme song from Chariots of Fire—portly men are top choices for contestants. Kids get in on ribbon-twirling contests and “pony hops”—racing down the third-base line on inflatable toy horses.
Family fun
Stationed around the perimeter are a pitching booth, basketball hoops, a dunking booth and a bounce house. Sundays are Kids Club Sundays—kids get in free, parents get free parking, and young fans play catch in the outfield before the game and run the bases postgame. Come early to the Aug. 21 game to watch the total solar eclipse at the park.
Be on the lookout for:
Actor Bill Murray. As the RiverDogs’ part owner, staff “director of fun” and a diehard baseball fan, Echols says, Murray shows up at 10 to 15 games a year. “He likes to be here whenever the ballpark is buzzing,” Echols says. “He’s very approachable, very into the game, very into wanting the fans to enjoy their experience here.”
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Charleston RiverDogs
Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park
360 Fishburne St., Charleston
(843) 577-3647
2017 home opening date: April 6 vs. Lexington (Kentucky) Legends
2016 record: 76-63
Tickets: $6 and up in advance; $8 and up on game day
Parking: $5 per car to park in one of the five RiverDogs lots within two blocks of the ballpark
Major league affiliation: Class A affiliate of New York Yankees
Playing league: South Atlantic League
President & general manager: Dave Echols
Mascot: Charlie T. RiverDog
Seating: 5,500 seats, but park has held crowds of more than 8,000 fans
Deepest point in outfield: 398 feet
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: COLUMBIA FIREFLIES
Opening pitch
The Fireflies’ first season didn’t produce a winning record, but the park itself scored well—Ballpark Digest named it Ballpark of the Year for 2016 and went on to gush that it’s “one of the best ballparks opened in the last decade.” All that love led to Spirit Communications Park being chosen as the site for the 2017 South Atlantic League All-Star Game set for Tuesday, June 20.
Unusual for a minor league park, it features a 360-degree concourse, so there are seats offering a view of the field from every angle. And the spacious park was designed with accessible community use in mind—you can walk lunch-hour laps around the 1/3-mile concourse, attend concerts and off-season sporting events, and even catch the total solar eclipse during the Aug. 21 afternoon game.
Best seats in the house
Take your pick. Handy, built-in food-and-drink rails front several seating areas. A ledge with barstools behind center field overhangs the warning track by about 5 feet; you can eat, drink, and watch stellar catches or heartbreaking errors directly below. Adirondack rockers behind the outfield are first come, first served. The chairs at half-circle tables all face the field, so you dine without missing any action. A grassy berm is popular with families—level tiers for picnics, and a slope for kids who just want to roll downhill.
Buy me some peanuts and ...
Familiar ballpark foods are well covered, but you’ll also find a wide assortment—Philly cheesesteaks, burritos, brats and more—at vendor carts around the concourse. Big sellers are the funnel cakes and house-made pulled-pork barbecue sandwiches.
Camera-ready moment
The camera is coming for you in Columbia, sooner or later. The “kiss cam” is a little presumptive—hopefully, you’re sitting next to someone you don’t mind smooching. Catch a glimpse of yourself on the video screen in a “hit the dab” moment or leaning over a ship’s bow during “Titanic cam.”
Let the games begin
Plenty of zany on-field antics keep Fireflies fans amused between innings. Bizarrely entertaining is the race to build a human cheeseburger, as fans dressed like burger ingredients layer on top of each other. The “dash for cash” pits two competitors, tied together with a bungee cord, in a tug of war to reach moneybags.
Family fun
An enormous, inflated Mason the Firefly hovers over the park’s Kids Zone, where you’ll find inflatable slides, a bounce house, a cushioned play surface and wiffle ball. Plus, there’s pingpong, cornhole and lawn games on a grassy patch behind center field. Sunday is Splash Day, with water games stationed around the park.
Be on the lookout for:
Tim Tebow. The former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner will launch his professional baseball career with the Fireflies after spending spring training with Mets. Come early in the season to be sure to catch a glimpse of Tebow in jersey number 15.
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Columbia Fireflies
Spirit Communications Park
1640 Freed St., Columbia
(803) 726-4487
2017 home opening date: April 6 vs. Augusta GreenJackets
2016 record: 67-73
Tickets: $5–14
Parking: General parking is $3; trollies will transport fans to the front entrance
Major league affiliation: Class A affiliate of New York Mets
Playing league: South Atlantic League
President: John Katz
Mascot: Mason the Firefly
Seating: Sell-out crowd is 7,501, but park can accommodate about 10,000 fans
Deepest point in outfield: 405 feet at the corners of the centerfield wall
SHOELESS JOE'S TURF: GREENVILLE DRIVE
Opening pitch
Love baseball history? This park’s for you. Not only does Fluor Field pay tribute to the Upstate’s historic textile leagues, it’s decked out in signage featuring legendary major leaguer “Shoeless Joe” Jackson of Greenville and other native S.C. ballplayers who rose to greatness, including some who played with the Drive’s parent team, the Boston Red Sox.
The ballpark itself is a replica of Boston’s Fenway Park, with the same dimensions and its own manually operated Green Monster scoreboard in left field. The weathered-brick exterior, historic photos and urban, West End setting add a retro feel and reinforce links to Fenway. In a region that has long loved baseball, the park upholds tradition as a community gathering spot.
Best seats in the house
Brand-new seating atop the Green Monster is another feature that mimics the Fenway experience. Private parties can reserve the Mountain Dew dugout for a field-level perspective. Take your beach blankets and kids who like to roll down hills out to the grassy berm in left field. New upgrades in sections 116–119—where you get the best sunset views—replaced bleachers with comfy chairback seats.
Buy me some peanuts and ...
It’s mostly traditional fare—hot dogs, pizza slices, nachos—in the concession stands at Fluor Field, with some fast-food chains mixed in. But if you want to mix it up, try the Triple Crown Burgers at The Iron Yard 500 Club outdoor dining area—that’s three sliders, each with its own unique topping. Other stars in the lineup are the loaded Fiesta Nachos at Carrera Cantina or a cool scoop of ice cream at Sweet Caroline’s (Red Sox fans will catch that reference).
Camera-ready moment
Reedy Rip’it—the frog mascot who reportedly loves “fly” balls and catching “flies”—does an energetic dance atop the home dugout, leading fans in dancing to “Cotton Eyed Joe.” If you follow his lead, you can check out your own moves on the outfield videoboard.
Let the games begin
Between innings, Greenville takes it old school with vintage sack races and three-legged races for the fans. Reedy Rip’It might also go head to head in a challenge race against the mascots from other local sports teams or businesses.
Family fun
A small, enclosed playground, conveniently stationed at the far reaches of left field, overlooks the field, so you can keep an eye on the kids and the game at the same time. There’s also a speed-pitch game near the Field Street entrance. Friday nights are for fireworks, and kids get to the run the bases after Sunday home games.
Be on the lookout for:
A home-game homage to the Bosox—singing “Sweet Caroline” in the middle of the 8th inning, just like they do in Boston.
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Greenville Drive
Fluor Field at West End
945 South Main St., Greenville
(864) 240-4528
2017 home opening date: April 6 vs. Delmarva Shorebirds
2016 record: 70-69
Tickets: $8–13
Parking: Free parking at County Square lot on University Ridge, with trolley service to the stadium; paid lots nearby
Major league affiliation: Class A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox
Playing league: South Atlantic League
General manager: Eric Jarinko
Mascot: Reedy Rip’It the Frog
Seating: 4,000 seats, but can accommodate more than 7,000
Deepest point in outfield: 420 feet in a triangular corner of right center field
BEACH BALL: MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS
Opening pitch
With so many competing tourist attractions nearby, the Pelicans ramp up the entertainment in a carnival-like atmosphere— balloon animals, face painting, kids with cotton candy, sideshow performers twirling lighted hula hoops, fireworks after Saturday-night games.
They play a little higher-level ball here—Class A-Advanced—but, generally, “that doesn’t matter to Mom and Dad and the kids,” general manager Andy Milovich concedes.
When the Pelicans became a Chicago Cubs affiliate in 2015, the ballpark underwent a “Cubsification” process that pays tribute to its parent team wherever possible, such as signs that mimic Wrigley Field’s iconic red marquee. The Pelicans even adopted Wrigley’s tradition of hoisting a “W” flag after home wins or an “L” after a loss.
Best seats in the house
Check out the manmade “beach,” at field level near left field, with sand, palm trees, beach chairs and a lifeguard stand. Next-door is the opposing team’s bullpen; you can scout the pitchers warming up. Sit in the picnic area near deep right field to get really close to the action. You’ll find shade under covered seating in the stands, but steer clear of the metal posts that can block your view. Want to catch a home-run ball? Try the bleachers behind left field.
Buy me some peanuts and ...
At Clark & Addison Grille, named for the intersecting Chicago streets where Wrigley is located, two big-appetite sandwiches salute favorite Windy City foods: the meaty Chicago Double Play, with Italian beef slices and sausage stuffed into one bun, and the Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Burger, a thick beef patty sandwiched between personal-size pepperoni pizzas.
Camera-ready moment
A chosen fan or celebrity guest leads the crowd in singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh-inning stretch, a la the Chicago tradition started by longtime Cubs announcer Harry Caray. You can post game-time selfies on Instagram to see them displayed on the videoboard during a between-innings song they call “Selfie Safari” (to the tune of the Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ Safari”).
Let the games begin
Sign up energetic kids for the mattress race, where young runners race down the third-base line toting a mattress with a teddy bear on top. For grownups, there’s the “knocker balls” contest—adults encased in giant inflatable balls run at and bounce off each other. ’Nuff said.
Family fun
A mini Wrigley Field in Grissom Plaza, near left field, has inlaid bricks and stones that mimic the layout of a baseball field. It serves as a wiffle ball field for kids, complete with faux ivy on the brick outfield wall and a scaled-down Wrigley marquee. On Family Sundays, have a catch in the real outfield. After any home game, kids 12 and under take the field to run the bases.
Be on the lookout for:
Deuce, a well-trained yellow Labrador, is on duty after the third and sixth innings, when he carries a basket of fresh baseballs out to the ump at home plate. And when the Pelicans win, Deuce does a victory lap around the bases.
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Myrtle Beach Pelicans
TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark
1251 21st Ave. N, Myrtle Beach
(843) 918-6000
2017 home opening date: April 13 vs. Lynchburg Hillcats
2016 record/finish: 82-57; won second consecutive Carolina League championship
Tickets: $9–$13 in advance; $11–$15 on game day
Parking: Free in lots around the ballpark and across the street
Major league affiliation: Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs
Playing league: Carolina League
President & general manager: Andy Milovich
Mascots: Splash
Seating: Sell-out crowd is 6,599
Deepest point in outfield: 400 feet
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