Showing posts with label Baseball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baseball. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

USA Baseball Stadium, Millington, TN



USA Baseball Stadium in Millington, TN (just north of Memphis), was the training facility for the USA Olympic Baseball team from 1986-1996. It has always been so much fun to be able to see world-class baseball amidst the small-town charm of this stadium. We spent many a summer afternoon or evening here, and I think that my sons first fell in love with baseball here. My older son still asks to occasionally drive by it...it is a place full of memories for us.
We have watched Troy Glaus, Jacque Jones, A.J. Hinch, Braden Looper, J.D. Drew, Matt LeCroy, Jim Parque, Travis Lee, Jeff Weaver, Adam Kennedy, R.A. Dickey, Augie Ojeda, Billy Koch, Scott Schoeneweis, and Mark Kotsay play as Olympians in the early part of their careers at this stadium. A list of USA Stadium alumni can be seen here. At that time, the USA players would live with host families in the area.
The stadium is still in use and is host to service academy, collegiate, and high school tournaments and championships.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Autozone Park

This is the entrance to Autozone Park (Union & Third), the home to the Memphis Redbirds baseball team. The Redbirds are the AAA affiliate team for the St Louis Cardinals. This ballpark opened in 2000, the previous seasons being played at the old Tim McCarver stadium in Midtown Memphis. This stadium is quite similar to Busch stadium in St Louis, and is one of the premier stadiums in the AAA system. It seats 12,300 (fixed seats), and can accommodate 15,000+ with its additional bluff seating and picnic areas and luxury boxes. The new season begins in early April, and we can't wait!