MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: Texas Rangers bringing minor league team to Kinston in 2017

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on August 26, 2016 1:48 PM

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By RUDY COGGINS

rcoggins@newsargus.com

KINSTON -- With a freshly-manicured outfield at historic Grainger Stadium as the backdrop on a sun-splashed Thursday afternoon, avid baseball fans finally realized their five-year wait is over.

After nearly two years of speculation, minor league baseball is coming back to eastern North Carolina. The Texas Rangers announced their high-A affiliate will revive the greatest show on dirt beginning with the 2017 season.

Yes, it's time to turn the lights back on.

"This has been years in the making," said Ray Davis, co-chairman of the Texas Rangers organization. "There's been a lot of hard work, and most of you don't want to hear about the labor pains, but I'm thrilled to bring this team to you.

"We thank you for your support and we look forward to putting a quality team on the field. We hope to see a lot of future hall-of-famers come through here and eventually play in Arlington, Texas."

The move is part of an expansion for the Carolina League, one of the oldest and most notable minor leagues which was brought to life in the hit movie "Bull Durham."

Tony Sears, city manager for Kinston, said that a lease agreement was signed in 2015 and approved by the city council. The deal is subject to approval by Minor League Baseball (MiLB) and subject to the review of Major League Baseball.

Pending approval, Fayetteville is in line to receive a high-A affiliate team associated with the Houston Astros organization.

That would give the Carolina League a total of 10 teams.

Texas has been stuck in the High-A California League for the past two seasons. The organization showed interest in purchasing the Wilmington (Del.) Blue Rocks, but that deal never transpired.

Kinston remained on the map.

"We're excited to be the newest resident of Kinston and we hope to honor Grainger Stadium with many championships in the future," said Ray Davis, chairman of the Texas Rangers Ownership Committee and Chief Executive Officer of Rangers Kinston LLC.

Officials from Kinston and the Rangers have discussed a plan to commit $1.625 million to renovate the fan-friendly stadium, which was built in 1949. Part of that money would go toward additional lighting and extra padding on the outfield walls.

Also scheduled is a multi-year project that involves improvement of the home and visiting clubhouses, a weight room and concession stand expansion. Texas hopes to have those tasks complete when the 2017 season arrives.

"It's one of the best things to happen in Kinston in years," legendary local baseball coach George Whitfield said. "I think people realize now how much they miss it and being out here in this beautiful park.

"I think it's going to be a big hit in this whole area."

The stadium, which housed a Carolina League franchise in all but three seasons from 1962-2011, is a 40-minute drive bordered by seven counties -- Wayne, Duplin, Jones, Craven, Pitt, Greene and Edgecombe. The K-Tribe, when they were part of the Cleveland Indians organization, played in Grainger from 1978-2011.

Cleveland moved its franchise to Zebulon and is now the Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.

"I used to stay out here and helped the guy who managed the stadium, mark off the field sometimes and do some (other) things," said Ray Stephenson, who grew up three blocks away from the ballpark.

"I sometimes got to work out with the minor league team. That was back in the (early) 60s when they were affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pete Peterson was the manager and sometimes I went on road trips with them when they'd go to places like Wilson, Rocky Mount and Raleigh."

A unique town with a small population, Kinston would be one of the smallest markets in the full-season minors. However, the Indians drew a strong out-of-town following of fans during their 33-year stay and played in front of upwards of 3,000-plus fans on numerous occasions.

More than 2,000 fans filled the stands Thursday.

The most notable person missing was Carl Long, who used baseball to escape segregation and broke the color barrier of the Carolina League as its first black pro ballplayer.

Long died in 2015.

The stadium held a special place for Long, who played one year in Kinston in 1956 after having started with the Pirates in the Negro League.

"I still hold the record here where I drove in 111 runs," Long said during a News-Argus interview in 2011. "Look at this crowd, although the Indians are leaving, but we are going to get another team here. There is going to be another franchise over here.

"I don't know what class of ball it will be, but this stadium is too beautiful not to have ball team here. I just wished the people would support it like when I used to play here."

Texas will leave the light on, Carl.