Jackson, Mississippi is in the heart of the south and has been home to music and the Civil Rights movement. Originally the lands of the Choctaw Native American tribe, it retains its history of the Native American influence combined with the early French and European settlers. One might think the history cotton, beans and livestock is a thing of the past, but in Jackson, it remains a thriving industry to support the area. The residents also pride themselves in their sports, and you can see this pride displayed in the college and university games and even at a roller derby tournament. But it’s baseball that is at the heart of Jackson; and this can be seen at every game, where the baseball scoreboards match the fans yelling with every home run.
Jackson’s past has included so many changes that it is astounding the city survived. Named after President Andrew Jackson, it was the heart of the industrial support for the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Like many southern cities, the loss of the war took it’s toll on the people and the town. Unlike other southern towns, it took many years for Jackson Mississippi to begin a comeback in growth. While recovery was slow, it was steady and the city began to see a decline in the mule drawn wagons a older structures, to be replaced by automobiles, mass transit and newer modern buildings.
Chesapeake is a relatively new city. Formed in 1963 with the official name, and known as one of Virginia Beach and Norfolk’s bedroom communities, the area is highly prized for its natural beauty. Chesapeake is also home to a part of what is known as the Great Dismal Swamp, as well as many historic landmarks. The development of Chesapeake has focused on the protection of nature and their history and has given the area the listing as one of the best cities in the United States. As such, it is also not surprising that Chespeake has some of the most avid sports fans in the country as well. It is apparent that a good amount of the budget has been given to the recreation center to maintain the many fields and venues for softball, basketball, tennis, swimming and the baseball scoreboards.
The City of Wheeling in West Virginia has one of the most striking historic skylines which is both welcoming and lends to a level of deep respect. Home to the Wheeling Convention, this modest city was the springboard to the development of West Virginia as a U.S. State. Wheeling is also home to some of the most avid sports fans around. A visitor can see the blend of historic with the new parks and recreation areas. Sporting games of all types are played, and baseball seems to be the most popular. Games are attended by the people of Wheeling, cheering their favorite team as they watch the baseball scoreboards with eager anticipation. The plans for the Wheeling Sports Complex has created controversy between sports fans and the history of their beloved town.
Baton Rouge Louisiana conjures images of an elegant southern city with some of the most unique architecture in the country. College sports is a major influence in the city, with their famous Tiger Stadium football games, and the over the top fans for baseball games, the baseball scoreboards are usually alight with color and the fans are incredibly supportive of their teams. While it is the capitol of Louisiana, it has an incredible mixed cultural background and a truly odd reason for the origin of its name.
The area of the country that we know as Baton Rouge was actually inhabited as far back as 8,000 B.C. with a hunter gatherer tribe. Its location was discovered in 1699 by a French Explorer, when he came across a series of poles planted in the ground and strung with bloody animals. These were the markers for the territories of the local tribes. He coined the name ‘baton rouge’, which means red batons or poles.
Baltimore is a city that has its roots from the beginning of our country’s development. The unique port location gave Baltimore the advantages of being the largest port near the sea in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. While this may have spring boarded the port city into a thriving community, it also brought a multilayer of culture which has contributed to the metropolitan city of today. Baltimore loves their sports and have proudly been the home of many playoffs and winning teams. Baseball scoreboards are the hot topic, but the stadiums for football and soccer have also become more popular venues for the fans.
Baltimore was originally named after an Irish dignitary, Lord Baltimore, who was a founding father of the area. The inhabitants were English and Irish and many of the areas names became a combination of Irish Gaelic. As a port, the first growth was due to Baltimore’s ability to thrive as a granary for the growing sugar cane market. During the War of 1812, the Battle of Baltimore brought famed lawyer Francis Scott Key to the area, where he penned the Star Spangle Banner, destined to become the national anthem of the U.S…
The Savannah River may be the main reason for the existence of Augusta, Georgia, but it’s the people of the area that has made this city thrive. The rich beauty of the land combined with the lush river and many falls have been the attraction of residents throughout history and is retained today as a world renowned golfing championship center. Golf isn’t the only sport that takes front and center in Augusta. This is home to baseball, ice hockey, rugby and roller derby fans. But it is the baseball games that seem to draw the largest crowds. The town almost empties when their Green Jackets team is playing. The field and the baseball scoreboards are testiment to the love of sports in Augusta.
The city of Lexington may now be known as the center for horse and race excellence, but anyone who visits or lives in the area knows that there is a rich variety of sports and sports enthusiasts. The Kentucky Wildcats have over twenty two varieties of sports. While residents will often debate which is most popular, basketball and baseball seem to be the main sports that attracts fans. The baseball games are currently the most popular with the results posted on the baseball scoreboards and great attendance of every game.
Originally named for the Lexington, Massachusetts victory, the concept for the town was put on hold as they built stockades to defend against Native American and British attacks. The evolution of this area eventually changed to taking advantage of the Bluegrass fields as a world wide center for the breeding of some of the world’s finest horses.
Covington is considered to be a more new city in Kentucky, having been established in the early 1800’s. The beautiful scenery and picturesque setting, combined with the variety of things to do and see gave Covington the award of one the Best Destinations of 2011. Covington is also home to the game of baseball. Their love of the game has shown that this is truly an American city. The support attendance sets records and the baseball scoreboards that light the game at Cincinnati Reds Stadium.
The beginning of Covington started in 1816 with the purchase of around 150 acres by the founders of the area. At that time, it was referred to as “The Point”. The close proximity to the bustling city of Cincinnati offered a lot of growth opportunities. The land was coveted by many and soon homes and businesses were being established. While it became known as more of a town outside of the larger cities, it soon began to establish a name of its own with industries and commerce moving into the area.
When Mike Trout joined the Angels baseball team as the youngest camp player that year, he didn’t expect to be welcomed with a prank. The Angels are known for their sense of humor and made sure that Mike didn’t forget the first time he walked onto the field to play.
At only nineteen years of age, Mike Trout should have expected something from the Angels team. As the youngest player and listed as number eighty five in the Baseball America ranking, Mike was simply ripe for a prank. It seems that one of the Angels team members arranged for Mike’s cell phone number to be posted on the electronic scoreboard during mid game. A message accompanied the number encouraging fans to call and ask Mike their personal baseball questions. Jim Duquette, MLB radio network host was quick to ‘tweet’ the prank and the message was soon escalated to ‘viral’ status.
The Miracle League is part of the nationwide organizations that set up playing fields for special needs children and adults. Unlike a standard playing field, there are extra safety precautions that need to be considered for players and families on the field and in the stands. A new Miracle League baseball field is soon to be opened in Sarasota, Florida. The surprise donation of $10,000 is allowing them to add some of the necessary upgrades, including an electronic scoreboard.
