Catching the River Dogs in South Carolina

Last August I had the opportunity to watch the Charleston River Dogs baseball team in action. The experience was as rewarding as any I have ever had in my many years of watching games in sports at varying levels.

Let me tell you how all this came about as I doubt there are many of you out there who are very familiar with the River Dogs and might even have the occasion to ask, Is that Charleston in West Virginia or South Carolina?

Why also, you might ask, would I be going to a Charleston River Dogs game to start with?

The answer to the first question is South Carolina. The only way I would be in West Virginia is passing through. The morning after arriving at the Holiday Inn, I walked outside and could see Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park just across the Ashley River, maybe a couple miles away and knew at that point I'd best be checking a schedule in order to see if there was a home game. Two days earlier in Philadelphia I was staying just across the Delaware River from Camden, New Jersey and Campbell Field. Alas, it was dark, but at least the Phillies were at home against the Astros.

I checked the newspaper out and sure enough, this team with the great nickname of River Dogs had a game that very night with the Asheville Tourists. These teams play in the historic old Sally League, which is nowadays a Class A league. What I couldn't believe was that Charleston, with a team in organized baseball's lowest rung on the ladder, had such a beautiful facility.

Really nice plants seem to be cropping up all over the place these days. Look at that place they built in Ozark a few years back for the Ducks. Springfield unveiled a fabulous place last year, but it remained empty through most of the summer. St. Louis has brought a Double A team to Springfield this year to compete in the beautiful place. Have you seen the park where the Kansas City T-Bones play over in Kansas? It's a beauty and sells out as often or not.

Here is Class A ball in Charleston's beautiful little stadium with a single deck that stretches to near each foul line. It has wide concourses and reasonably priced tickets in four ranges. There was a good sized crowd the night I was there, but concerns over getting a good seat were unfounded because I wanted a single and there was a box seat open on the second row behind home plate. It cost $8. The cheapest tickets are general admission at $4, I think.

The Sally League's South Division has some great nicknamed teams in addition to the River Dogs and Tourists. There are the: Columbus (Ga.) Catfish, Greensboro (N. C.) Bats, Augusta (Ga.) Greenjackets, Rome (Ga.) Braves, Capital City (Columbia, S. C.) Bombers and my favorite, the Savannah (Ga.) Sand Gnats.

The other Charleston, the one in West Virginia, has a team in the North Division known as the Alley Cats. I don't know how that ties in with River Dogs.

The president of the Charleston team is Mike Veeck, who I think is Bill Veeck's grandson. This guy, just like Bill Veeck, comes up with zany promotions that fill the place quite often. One of the co-owners is Bill Murray. Yeah, that Bill Murray. He is listed as Director of Fun and shows up at the stadium quite often.

What they have proven there is that baseball works when you give fans something extra, or more bang for the buck. That's what I've always felt our Nevada Griffons should concentrate more on. Promotions fill seats. When the Griffons put something extra on, fans show up. It works everywhere and would work just as well here where people appreciate a bargain.