Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 28, 1994 TAG: 9408300042
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DAVID REED ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
He had worked 35 years for General Motors in suburban Detroit and was tired of fighting traffic, sitting in cheap seats and still paying $80 every time he took his family to Tiger Stadium where players ``make those big fat paychecks.''
He retired to the southwestern Virginia mountains and, by dumb luck, found the Tigers' rookie league team where it everything, it seemed, cost a dollar - hot dogs, souvenirs, even a seat close enough to hear the first baseman's chatter.
``I was so excited. This is where the Tigers all start out. They really try hard here,'' Pounders said.
He had just arrived for his first Bristol Tigers home game Wednesday when the loudspeaker informed him it would also be his last. After 26 years in this Tennessee border city, the team is moving to Lakeland, Fla.
Dave Miller, Detroit's director of minor league operations, said the club relates well to Bristol, but decided it would be better to move the team to the major league team's spring training site.
``We have a cafeteria, dormitory, recreation hall, weight room and indoor hitting cages,'' Miller said of the Tigers' training complex.
It was a shock to Boyce Cox, president of Bristol Baseball Inc., when the news of the Tigers' departure was hand-delivered to him less than two weeks ago. Cox also doubles as one of 30 unpaid volunteers who take the tickets, sell game programs, run concessions and act as ushers at Bristol Tiger games.
The team almost left 14 years ago, said E.C. Johnson, another stadium volunteer.
``The Tigers were threatening to pull out in 1980 because the team was operating in the red,'' Johnson said. ``They were paying people to do all this. So we said we'll do the work. And we brought in advertisers. We even helped put up the [outfield wall] billboards.''
Merchants donate hundreds of gifts for giveaways between every inning. Some nights, they buy all 1,500 seats and let everyone in free.
This year, the city and the booster club spent $250,000 on a new club house and other renovations in the off season despite rumors the team might be leaving.
``It's one of the best layouts in the Appalachian League and we've tried to make the boys feel at home,'' said Cox, who operates the public address system.
``After 26 years, they could have at least said thank you, we appreciate what you've done or something like that.''
In the VIP lounge by the press box, framed photos of former Tigers who found big league fame in Detroit adorn a wall. There's shortstop Alan Trammel, second baseman Lou Whitaker, third baseman Travis Fryman and the clear favorite, pitcher Mark Fidrych, the 1976 major league rookie of the year.
And there's Pittsburgh Pirates manager Jim Leyland, who coached in Bristol in 1971.
But the end of the Tigers may not be the end of Bristol baseball. Steve Noworyta, the Chicago White Sox minor league operations director, said the White Sox will likely support his bid to bring a rookie team to Bristol.
``We've been wanting to get into the Appalachian League for some time,'' Noworyta said as he watched the game from a front-row seat.
``They really love baseball here.''
Noworyta watched the Tigers beat the Huntington, W.Va., Cubs 4-3 with a string of singles that produced two runs in the bottom of the eighth. But few at this stadium cared much who was playing or even who won, a tableau of baseball where the game is still a game.
Take the Moffett family, for instance.
Bill Moffett and his Little Leaguer son, Chris, brought their baseball gloves and wore their Atlanta Braves hats, sat in lawn chairs and talked baseball.
The elder Moffett left his chair to chase a foul ball, his glove the same one he had worn in Little League 32 years ago. ``I almost had it, but I would have had to run over a couple of youngsters, so I let them have it.''
On a grassy hill overlooking the third base line, a group of boys bored with the Tigers started their own game. Israel Sveck was at the plate while his brother, Tim, did a make-believe radio play-by-play.
``Wind up, the pitch ... ,'' Tim said as Israel readied his right hand - the bat in this game - for the crumpled paper that sufficed as the makeshift ball. Israel swung and Tim continued, ``... it's back, it's back. Ohhh, caught at the fence.''
Tyler Skeens, 10, talked about losing the Tigers.
``I hope they will come back some day. I'm keeping their baseball cards.''
Wesley Johnson is a year younger but not as wide-eyed. ``Their cards are going to be worth something. It's like when the Oakland Raiders left Oakland. Their cards are worth big bucks.''
Some fans, though, are taking the news hard.
``We're broken hearted,'' Anne Berry, 41, something of a housemother to the Tiger players. Her 16-year-old daughter, Amy, is a team groupie.
``This is our summer. We come to every game,'' Amy's best friend, Gwen Ford said.
The game ended; fans strolled out. Cox was on the public address system.
``Come back next year and, hopefully, we'll have somebody for you to watch,'' the only benediction he could offer as another season - perhaps the last season - came to a close.
``Keep your fingers crossed. And hey, buckle up.''
by CNB