How does that one saying go? "Another week on Baseball Milquetoast, another cap from a South Atlantic League team"?
I know I should probably monitor my exuberance for this league but that's proving difficult as I am starting to realize just how much I appreciate the rich history of the SAL (or Sally, depending on how the mood suits you) and its teams. While there have been multiple iterations of the South Atlantic League, the most recent incarnation began in 1980 and the Asheville Tourists can proudly claim to have been there since its inception.
The Greensboro Grasshoppers (originally Hornets) and the Charleston RiverDogs (originally Royals) are the two other current SAL teams who were part of that founding class although Asheville is the only one of the three that still has its original moniker from the league's inaugural season. I'd like to eventually visit all three of these places during the baseball season, as well as any of the other Sally cities although there are almost twice as many teams now as there were in 1980.
Asheville is at the top of my list of those towns though as it has a burgeoning live music scene and craft beer culture and I'm a fan of those things although right now I feel compelled to state that I do not condone underage consumption of alcohol. I am however a proponent of attending as many concerts as possible and at any age, especially as a youth and the same holds true for baseball as well!
 |
| Who is that jolly bear carrying a suitcase and a wooden bat? Why that's none other than "Ted E. Tourist" of course. Bonus points because even though he's not a local, he's at least trying to fit in by wearing a ballcap with an "A" for Asheville rather than some shooby dime-store fedora. |
 |
| It's difficult to pinpoint a year of origin for most Pro-Line caps as they weren't known for varying their sweatband tags from year to year. Still, the placement of these tags looks similar to this Kauai Emeralds cap that was worn from 1993-1994 as well as this Greensboro Bats cap and this Tucson Toros cap, both from 1996. |
 |
| It's mind-boggling to me that this cap still has the original tags attached to it yet, it is basically old enough to buy itself one of the many different and delicious craft beers brewed in Asheville. |
I know I should probably monitor my exuberance for this league but that's proving difficult as I am starting to realize just how much I appreciate the rich history of the SAL (or Sally, depending on how the mood suits you) and its teams. While there have been multiple iterations of the South Atlantic League, the most recent incarnation began in 1980 and the Asheville Tourists can proudly claim to have been there since its inception.
The Greensboro Grasshoppers (originally Hornets) and the Charleston RiverDogs (originally Royals) are the two other current SAL teams who were part of that founding class although Asheville is the only one of the three that still has its original moniker from the league's inaugural season. I'd like to eventually visit all three of these places during the baseball season, as well as any of the other Sally cities although there are almost twice as many teams now as there were in 1980.
Asheville is at the top of my list of those towns though as it has a burgeoning live music scene and craft beer culture and I'm a fan of those things although right now I feel compelled to state that I do not condone underage consumption of alcohol. I am however a proponent of attending as many concerts as possible and at any age, especially as a youth and the same holds true for baseball as well!
If you are browsing this page on a desktop machine, check out the social links on the right and if you are on a mobile device, click these links below:
Instagram: @baseballmilquetoast
Twitter: @FittedFriday
Facebook: Baseball Milquetoast
Comments