Submissions Wanted: Blue Wahoos & Waste Management Partner To Renovate Local Field

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For the eleventh consecutive year, the Blue Wahoos and Waste Management have partnered to renovate an area youth athletic field and are accepting nominations from the community to select the field to be restored.

“We are very excited to continue our partnership with Waste Management and help renovate a local ballfield,” Blue Wahoos community relations manager Lauren Scott said. “Our mission is to improve the quality of life in our community, and helping provide children a great place to play sports locally will benefit families across our community.

The Blue Wahoos will be accepting nominations to choose a field to receive a makeover until September 20th. Any local citizen or organization can submit a field by emailing Scott at [email protected] and including photos or video of the field and a short explanation of why the field should be considered. Fields must be within 40 miles of Blue Wahoos Stadium to be selected.

Blue Wahoos Help Make My Wish Experience Memorable For 10-Year-Old Boy, Ailing Mother 

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Victor Victor Mesa, the favorite player for 10-year-old Hudson Furness, joins with his mother, Mandi Furness, during batting practice Wednesday. (Daniel Venn)

When you have been battling an illness so long that hospital visits have been routine since childhood, it becomes a lot simpler to identify the good days when they come.

On a not-too-hot Monday afternoon, 38-year-old mother Amanda “Mandi” Furness had a good day.

She looked on as her 10-year-old son, Hudson, played a game of baseball with his friends on the field of Blue Wahoos stadium as her father, Herb, secured the pitching mound. Her wheelchair was pulled up to the fence in the dugout, her family laughing and cheering beside her. With tears welled underneath her sunglasses, she was acutely aware and grateful for every second.

Furness spent many days and nights in the hospital throughout her childhood, but it wasn’t until 2009 that doctors diagnosed her illness as lupus. She received a multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2020.

Her mobility is now limited and her vision comes and goes. But she still decks herself out in pink, from her bright, painted toenails up to a chunky, pastel necklace. With each new round of treatment, she has been taken in and cared for by her sister,

Christin Keeney, and her sister’s husband, Thomas, who is more like a brother than a brother-in-law. Her mom and dad have continued to be her support system since she was a little girl. Her mother still only leaves the hospital to shower, a routine dating back to the days before Furness ever received a diagnosis.

“(Dad) is my hero, my mother is my best friend,” she said. “I struck the lottery.”

When she decided she had had enough of hospital admissions two months ago, Furness was told by doctors it was time to prepare to say goodbye to her family.

It was a task she felt prepared for, even writing letters to her son to be delivered at life milestones she may not be around to witness. When Furness was given a wish by the Covenant Care Foundation, she decided to do something not for herself, but for her son, and wished for him and his friends to be able to play baseball at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

For people surprised by her decision to spend the once in a lifetime wish on a child’s baseball game, she simply replied, “That’s just because you’ve never seen my son play baseball.” Aaron West, vice president of the Covenant Care Foundation, said the nonprofit health care organization has granted 2,600 wishes for seriously or terminally ill people like Furness since they launched the My Wish program in 2018.

With the help of community donors and partners, they have helped veterans into planes for their final flight, sent patients out on fishing expeditions and have even organized baptisms and weddings.

“We add life to days when days are limited in life,” West said. With her son Hudson’s help, lately Furness has been feeling a renewed zest for life, even training to walk across the Pensacola Bay Bridge. Though she is not ready yet, each day she gets a little stronger.

With each step she practices at home, Hudson will chime in and say, “That’s one step closer to walking that bridge,” she said.

Despite her looming diagnosis she continues to make progress “The doctors cannot explain it, but I’m getting better,” Furness said. “Science only goes so far. Then comes God.”

She watched with each fielded ball or run that Hudson scored as all his fears disappeared for a moment and he could focus on having fun. “That is a really cool wish for a mama, because she could have wished for just about anything,”

Angela Bottesini, senior director for My Wish said. “She wanted to create an environment as if they were one of the real-deal players.”

Furness’ father, Herb Westphal, thought back on the days when he would watch his daughter play softball in Germany as he coached.

“She was a tough little girl,” he recalled. Now he warms up with his grandson out on the baseball diamond, who has been following in his mother’s footsteps for as long as he can remember. Watching the two worlds collide hit home. “My daughter has been sick for a very long time,” he said. “For some reason, she’s here now. … It means the world.”

West said each wish averages out to have an impact on 13 people when it is granted. Hudson’s baseball team looked on as he was presented with a baseball autographed from every Blue Wahoos player, and every eye turned as the boy folded into his mother, one hand gripping the signed baseball and other looped around his mom’s neck.

“Nothing. You know what’s better than this? Nothing,” he told his mom

Blue Wahoos And Marcus Pointe Baptist To Hold Baptisms And Baseball

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The Blue Wahoos and Marcus Pointe Baptist Church have partnered to hold “Baptism And Baseball” on Sunday, July 31 at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Following the Blue Wahoos game against the Mississippi Braves that afternoon, any interested fan in attendance will have the opportunity to be baptized by Marcus Point Baptist Church on the field at the stadium following the game.

“We’re excited to partner with Marcus Pointe Baptist to bring this first-of-its-kind event to our ballpark,” team president Jonathan Griffith said. “The idea actually originated with my six-year-old son who came home from church one day and said he wanted to be baptized. I asked where and he said ‘at the ballpark!’ We called Marcus Pointe to see if it would be possible and we’re excited to be able to offer the opportunity to any interested fan.”

The Blue Wahoos game that afternoon will begin at 4:05 PM with the baptism event following the game’s conclusion. The team will also offer postgame kids run the bases and family toss in the outfield thanks to WKRG 5 News.

Tickets to the game can be purchased at BlueWahoos.com. All participants in “Baptisms And Baseball” will receive an exclusive t-shirt from Marcus Pointe Baptist Church and there is no fee to participate in the baptism event.

Blue Wahoos And Cox Honor Legacy Of Chappie James To End Homestand On Juneteenth 

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The Blue Wahoos were unable to sweep their week-long series against the Tennessee Smokies.

But they won the day in other ways Sunday, following a 5-1 loss at Blue Wahoos Stadium on an unforgettable Father’s Day at Blue Wahoos presented by Cox Communications that coincided with Juneteenth, National Freedom Day.

In addition to their title sponsorship of the day’s festivities, Cox Communications provided 100 game tickets, hats, and food to children in the community and the opportunity for the kids to take the field with the Blue Wahoos!
Nino Mendez

Their lone loss in this six-game series with the Smokies still kept the Blue Wahoos on verge of clinching the first-half division race in the Southern League South Division. The other three South Division teams, including nearest chaser Biloxi Shuckers, all lost Sunday as well.

While bats were quieted, the Blue Wahoos still stirred crowd attention among the 4,123 who braved the hot afternoon.

For the first time, the Blue Wahoos wore specialty, all-blue jerseys which included four silver stars in honor of the Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James Jr., who rose from Pensacola to become in 1975 the first African-American four-star general in United States Armed Forces history.

James’ decorated legacy included tours of combat duty in the Korean War and Vietnam War, earning him rarefied placement in U.S. Air Force history prior to his death 1978.

His granddaughter, Britt James, who was attending her brother’s wedding in Washington state, provided a video tribute and local members of the Chappie James Flight Academy and Chappie James Memorial Bridge Foundation were recognized on the field.

Then moments before the National Anthem was played, an 11-year-old boy tossed a ceremonial first pitch to a man who been in a stepdad role. On the baseball were the words, “Let’s Make This Official.”

The two melted in each other’s arms with tears as paperwork was presented for the adoption to become official.

Happy Father’s Day, indeed.

There were also youth league teams across the field in pregame warmups as part of a sponsorship from Cox Communications, who provided 100 game tickets, hats, and food to children in the community. In what might be a team record, 10 different people threw out a first pitch.

The game itself fell in what seemed a familiar comeback scenario to the Blue Wahoos.

After trailing 4-0, they had the first two batters on base in both the seventh and eighth innings. Unlike previous home game, late-inning comebacks, the Blue Wahoos (33-25) could not follow with a big hit to extend a five-game winning streak.

As it turned out, however, win or lose Sunday, the Blue Wahoos position for a playoff-clincher would not have changed. Playing hours earlier, Biloxi fell 7-6 in 10 innings, on the road against the Chattanooga Lookouts, ending Biloxi’s four-game win streak.

The Blue Wahoos will travel to Biloxi on Tuesday to begin a six-game series with the Shuckers (30-31) that will end the first half schedule. The Blue Wahoos need just one win to wrap up first-place in the first half and gain a playoff spot for mid-September.

Because each team in the South Division has played a different number of games, winning percentage is what determines the first half winner.

Cody Mincey delivered a solid start Sunday for the Blue Wahoos, working six innings, giving up all three of his runs in the second inning, but not walking a batter in his outing. He had tough luck in the second when a potential double-play was botched with a wide throw, leading into Cole Roederer’s two run single.

The Blue Wahoos got their lone run in the seventh on Jan Mercado’s two-out single, but managed only six hits against three Smokies pitchers. Cobie Fletcher-Vance went 2-for-3 as the Blue Wahoos’ lone multiple-hit batter.

WHAT’S NEXT?

WHO: Blue Wahoos vs. Biloxi Shuckers

WHEN: Tuesday (June 21) through June 26.

WHERE: MGM Park, Biloxi, Miss.

GAMETIMES: Start times are 6:35 p.m. for games Tuesday through Saturday, then 5:05 p.m. on Sunday (June 26).

TICKETS: www.biloxishuckers.com/tickets.

RADIO: : ESPN-Pensacola (99.1 FM and 1330 AM and WYCT 98.7 HD4).

TV: YurView (check provider) and MILB.tv (streaming) through www.milb.com/live-stream-games with subscription discount using BLUE WAHOOS.

NEXT HOME SERIES: Begins on June 28 vs. the Montgomery Biscuits.

Blue Wahoos To Host Pitch, Hit and Run Competition On PLAY BALL Weekend

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CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Blue Wahoos Stadium will host a Pitch, Hit and Run competition on Saturday, June 11 as the Blue Wahoos join Major and Minor League Baseball in celebrating PLAY BALL Weekend. Pensacola’s Pitch, Hit and Run competition will be held from 9:00 AM-12:30 PM and is free to participate in for children ages 14 and under.

Participating youth athletes will have the chance to participate in a 90-foot sprint, a pitching challenge, and a hitting challenge. Both baseball and softball players are eligible to compete. Winning athletes will be declared in both baseball and softball based on age groups (under 7, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14), and top competitors will have the opportunity to compete in a regional Pitch, Hit and Run competition at a later date.

Athletes should bring their glove and bat to the competition. Rubber cleats or tennis shoes are permissible on the field at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

The first 200 youth athletes to register will also receive a free bat and ball set courtesy of Franklin. In addition, all registrants will receive a free subscription to MLB.TV and MiLB.TV, allowing them to stream Major and Minor League Baseball games throughout the season.

All athletes must be registered in advance to compete. Registration is free and can be completed through PensacolaBlueWahoos.LeagueApps.com.

PLAY BALL Weekend is a nationwide initiative through Major and Minor League Baseball to engage young fans and share the fun of playing baseball and softball. PLAY BALL events will be held in all 50 states on June 10-12, 2022 including every Major and Minor League market.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Blue Wahoos To Wear Navy Uniforms As Part Of Memorial Day Celebration 

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The three Blue Wahoos players stared in silent awe at the dark blue, vintage World War II fighter plane positioned in a center display at the National Naval Aviation Museum.

It was a Vought F4U Corsair, a replica to the one Ted Williams flew nearly 80 years ago in Pensacola, while pausing one of baseball’s greatest careers during World War II to complete training at Naval Air Station-Pensacola and become a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps.

“This is incredible,” said Blue Wahoos infielder Cobie Fletcher-Vance, looking up at the plane while a tour guide explained how Williams took leave of absence from the Boston Red Sox to join the U.S. Navy– one year after his first Triple Crown batting season in Major League Baseball.

In 1941, Williams became the last player in baseball history to bat over .400 and his unmatched career included being a 19-time MLB All-Star, between two military service duties in Pensacola.

He was among more than 500 MLB players and more than 2,000 Minor League Baseball players who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II.

Williams, who later flew combat missions in the Korean War, was part of a sizeable contingent of professional baseball players who came to NAS-Pensacola for training.

“There is so much history here,” said Blue Wahoos relief pitcher Colton Hock, after joining Fletcher-Vance and outfielder Thomas Jones for a trip May 11 to the base. “So cool to see all this.”

Part of that history includes the wartime connection between baseball and NAS-Pensacola that will be celebrated Memorial Day weekend at Blue Wahoos games on Saturday and Sunday.

In both games against the Mississippi Braves, the Blue Wahoos will wear special uniforms, approved by the Navy. Officers from NAS-Pensacola will attend the games.

The three Blue Wahoos players wore the Navy jerseys on their recent visit to the base as a preview.

On Saturday, Capt. Terry Shashaty, Commanding Officer of NAS-Pensacola will throw out a first pitch, along with others before the two games.

The Blue Wahoos will show off their permanent display to Navy baseball in Pensacola, located on the wall above the stairs leading from the main entrance.

“When the players came that day and wore those Navy jerseys, the people who saw them that day just thought that was awesome,” said Jason Bortz, the public affairs officer at NAS-Pensacola.

“And to wear them (Saturday-Sunday) in front of thousands of people for a couple times this season, I think it’s going to be one of the best nights we’ve had for the base had in several years,” he said. “We have been through a lot the last several years.

“This is going to be a great night for Pensacola. We are honored to be a part of this.”

The Navy baseball jerseys will also be worn by the Blue Wahoos on July 2 during Fourth of July weekend at the ballpark.

Following that game, the jerseys will be auctioned to benefit the Navy-Marine Relief Society, a non-profit organization hat provides financial assistance and additional services to members of the Navy and Marine Corps and their families.

Also on Saturday, there will be a book signing from 11 a.m to 12 p.m. at the Bodacious Bookstore and Café on Intendencia Street, featuring Anne Keene, author of “The Cloudbuster Nine” an award-winning book about MLB players training during World War II to become Navy pilots.

Keene, a renown military historian, will be joined by Sharon Hornfisher, wife of late Navy historian Jim Hornfisher, who wrote the book “Who Can Hold The Sea, The U.S. Navy And The Cold War.”

Keene assisted the Blue Wahoos with compiling information, photos and details about the Navy baseball history in Pensacola.

“We say it all the time at the base and we truly mean it… that Pensacola is the best military community in the country,” Bortz said. “By far, it is the most military friendly.

“It is the most supportive of the military and this is a great opportunity for people in the community, whether they are in the military. or were in the military, or just living in the community to come out and see something that shows the relationship with the base, the Navy and the local community.”

Williams led an all-star baseball team, the Bronson Bombers, during his time in Pensacola. Bronson Field was an auxiliary base with baseball fields that is now part of the Blue Angel Recreation Park for military members.

The team had other MLB players training in Pensacola and competed in a championship series against Corpus Christi during 1943.

The U.S. Armed Forces used baseball and other sports as a way to help build morale and friendships while the pro athletes of that era were training.

“I think that speaks to the unselfishness of Ted Williams and that whole generation during World War II,” Bortz said. “He was a professional baseball player in the prime of his career, who didn’t have to serve, or if he did serve, he didn’t necessarily have to be in a combat situation.

“He voluntarily chose that. He wanted to be a pilot. He wanted to go into combat. It was more important to serve his country than his baseball legacy. That speaks highly of him.”

Williams, who died in 2002, played his entire 19-year career with the Boston Red Sox.

Bill Vilona is a retired Pensacola News Journal sports columnist and now senior writer for Pensacola Blue Wahoos. He can be reached at [email protected]

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Navy Baseball Celebration

WHEN: Saturday, Sunday and July 2

WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium

WHO: Events part of Blue Wahoos games this weekend vs. Mississippi Braves and July 2 vs. Montgomery Biscuits. Blue Wahoos will wear specialty designed Navy baseball uniforms on these days.

TICKETS: Limited number of game tickets available for Saturday’s 6:05 p.m. game Tickets available for Sunday (4:05 p.m.) and July 2 games at www.bluewahoos.com/tickets.

BOOK SIGNING: In conjunction with weekend, a book signing Saturday at 11 a.m. at Bodacious Bookstore and Café features award-winning author and Navy baseball historian Anne Kleene, who wrote “Cloudbuster Nine”, along with Sharon Hornfisher, wife of late-author Jim Hornfisher.

Keene assisted Blue Wahoos in compiling photos, information on Navy history. Free admission to bookstore.

Three Of Pensacola's Best Provide Wisdom, Advice On Blue Wahoos' Women In Sports Night 

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Blue Wahoos vice president Donna Kirby, far left, moderates seminar with Michelle Snow, left, Melissa Miller-Schubeck and Beth Barr on April 22 during the Blue Wahoos special Women in Sports Night at ballpark. (Nino Mendez)

They grew up in Pensacola and competed in totally different sports, but with similar aspirations during a breakthrough era.

That commonality, along with their unique athletic success gave Michelle Snow, Melissa Miller and Beth Barr a powerful role in blazing a trail for so many other female athletic stars from this community who have followed.

The three were together for the first time last Friday at Blue Wahoos Stadium, participating in a pregame symposium at the Blue Wahoos’ first Women In Sports Night last week at the ballpark.

Snow went from stardom at Pensacola High to playing for Pat Head Summit at Tennessee, then onto the WNBA and international basketball as Pensacola’s greatest female basketball player.

“I believe people have to understand there will be a lot of obstacles in the way and a lot of fears you have to overcome,” said Snow, addressing the young athletes in the audience that day inside the season-ticket holders lounge. “You have to overcome that fear.”

Miller, now Miller-Schubeck, a Tate High grad, won back-to-back SEC All-Around championships in 1988-89 for the Florida Gators and was inducted into the UF Athletic Hall of Fame as one of its greatest athletes.

“I think it is important to have goals,” she said. “If you don’t have goals, you are not shooting toward anything.”

Barr, now Barr-Gifford, a Booker T. Washington and University of Texas graduate, was the youngest member at 16-years-old for the 1988 U.S. Olympic Women’s Swim Team. She won a silver medal for the U.S. in the team’s medley relay, and just missed the podium in her two other Olympic events that year.

All three overcome adversity in their development to attain the highest level of success. Here were their thoughts on two powerful topics during the symposium. They were also recognized by throwing out a first pitch that night and on the dugout, following the second inning, as well as in-game interviews on the Blue Wahoos radio broadcast.

Since you all competed, so much has changed in women’s sports. If you mentor young girls or if still involved in some way, how would view the state of your particular sports today?

MICHELLE SNOW

“For me the state of mentoring, the state of basketball in the WNBA, and everything like that, I think it is in a beautiful place. We just had one of the best CBA (collective bargaining agreement with owners and players) deals. ESPN just did another multimillion deal. Nike now owns a 25-percent stake in the WNBA. Things are getting there, the endorsements are there, you don’t have to go overseas now if you don’t want to. These young ladies are making that good, good cash.

And it is a blessing because it is the people who started it, who fought for it, who are still invested in it, that get to see that become a dream and possibility. When I was coming up, there was no WNBA. It didn’t happen until my senior year in high school. With these young ladies, they get to see it from the day they are born all the way the way up, they get to come to games and see their favorite athletes.

I mentor several players. I also do the WNBA podcast. It is a lot of fun seeing where the game is going and the opportunities that are available.

MELISSA MILLER

“The state of gymnastics and where it is at… it doesn’t have much in a professional realm. It is more in the collegiate level. And it has changed so much over the years. And I am so glad that I am not doing gymnastics anymore, because (competitors) are way too good. Where I have seen the biggest change is the growth in the sport. More people are involved into it.

Now, it’s grown with more and more college teams getting gymnastics and top notch gymnastics. If you watched the national championship last week, Auburn was in the final four for the first time ever in gymnastics. It is growing, because there is just more interest in the sport.

It is really neat to see the expansion in the sport in a lot of different areas. The equipment has really changed too. A lot of changed.”

BETH BARR

“Swimming is constantly changing. With equipment and bathing suits and fitness. It is more of a strength sport now. When I was swimming, I was a small swimmer and more of a technician in the water. The girls now are so strong. Swimming now relies more heavily on strength. There is also some professional swimming now which is great to see. It is also great to see swimmers can now expand their careers. The ages are getting older. As far as females they are definitely getting older and able to still compete.”

You all went through adverse situations in your careers on way to achieving so much success. How did each of you handle those tough times?

MELISSA MILLER

“As a young kid, my goal was to make the Olympic team. I was in eighth grade, and I moved away from home went to visit top coaches in the country. I got hurt right before qualifications for the Olympic trials. So my biggest dream was now shattered. I didn’t understand it at the time. When the plans you have don’t work out the way you want them, what do you do? For me, I realized God had a different plan. When I had that loss, I was redirected and I was able to get a scholarship at Florida and because of that, I had a successful career. It really made up for it.

You may have your mind set that you want to do this, this and this… and want to be a D-1 athlete, and it may not plan out. You can get hurt in an instant and your career may be over. You have to realize that and have a backup plan.”

BETH BARR

‘”I would rather face failure any day. Because failure provides an opportunity. You want that. Athletes go through depression. Because, it’s like I don’t know what to do now. You succeeded and now what? Embrace failure. My son just won a state wrestling title in Arizona, but he would call me when he lost a match and I would say, okay, what did you learn from that? What will you do better? When you win, you don’t learn anything… Always look at failure as an opportunity.”

MICHELLE SNOW

“Fear actually motivated me. And it motivated me because I was so afraid of certain things. I remember getting all the way to state final four (at Pensacola High) our freshman year and we lose. Went to the NCAA Final Four twice (with Tennessee) and got blown out in the championship game. That is tough. I get all the way to the pros and get drafted (in WNBA) by a team (Houston Comets) that has never kept a rookie. That is terrifying. You may not ever play and you worked your entire life to get there. I go overseas (first season) and I get fired (cut).

My mother had Lupus growing up. I didn’t know how much time she had. I didn’t know if she would wake up that next morning. It is scary It is a terrifying thing. People thought I wanted to play pro basketball because I wanted the cars, the fame, the money. I wanted to play because I wanted to buy my mother medicine. Her medicine was $500 for one prescription. I wanted to go pro so I could make a difference in her life.”

Ballpark Yoga Returns To Blue Wahoos Stadium This Sunday!

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By popular demand, “Seventh Inning Stretch” Ballpark Yoga will return to Blue Wahoos Stadium throughout the summer, with four new dates in May and June announced today by the Blue Wahoos.

“After our first Ballpark Yoga session in April, we heard from so many fans clamoring for more, so we’re very excited to add four new dates this summer,” Blue Wahoos events manager Shannon Reeves said. “We’re very grateful to our friends at Disko Lemonade for leading these sessions and making them fun for all ages and experience levels.”

Ballpark Yoga will be offered in May on Sunday, May 1st and Sunday, May 22nd and in June on Sunday, June 12 and Sunday, June 26. All sessions will begin at 9:00 AM – late enough to allow fans to sleep in but early enough to not miss brunch downtown afterwards – and will be led by expert instructors from Disko Lemonade Yoga Studio.

Tickets to each session are available at BlueWahoos.com for $12. Yoga is held in centerfield at Blue Wahoos Stadium, offering attendees exclusive access to the field at the stadium, and participants are encouraged to bring a yoga mat, blanket, or towel to exercise on.

Get Tickets:

Sunday, May 1
Sunday, May 22
Sunday, June 12
Sunday, June 26

Blue Wahoos Welcome Michelle Snow, Beth Barr, and Melissa Miller-Schubeck For Women In Sports Seminar

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CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos have joined with local athletic legends Michelle Snow, Beth Barr, and Melissa Miller-Schubeck to present Women In Sports Night on Friday, April 22 at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Prior to the Blue Wahoos game against the Montgomery Biscuits that evening, Snow, Barr, and Miller-Schubeck will lead a seminar for female high school and college students focused on inspiring young women in our community to pursue opportunities and careers in athletics.

“Today, more than ever before, women are empowered to create their own destiny, make substantive contributions, and leave our mark on the world of sports. And, while we’re making our difference in real-time, we’re also paving the way for women coming up behind us in this industry so what an important role for us to play,” Blue Wahoos Vice President of Fan Experience Donna Kirby, who will host the seminar, said. “Women are strong and powerful – we are creative thinkers and problem-solvers. It’s gratifying to see our talents leveraged so that the impact we are having both now and in the future, will leave lasting and positive impressions on the sports industry as a whole. Women in Sports Night is a great first step for those interested in learning more about where we are, where we’re going, and the role that they can play in helping organizations across all sports, not just baseball, achieve greatness.”

Tickets to Women In Sports Night are available to local female students for $14 at BlueWahoos.com and include the leadership seminar and the Blue Wahoos game that evening. The seminar will begin at 4:30 PM in the Blue Wahoos Stadium Lounge. Gates at the ballpark will open at 5:30 PM for the game with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 PM.

A graduate of Pensacola High School, Snow was named Florida’s “Miss Basketball” in 1998. After starring at the University of Tennessee, where she became the third woman in NCAA college basketball history to dunk during a game, she was a first round selection in 2002 WNBA Draft and went on to a 13-year career in the WNBA, making two All-Star teams. Since, she’s become a nationally-recognized speaker, investor, and business advisor.

As a 16-year-old at Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola, Barr won a silver medal in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, swimming the backstroke on Team U.S.A.’s women’s 4×100-meter medley relay. She then attended the University of Texas, winning the 1991 National Championship in the 200-meter backstroke and being named All-America four times. After her swimming career she opened Barracuda Swimworks in Pensacola, using her expertise to help teach children in our community to swim.

Tate High graduate Miller-Schubeck starred nationally in gymnastics as a youth before attending the University of Florida. Named to six All-America teams during her collegiate career, Miller-Schubeck won the SEC All-Around championship in back-to-back years in 1988 and 1989 and was inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame. Today, she serves as a Youth Services Director at Heritage Baptist Church.

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos begin their 10th season by the Bay on Friday, April 8 as they welcome the Biloxi Shuckers to Blue Wahoos Stadium. Full-season memberships, mini plans, and single game tickets are available at BlueWahoos.com.

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Remembering When Blue Wahoos Honored Pensacola Team Breaking Little League Color Barrier 

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On an August night in 2018, Jerry Cowart had traveled more than 750 miles from West Virginia to Pensacola, so he could reconnect with special history.

He was a pitcher-infielder on the 1955 Orlando Kiwanis, an 11-12-year-old Little League team, which agreed to play the Pensacola Jaycees in a game which shook youth baseball in the southeast.

The Pensacola Jaycees were a team of all Black players. Orlando’s team was all White players. Their Florida Little League state semifinal game on August 10, 1955, at Orlando’s Lake Lorna Doone Park broke the game’s color barrier

That game, that moment, and those players, which spawned the movie “Long Time Coming: A 1955 Baseball Story,” were honored August 18, 2018 by the Pensacola Blue Wahoos prior during their game at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

It was something the Blue Wahoos and team owner Quint Studer made happen as a well to honor the moment 63 years earlier, but also remind of its significance.

As Major League Baseball celebrates the final day of Black History Month in February 2022, this story is a fitting way to recognized Pensacola’s history with baseball and great Black players in the community’s history.

“I would have never missed this,” said Cowart, who engaged in embrace with fellow 70-year-old men who played for the Jaycees. “It’s very special. I know back then, we wanted to play that game. We didn’t care. We just wanted to play baseball.

“We didn’t think one bit of the implications,” said Cowart, whose team won the game 5-0 to advance to play Miami for the 1955 state title, which Miami won 1-0. “I know (Jaycees) were scared. And we were uptight too. But it was fun. We had a good time.”

On that night in 2018, PGA Tour star and Pensacola resident Bubba Watson, a co-investor with the Blue Wahoos, returned from his busy schedule to hand out commemorative plaques to all players and show his support.

That was a joyous surprise to the members of both teams and their families. Blue Wahoos players and Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp players applauded from both dugouts during the ceremony.

The cheers became louder during the second inning when a sellout crowd (5,038) had filled the seats.

“I almost wish I could have been a part of it back in that era,” said former Blue Wahoos manager Jody Davis, who grew up in Gainesville, Georgia, and went on to become a Major League All-Star catcher with the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves

“But I wasn’t born until ’56, so it was just a little bit ahead of my time, but this game of baseball has kinda smoothed over a lot of rough times.

“That bunch from Orlando did the right thing, we all know that. It is historic. I was glad to be part of it and see those guys out here. I hope they had a good time.”

The Blue Wahoos wore replica home jerseys of the Pensacola Jaycees.

The players from both the Jaycees and Orlando Kiwanis gathered on the concourse that night, signing autographs, posing with fans for pictures, or just taking in the whole experience.

At one point, Escambia County commissioner Lumon May approached four of the Orlando team members and hugged each one. It was his emotional way of saying “thank you” for what they accomplished.

“It was baseball that brought it all together and baseball is doing it again here (Saturday),” said Ted Haddock, the film’s producer.

The game was eight years after Jackie Robinson, who was born in Cairo, Georgia, made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier.

“One of our own coaches quit before we played that game, because he didn’t want to go against a black team,” Cowart said.

The Pensacola Jaycees reached the state Little League semifinals, because teams from Fort Walton Beach and Panama City both forfeited playoff games after refusing to play against black players.

“We really didn’t know, because we had baseball fields to play on,” said Willie Robinson, a shortstop on the Jaycees and nephew of former Booker T. Washington principal Sherman Robinson. “There were baseball fields everywhere in Pensacola back then.”

“But people outside of us didn’t know we could play so well. We weren’t the best ballplayers, necessarily, in the south, but other teams didn’t get the same opportunity.”

The team traveled in three cars to get to Orlando. Only one gas station company in Florida — Phillips 66 — permitted African-American travelers to use their restrooms and drink from their water fountains.

“There were some very rough towns back then … racist places,” said Rev. Freddie Augustine, a second baseman on the Pensacola Jaycees. “We couldn’t just stop anywhere.”

But they made it happen. And 63 years later, so did the Blue Wahoos.

Blue Wahoos Stadium provided a fitting venue. It was only blocks away from where the Pensacola Jaycees played at their field that once existed on the corner of Government Street and Intendencia.

“This all goes back to our covenant about bringing the community together,” Studer said that night. “But it is also to let people know we have a ways to go. We’ve always wanted to make this ballpark like a neighborhood.. an integrated neighborhood.”

The players from both teams met for the first time two years ago in Pensacola to film the documentary. It was their first meeting since 1955. It was at a ballpark near A.K. Suter Elementary School — a field that was off-limits to the Jaycees in 1955.

Neighborhood kids saw the film crews and the production. The youth players asked the former players, all now in their 70s, about what was going on.

When they found out, the kids began asking for autographs and bonded with the men in a way that touched their hearts.

“I thank the Lord for what happened,” Robinson said. “My only disappointment is that (the local African-American community) never recognized us back then. That is my disappointment.

“But I am overwhelmed now because they are finally getting to know what we did. It’s just they can’t really feel the full impact.”

Blue Wahoos Receive Sports Tourism Award At Pensacola Sports Awards Banquet 

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the Blue Wahoos became innovators and award winners.

Those elements were honored Feb. 24 during the annual Pensacola Sports Awards Banquet at the Pensacola Yacht Club, sponsored by Cox Communications.

The Blue Wahoos received the Sports Tourism Award for 2020, after creating the nation’s first Airbnb experience at a ballpark in a year without baseball, along with the other creative ways to bring people to Blue Wahoos Stadium and fulfill the team’s mission to improve the quality of life in the Pensacola community.

Blue Wahoos vice president Alex Sides accepted the award on a special night celebrating the varied success stories with athletes and teams in the Pensacola area. Pensacola Sports was founded in 1955 and is the oldest sports association in Florida.

Pensacola Sports created the Sports Tourism Award several years ago as a way to recognize an organization or group of individuals who make a significant contribution to generating tourism to Pensacola and advancing the community’s awareness.

The Blue Wahoos were able to do that in a number of ways in 2020, after all levels of Minor League Baseball were cancelled prior to the 2020 season due to the first onslaught of COVID-19. The team’s front office staff went to work to transition into an events company and Airbnb experience.

In a time where family entertainment options were greatly limited, the Blue Wahoos staged more than 200 events, along with the 75 nights of Airbnb guests from 30 different states.

It earned the Blue Wahoos the Bob Freitas Award from Baseball America as the Double-A organization of the year. The Blue Wahoos also earned the prestigious Golden Bobblehead Award for best overall promotion during the MILB Innovators Summtt, held virtually in 2020.

At the Feb. 24 Pensacola Sports banquet, event emcee Dan Shugart recognized all of the achievements and provided the gathering with awareness of how the Blue Wahoos survived a year without baseball.

The team also won other awards that year.

Team owners Quint and Rishy Studer decided in April 2020 not to reduce staffing or lay off employees and were able to keep the entire front office staff employed the entire year.

The Blue Wahoos have been able to attract visitors from across the country, either to attend games, or simply visit the stadium during non-event days to browse in the team store or simply walk around and experience the bayfront stadium.

The Blue Wahoos were joined by Five Flags Speedway, winner of the 2021 Sports Tourism Award, in earning recognition for impact in the community.

Pensacola Ahead Of Its Time A Century Ago With Negro League Baseball Opportunities 

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

More than 100 years ago, Pensacola was ahead of its time with opportunities in baseball.

In a downtown area now occupied by Baptist Hospital and the Pensacola Retirement Village, was site of Kupfrian Park, a ballpark built by the city as a community centerpiece for the segregated African-American population. The 500-seat venue was framed by a pond, a horsetrack, a picnic area and fairground.

This is where Pensacola in 1890 had a thriving Black baseball league and its strong community impact before American Negro League Baseball was officially founded in 1920.

Kupfrian Park was essentially the origination of Pensacola’s Black baseball history.

“Pensacola, in reality, was color blind to a degree when it came to the game of baseball,” said author Scott Brown, whose book, “Baseball In Pensacola: American’s Pastime & The City Of Five Flags,” was published in 2013 and chronicles the city’s unique heritage in the sport.

As Major League Baseball celebrates Black History Month, the existence of Kupfrian Park enabled the sport to reach all parts of Pensacola. It was spurned baseball’s growth during segregation in Pensacola, even before the 19th Century.

Only 25 years after the Civil War ended, Pensacola leaders had a vision to grow the game in the Black community. Few cities that were Pensacola’s size had anything resembling Kupfrian Park.

“One of things in my research that just blew me away was the building and usage of Kupfrian Park,” Brown said. “That was a huge entertainment arena. The fact the city and the mayor at that time, William D. Chipley, got behind the construction of a field that sat 500 people in the grandstand, which was a big stadium back then, is just amazing.

“I mean, we are talking 1890 Pensacola. And here was a Deep South city building a ballpark for early Negro League teams to use. This wasn’t just a baseball park, it was a community center completely run by African-American employees. This was huge for Pensacola.”

This is what eventually led to the Pensacola Arthur Giants in 1920 becoming part of the Southern Negro League. And it led 25 years later to Jackie Robinson playing an exhibition game in Pensacola, while with the Kansas City Monarchs at Pensacola’s Legion Field.

So much of the foundation for the future began at Kupfrian Park on North Pace Boulevard.

“Not only did the city have the insight, but they also had the understanding this was huge entertainment venue and this was a money maker for the city,” Brown said. “It was, by-design, a place to rally the community.

“That for me was the beginning of everyone in Pensacola for Negro League Baseball. The fact the white community of Pensacola back then gave place, gave property, and gave funding, to get all of this started.”

There were several other key moments and teams that carried Pensacola’s connections with various Negro League Baseball organizations.

The first were the Pensacola African Americans, who played at Kupfrian Park and competed in the Emerald Coast Negro League. Many of those players in the early 1900’s advanced to higher levels.

Once the official start of Negro League Baseball formed in 1920, Pensacola had teams in various leagues. The teams were the Pensacola Arthur Giants, the Pepsi-Cola Stars and the Pensacola Seagulls.

Legion Field was Pensacola’s ballpark for both the Negro Southern League teams like the Pensacola Seagulls and Pepsi-Cola Stars, but also the Florida-Alabama Class D League Pensacola Dons and Senators.
Photo courtesy of UWF Historic Trust

The stadiums in town evolved into Maxent Park, which became Legion Field in 1928 and was located at its present location on Gregory Street and G Street. It was Maxent Park and Legion Field where MLB teams stopped to play during spring training on train rides back to Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Boston.

Pensacola’s Negro League teams played at those stadiums on designated days.

“While Pensacola was still playing in segregated leagues, the people I talked to who were children then and still living now, can remember when people in the white community of Pensacola would attend Negro League games and people in the black community would attend the white games,” Brown said.

“During the white games, the African American fans were restricted to the non-covered portion of Legion Field back then along the left field line.”

The Seagulls were a feeder affiliate team for the Negro Southern League. They had the longest tenure in Pensacola, later becoming an semipro, non-affiliated, integrated team, all the way into the 1970’s.

“We might not have been known as a Negro League town in the same way as cities such as Kansas City with the Kansas City Monarchs, but were turning out players who were high aptitude in the game,” said Brown, discussing his research. “That continued on to the 1960’s. We had players who had the ability to sustain themselves all the way into the major leagues.”

The best of those players was Johnny Joe Lewis. The Booker T. Washington High graduate played for the Seagulls. He was an outfielder, who then attended a Detroit Tigers tryout as a catcher.

The Tigers signed Lewis, traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals where he made his pro debut in 1959 in Wytheville, Va. Five years later, on April 14, 1964, Lewis made his MLB debut with the Cardinals and became Pensacola’s first African-American player to reach the big leagues.

“Johnny was the epitome of the kind of talent we turned out in Pensacola among African-American players back then,” Brown said.

All of this is part of Pensacola’s rich history with Negro League Baseball. It put the community in a different light from so many other places during those eras.

“It wasn’t so much that it was an answer of giving a place to play, as much as it was that Pensacola was enamored with the game of baseball,” Brown said. “Pensacola was color blind in that regard.

“From my research, it was just a natural thing to do then. We’re just going to play baseball. It was so natural for Pensacola to begin playing black baseball.”

A look at Pensacola’s three best known Negro League teams.

ARTHUR GIANTS – The team played at Pete Caldwell Field, now in an area off Fairfield Drive and Market Street that is near Pensacola Catholic High School. The team had distinction in the early 1900’s as Pensacola most accomplished Black baseball team. Team owner E.S. Cobb, a Pensacola physician, enabled the team to travel and gain interest of the national level Negro League scouts during the 1930’s. The team played into the 1940’s.

PEPSI COLA STARS – Pensacola’s team was part of a national set of Black baseball teams sponsored by Pepsi-Cola. The team played an exhibition game on Aug. 9. 1942 against the Montgomery (Ala.) Brown Bombers, a team connected to the national Negro League.

PENSACOLA SEAGULLS – The team had its own bus, enabling trips to nearby cities or as far away as San Francisco, where the Seagulls once traveled to play. The ballclub was a feeder affiliate for the Negro Southern League during the 1940’s and stayed a team long past Integration in Major League Baseball. The team stayed as an amateur or adult league teams.

The Seagulls were led by catcher William “Pit” Bell, who later became a long-time employee at Armstrong World Industries. The team played at Legion Field and had exhibition games against the Indianapolis Clowns and Kansas City Monarchs, two of the most famous teams in the elite Negro National League.

It was also the team that Johnny Joe Lewis played for as an outfielder, leading into his opportunity to rise in professional baseball and become Pensacola’s first Black player to reach the Major Leagues.

Blue Wahoos To Hold Job Fair At Brownsville Community Center On February 23

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

The Blue Wahoos are hiring for the 2022 baseball season and will hold a job fair on Wednesday, February 23 at the Brownsville Community Center in Pensacola to seek candidates interested in available positions for the upcoming season. Candidates can interview on-site for positions from 4:00-6:00 PM at the Community

The Blue Wahoos are hiring for the 2022 baseball season and will hold a job fair on Wednesday, February 23 at the Brownsville Community Center in Pensacola to seek candidates interested in available positions for the upcoming season. Candidates can interview on-site for positions from 4:00-6:00 PM at the Community Center, located next to the Brownsville Church at 3200 West Desoto Street.

Seasonal positions are available in food and beverage, merchandise, cleaning services, game production, and in-game entertainment.

To complete the application form, candidates are required to bring a resume that includes their contact information, education history, job experience, and professional references. Candidates will be interviewed on-site at the event and are encouraged to dress for a formal interview and be prepared to discuss their customer service skills and experience.

MLB Pioneer Johnny Joe Lewis Leads Pensacola’s All-Time Greatest Black Baseball Players 

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

Nearly 50 years later, Kevin Saucier’s amazement has grown from his unique connections with Pensacola’s history of its greatest Black baseball players.

The left-hander was making his pitching debut with the Pulaski (Virginia) Phillies in the Appalachian League. It was weeks after the Philadelphia Phillies had selected Saucier in the second round of the 1974 draft from Escambia High School.

In the opposing lineup that night for the Covington (Va.) Astros was an outfielder named Joe “JJ” Cannon, who Saucier knew from Cannon’s success at Pensacola State College, formerly Pensacola Junior College.

“He was in the top three of the batting order,” Saucier said. “I wish I could remember how I did against him, but I knew JJ could run and I didn’t want him on base. But imagine that, your first game and guy from Pensacola you’re going against.”

Both players continued incredible journeys to reach the major leagues.

Cannon was the first PJC player to be drafted and continued a trailblazing path set by predecessors Johnny Joe Lewis and Hosken Powell to be among Pensacola’s greatest Black baseball players who reached the major leagues.

Saucier, nicknamed “Hot Sauce,” rose in the Phillies organization to win a World Series title with Philadelphia in 1980.

As part of Black History Month, Major League Baseball is recognizing players who advanced the game and became inspirations as part of an initiative to recognize top Black players in the communities of minor league affiliates.

The Blue Wahoos have chosen Cannon, along with Lewis, Powell, then Mark Whitten and Adron Chambers, as five of Pensacola’s greatest.

All played Major League Baseball and overcame long odds to do so. Saucer brings perspective with knowing all of them.

“I have all the respect in the world for these guys because they had a lot of things against them to get to the big leagues,” said Saucier, whose playing career transitioned into becoming an MLB regional scouting director and works with the Blue Wahoos during their home schedule as a liaison with current scouts and MLB team executives who travel to Pensacola to attend games.

“When you look at these guys, especially guys like Johnny, Hosken and JJ, you remember there was no such thing as (youth team) travel ball in those days and the summer league opportunities for them were nowhere near the same as for white players,” Saucier said.

“They had to overcome a lot and stay with it. And these five guys were some of the best players to ever come out of Pensacola.”

Saucier played against Cannon in high school and pro ball. He pitched against Powell in spring training games. He then got to know Lewis well in his later years. He then got to know and became friends with Whiten and Chambers during his scouting career.

In honor of Black History Month, here is a look at Pensacola’s top five Black baseball players.

JOHNNY JOE LEWIS – During his prep career at Booker T. Washington, Lewis grew up less than a decade removed from Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier.

He was signed as a free agent by the Detroit Tigers, but broke into pro ball with the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 1959. He made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in 1964. Lewis played five seasons in the big leagues, including the final three years with the New York Mets.

He had 174 hits, 24 doubles, six triples, 22 home runs with 74 RBI in the majors. One of those home runs was a historic solo homer in 1965 against the Cincinnati Reds, breaking up a 10-inning, no-hitter by Reds pitcher Jim Maloney – one of the longest no-hitters in MLB history.

Following his playing career, he became the Cardinals first Black assistant coach in 1973 and stayed with the organization for the next two decades. He died in 2018 at age 78 and is considered one of Pensacola’s most famous names in Major League Baseball.

“When I got into coaching, that’s when I really started to get to know who Johnny Joe was,” Saucier said. “He was such a great guy and everyone in the game knew who he was. He had to have such an influence on everyone at that time in Pensacola.”

HOSKEN POWELL – One of the top players in Pensacola’s prep baseball history, Powell, a Woodham High graduate and outfielder, was twice a first-round draft pick in the same year while playing at Chipola Junior College. After being chosen by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1975 as the 19th overall pick in primary draft in January, Powell was later chosen by the Minnesota Twins as the third overall pick in the June secondary draft phase.

One of his roommates at Chipola was Century High grad Buck Showalter, now manager of the New York Mets.

Powell signed with the Twins and made his MLB debut with the Twins in 1978 and played six years in the big leagues.

“I remember I was a freshman in high school (Escambia) and on the JV team and we were playing Woodham. All I heard about was this guy named Hosken Powell,” Saucier said, laughing. “Let me tell you I could not get him out. You knew then, that this guy was going to be someone special.

“He had a lot of influence on baseball in Pensacola.”

JJ CANNON – While playing prep baseball at Camp LeJuene, N.C., Cannon’s family moved to Florida and he later signed to play at Pensacola Junior College. That’s where he caught attention from pro scouts and the Houston Astros made him the 16th overall pick in the 1974 draft.

Three later, following his rookie year with Saucier in the Appalachian League, Cannon made his MLB debut with the Astros in 1977 before being traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in 1979. His four-year career in the big leagues was followed by an extensive tenure as a minor league coach and manager. Cannon managed five different teams in four different leagues.

In 1991, he had a stadium in Hanover, Maryland named in his honor.

“The Appalachian League back in the 70’s was not an easy way to break into professional baseball for young black players,” Saucier said. “So I know JJ had to go through a lot.”

MARK WHITEN

Former Pensacola High football coach Leo Carvalis convinced Whiten to become a two-sport athlete and try out for the baseball team. His progression earned him a baseball scholarship at PJC and he chose that route as opposed to trying college football.

In 1986, Whiten was drafted in the fifth round by the Toronto Blue Jays. That organization became one of nine different MLB teams that Whitten played for during his 11 year career. While with the Phillies in 1993, he hit four home runs in a game and now is among 18 players in MLB history to attain that feat.

Whitten’s four homers resulted in 12 RBI which is tied for the all-time record in MLB history. He embraced the nickname of “Hard-Hittin’ Mark Whiten.”

“When Mark was in high school and PJC, he had a heck of an arm as a rightfielder,” Saucier said. “He had talent, but was raw as heck back then. And he just kept getting better.”

The Blue Jays scout who signed Whiten had to convince his director that it was a worthy choice. Whiten finished his career in 2000 with the Cleveland Indians and his career numbers included a .259 batting average with 105 home runs and 423 RBI.

ADRON CHAMBERS

A star quarterback and defensive back at Pensacola High, who led the Tigers to a state semifinal appearance in 2004, Chambers signed a football scholarship at Mississippi State. He then turned to baseball and joined Pensacola State College where he earned a pro opportunity during a tryout camp in 2007 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Four years later, Chambers became part of the Cardinals’ World Series march and earned a championship ring with the Cardinals in 2011. In a four-year climb through the minor leagues, Chambers went from hitting .238 in Low-A in 2008 to .290 in Triple-A with the Memphis Redbirds in 2010.

That earned him a place on the Cardinals’ 40-man MLB roster. He spent parts of the 2012-13 seasons with the Cardinals and minor league affiliate, then played with the Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays organizations. He signed a free-agent deal with the Chicago Cubs before the 2015 season and was a teammate of former Cubs’ shortstop and Pace High grad Addison Russell that year.

“It is so amazing when you consider that Adron did not even play baseball at Mississippi State,” Saucier said. “And then he stayed with it (after 2011) to play several years in the minors.

Dynamic Didi, Record Holder Hamilton Lead Top Black Players In Blue Wahoos History 

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout the month of February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just incredible one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Here is a look at five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

DIDI GREGORIUS

In the same year he made his major league debut, Didi Gregorius was part of the Blue Wahoos inaugural Opening Day lineup at shortstop on April 5, 2012 in the team’s historic first season at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

After signing an international contract at 18-years-old with the Cincinnati Reds, the Amsterdam, Netherlands native had already built acclaim before arriving to Pensacola.

He began that season as the Reds’ No. 6 prospect by Baseball America and was known for being able to speak eight different languages. He played 81 games for the Blue Wahoos in 2012, captivating Pensacola fans with his defensive wizardry, along with speed on the basepaths.

He batted .279 with 31 RBI for the Blue Wahoos, along with eight triples, 11 doubles and a home run. He was named a Southern League All-Star. He quickly became a fan favorite and often engaged with fans during pregame, along with signing autographs.

Gregorius was elevated to Triple-A Louisville in the second half of 2012 and made his MLB debut with the Reds on Sept. 4, 2012 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Ironically, he was acquired by the Phillies in 2020 and remains under contract with that team.

BILLY HAMILTON

When Gregorius was promoted in 2012, Billy Hamilton joined the Blue Wahoos from the Cincinnati Reds’ High-A affiliate in Bakersfield, Calif. for the second half of that season.

When he got to Pensacola, Hamilton was already well on his way to breaking the Minor League Baseball stolen base record. Anticipation and fan interest then grew with every game, each successful stolen base.

History happened on August 21 at Blue Wahoos Stadium against the Montgomery Biscuits when Hamilton recorded his 146th stolen base, breaking the mark set in 1983 by former St. Louis Cardinals star Vince Coleman when he played for former affiliate Macon (Ga.) Redbirds.

Hamilton’s chase and record-setting feat provided the Blue Wahoos with national attention. It gave the team notice on ESPN and MLB Network and other national media outlets.

Hamilton, a second-round pick by the Reds in 2009 from Taylorsville, Miss., finished with 155 stolen bases in 2012, including 51 with the Blue Wahoos. He played 50 games for Pensacola, batting .286 with five triples, four doubles and one home run that was an all-time memorable inside-the-park HR during a Sunday home game at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

He then returned to loud ovations in 2015 for three games, while on a injury rehab assignment with the Reds.

PHILIP ERVIN

After joining the Blue Wahoos in the second half of the 2015 season, Philip Ervin helped the team make its first post-season appearance under first-year manager Pat Kelly.

The following year, Ervin played 123 games as a versatile outfielder and was a big part of why the Blue Wahoos attained their first winning season in franchise history. He was a key part of the team that won both half-season, division titles in the Southern League before losing in the playoffs.

Ervin, who was the Cincinnati Reds’ first round selection in 2013, collected 100 hits with 45 RBI in 2016 with 13 home runs. He also stole 36 bases. The games he played often had a family contingent of fans. He grew up in Leroy, Alabama, a tiny town 55 miles north of Mobile and played three sports – football, basketball and baseball – at his high school.

During his career at Samford, he was named the MVP of the Cape Cod League, following his sophomore year in 2012. He began 2013 as a preseason All-American and MVP of the Southern Conference.

Ervin made his MLB debut in 2017 with the Reds and played four seasons in the big leagues.

AMIR GARRETT

As part of the Blue Wahoos talented starting rotation in 2016, Garrett put together one of the best years by a pitcher in team history.

Chosen by the Reds in the 22nd round of the 2011 draft out of St. John’s University, the left-handed hurler from Victorville, Calif. rapidly progressed in 2016 to become the Reds Minor League Pitcher of the year, as well as a Southern League All-Star for the Blue Wahoos.

Garrett, a 6-foot-5, former basketball player at St. John’s, compiled a 5-3 record in 12 starts for the Blue Wahoos, but he allowed just 20 runs in that span with only 15 earned runs. He did not allow a home run in any appearance. His 1.75 earned run average with the Blue Wahoos led all Reds’ minor league pitchers that season.

He played in the Sirius-XM Futures Game after being promoted to Triple-A Louisville on June 17 that season. He threw two hitless innings in the game.

Garrett made his MLB debut in 2017 and figures to again be part of the Reds starting rotation in 2022.

SHED LONG

The Blue Wahoos championship season in 2017 included outfielder Shed Long, who then returned in 2018 to have a big year in the team’s final season as a Cincinnati Reds affiliate.

Long, a Birmingham native, was a 12th round selection by the Reds in 2013. He bypassed a potential college football career to play professional baseball. In 2018, Long batted a team-high .261 in 126 games and his 56 RBI were second-best. He was a Southern League All Star selection that year.

He finished the season leading the Blue Wahoos with most at-bats, runs scored (75), hits (118), doubles (22), triples (5) total bases and walks (57). His 19 steals tied for team best.

Following the 2018 season in Pensacola, Long became an Arizona Fall League All-Star. He was then traded by the Reds to the Seattle Mariners in a three-team deal with the New York Yankees.

After spending parts of the past three seasons in the major leagues with the Seattle Mariners, where Long made his MLB Debut in 2019, he is now a free agent.