FredNats to Unveil New History Wall Inside Ballpark on Saturday, October 3rd

The Fredericksburg Baseball History Wall Has Been Developed in Conjunction with Germanna Community College, the Fredericksburg Area Museum & Dovetail Cultural Resource Group

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – The Fredericksburg Nationals are excited to unveil their newest element of their ballpark to fans. Located behind the batter’s eye on the centerfield concourse, the “History of Baseball in Fredericksburg” Wall presented by Germanna Community College will be 80 feet long and 12 feet high showcasing some of Fredericksburg’s richest history ranging from the civil war to the present, including some lesser known baseball factoids.

Fans will be invited to the ballpark on Saturday, Oct. 3 to see the History of Baseball in Fredericksburg Wall for themselves followed by a free showing of a movie that is to be determined by a fan vote. Gates will open at 5 p.m. to the first 1,000 fans in order to properly social distance. A ceremony to “unveil” the Wall and hear about the project will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. prior to the movie showing at 7 p.m.

The following is a sample of one panel of the display which shows the historical and educational elements of the Wall:

“The Fredericksburg Nationals are thrilled to introduce this unique element into the ballpark for baseball and history fans to enjoy.” Team Treasurer Seth Silber stated, “This project brings together the rich history of Fredericksburg and the rich history of our national pastime into one incredible display that will stand the test of time. It was only possible through the support, talents, and creativity of three incredible community partners, Germanna Community College, the Fredericksburg Area Museum, and Dovetail Cultural Resource Group – all of whom had the vision to help bring this dream to reality.”

“Baseball has mirrored social change in America and, at times, even played an important role, as it did when Jackie Robinson broke the game’s color line 73 years ago,” said Germanna President, Janet Gullickson. “We’re proud to be part of this five-year project chronicling the history of baseball in our area, along with the FredNats, Dovetail and the Fredericksburg Area Museum. And we are very happy to be working with the City and the Silber family. “

FAM President and CEO Sara Poore added: “The Fredericksburg Area Museum (FAM) is very excited to have participated in the creation of the History Wall in the FredNats ballpark. What a fun project it has been. The dedication and commitment to the history of our community has been a priority to the Silber family’s relocation of the team to Fredericksburg, as evidenced by the History Pavilion. We look forward to a History Day event in Spring 2021 where the Fredericksburg Museums Council, which includes Fredericksburg Area Museum, The George Washington Foundation, Washington Heritage Museums, James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library, and Gari Melchers Home & Studio, will have an opportunity to engage the public with hands- on activities that will further share the history of Fredericksburg.”

In addition to the history wall, the FAM’s future exhibition Playball! America’s Pastime will open in the museum in January. This exhibit will complement the History Wall with artifacts and stories that illustrate Fredericksburg’s long history with the game of baseball –from soldiers to sandlots to the gleaming ballfields of today!

“Dovetail Cultural Resource Group (Dovetail) is utterly thrilled to be a part of the team bringing the history of Fredericksburg baseball to the community,” Dovetail President Kerri Barile said. We began researching this topic back in 2013 when the City considered entering into a previous agreement to bring a team to town. The little bit of research we did blew us away. When the Fredericksburg Nationals began to explore Fredericksburg as their new home, Dovetail knew two things: the FredNats would be an incredible piece of our baseball story and we wanted to be a part of their adventure.”

“The teamwork on this project was incredible,” Barile said. “Dovetail took the lead on the research with FAM then creating a beautiful and monumental exhibit. Germanna backed the studies throughout the project and contributed the breathtaking History Minute videos that will be shown during the games. The FredNats, Seth Silber in particular, were the project glue. The guidance, support, and enthusiasm they provided throughout the project was infectious, and they kept the work on track despite the delays in our opening due to COVID. We hope we have succeeded in making their vision a reality!” said Barile from Dovetail.

Barile said the exhibit and videos track the legacy of baseball in the area as:

  • Union and Confederate soldiers watching each other play baseball games across the Rappahannock River. Abner Doubleday, who, according to baseball mythology, invented the game, was an officer in the Union camp and was said to have organized games there in Falmouth.
  • The beginnings of baseball teams and leagues in Fredericksburg in 1866, as troops who learned the game during the war brought it home to friends and families when hostilities ceased.
  • The world’s eyes turned to Fredericksburg in February of 1936 when Hall of Fame Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson recreated George Washington’s legendary silver dollar throw across the Rappahannock. In a brilliant publicity stunt, Johnson was brought to town and more than 4,000 people turned out to watch, with 90 radio stations across the country broadcasting the event live.

To view the previously released Fredericksburg Baseball History Minutes, use the following links.

The Fredericksburg Nationals are the high A affiliate of the Washington Nationals in the Carolina league. The FredNats brand new, state of the art stadium facility is located at Celebrate Virginia South on Carl D. Silver Parkway near the Fredericksburg Expo & Convention Center in Fredericksburg, VA. Stay up to date with the progress of the new ballpark facility and the team online at www.frednats.com and follow the Fredericksburg Nationals on Facebook (@FXBGNats), on Twitter (@FXBGNats), and on Instagram (@fxbgnats).

Fredericksburg Nationals to Host Jackie Robinson Legacy Night July 14th

 

WHAT: Jackie Robinson Legacy Night will include an award ceremony for the recipients of the Jackie Robinson Writing Contest that the FredNats created in conjunction with Germanna Community College. In honor of FredNats Owner, Art Silber’s 80th birthday, there will also be a free showing of the movie “42” on the video board for fans to view from the field. There will be concessions and FredNats merchandise available for purchase inside the ballpark.

WHO: Speakers for the scholarship award ceremony include Fredericksburg Mayor, Mary Katherine Greenlaw, Vice Mayor-Councilman Chuck Frye, Germanna Community College President, Janet Gulickson, FredNats Treasurer, Seth Silber, and FredNats Owner, Art Silber.

Due to regulations from the health department, there is a cap of 1,000 attendees for this event. Attendees will be admitted on a first come, first serve basis as there are no reservations or tickets.

WHY: The FredNats are hosting this event to celebrate the achievements of the Jackie Robinson Writing Contest winners and Art Silber’s 80th birthday, as well as treat members of their community to a free showing of the movie “42, The Story of Jackie Robinson.”

WHEN: The event will be held on Tuesday, July 14. The schedule of events is as follows:

  • 6:00 p.m. Gates Open
  • 7:15 p.m. Scholarship Award Ceremony Begins
  • 7:45 p.m. Free Showing of “42” (Runtime 2:08)

WHERE: The new Fredericksburg Nationals ballpark is next to the Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center located at 2371 Carl D. Silver Pkwy, Fredericksburg, VA 22401. The movie “42” will be displayed on the stadium’s video board and will be viewed from the field and seating will be properly spaced to ensure fan safety.

Fans will be invited to sit only on the dark green stripes of turf on the field and will be asked to sit 15 ft apart from other groups or families. FredNats blankets will be available for purchase but fans are invited to bring their own if they would like. No lawn chairs will be allowed on the field.

Masks will be strongly encouraged for this event. All members of the FredNats staff will be wearing masks for the entirety of the event.

CONTACT: To schedule any interviews before or at Jackie Robinson Legacy Night with members from the Fredericksburg Nationals, please contact Paige Honaker at [email protected].

The Fredericksburg Nationals are the High A affiliate of the Washington Nationals in the Carolina League. Their brand new, state of the art stadium facility is located at Celebrate Virginia South on Carl D. Silver Parkway near the Fredericksburg Expo & Convention Center in Fredericksburg, VA. Stay up to date with the progress of the new ballpark facility and the team online at www.frednats.com and follow the Fredericksburg Nationals on Facebook (@FXBGNats), on Twitter (@FXBGNats), and on Instagram (@fxbgnats).

Fredericksburg Nationals Sell Over 1,001 Community Initiative T-Shirts

 

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – The Fredericksburg Nationals are proud to announce that they reached their goal of more than 1,001 We Are FXBG t-shirts sold as of Monday, June 29. The team announced that they would be launching the We Are FXBG t-shirts back in May with the promise to donate two tickets to local frontline healthcare workers with the purchase of each t-shirt.

FredNats General Manager and Executive Vice President Nick Hall added an extra incentive to fans by promising to get a tattoo of the team’s official mascot, Gus, if more than 1,001 We Are FXBG t-shirts were sold.

The 1,001 t-shirt was sold to a fan attending the third day of the Open House at the ballpark in the afternoon of Sunday, June 28.

“We’re really excited to make that tattoo real and have Gus enshrined on my body for life! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go apologize to my wife” said Hall, following the purchase of the 1,001 shirt.

To help the team push themselves further towards their goal, they tie-dyed hundreds of We Are FXBG t-shirts with fans at their Open House at the Ballpark on June 21, June 27 and June 28. Thanks to the support from their fans, the FredNats sold almost 500 We Are FXBG t-shirts in the three days of their Open House.

We Are FXBG t-shirts are still available for purchase in red, blue, grey, and white on the team’s online store at https://fredericksburgnationals.milbstore.com/products/we-are-fxbg-shirt.

The Fredericksburg Nationals are the high-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals in the Carolina League, originally set to begin play in 2020 at a brand new, state of the art stadium facility, located at Celebrate Virginia South on Carl D. Silver Parkway near the Fredericksburg Expo & Convention Center in Fredericksburg, VA. Stay up to date with the progress of the new ballpark facility and the team online at www.frednats.com and follow the Fredericksburg Nationals on Facebook (@FXBGNats), on Twitter (@FXBGNats), and on Instagram (@fxbgnats).

FredNats and Germanna Community College Partner to Benefit Fredericksburg Community

 

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – On Wednesday, February 26th the Fredericksburg Nationals and Germanna Community College announced more details of their partnership that will be implemented for the 2020 season.

Germanna and the FredNats are entering into a unique partnership that will highlight the history of baseball in Fredericksburg and the surrounding region in the new ballpark, while at the same time providing educational opportunities, scholarships, and exhibitions for use by the college and regional students. This program is also supported in conjunction with the FredNats’ partnerships with the Fredericksburg Area Museum (FAM) and Dovetail Cultural Resource Group (Dovetail), both of whom are providing substantial resources to bring the history of baseball in Fredericksburg to the new ballpark

The FredNats and Germanna announced the conception of the Jackie Robinson Writing Contest and Scholarship Fund that is open to all high school students in the Fredericksburg and surrounding counties. Five annual scholarships of $1,042 will be awarded to winners selected by a board made of members of the FredNats and Germanna’s choosing. High school juniors and seniors from the Germanna service area which includes Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Culpeper, Orange, King George, Madison and Caroline are eligible to participate.

The entry information and form is available at https://www.germanna.edu/42essay/ and students should submit essays by April 15. The five winners of the $1,042 scholarships will be awarded at the FredNats home game against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Friday, May 29.

As an interactive element of the ballpark, Germanna Community College, in conjunction with the Fredericksburg Area Museum and Dovetail Cultural Resource Group, are creating an 80-foot-long History Pavilion on the back of the “batter’s eye” of the stadium outfield concourse. This pavilion includes a wall that will highlight various historical events relating to baseball in Fredericksburg. The wall design and elements are being finalized and is expected to be installed in the stadium in late May.

Germanna, in partnership with the historical research completed by Dovetail and FAM, will produce several episodes of “History Minutes” of Fredericksburg to be displayed pregame in the ballpark. Episodes will highlight significant historical events in Fredericksburg related to baseball. The first history minute featuring the historical Walter Johnson coin toss across the Rappahannock from 1936 was released during the partnership announcement. The video is available for viewing below.

The Fredericksburg Nationals are set to begin Carolina League play in 2020 at a brand new, state of the art stadium facility, located at Celebrate Virginia South on Carl D. Silver Parkway near the Fredericksburg Expo & Convention Center in Fredericksburg, VA. Stay up to date with the progress of the new ballpark facility and the team online at www.frednats.com and follow the Fredericksburg Nationals on Facebook (@FXBGNats), on Twitter (@FXBGNats), and on Instagram (@FXBGNats).

 

Fredericksburg Nationals Hiring for Hundreds of Game Day Positions at Job Fair

 

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – The Fredericksburg Nationals and ballpark concessions provider, PSC, will be hosting a job fair to hire hundreds of game day employees for the 2020 baseball season at the Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center on Thursday, March 12th from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, March 14th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The FredNats will be hiring for the following positions: ushers, parking attendants, team store cashiers, fan and guest services, play area attendants, manual scoreboard attendants, stringer, trackman operator, official scorer, ticket gate attendants, ticket office cashiers, box office attendants, linescore operators, MLBAM stats operator, promotions crew, mascot handler, camera operators, soundboard operator, DakStats operator, video board operator, instant replay operator, and graphic overlay operator.

PSC will be conducting their own interviews for the following professional sports catering positions: cashiers, concessions stand event cooks, concession stand workers, food and beverage attendants, and food and beverage runners.

Applications and detailed job descriptions are now available at https://www.milb.com/fredericksburg/ballpark/employment/#gameday.

Promotions team interviews will be held only on Saturday, March 14th. Applicants interested in becoming a member of the 2020 promo team may email their applications to [email protected]. All other applications may be sent to [email protected] with preferred job choice listed in the subject line. All applications for any positions may also be dropped off at the FredNats team store located at 601 Caroline Street, First Floor, Fredericksburg, VA, 22401. Drop in applicants will be accepted the days of the job fair.

Eligible applicants will be interviewed by members of the FredNats staff in short, first-come-first-serve interviews. Resumes are encouraged but are not required.

All applicants must be 16 or older to be considered for a game day position with the Fredericksburg Nationals for the 2020 season. All game day jobs will be paid part-time positions.

The Fredericksburg Nationals are set to begin Carolina League play in 2020 at a brand new, state of the art stadium facility, located at Celebrate Virginia South on Carl D. Silver Parkway near the Fredericksburg Expo & Convention Center in Fredericksburg, VA. Stay up to date with the progress of the new ballpark facility and the team online at www.frednats.com and follow the Fredericksburg Nationals on Facebook (@FXBGNats), on Twitter (@FXBGNats), and on Instagram (@FXBGNats).

The University of Mary Washington to Host FredNats Auditions for Emcee, PA, National Anthem & Mascot

Auditions will be Held on February 29th and March 21st

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – The Fredericksburg Nationals want the best of the best to perform at the new Minor League Baseball park when it opens for its first home game against the Frederick Keys in April. A FredNats sponsor, the University of Mary Washington, is stepping up to the plate, hosting auditions this month and next for emcee and public address (PA) announcers, team mascots and National Anthem performers.

Emcee and PA try-outs will take place Saturday, February 29th, while National Anthem and mascot auditions will be held on Saturday, March 21st. Both will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in UMW’s Hurley Convergence Center Digital Auditorium.

Emcee auditions will include a script-read of game introductions and in-game entertainment segments. PA auditions will include script-reads of roster lineups and in-game sponsor advertisements.

The FredNats also need dozens of performers of the National Anthem, sung prior to each of 70 home games. Hopefuls will sing the anthem in full, in a cappella-style, without musical accompaniment.

The team also is looking for alternate mascot performers for the 2020 season. Candidates should arrive ready to rock a provided suit and run a pumped-up routine of crowd engagement. Prepared skits are welcomed and encouraged but not required.

FredNats’ Vice President of Creative Services Robert Perry will manage all emcee, PA, National Anthem and mascot auditions with assistance from other members of the 2020 promo team and FredNats Community and Mascot Relations Manager, Nathan Gunnels.

Anyone interested in attending tryouts is encouraged to RSVP to the Facebook event pages titled “FredNats Emcee & PA Auditions 2020” and “FredNats National Anthem & Mascot Auditions 2020.”

More details regarding scheduling on the day of auditions will be distributed at a later date.

The Fredericksburg Nationals are set to begin Carolina League play in 2020 at a brand new, state-of-the-art stadium facility, located at Celebrate Virginia South on Carl D. Silver Parkway near the Fredericksburg Expo & Convention Center in Fredericksburg. Stay up to date with the progress of the new ballpark facility and the team online at www.frednats.com. Follow the Fredericksburg Nationals on Facebook (@FXBGNats), on Twitter (@FXBGNats), and on Instagram (@FXBGNats).