Press Releases
June 22, 2009
For Immediate Release
Matt DeMargel
(919) 687-6516
USA BASEBALL RETURNS TO THE DBAP THIS WEEKEND
by Jennifer LaBrosse
As the Durham Bulls head off on another road trip on Tuesday, the Durham Bulls front office will be preparing for their other home team to take the field this weekend. USA Baseball returns to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park for its seventh consecutive season with a series against Canada June 26-28 and the Independence Day game on July 4th.
"The experiences in the past have been great," Jake Fehling of USA Baseball said. "Every summer is always exciting, but for us it's even more so because of the relationship we have built with the cities of Durham and Cary. It's been exciting to bring more and more games after the complex was built, and the Bulls continue to provide a great home base for us here in Durham."
July 4th will also be special for the team because it is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) - commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease- awareness night. The team is working with the local chapter to promote ALS awareness. The night will end with fireworks.
The MLB is also currently working with organizations to find a cure and promote awareness for ALS. The initiative will culminate on July 4, 2009, which is the 70th anniversary of Lou Gehrig's famous farewell speech at Yankee Stadium. Each home team will host an on-field reading of Gehrig's Farewell speech during the 7th Inning Stretch.
Even with the extra excitement of playing for such a great cause on the 4th of July, Fehling knows that just being able to play for USA Baseball is a real thrill for most of the collegiate stars who will play this summer.
"Any time you get to wear the Stars and Stripes across your chest on the 4th is pretty amazing," Fehling said.
However, the 2009 USA Baseball team has a lot to live up, as the 2008 team was undefeated.
Rick Jones, head coach of the 2009 USA Baseball National Team, is excited and confident about the upcoming season.
"You're going to see the cream of the crop in college baseball," he said. "Our goal is to make sure we give the guys who are talented on and off the field and represent the flag and the country and what USA baseball stands for opportunities. We will have a great time winning ball games."
Jones is the head coach at Tulane University in New Orleans, La. Over his career there, he has tallied a 639-306-2 record (.674), including a 257-127-2 mark in Conference USA play, which is more wins than any other league school.
Jones was an assistant coach on the 1989 USA Baseball Presidential Cup coaching staff, and he was a member of the 1990 USA Baseball National Team coaching staff as well, where he served as the squad's pitching coach and recruiting coordinator.
Jones is also a native of Chatham County in North Carolina, and is excited to come back to his home state.
"I actually played American Legion ball in the old park," he said. "It's such a special place. Being head coach of USA Baseball and playing the number of games we play there, I'm really excited. There will be a lot of old players, family and friends watching, so for me it's really an exciting time."
Tickets for the upcoming series at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park are available by calling the Durham Bulls box office at 956-BULL or order online at www.durhambulls.com.
