Down East Wood Ducks

PLAY BALL! 

As many of you who have known me for a long time, know that I am a huge sports fan! It really doesn't matter what sport it is, I am a huge fan....except Basketball. Throwing a ball through hoops isn't interesting to me. 

One of the great things about being in New Bern is we are close to two different baseball teams-- Morehead City Marlins and the Down East Wood Ducks. Because I went to the Woodies game last night, that will be the team that I discuss in my blog today. 

If you are from Eastern NC, you'll remember that Grainger Stadium used to be home to the Kinston Indians. They left Kinston in 2011 and there hasn't been a team play there since. Now, Grainger Stadium is home to the Down East Wood Ducks! This is their first season here in Eastern NC. 

Here is their bio that I pulled from their website:

Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Texas Rangers, the Down East Wood Ducks enter their inaugural campaign, playing all home games at Grainger Stadium in Kinston, North Carolina. Before moving to North Carolina, the Rangers' High-A California League affiliate had been located in High Desert, CA for the past two seasons after four years in the Carolina League at Myrtle Beach, SC from 2011-2014. Prior to that time, Texas had not been affiliated with the Carolina League since having a farm club in Salem, VA in 1986. Texas had its High-A club in the Florida State League at Port Charlotte from 1987-2002 and in the California League at Stockton in 2003-04 and at Bakersfield from 2005-10. 
 
The Wood Ducks join a new Houston Astros franchise to expand the Carolina League by two teams beginning with the 2017 season.  

Every home game, there will be a different promotion. For instance, every Friday there will be a post game fireworks show and its Food Truck Friday. On Thursdays, its $1 Beer Night and on Sundays, the kids get to run the bases after the game (Note:: more kids in attendance for those who don't want to hang around kids).  

Pictured below is their mascot, DEWD. (Boy do you know you're in Eastern NC with that name and spelling!).

For the Down East Wood Ducks schedule, please visit their website at: http://www.milb.com/schedule/index.jsp?sid=t485

Photo credit: Jennifer Johnson and Luke Melton

Bio pulled from: http://www.milb.com/content/page.jsp?ymd=20161103&content_id=208036128&sid=t485&vkey=team4