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Savannah Sand Gnats
Those were the words that came over the phone from Jeff Springer, the billionaire owner of the three-year old baseball franchise, the
Savannah Sand Gnats. But before I get into the background of that story, let me give you the wonderful history of baseball in the beautiful city of Savannah:
Since 1926, players in the field have had this view looking toward Savannah’s baseball fans. Legendary names such as
Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, and Bob Gibson have looked back at the old grandstand that has become one of Savannah’s many cultural icons. Grayson Stadium has anchored the northeast corner of Daffin Park, always ready for a ball game.
By 1886, baseball had itself throughout the nation. Many teams would travel south to train in the spring, with Savannah becoming a popular location. T
he article above mentions the opening of the 1886 season and how the Detroit Wolverines of the National League beat the unnamed Savannah team of the Southern Association, at Bolton Street Park in Savannah.
In addition to fielding a team in the Southern Association, Savannah hosted two teams in the Southern League of Colored Base Ballists. Sadly, due to mounting debt, the league only lasted one year.
In 1905,
Ty Cobb roamed the outfield for the
Augusta Tourists while playing against the Savannah Pathfinders in Savannah. One game, Cobb was eating a bag of popcorn when a fly ball was hit in his direction. He let the ball drop to the ground instead of dropping his popcorn. When confronted by the manager, Cobb proceeded to get in a fist fight with the skipper.
Bolton Street Park saw another legend come through, that of
Shoeless Joe Jackson.
Playing in his second year of professional baseball with the 1909 Savannah Indians, Jackson made quite a name for himself by leading the league in hitting with a .358 average.
