Visit to the Rome Braves

Posted on 26. Apr, 2011 by Corey in All, Atlanta, General Baseball.



Last night I was able to fill one of my off days from working in baseball with one of my favorite passions, watching live baseball.  Most people want to stay far away from their line of work when they get some off time, but I embrace it and seek it out.  My buddy Lenny joined me for the 65 miles drive Northwest from downtown Atlanta to Rome, Georgia, home to the Rome Braves.  The Rome Braves are owned and operated by the big club, and are the Atlanta Braves Low Class-A team in the South Atlantic League.

Lenny and I pulled up to State Mutual Stadium a few minutes late and approached the ticket window.  Knowing the place would be completely empty (I could tell by the parking lot and overcast skies), I debated buying the cheapest ticket, a lawn seat, and sitting anywhere that we wanted.  But for some reason, I always feel pity for low minor leagues, attending so many games and seeing front office members bust their hump to be successful so I decided to spend a few extra dollars to get the box seats, and still sit wherever I wanted.

The first stop was the beer stand beyond the leftfield lawn where Lenny obtained a $2.00 beer that he was thrilled with!  A few pictures later and we were on our way to find some food!  I learned years ago to seek out specialties in the stadium and cuisine that is unique to the area.  The final stand we came to was the winner, Bubba’s BBQ Barn in right field corner.  Lenny had the ribs plate, and I went with the chicken nachos.  Both were pretty good and reasonably priced.  I got my Diet Coke in a souvenir cup and we grabbed some bar stools undercover facing the field.  It was perfect timing as the skies opened up and a steady rain happened for about a full inning.

Play was never stopped during the rain, and unfortunately for Rome, the Asheville Tourists offense never stopped either.  The Tourists, affiliated with the Colorado Rockies, banged out 15 hits during the contest and scored 12 times for a 12-3 victory.  The Tourists right fielder was named Kyle Parker, who also was known as a Clemson Tiger quarterback.  He was the Rockies first round pick and signed for a large bonus.

The crowd was listed at 1,897, but it felt smaller than that.  The atmosphere was nice and not to slow or stale.  The Rome Braves have two mascots on hand, as long as a few ladies who served as cheerleaders throughout.  I was very impressed with the stadium that I believe is about nine years old.  Instead of boring you with descriptions, please just check out all the pictures below.

As usual, I had a great experience at a minor league park.  Staying in a new area right now, I plan to visit many more this season to add new memories and pictures.  I was also very pleased that Lenny enjoyed himself.

Enjoy the pictures below.

4 Responses to “Visit to the Rome Braves”

1. ryan smith says:

   April 27, 2011 at 10:33 am

   Corey
   You say you work for the Braves in the Major league clubhouse. How did you get that job? Good Luck Go Braves!!!!!!!

   Thanks
   Bigdog 101

2. Corey says:

   April 27, 2011 at 11:46 am

   Ryan, thanks for visiting my site…I put in three years in the minor leagues to gain experience and learn about the clubhouse line of work. That prepared me for the transition to the big leagues, and made me stand out during my interview from others that they talked to. To obtain the interview I relied on contacts that were familiar with the Braves organization to point me in the right direction. Hope that helped some.

3. Mike Kriston says:

   April 29, 2011 at 11:15 am

   Corey-
   this is the same rome that was devastated by the tornado wednesday right?
   Did you stay in rome overnight, or did you head back to the ATL?

4. Corey says:

   May 2, 2011 at 11:00 am

   That is the same Rome that was head by the tornado…I drove back, only 60 miles and had Lenny with me so trip was easy.