Fans celebrated their Durham Bulls’ first national championship Wednesday night with an evening of free hot dogs and games of catch under the lights.
The Bulls, the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, hosted the celebration at the Durham Athletic Park downtown. The approximately 700 fans who attended were treated to a tour of the clubhouse, autographs from infielders and a chance to view the Bulls’ 2009 championship trophy, said Matt DeMargel, Durham Bulls director of media relations and promotions. The field was open to fans, and those who brought their gloves threw baseballs around the outfield.
Fan Chris Elvis was waiting in line with his son to take a picture with the trophy.
“I’m a big fan,” Elvis said of the celebration. “I think it’s good for the community. It’s fun to get out here on a real baseball field—I played in Little League.”
Although minor league baseball often has trouble drawing large crowds and generating hype, the Bulls has been one of the most popular teams in the Triple-A class. Out of 176 minor league teams, the Bulls have consistently finished in the top 30 in terms of attendance, DeMargel said. In 1988, the Bulls gained national recognition after Kevin Costner starred as a veteran catcher for the then Single-A Bulls in the romantic comedy, “Bull Durham.”
Members of the front office staff expressed hope that the national championship will build excitement around the team and attract even more fans.
“With all the colleges in this area... a national championship... means something,” DeMargel said. “They understand what that means... and we’ve had a tremendous response.”
As evidence of the increased support, Durham Bulls General Manager Mike Birling cited an increase in sales of online merchandise since the championship and pointed to the hundreds of fans who came out Wednesday night. Birling also noted the economic downturn and recognized the Bulls as a cheap entertainment option.
“A lot of people this year, with the economy, aren’t going to the beach,” Birling said. “They’re staying home and finding inexpensive ways to be entertained, and that’s what we try to provide.”
Those who did go out to the ballpark this year watched the squad win their division with an 83-61 record, before emerging as victors of the International League after beating the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in the Governor’s Cup. In the Triple-A National Championship Game, the Bulls beat out the Pacific Coast League champion Memphis Redbirds 5-4, scoring the winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom half of the 11th inning.
“Even though we lost some really key players, we had some guys to fill in right away and that’s important to win a championship,” said infielder Elliot Johnson.
Johnson said support for the Bulls is strong in the Triangle, adding that “the more you win, the more they’re going to come out.”
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