A SPORTS VISIT TO WINSTON-SALEM, NC

Our friends from Florida, Thom and Bonnie Coste, were staying at our resort while visiting the Blue Ridge area of Virginia.  Since both Thom and Paul are baseball fanatics, we took a drive south into North Carolina to visit BB&T Ballpark, home of the Winston-Salem Dash.  The Dash are a minor league team in the Chicago White Sox organization.  The main entrance to BB&T Ballpark is from behind center field.  The back of the scoreboard serves as a welcoming billboard.

Thom and Paul in front of the "Home Run" statue outside the main entrance.  The statue depicts 3 boys of different ages all reaching for a baseball.

Our seats were in the second row behind the first base dugout.  Thom, Paul, and Bonnie are discussing the intricacies of the game.

Bolt, the team mascot, served as umpire during the ceremonial first pitch.

During the National Anthem, the video board is used extensively.  Various patriotic photos are intermixed with the American Flag.

The bald eagle, a symbol of our great country, was our favorite photo. 

There was a ribbon board all along the left field wall.  The starting lineups were announced after the National Anthem.  This is a family-friendly ball park with a nice lawn area beyond the left field wall.  You can also see a private party deck in left centerfield.  BB&T Ballpark has been our favorite park of the three we have visited in the southwest Virginia area.

This sign is to the right of the private party deck.  On several previous trips to Winston-Salem, we have eaten at this brew pub.  We thought this was a clever play on words since professional sports have drafts.  

Later in the game the ribbon board was used for ads.  It was Thirsty Thursday with beers either half price or a $1, depending on the type of beer you wanted.

Bolt was used extensively during the various between inning promotions.  We especially enjoyed Bolt break dancing with an "acting" umpire.  This was not the real umpire, but you had to look closely to recognize this fact.

Bolt and JJ, the between innings host, along with several other members of their promotions department, led the crowd in the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at the 7th inning stretch.

The Dash lost the game, 2-1. Several outstanding players on the team are from the Tampa Bay area.  The starting pitcher, Tyler Danish, is from Valrico and the first baseman, Keon Barnum, is from Tampa.

This was a good night out with friends prior to going back to work for our 5 day "work week", which for us is Friday through Tuesday.