2024 Program_Proof

Summer 2024

Dear Fans,

On behalf of Major League Baseball, USA Baseball, and the Appalachian League, I would like to welcome you to the 2024 Appalachian League season!

As the Executive Director, a former college baseball player, and a 40 year veteran of professional baseball, I am honored and proud to be part of such a special league. The Appalachian League features elite college baseball players from across the country who are being extended the opportunity to play in a great summer baseball league, in great cities, with the best and most loyal fans in baseball. The Appalachian League will feature an emphasis on player development with the goal of helping every player improve their skills, compete at the highest level, play winning baseball and have a great experience. Our rosters consist of collegiate players from every Power 5 conference in the country, with more than 120 different colleges and universities represented. We have unquestionably the best collegiate summer league coaching staffs in the country, which includes several former Major League players and coaches, numerous former minor league coaches and players, and several current and former college baseball coaches.

We are also very proud to have our first Collegiate Appalachian League alumni reach the big leagues this Spring in Jordan Leasure with the Chicago White Sox.

It's a pleasure to welcome you to what I believe is the best college summer baseball league in the country. Thank you for following these great young players on their journey from the Appy League to their dreams of playing professional baseball.

Sincerely,

Brian Graham Executive Director Appalachian League

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2024 RIVER TURTLES SOUVENIR PROGRAM

River Turtles 2024 Schedule....................................................................................4 Appalachian League Opponents............................................................................5 Commissioner’s Letter................................................................................................6 River Turtles Management & Staff.........................................................................8 Article | Kinneberg Begins Tenure as Manager of River Turtles...............10 River Turtles Roster...................................................................................................12 Article | Calfee Park Gifted to Pulaski County................................................14 2023 Draft Class..........................................................................................................15 Evolution of a Logo...................................................................................................17 Welcome to Historic Calfee Park.........................................................................20 Calfee Park Rules and Regulations......................................................................21 Article | Home of the Braves.................................................................................24 Scorecards................................................................................................................... 30 2024 Promotional Nights.......................................................................................33 Kid’s Corner.................................................................................................................34 Article | Creating Calfee..........................................................................................40

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2024 RIVER TURTLES SCHEDULE

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APPALACHIAN LEAGUE OPPONENTS

BLUEFIELD RIDGE RUNNERS

BRISTOL STATE LINERS

BURLINGTON SOCK PUPPETS

DANVILLE OTTERBOTS

ELIZABETHTON RIVER RIDERS

GREENEVILLE FLYBOYS

JOHNSON CITY DOUGHBOYS

KINGSPORT AXMEN

TRI-STATE COAL CATS

www.appyleague.com | @AppyLeague

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COMMISSIONER’S LETTER

To Our Fans: Major League Baseball is delighted to welcome you to the 2024 season of the Appalachian League, a baseball tradition that dates back to 1911. The 10 teams of the Appalachian League are grateful for your loyal support, as am I. We value the memories that Appalachian League teams are creating on and off the field. The Appalachian League is a strong illustration of our sport’s unique player development model. MLB’s longtime partnership with USA Baseball has resulted in an elite summer collegiate league and a gateway to our country’s national teams. Since 2021, many of the nation’s top collegiate student-athletes have become a part of Appalachian communities along their journeys to professional baseball. This year, players from schools across the nation will thrill fans and grow as individuals in what will be an unforgettable summer for everyone involved. Utilizing technology originally developed for the Major Leagues, participants will be aided by resources that will help hone their skills and develop their careers – all under the tutelage of former Major League players as managers and coaches. These up-and-coming players will have the chance to follow in the footsteps of Appalachian League alumni like Cal Ripken Jr., Greg Maddux, Kirby Puckett, CC Sabathia and Salvador Perez. This season, former Elizabethton pitcher Jordan Leasure made his Major League debut for the Chicago White Sox, becoming the first Appalachian League alumnus to reach the Majors under the new format. The reach of the Appalachian League is not limited to high-caliber baseball and family-friendly entertainment. Corporate citizenship is a fundamental tenet of the Appalachian League. In 2023, the 10 teams and the league combined to provide more than $3.5 million in charitable contributions to worthy causes. In addition, the members of the Appalachian League put in more 10,000 hours of community service, benefitting local schools, organizations that combat food insecurity, literacy programs, cancer screening initiations and more. Thank you for welcoming these athletes into your communities and helping strengthen our player development system. We appreciate the opportunity to build on the rich tradition of baseball in this region. All of us at MLB look forward to the continued success of the Appalachian League this season and in the years ahead. Sincerely,

Robert D. Manfred, Jr. Commissioner of Baseball

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RIVER TURTLES MANAGEMENT & STAFF

BILL KINNEBERG | RIVER TURTLES MANAGER Bill Kinneberg will captain the River Turtles in 2024 following one season as the manager of the Bristol State Liners in 2023. Regarded as one of the most accomplished head coaches in the history of the University of Utah’s baseball program, Kinneberg amassed 381 wins, two NCAA tournament appearances, one Mountain West tournament championship, and one Pac-12 conference title during his 18-year career (1996, 2005-2021). Kinneberg received the Pac-12 Baseball Coach of the Year award in 2016. He retired from full time coaching following Utah’s 2021 season. Head coaching stints at UTEP (1985) and Wyoming (1986-92) preceded his tenure at Utah. His teams established school records for victories in a season at UTEP in 1985 and Wyoming in 1990, an achievement that earned him WAC Coach of the Year honors. Other milestones in Kinneberg’s extensive coaching career include three seasons on the staff of the USA National Team, including one season as manager of the program in 2010. He coached for two seasons in the Chicago White Sox minor league system. He has held assistant coaching positions at UTEP, Arizona State and the University of Arizona, where he played his final two seasons of college baseball as a pitcher in 1978 and 1979. TED POWER | PITCHING Longtime Major League pitcher and coach Ted Power returns to Pulaski this summer following one season as the pitching coach of the Bristol State Liners. Power served as the bullpen coach for the Cincinnati Reds from 2016-18. He also worked throughout the club’s minor league system as the pitching coach for the Rookie Advanced League Billings Mustangs (2000-01), High-A Dayton Dragons (2002) and Triple-A Louisville Bats (2006-16). Over the course of his 13-year MLB playing career Power pitched for eight different teams, posting a 4.00 ERA over 564 appearances with 701 strikeouts and 70 saves. In his first of two stints with the Reds, he led the National League with 78 appearances in 1984, recorded a career-high 27 saves in 1985 and amassed 204.0 innings over 34 starts in 1987. In 1990, Power helped the Pittsburgh Pirates reach the NL Championship Series, starting game six for the Bucs. He also pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians and Seattle Mariners. Power was drafted in the fifth round of the 1976 MLB Draft out of Kansas State.

RIVER TURTLES STAFF

General Manager..................................................................................................................JW Martin Operations.................................................................................................................. Melissa Epperly Food & Beverage Director.....................................................................................................Al Shelor Groundskeepers......................................................................................... Trevor Miles, Gary Martin Clubhouse Manager................................................................................................................Brad Hill Ticketing Manager ...................................................................................................... Becky Williams Food & Beverage Manager............................................................................................Robbie Morris Press Box Manager............................................................................................................Brian Yohe Play-by-Play Announcer................................................................................................... Ryan Wilkes PA Announcer............................................................................................................. Ben Hanneman

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RIVER TURTLES MANAGEMENT & STAFF

CARLOS VARELA | HITTING Carlos Varela is the Head Coach of the defending North Carolina state champion Wake Forest High School Cougars in Wake Forest, NC. The success of his baseball program has earned Varela three consecutive conference Coach of the Year awards (2022, 2023, 2024). Under Varela’s leadership, the program has produced one first round draft pick player (2022) and the development of 14 Division I players since 2020. In addition to his head coaching role at Wake Forest, Varela has worked as a USA Baseball Scout for the 12-14u National Team, where he spent two years scouting and developing young talent on the national stage. His impact on the sport has extended to the professional ranks, with over 20 minor and major league players benefiting from his guidance and expertise. Varela played collegiate baseball at Western Nebraska, and transitioned to coaching following the conclusion of his playing career. TOMMY MURPHY Tommy Murphy is in his second season as the Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at the University of Mary Washington. During his first season at Mary Washington, the Eagles made the NCAA tournament for the first time in 13 years. In addition to his coaching duties at Mary Washington, Murphy has been serving as the Assistant Coach for the Ireland National Team since 2020. In the summer of 2023, Murphy served as the Hitting Coach for the Bristol Stateliners. Prior to Mary Washington, Murphy spent two years at Hanover College serving as the Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. In the spring of 2022, Murphy helped guide the Panthers to their first conference tournament appearance since 2005. In the summer of 2022, Murphy served as the assistant coach for the Amsterdam Mohawks (NY), Champions of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.

Murphy graduated from Otterbein University in 2020, where he helped lead the Cardinals to back-to-back Ohio Athletic Conference Championships.

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KINNEBERG BEGINS TENURE AS MANAGER OF RIVER TURTLES

Veteran manager will captain all-new coaching staff in 2024 The Pulaski River Turtles will enter their fourth year of competition in the Appalachian League with new leadership in the clubhouse, as respected baseball veteran Bill Kinneberg joins the organization as manager for the 2024 season. The appointment marks Kinneberg’s second season in the Appalachian League; Kinneberg managed the Bristol State Liners in 2023. “I am extremely honored to manage the Pulaski River Turtles and I’m looking forward to getting to know the passionate fan base in Pulaski this summer,” says Bill Kinneberg. “I look forward to working with our players, coaches and the River Turtles staff to have a very successful summer.” A decorated baseball veteran with 39 years of coaching experience, Kinneberg has enjoyed considerable success in college baseball. Regarded as one of the most accomplished head coaches in the history of the University of Utah’s baseball program, Kinneberg amassed 381 wins, two NCAA tournament appearances, one Mountain West tournament championship, and one Pac-12 conference title during his 18-year career (1996, 2005-2021). Kinneberg received the Pac-12 Baseball Coach of the Year award in 2016. He retired from full time coaching following Utah’s 2021 season. Head coaching stints at UTEP (1985) and Wyoming (1986-92) preceded his tenure at Utah. His teams established school records for victories in a season at UTEP in 1985 and Wyoming in 1990, an achievement that earned him WAC Coach of the Year honors. Other milestones in Kinneberg’s extensive coaching career include three seasons on the staff of the USA National Team, including one season as manager of the program in 2010. He coached for two seasons in the Chicago White Sox minor league system. He has held assistant coaching positions at UTEP, Arizona State and the University of Arizona, where he played his final two seasons of college base ball as a pitcher in 1978 and 1979.

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2024 RIVER TURTLES ROSTER

Conor Cooke Wrentham, MA Brown

Troy Reader Tampa, FL Notre Dame

TJ Schuyler Antioch, IL Indiana

Austen Jaslove Knoxville, TN Arkansas State

Seth Buchanan Lebanon, VA Virginia Military Institute

Harrison Campi Manasquan, NJ Wofford

pulaskiriverturtles.com Joe Kinneberg Sandy, UT Newman 2022 River Turtles team member

Mason Self Christiansburg, VA Radford

Noah Toole Oakton, VA Radford

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2024 RIVER TURTLES ROSTER

Nick LoBello New York, NY Hofstra

Alex Altmann Buffalo, MN Minnesota

Jordan Austin Lee’s Summit, MO Indiana State

Austyn Winkleblech Canonsburg, PA Pittsburgh

Ryan O’Rourke Charlotte, NC Michigan

Cameron Mabee Temecula, CA Illinois State

Nick Robinson Ruston, LA Grambling State

Mack Estrada Mulberry, FL Florida State

John Gray Wilmington, DE Wofford

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CALFEE PARK GIFTED TO PULASKI COUNTY

The Storied Motor Mile Speedway & Dragway and the Top-Rated Small Ballpark in America will now be owned by Pulaski County, Virginia, through a Gift made by Shelor Motor Mile | Press Release Shelor Motor Mile has given the largest gift the County of Pulaski has ever received by donating the storied Motor Mile Speedway & Dragway and all the improvements located upon the more than 152-acre property, and the historic Calfee Park, home to professional baseball teams and voted Best Rookie-Level Ball Park in America by Ballpark Digest, along with 21 accessory parcels. “Being a part of this historic moment for Pulaski County and helping carry on the traditions and extend the legacies of two of the most iconic assets in all of the New River Valley is one of the highest honors I have experienced in my professional career”, stated Jonathan D. Sweet, County Administrator. “This further demonstrates the commitment and care the ownership of the Shelor Motor Mile has for this community and the confidence they have in the leadership of Pulaski County to entrust us with these famed community assets.” Shelor Motor Mile and their affiliates intend to lease both the speedway and the ballpark back from the County and will continue to manage the operations of both facilities for the next three years as a means of continuing the existing functions of each enterprise and to better allow for a training period and smooth transition of ownership to the County. Pulaski County will possess these assets immediately upon transfer of ownership, but will rely on the professional staff of each respective operation to continue business as usual. Pulaski County will, however, have the ability to utilize both assets for their own purposes as a means of tourism, economic, and community advancement when events are not being hosted by Shelor or their affiliates. “The Shelor Motor Mile organization is pleased and proud to entrust these properties to Pulaski County. We want to ensure these event fa cilities are permanently available for use by all of the New River Valley communities. This is a new chapter in the life cycle of the two historic properties, and we are excited to see how the County’s leadership will take them to the next level. “We are truly grateful to Shelor Motor Mile and their leadership for their long-standing partnership with the County and for their involvement in so many facets of the development and prosperity of our community”, stated Laura Walters, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “These gifts will be deeply cherished and will help ensure Pulaski County and the New River Valley continue to enjoy two of Southwestern Virginia’s most valuable outdoor sport and event venues.”

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2023 DRAFT CLASS

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THE EVOLUTION OF A LOGO

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HISTORIC CALFEE PARK

MOTOR MILE FIELD AT CALFEE PARK

Calfee Park was built in 1935 as a result of the Works Progress Administration, which was one of several New Deal Programs enacted by Former President Franklin Roosevelt after the Great Depression. Named after the former Mayor of Pulaski in 1935, Ernest W. Calfee, Calfee Park currently operates as the 9th oldest Minor League Baseball Park in the United States. The rich history of Calfee Park continues to thrive to this day, as remaining artifacts from the original 1935 development continue to stand, including a beautiful rock wall entrance on the northern side of the ballpark. In just under a century’s time, Calfee Park has been used for horse shows, fairs, concerts, exhibitions, and most recently, Pulaski River Turtles Baseball. It has been home to over eight MiLB franchises, hosted high school and college baseball, and, prior to the consolidation of the Dublin and Pulaski High Schools, was the home football and baseball field for the Pulaski Orioles. Following a major renovation in 1999 and largely due to its community value and significance, Calfee Park was added to the National and State Historic Landmarks Registry. After the 1999 summer baseball season, Calfee Park was named the Appalachian League Facility of the Year. The unique ballpark has been featured and pictured in several magazines, such as Sports Illustrated, National Geographic, Life, and Virginia Living. In 2015, the Shelor Automotive Group purchased Calfee Park from the Town of Pulaski to ensure necessary renovations would be made to keep baseball alive in Pulaski and the surrounding New River Valley. Renovations and upgrades included a renovated home team clubhouse, a new visiting team clubhouse, concessions stand, souvenir shop, and press box; the addition of VIP Towers, upgraded seating, additional parking, and a 35’ x 22’ JumboTron. Continued upgrades have been made since 2015, including a new Bermuda grass playing field, a new irrigation system, new home offices for park employees, an expanded upper concourse, and a new scoreboard. Prior to the 2019 season, upgrades continued along the third baseline, including the addition of new boxes and a three-tiered party deck. A new souvenir store was also added in the upper concourse. Just prior to the 2021 season, the park added a grandstand seating section behind the Party Deck. In 2024, Shelor Motor Mile donated Calfee Park to Pulaski County. The gift marked the largest donation of its kind in the county’s history.

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CALFEE PARK RULES & REGULATIONS

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES No alcoholic beverages may be brought through the gates of Calfee Park. Virginia law prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages to per sons under the age of 21. Therefore, guests will be required to show proper identification and proof of age when purchasing alcoholic beverages at games. Additionally, guests may not take any alcoholic beverages out of the ballpark and alcoholic consumption is prohib ited in the parking lots. Guests must receive a 21 and Up wristband located at an ID checkpoint station in order to purchase alcohol. BAG SEARCH Calfee Park regulations prohibit cans, bottles, ice chests, and alcoholic beverages from being brought into the ballpark. All bags are subject to search upon entry and within the ballpark. With the exception of alcohol, prohibited items may be checked at the gates, disposed of in trash containers, or returned to one’s vehicle. Umbrel las are permitted in the park but must be closed during play. FOOD & BEVERAGES No one is permitted to enter Calfee Park with food or beverages. If a guest is found to be in possession of food or beverages within the gates of Calfee Park not purchased at a concession stand, they will be subject to ejection from the ballpark. FOUL BALLS Guests are welcome to keep any foul ball hit into the stands. At no time should a foul or home run ball be thrown back on the field. Violators will be subject to ejection. Any guest interfering with a ball in play will be subject to ejection from the ballpark. In addition, any guests going onto the playing field will be ejected from the ballpark and will be turned over to the Pulaski Police Department and will be subject to arrest and prosecution. Any guests climbing the hill areas chasing foul balls behind the press box and behind the covered canopy will be ejected from the ballpark. Guests are not permitted to leave the ballpark to chase foul balls and return. Ticket holders assume all risks and danger incidental to the game of baseball, whether occurring prior to, during, or subsequent to the actual playing of the game, including without limitation, injury from thrown bats, thrown or batted balls, and spectator conduct. Calfee Park, the Town of Pulaski, and MLB/USA Baseball cannot be held responsible for the conduct of other guests when attempting to obtain foul or home run balls. Ticket holders agree neither the River Turtles nor the opposing team and their respective players and agents shall be liable for injuries and damages caused by such risk. GUEST CONDUCT Calfee Park intends to provide our guests with a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable atmosphere. Therefore, we have established the

following rules for expected guest conduct: • Guests wearing obscene or indecent clothing are not allowed on park property. • Guests interfering with other guests’ ability to enjoy the game will be subject to ejection. This includes open umbrellas during play. • Guests using foul or abusive language or gestures will be eject ed from the park. • Guests displaying extreme acts of public affection will be asked to refrain and face possible ejections. • Guests appearing impaired will be ejected from the park and turned over to the Pulaski Police. • Guests who engage in any kind of physical violence will be ejected from the park and turned over to the Pulaski Police and subject to arrest. • Guests interfering with the progress of the game or going onto the field will be ejected from the park and subject to arrest. • Guests refusing to show their ticket stub when asked by Calfee Park staff may be subject to ejection. • Guests attempting to sit in a seat for which they are not properly ticketed will be subject to ejection. Those observing other guests violating these policies should report the incident to the nearest Calfee Park staff member. Thank you for your cooperation. ON-FIELD ACCESS As per Appalachian League rules, only authorized personnel will be permitted on the field before, during, or after a game. Any unautho rized person going onto the field will be removed from the ballpark and subject to arrest. PARKING As a convenience to fans of Calfee Park, a free fan shuttle will run along Pierce Avenue to bring guests into the ballpark. Vehicle parking at Calfee Park has dramatically increased to enhance the fan experience when attending a baseball game in Pulaski. Several new lots have been added along Pierce Avenue that will improve availability and continue to remain within short walking distance. In addition to the increase in parking lots, Senior & ADA parking spaces have been added to the North and South lots of Calfee Park to pro vide a shorter distance to the ballpark. Tips for parking at Calfee Park: Planning ahead can help make your visit to the ballpark more enjoyable. If fans decide to park along the streets connected to Calfee Park, please be careful not to block the driveways or access points of houses in this area. Calfee Park Base ball is not responsible for guests parking in illegal areas. Calfee Park Baseball, the River Turtles, All Opposing Teams, Players and Agents,

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CALFEE PARK RULES & REGULATIONS

SMOKING Virginia law prohibits smoking at Calfee Park except in designated areas. All seating areas and restrooms are classified as non-smoking. Designated smoking areas are located in the following areas: • Smoking area outside of the ballpark behind the concessions building. Calfee Park will provide a stamp for all paying guests that exit the ballpark to enter this area. • In designated smoking area near the Historic Calfee Park Ticket Booth

and MLB/USA Baseball are not responsible for damages to automo biles caused by batted balls or play-of-game occurrences. RAIN CHECKS In the event a regulation game, as defined by Major League Base ball (4 1/2 innings), is not played due to weather, an Act of God or any other reason, each ticket will constitute a rain check that can be exchanged for another ticket of equal or lesser value to any remain ing 2024 regular season home game. Seating is subject to availabil ity. Ticket holder MUST present ticket stub in order to receive a rain check. If the game is called and 4 1/2 innings have been completed, the ticket will not be redeemable for entrance to future games at Calfee Park. RE-ENTERING THE BALLPARK During home games at Calfee Park, guests will be allowed to exit the stadium and receive re-admittance by the main gate attendant. However, exiting and re-entering the ballpark will be held at the discretion of the gate attendant. Before exiting, guest will be given a stamp that denotes exit from the ballpark with plans to return.

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HOME OF THE BRAVES

Like the remarkable brilliance of a World Series ring, championships have a way of coming full-circle. Brian Snitker’s long-awaited coronation as a World Series champion on November 2, 2021 was not his first title as a member of the Atlanta Braves organization. Nor was it his first championship in professional baseball. More than four decades before he hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy in Houston, Tx. as a manager, Snitker captured an Appalachian League championship as a catcher for the 1977 Kingsport Braves. Snitker’s improbable path to the 2021 World Series title has been celebrated as a spellbinding underdog success story. He is an enigma; his entire professional baseball career has been spent with just one organization. Initially as a player, and for more than 40 years in various coaching assignments throughout the Braves system, Snitker has labored loyally for the organization that signed him as a free agent out of the University of New Orleans in 1977. Of the 2021 world champions whose professional baseball roots can be traced to the Appalachian League, Snitker’s ties are the strongest. His last stint in the league came back in 1996 as the manager of the Danville Braves. Perhaps the most prominent Appalachian League alumnus on the 2021 team is Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr., who played in 18 games for the 2015 Danville club. Other standout 2021 Braves with tenures in the Appalachian League include second baseman Ozzie Albies (Danville, 2014), third baseman Austin Riley (Danville, 2015), and pitchers Charlie Morton (Danville, 2003) and Ian Anderson (Danville, 2016). Indeed, Danville was a launching pad for many of the household names on the 2021 World Series squad. Flash back twenty-six years to Atlanta’s first and only other World Series crown, and several notable names on that legendary Braves roster were Appalachian League alumni from another location: Pulaski. Throughout the 1990’s the Atlanta Braves were the baseball juggernaut of the South. The Braves made five World Series appearances in the 90’s. Their lone World Series title came in 1995 against the Cleveland Indians, which concluded in six games on October 28, 1995. The decisive game featured a commanding performance on the mound by Tom Glavine, who gave up just one hit through eight innings. But the game will forever be remembered by the one run scored that fateful evening- a home run off the bat of Pulaski alumnus David Justice. The Atlanta Braves’ newly-minted World Series title conjures up memories of the faded glory of its 1995 triumph, and the Pulaski players that helped make history. Who were they? Let’s dig in.

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HOME OF THE BRAVES

David Justice Pulaski served as the rookie-level affiliate of the Atlanta Braves from 1982 to 1992. This era produced one of the biggest Major League Baseball superstars to ever play at Calfee Park: David Justice. The future three-time MLB All-Star was merely a fledgling baseball player when he arrived in Pulaski in 1985. The athletic 19 year-old from Cincinnati, OH had spent his formative years focusing on basketball; he enrolled at Thomas More College in Kentucky on a basketball schol arship. His collegiate baseball career didn’t begin until his sophomore year. In a 1985 interview with the Pulaski Southwest Times, Justice explained his transition from basketball to baseball: “My coach told me that my future was in baseball, not basketball. He said I was a good basketball player, but I had no shot at the pros. In baseball though he said several scouts had seen me play and they were impressed. So I took his advice and decided to give baseball a shot.” Justice was a fourth-round draft pick in the June 1985 amateur draft. His professional career in Pulaski began unceremoniously; reports indicate Justice struggled with consistency and power at the plate early in the 1985 season. However, as the weather turned warmer, so too did Justice. Justice concluded the 1985 season with 10 home runs and a team-high 46 RBIs in 66 starts. He was promoted to the Class-A Sumter Braves in 1986, and he made his MLB debut in May of 1989. Justice was a pedestrian .250 at the plate during the 1995 World Series, tallying just five hits in 20 at bats. Then, in the bottom of the sixth inning in a scoreless game six, Justice connected on a fastball from Indians reliever Jim Poole. The ball sailed over the right-field wall, and Justice made a solo trip around the bases to notch the first and only run of the game. Glavine and reliever Mark Wohlers protected the one run advantage, and Justice’s home run became the indelible highlight of the 1995 World Series. The swing marked a legendary climax to Justice’s tenure with the Braves; in 1997 Justice was traded to the Indians following an inju ry-plagued 1996 season. Of the 305 home runs Justice raked in during his 14-year MLB career, his solo shot on October 28, 1995 will forever be his most celebrated…an accomplishment that traces its origins to his developmental days in Pulaski. From the 1985 Pulaski Southwest Times article: “He’s come a long way in the two weeks that I have been here,” batting coach Smokey Burgess said of Justice’s development during the 1985 season. “When I came here he was lunging at the ball. But he’s worked hard to correct that. He is a hard worker. He’s got good power and a natural swing.” Steve Avery Steve Avery was selected third overall in the 1988 amateur draft, forgoing a Stanford University scholarship to sign with the Atlanta Braves out of high school. The heralded left-handed pitcher seized the spotlight upon arriving in Pulaski, scorching the Martinsville Phillies in his professional debut with seven strikeouts through five scoreless innings. The Braves blanked the Phillies that night 5-0. An article printed in The Southwest Times on July 12, 1988 by Charles Beall of the Worrell News Service captured the sentiments of Pulaski manager Cloyd Boyer. “I can see why they drafted him number one. He’s definitely a big-league prospect,” remarked Boyer. “No longer than he’s been here, it’s obvious he’s hard-working, dedicated, and has a good attitude. And the Lord blessed him with great ability.” At age 18, Avery’s 1988 season with the Pulaski Braves resulted in a 7-1 record with a 1.50 ERA. The Trenton, MI, native tallied 80 strikeouts in ten games. Avery moved on to play for the Class-A Durham Bulls for the 1989 season. The 1995 season wasn’t kind to Avery. He struggled on the mound throughout the regular season, posting his highest ERA since his rookie season. The highlight of Avery’s post-season was a vintage shut-out performance against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 4, which propelled the Braves into the World Series.

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HOME OF THE BRAVES

Avery was given the start in Game 4 of the World Series, giving up just one run and three hits through six innings. The Braves scored the win, 5-2. Avery was credited with the win---his only action throughout the six-game series. Injuries mounted in succeeding years, and as a result Avery never managed to recapture the glory of his formidable early years with the Braves organization. He retired with a record of 96-83 and one World Series ring. Jeff Blauser Before hitting dynamo David Justice and pitching ace Steve Avery there was shortstop Jeff Blauser. The all-around athlete from Los Gatos, CA, was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the first round of the June amateur draft in 1984. His first assignment upon signing with the Braves: Pulaski. Though the 18 year-old didn’t top in any single statistical category during the 1984 season, his serviceable line was a foreshadowing of the major league career to come. In 62 games, Blauser batted .249 with 54 hits, 24 RBIs and three home runs. His OPS was .694. He played just one season for Pulaski, and ascended to the majors in 1987. Blauser endured one of the worst seasons of his career during the Braves’ championship campaign in 1995. A meager .211 batting average would prove to be the lowest of his 13-year career. Even more unfortunate, Blauser sustained an injury during post-season play that forced him from the World Series roster. Blauser never took the field during the 1995 World Series. A member of the Atlanta Braves during all four World Series appearances through the 1990s, Blauser’s major-league career concluded with only one World Series title. Javy Lopez Javier Lopez was signed by the Atlanta Braves as an amateur free agent in 1987. According to an article by Kyle Eaton for the Society for American Baseball Research, Lopez rejected lucrative offers from the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres and Montreal Expos because TBS broadcasts of the Atlanta Braves were the only baseball games shown on television in his hometown of Ponce, Puerto Rico...and his entire family had become fans of the Braves as a result. After one season (1988) in the Gulf Coast League, Lopez was promoted to Pulaski for the 1989 season. Though the Braves had just inked catcher Tyler Houston to a mammoth deal as their top overall pick in ‘89, Lopez was intent on making a name for himself at the position. As reported by Tom Hawley in The Southwest Times on June 20th, 1989, Lopez cranked a grand slam to left centerfield in his second ever at bat for Pulaski. The Braves won that night over the Wytheville Cubs, 13-6. Lopez played in 51 games for Pulaski, amassing a .261 batting average with 40 hits and 27 RBIs. Lopez advanced to the Class-A Burlington Braves in 1990. He arrived in Atlanta in 1992. Lopez played in all six World Series games in 1995, with his most memorable moments of the series coming in the second contest. In the sixth inning, Lopez crushed a home run to center field, scoring David Justice. The two-run blast helped stave off the Indians that night by the score of 4-3. In the eighth inning, Lopez showcased his backstop savvy by picking off Manny Ramirez at first base. The stellar play remains among Lopez’s most brilliant gems. Lopez’s tenure in the majors lasted 15 seasons. The 1995 triumph produced his only World Series ring. Brad Clontz

Stuart, Virginia was put on the map by the championship motorsports team known as the Wood Brothers. However, the Patrick County location was also the hometown of a baseball world champion…Brad Clontz.

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KINNEBERG BEGINS TENURE AS MANAGER OF RIVER TURTLES

“This organization has been blessed with exceptional leadership since our inaugural season in 2021,” says Pulaski River Turtles general manager JW Martin. “With Bill Kinneberg’s proven track record of success, there’s no doubt that our athletes will continue to have the very best leadership in place to set them up for success, both on and off the field. We are excited and honored to have him leading our program this season.” Kinneberg will captain an all-new River Turtles coaching staff in 2024. Aside from pitching coach Ted Power, who will be returning to the club following a one-year stint with the Bristol State Liners, the remainder of the coaching staff will be new to Pulaski. Carlos Varela will be the hitting coach, and Tommy Murphy will serve as the organization’s fourth coach. Full biographies on the 2024 coaching staff can be found on page 8.

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YANKEES SCORECARD RIVER TURTLES SCORECARD

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VISITORS SCORECARD AWAY SCORECARD

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KID’S CORNER

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MEDICAL | DENTAL | BEHAVIORAL HEALTH | TELEHEALTH

WE COVER ALL THE BASES

Conveniently located in Dublin, Christiansburg, and Pearisburg, the Community Health Center of the New River Valley brings home the services your family needs. We’re you home team, no matter the season. • Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance accepted • Discount fee program for those who qualify • We welcome new patients for all services — medical, dental, and behavioral health • Friendly dental services for ages three and up • Back to school and sports physicals • Telehealth visits are available for many services Whenever you need us, whatever the reason, we’re here to help. Close, convenient, and committed to your family’s health.

chcnrv.org Like us on Facebook at MONTGOMERY CENTER 215 Roanoke Street Christiansburg, VA 24073 540.381.0820 RADFORD/PULASKI CENTER 5826 Ruebush Road Dublin, VA 24084 540.585.1310 GILES CENTER 219 South Buchanan Street Pearisburg, VA 24134 540.921.3502

If you or a member of your family are having problems finding a resource for your COVID-19 vaccine, call us. We have vaccines available for you.

ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS We accept patients with or without insurance.

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HOME OF THE BRAVES

Clontz played his collegiate baseball at Virginia Tech after graduating from Patrick County High School. He played three seasons from 1990 to 1992. Clontz compiled a stellar resume, replete with two record-setting accomplishments earned in his final season: Innings pitched (130) and single-season wins (12). He ranks second all-time in strikeouts at Virginia Tech with 115, according to the Virginia Tech Baseball Record Book. Clontz was inducted into the Virginia Tech Hall of Fame in 2011. Clontz was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 10th round of the 1992 amateur draft. He was sent to the friendly confines of Calfee Park to begin his professional career, but the homecoming was short-lived. Clontz pitched in just four games before moving up to Class-A with the Macon Braves. He tallied a 1.59 ERA with seven strikeouts in his short stint in Pulaski. Clontz made his major-league debut for the Atlanta Braves on Opening Day in 1995. He pitched a perfect ninth inning to secure the victory. Clontz went 8-1 with a 3.65 ERA in his rookie season for the Braves, notching 55 strikeouts in 69 innings pitched. Appearing in Games Three and Five of the World Series, Clontz posted a 2.70 ERA in 3.1 innings pitched, striking out two and surrendering a home run to Jim Thome. When the Braves returned to the World Series in 1996, Clontz amassed a flawless 0.00 ERA through 2 1/3 total innings pitched. However, the 1995 championship proved to be Clontz’s only title earned in six major-league seasons. Mark Wohlers This article concludes by highlighting one of the Braves’ most memorable closers of all time: Mark Wohlers. The Holyoke, Massachusetts hurler was drafted in the eighth round of the 1988 amateur draft by the Atlanta Braves. He was subsequently dispatched to Pulaski, joining fellow young gun Steve Avery on the roster. Wohlers collected 49 strikeouts through 13 games en route to a 5-3 record in his first professional season at age 18. The climax of Wohlers’ 1988 campaign is remembered in an article by Tom Hufford that is published on the Society for American Baseball Research website. According to Hufford, Wohlers’ best outing of the summer was a complete-game three-hitter that resulted in a 3-2 win for the Braves. However, the effort was overshadowed by Steve Avery’s performance that night…the event was a twinbill, with Wohlers pitching in the second game of the doubleheader. Avery pitched in the opener, engineering the no-hitter noted earlier in this article. Despite the firepower in the Braves bullpen, the Pulaski Braves failed to win the 1988 Appalachian League championship. In fact, no mem ber of the 1995 World Series championship team highlighted in this article earned an Appalachian League title as a member of the Pulaski Braves. Wohlers played in a total of 27 games for the Pulaski Braves from 1988 to 1989. In 1991, Wohlers reached the majors. Wohlers had already logged two World Series appearances when the Braves reached their third World Series of the decade in 1995. Wohlers pitched a total of 1.2 innings through three games in the 1991 World Series, notching one strikeout. In 1992, he graced the mound briefly in two World Series contests. His combined ERA in the 1991 and 1992 World Series was a perfect 0.00. Wohlers saw considerable playing time in the 1995 World Series tilt with the Cleveland Indians. Wohlers appeared in four games, amassing a 1.80 ERA through five innings. Wohlers notched a save in Game Two, dropped a potential save in Game Three, and gave up a home run to one of the two batters he faced in Game Four. Redemption came in Game Six. Following starting pitcher Tom Glavine’s peerless one-hit performance, Wohlers entered Game Six in the ninth inning to preserve the Braves’ 1-0 advantage. Wohlers’ first matchup was against the dangerous, fleet-footed Kenny Lofton. A foul pop fly by Lofton was the first of three fly ball outs recorded in the top of the ninth. Following Lofton, the baseballs of Paul Sorrento and Carlos Baerga found their way into the glove of centerfielder Marquis Grissom. The first pitch of Baerga’s at bat delivered the final out of the 1995 World Series. Wohlers remained on the mound as the iconic dogpile ensued. In total, Wohlers reached the World Series five times with two different organizations. His 12-year major-league career concluded with one World Series ring that, for Wohlers, will forever memorialize one storybook ending.

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CREATING CALFEE

Creating Calfee A selection of stories from the bygone typewriters of The Southwest Times reveal the genesis of Calfee Park

Baseball Diamond at Athletic Park to Rival Those in Majors Pulaski Southwest Times: Thursday, June 20, 1935 Pulaski’s new baseball park and football field, now under construc tion at the foot of Draper Mountain, is to be constructed with ample space for all games. Mayor E.W. Calfee’s committee of Chief M.C. Pierce, Chris Barnes, Y.W. Ayres, E.H. Millirons, and Charles E. Dyer, Jr. visited the park site yesterday, and approved the following dimension specifications for the baseball field: from home plate to left field fence 340 feet, from home plate to centerfield wall 480 feet, and to right field fence 335 feet. Distance from the stands to home plate 25 feet. This arrangement will make the Pulaski park as large as some of the major league fields. Few batters in Southwest Virginia leagues hit over either left or right fences, and during Babe Ruth’s best days he never drove a ball near 480 feet. The grandstand, a sheltered structure, will run a distance of 88 feet parallel to the third base line, from home plate and third. Then, in the event of capacity crowds, temporary bleachers can be placed along the first base line and removed in the football season. Home plate will be located at the southwest corner of the field, the left field line pointing directly north, center field pointing northeast, and right pointing east. Grading and leveling work is progressing rapidly on the project that should give Pulaski the finest athletic field in Southwest Virginia. Un der the approved dimension plan the park will be laid out with direc tions of fields like those of major parks, the sun being in the eyes of the right fielder only, who will wear regulation baseball sunglasses. The park will also contain a regulation football field with plenty of space for end zones and to the stands which are to be erected along the 50 yard line on the west side. Temporary bleachers will be erect ed on the east side.

Vaughan Gives Park Drawing Pulaski Southwest Times: Friday, June 19, 1935

Architect’s drawing for the entrance to Pulaski’s new Draper moun tain athletic field, now under construction, was submitted to Mayor Ernest Calfee this week by J.L. Vaughan, of the Muire Monumental Works. The structure will be built of native stone, gathered out of the Drap er mountains by relief workers. Two entrance doors and two large windows will be built at the front. One window will be for the ticket office and the other for the concession room. Storage room for field equipment will also be arranged in the front structure. The Vaughan drawing has yet to be passed on by the town council. At a meeting of the heads of the baseball teams in Pulaski, held at the mayor’s office recently, it was decided that a series of games would be played between the Virginia Maid Knitters and a team picked from the other teams in the Tri-County league. The purpose of this series is to raise funds to build dressing rooms in the new park for the use of athletes. Lockers and showers are also planned and all equipment will be modern. Members of both teams are donating their services in the interest of the new ball park and it is hoped that the public will turn out in full to support this series. The games will not be loose as both teams wish to win and everyone may rest assured that the games will be close and hard fought, it was stated. It is planned to make this a series of three games to be played Tues day, Thursday, and Saturday afternoons. One of the days will be “gala” day when the merchants will be asked to close their doors during the time of play so that everyone will have the opportunity to be present. It is thought that the opening day would be the best day as interest is high and the contest promises to be hot. This is the Series Slated To Help Park Pulaski Southwest Times: Friday, September 6, 1935

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CREATING CALFEE

last chance for the public to see anymore baseball until the coming year as the ball players are hanging up their gloves and spikes for the winter. Calfee Honors Are Suggested Pulaski Southwest Times: Wednesday, October 2, 1935 A movement to have the new mountain park and athletic field named for Ernest Calfee, Pulaski’s mayor, is gaining ground, The Times learned today. Several of the civic clubs, it was learned, have already drafted reso lutions to that effect and they will be taken up and passed on at early meetings. Mayor Calfee has been very active in seeing that Pulaski obtained an athletic field which will be a credit to the community and it was mainly through his efforts that mountain land was obtained for both a home and national park, it was pointed out. One prominent club woman stated this morning: In view of the un ceasing efforts of our mayor, E.W. Calfee, in procuring for the citi zens of Pulaski the mountain park project it would seem only fitting that the splendid boundry should bear his name. I would suggest “the Ernest Calfee park” as a name, this name to apply especially to the new athletic field--- the latter to be known as “Calfee athletic field.” Calfee Park Pulaski Southwest Times: Friday, October 11, 1935 Mayor E.W. Calfee, after whom Pulaski’s new $25,000 athletic field is named, will not be present tonight to see the dedication of his dream project. The mayor, untiring in his efforts to obtain the park, left yesterday on a trip north, planning to attend the marriage of a close relative. He left, however, with the knowledge that the park project had been completed and the show would be a success. For months Ernest Calfee has worked unceasingly in the interest of the project. He was the first to see the possibilities of the field and to visualize the value of such an improvement to Pulaski. Many times he worked against great odds to obtain funds and mate rial with which to carry on. His interest, however, and his vision gave Pulaski something it hasn’t had for years, an athletic field of which it may be proud. Today’s horse show would not have been possible without the park…

the park would never have been built without co-operation and hard work. Calfee park is being dedicated to the future use of the community, to be used for baseball, football, horse shows, concerts, entertainment of every form- to develop youth to build for clean competition. Pulaski is proud of its park… It is happy to have so many visitors… Mayor Calfee, Pulaski business men, sportsmen, all those who con tributed to the effort making the field possible, should feel justifiable pride. Calfee Trying To Book Teams Pulaski Southwest Times: Friday, October 11, 1935 A strong effort is being made to bring two major league baseball teams to Pulaski for an exhibition contest next spring, it was learned today. Mayor E.W. Calfee has been in communication with officials of the Cleveland club and hopes to soon know definitely whether the Indi ans can be persuaded to come here on their trip north from Florida. In such a case it is likely that the Indians will play the New York Giants as the two clubs are teamed for exhibition games next year. Both teams are popular in this section and it is believed an exhibition would draw a crowd of several thousand people to Pulaski. Pulaski has never had a major league contest due to a lack of fa cilities. With the completion of Calfee park the town now has one of the largest and best athletic fields in the South. Major league clubs inspect the parks before deciding on any exhibition game. They also learn the probable size of the crowd and take in consid eration other features which would figure in the financial success of the game. Giants-Indians Bow To Jupiter Pluvius By Score, 9-0; Terry Disappoints Fans Steady Downpour Cancels Major League Game At Pulaski’s New Park By COUNT PULASKI | Pulaski Southwest Times: Thursday, April 9, 1936 Jupiter Pluvius, the gent who has ruined plenty of baseball games and Sunday school picnics, today took a 9-0 decision over both the New York Giants and Cleveland Indians without pulling a punch.

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