Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010

Carolina Mudcats celebrate 20 years

Carolina extends its working agreement with the Cincinnati Reds on the night the franchise celebrates its 20th anniversary.

The Carolina Mudcats had plenty to be excited about Saturday afternoon.

For starters, Saturday's game against Mobile marked the 20th anniversary celebration for the Mudcats organization. Carolina also announced Saturday a two-year extension of its player development contract with the Cincinnati Reds, and former Mudcat and World Series champion Tony Womack was present to meet with fans and throw out the first pitch.

A line of fans kept Womack's signing hand busy until game time.

"He's a sterling example of the kind of young men that have been through here," Carolina Mudcats owner Steve Bryant said. "We've been very fortunate to have great players, and Tony epitomizes them all. He's the guy that over-achieved from what everyone thought."

Bryant said Womack had the greatest at-bat he's ever seen and couldn't forget it since it helped Carolina win a pennant. Womack took two consecutive strikes, but still batted for 17 minutes before tripling to knock in the winning run.

"He's done that all his life," Bryant said. "He went to the big leagues and did the same thing for the Diamondbacks in the World Series. He knocked two guys in and they were both Mudcats, so we're everywhere now."

Womack said it was good to get back to Five County Stadium.

"For their 20-year anniversary, it's great," Womack said. "For me it's just fun, and I'm glad they've asked me to come back."

Some of Womack's fonder memories of being in Zebulon were seeing his first child born and winning big games.

"But also it meant a lot for the people here - there are good people here," he said. "That's what you don't forget. You remember all the good people and all the good things that happened, and that's all I care about."

Bryant said his organization is enjoying its partnership with the Reds, and is looking forward to the next two years.

"They'll have players like Tony come along, and that's what's so great about this game - you never know who you're going to see," Bryant said.

He added tjat when the Mudcats first came to Zebulon, few thought the team would survive. Twenty years later, he says the program is in the best shape it's ever been.

"It's almost a brand-new ball park, we've got people like Tony Womack that people all over the country know, and the list goes on of about 250 Major League players that have spent time through here," Bryant said. "It just goes to show that if you persevere, work hard and surround yourself with good people, good things happen."