Pirates arrive in Bristol

The Pittsburgh Pirates did what I had been advocating for years and added a franchise to the Appalachian League as the Pirates have replaced the White Sox as the owner of the Bristol franchise.
The team will be the Bristol Pirates as all Appy League teams use the parent teams name mainly because all teams in the circuit are directly owned by the major league club.
The move enables the Pirates to double their players at the lowest level between Bristol and the Gulf Coast League.
I know that it will not produce a ton of players,but if produces just a few,the meager investment will be worthwhile.
The team will be playing their games at Bryce Cox Field,where I went on my first baseball stop,so perhaps a return might be in order......

The rumors still fly about the California League selling two franchises to the Carolina League and once again,Hagerstown is mentioned as a possible landing spot.
I wonder if anyone downtown has even mentioned this yet?

Ballpark Digest reports that Ottawa,which had been long rumored to be the newest addition to the Eastern League,will be instead taking independent baseball from the CanAm League.
Ottawa had been most prominently rumored to be the new home of the Binghamton Mets,but the move keeps the Eastern League intact,which likely makes my friend Jason very happy!

Sorry to hear of the death of James Street at 65 years of age.

Street was the first commander of the Wishbone offense for the Texas Longhorns and won the National Championship in 1969 as well as winning the "Game of the Century" over Arkansas that year 15-14 with Richard Nixon in attendance.
Street is also the father of current major league pitcher Huston Street.

 Grantland hits with one being on the old timers tour for Memphis Wrestling headed by the Memphis stars of yesteryear and how the spark stays somewhat alive for them and the aging fans of the territory.
The other is from SBNation on former number one NFL pick Ricky Bell and his tragic end with the San Diego Chargers.
I remember Bell as a kid and what a tough runner.
His death at such a young age was so surprising to a child of my age.
Another note on Bell that I didn't know was that Bell was the brother of Archie Bell-as in Archie Bell and the Drells,who could dance just as good as he'd walk.....