Weevils fans will have more options on tickets next season

SALISBURY POST

Cleaning out the Boll Weevil notebook ...

The first order of business for the Piedmont Boll Weevils once the Chicago White Sox became the major league affiliate was simple: season ticket sales.

General manager Todd Parnell said tickets will go on sale in a couple of weeks. This season, fans will have more options than just a season package. Parnell mentioned that packages could include 16 and 24 tickets.

That’s just one of the new ideas that have been produced since the White Sox announced they would be sending players to Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium and that Bruton Smith joined Larry Hedrick as one of the owners.

“The philosophies and concepts are only going to be enhanced by this,” he said of the new affiliation. “We won’t cut back in any way.”

BRUCREW:Bruton Smith is thought of in racing circles as a promotional guru. He put 176,000 people in the seats at Lowe’s Motor Speedway for races and he hopes he and his “Bru Crew” can put a few more in the seats here.

Smith has built a motorsports empire that includes ownership of Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Sears Point Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.

As founder and chairman of Sonic Automotive, Smith has built the Fortune 500 company into the nation’s second-largest car dealership network with more than 170 franchises in 13 states.

Hedrick is certainy happy.

“Bruton brings wealth of experience in sports and event promotion,” he said. “It was also important to bring in someone who has a strong presence here locally. He brings things to the table that will only make this franchise stronger and better.”

SALES: Smith has his work cut out for him here. The team finished ninth this season in attendance with an average of 1,860.

“I know a little something about selling tickets to events and I think we can really build this franchise into one of the top attractions in minor league baseball.” he said.

WANTMORE? Smith has the option to buy an additional 25 percent of the team.

THANKSFORTHEMEMORIES: Was it easy for Parnell to sever ties with the Philadelphia Phillies after a decade in their organization?

The marriage ended when the Phillies decided to move their Class A team from here to Lakewood, N.J.

“There was nothing emotional about that decision,” Parnell said. “They are building a $25 million stadium 45 minutes from their ballpark (Veterans Stadium).”

No sooner did the Weevils’ season end abruptly in the South Atlantic League playoffs than Parnell received a call from Philly general manager Ed Wade.

“He thanked me for all the years I worked with them,” said Parnell.

PLAYINGINPAIN:There was only one late-season injury to a Boll Weevil but it didn’t keep him from coming to the ballpark every day.

It was Parnell, who suffered ligament damage while playing softball for Big Al’s Pub and Grub.

Parnell was going from first to third on a hit when he damaged the knee.

“I played the whole game, though,” bragged Parnell. “We won 29-26 and I went 7-for-7.”

7-for-7? The Post would like to see the official scorebook, please.

OBIERELEASED: The Phillies have released their Clearwater manager Ken Oberkfell, citing the fact he probably wouldn’t move up in their system.

Obie managed the Boll Weevils in 1998-99.

Parnell said he has been in contact with at least six teams concerning Oberkfell.

LEGGER’S FUTURE: And what will happen to the popular Greg Legg, tihs year’s Weevils manager, who led the team to a 91-49 record and championships in each half of the Northern Division race?

He’ll either go to Lakewood with the Class A team but could move up with Marlon Byrd and Nate Espy and Company in Clearwater to replace Oberkfell with the high Class A squad.

“All I know is that I have a job,” Legg laughed.

ALLMANGONE:Parnell said his staff would remain intact except for one glaring omission: Eric Allman.

“E” has decided to join the Augusta GreenJackets. Allman is a Georgia native.

Allman was Parnell’s assistant general manager and “my right hand man,” he said.

TEAMCOLORS: Now that the White Sox are the affiliate, will the Boll Weevils keep their red and blue colors? Will they go to black and white?

“There’s nothing on the drawing board,” said Parnell. “But we have worked hard to get an identity.”

LAND-HO! Will the team complete their initial project of having recreational facilities around Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium? How about shopping malls and hotels and waterparks and ... well, you know, a lot of other stuff that would attact the ordinary soul, who then might say, “Hey, let’s go to the ballpark too.”

There’s definitely room for it all. There are 55 acres for the asking surrounding the ballpark.

“Some of it is county, some is city and a small portion is private,” Parnell said.

NOTES: The White Sox draft better players than the Phillies and will probably give the Weevils more talent but it is still hard to imagine a team more dominating than the 2000 club that finished a whopping 42 games over .500. ... The Phillies are high on Marlon Byrd, who finished the season high in almost every offensive category. ... The biggest surprise had to be Jay Sitzman, the lanky leadoff man who finished third in the SALin hitting at .316. Byrd, Nate Espy and Jorge Padilla were also in the Top 10 in hitting. ... Espy was probably the most popular Weevil. the burly first baseman led the league with 22 homers. ... Most of the players are headed for Florida Instructional League.