Baseball ⚾️ is a business that requires way more money 💰 than one would think, and Gastonia is a great example…

  There’s a new baseball team down in Gastonia, North Carolina, and being that it is playing in the independent Atlantic League, it is barely a blip on the radar screen of sports.

Before we take a look at this story, kudos to the new name and logo that is being used by the team ! It pops on both ends, especially when you consider that it operated for one season as a basically no-name organization.

What makes this a story is the path that led to Ghost Peppers 🌶 baseball. Just a few short years ago, the folks at ESPN were in town to celebrate the history being made as the Honey 🍯 Hunters were becoming the very first baseball team at any level to have the majority owner be an African American.

Michael Jordan and Ervin Magic Johnson are two former African American athletes who have made the transition from star player to ownership. In Johnson’s case, there would appear to be no limit to what all he can own part of nowadays.  Magic was even part of the celebration, flying in to Charlotte and making the short drive over to the ballpark.

Back in August of 2022, I went down to Gastonia to see what all of the fuss was about. That day began with a game in Hickory and ended with one in Charlotte, which leaves three minor league teams inside of roughly 50 miles.

Here is the computerized explanation for what took place…

This story is borderline unbelievable to me in that such a groundbreaking story would be aloud to end in such a manner. The fact that nobody in the community stepped up to see if they could salvage the situation before it ended in such a sad manner is a surprise, to me anyway.

The new owners kept the GM and coaches, so that points to that group being knowledgeable. Does the fact that the AAA Charlotte Knights play in a new stadium 🏟 just 22 miles to the east have a bearing on the story ?

A successful businessman with respect for the game and its history. It was the St Louis Cardinals that were the Gas House Gang back in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Hickory sits just 39 miles above Gastonia and is still part of the official MLB minor league system. The city of Gastonia has to play a major role in the long-term life of an independent team, and the hope will be that the Ghost Peppers 🌶 can stick around for a while. That really is a cool name, or maybe a better line would be a Smoking Hot 🔥 name.

Gastonia is currently hosting the Charleston Dirty Birds 🐦 in a six game set. If that name sounds familiar here, it’s because they play in a ballpark ( Go Mart) where West Virginia Tech University plays occasionally each season.

Charleston had to rebuild its history as well as back in the day they were the Charleston Charlies of the AAA International League.

Yes, baseball ⚾️ is truly a business when it was once just a game.

Thursday, August 20th, is here and should include both volleyball 🏐 and cross country for the Cavaliers !

Howard Mayo and his Motovational Nugget for the Day :
Travis Osborne and his Bible Verse of the Day :

Psalm 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Head coaches, Cindy Edwards, and Nikki Heflin are set to host their second and final scrimmage tonight in the Gymnasium. The JV should get things started at 5: 00 pm.

Meanwhile, Head Coach Shawn Montgomery is scheduled to load up the bus and take all of his cross-country runners down to Dodson, North Carolina, to compete for the first time this season.

The meet was originally scheduled for Friday but has been moved up one day.

Have yourself a Blessed Day 🙌😇🙏…

Welcome 🙏 to Wednesday, August 19th, and per the norm, we start the day with our Morning 🌄 Brew !

Travis Osborne and his Bible Verse of the Day :

John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Howard Mayo with his Wednesday words of wisdom :

I’m not sure where the day will take us, but the effort will be put forth to take advantage of the opportunity…

Have yourself a Blessed Day 🙌😇🙏

If you are in search of a shaded healthy walk 🚶‍♂️, I have a great starting point ! The south end of the New River Trail in Galax might be the ticket 🎟!!

First things first, you would need one of two things to use the parking lot. Either $7.00 ( per car )or a Virginia State Park annual pass.

There are a few different things that make this stretch ideal for someone who is trying hard to remain healthy.

The scenery is first and foremost as the creek is running to your right.

2. There are two wooden bridges that cross the creek inside of the initial 3/4 mile.

3. The trees 🌳 line both sides and meet high above the trail 👣 to provide God’s own version of an umbrella 🌂 from the sun 🌞.

4. The surface is both giving and as flat as one could ask for. This combination makes it easier for the knees.

5. There is a public rest room at the entrance to the trail.

6. Easy access to the parking lot, right off US-58 by the CVS pharmacy.

7. Five benches pop up along the first mile, providing much needed rest stations along the way for those building up endurance.

This portion of the trail 👣 is the only place where two tracking systems coexist. MM 51 is part of the entire trail, while there are also four wooden ones showing each half mile leading up to the next entry point.

You can see that only 40 feet separated the highest and lowest elevation.

For the folks who are already working 💪 on their health, there is plenty of trail to follow, but if your journey is just beginning, then this could be a great place to start.