Written by Marshall Hughes
Spring is in the air, and that means baseball season is in full swing — including Little Rock’s minor league baseball team, theArkansas Travelers.
The Travelers are a AA Division Minor League team that has been affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels since 2001.The franchise has been around since 1901, boasting affiliations with eight different professional teams and enjoying one of the longest histories of any minor league team.
Those familiar with Arkansas history know that the team adopted its name from the song, “The Arkansas Traveler,” which was the state song from 1949-1963.The team was originally called the Little Rock Travelers but was renamed in 1957 in honor of the only professional sports team to represent the state.
Dickey-Stephens Park is the home of the Travelers.The facility opened in 2007 and was graded an A for both stadium and atmosphere byballparksreviews.com.It was named for two sets of brothers who loved Arkansas and baseball. One of the largest video boards in the minor leagues is watched at Dickey-Stephens Park, which is located in North Little Rock at the foot of the Broadway Bridge.
Sitting in the stands at a recent game was a die-hard Travelers fan, Ken Bair of Little Rock.He was dressed in Travelers gear and was an outspoken and involved fan.This is the 15th year he has had season tickets.Bair explained his connection and admiration of the team.
“My grandfather got me a job with the Travelers when I was just a boy,” Blair said. “My job was to retrieve foul balls that were hit into the stands or hit out of the park.I loved it.I was paid one dollar per game, and back then one dollar was not bad for a young kid.”
Bair explained how difficult it is for the minor league players to get promoted to the big leagues.
“It is very hard to move up.The league is make it or break it for the players.There is so much competition these days.There are only seven players back from last year,” Bair said. “Most of the other players got the boot.Then the organization brings in new, more athletic players.I have seen a few guys make it to the majors.I have also seen one Hall-of-Famer, Fergie Jenkins, who was a pitcher for the Travelers.”
Many major league players worked their way by the way of the Travelers.Included are All-Stars and postseason players such as John Lackey, who threw the first pitch for the Angels affiliate in 2001.He went on to become only the second rookie to win the seventh game of the World Series for the 2002 Angels championship team. Another All-Star player for the Travelers was pitcher Bobby Jenks, who saved four games in the 2005 World Series Chicago White Sox team.
Chaz Rogers, sophomore quarterback at Harding University, said he enjoyed his recent experience at a Travelers game.
“The ballpark looks like a train station with a great view of the Little Rock skyline,” Rogers said. “The atmosphere was really fun, with good fans, good music and good food.For eight bucks, we had awesome seats and saw a good game in a really nice ballpark.”
