Before there were Charlotte Hornets who made slam dunks and shot three-pointers, the city had Hornets who hit grand slams and threw strike-outs. Minor league baseball teams called the Hornets played in Charlotte from 1901 to 1972. On Monday, some former players got a first-hand look at BB&T ballpark - the new home of Charlotte’s current minor league team, the Knights. WFAE’s Mark Rumsey sat down with Concord native Gene Verble, a former major leaguer with the Washington Senators who played for the Hornets from 1956-1959, including three years as player/manager. Verble, 86, reminisced about life in the minor leagues during that era.
The Knights will hold a Charlotte Hornets Baseball Tribute at BB&T Ballpark on August 5, when the Knights take on the Gwinnett Braves.