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Friday, 29 March 2024

2014 HR Derby at Engel Stadium

Credit: WDEF CBS Chattanooga, TN
Duration: 0 shares 1 views

2014 HR Derby at Engel Stadium
2014 HR Derby at Engel Stadium
2014 HR Derby at Engel Stadium

Last year.

We still have over a month before baseball returns this year.

Of course the sport may never return to chattanooga's engel stadium.

The lookouts left the historic venue in 1999.

But engel got a mini lease on life in 20-14, when it hosted the southern league all-star homerun derby, which was won by a now famous big leaguer.

For a sport that embraces history, why not give the southern league's showcase sluggers, an historic venue for their homerun derby.

Mozingo:"i've been to a bunch of all star games in my minor league baseball career.

It's always kind of fizzled out.

Four o'clock start.

You're playing a six o'clock game.

No one is in the building.

I thought if we could do it somewhere else, that would make all the sense in the world.

I spent six years working at engel stadium.

I love engel stadium, and i thought if we had the opportunity to go over there and do something like that, it might just be fun for everybody."

Fun for everybody except maybe the lookouts staff.

Engel wasn't exactly derby ready.

Kopf:"we spent probably a week in advance cleaning it up.

Picking up rocks off the infield and outfield to make sure no one tripped."

Mozingo:"we sent our groundskeeper over there two or three days early to rebuild the mound completely.

To rebuild the plate area completely."

Kopf:"even though it hadn't been played in for 10, 15, or 20 years."

Announcer:"souvenier programs!

Programs!"

Kopf:"it just had this historical, majestic feel."

And did the players sense that majestic feel?

Kopf:"yeah they sensed the history and also sensed that centerfield wall was really far away."

Try 471 feet to center.

And left field was no cheap shot either.

Reporter:"did you think those players were going to put it on third street?

Mozingo:"i did not.

It's a long way back there.

You've got to remember the fence was about 20 yards in front of the big wall out there.

And the fact is, not a lot of players hit homeruns that day.

Scott schebler, who was our big homerun threat that year, hit one that day, but kris bryant just put on a clinic."

Reporter:"i heard one ball got to the gas station across the street."

Mozingo:"absolutely.

I think it was more than one.

You could watch over the fence, and you would see them hit.

Hit the ground, and you could see them bounce back up over the fence."

Kris bryant walked away with the derby crown, but the fans seemed to walk away with more engel memories.

Mozingo:"to be able to go back and kind of relive some of that old, old magic of engel stadium and to have the event come off well.

It was really a lot of fun."

Here's a final look at our

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