by Jeff Voth

The last line in the 1988 movie, "Bull Durham" sums up in many ways the current renaissance of the city of Durham, North Carolina. Annie Savoy, the sultry female fan played by actor Susan Sarandon, puts it this way.

"Walt Whitman once said, 'I see great things in baseball. It's our game. The American game. It will repair our losses and be a blessing to us'."

Durham and the neighboring city of Raleigh, North Carolina were built on the foundations of tobacco manufacturing. With a changing attitude in society towards cigarettes, the city was in need of transformation. Durham continues to reinvent itself changing from a farming community to manufacturing town to medical center, etc.

Durham Bulls Athletic Park

In many ways, America's favorite pastime was the catalyst Durham required to enter the 21st century. You could say baseball is to Durham, as mustard is to a hot dog. Without it, the flavor of a foot long ballpark frank is still a culinary treat to be savored. But add the tangy tasting yellow condiment to the top of a wiener and you have an instant all-American gastronomic experience par excellence.

This is not to say that baseball is the only draw for a city whose population and desirability as a vacation destination continues to grow year over year.

With a year-round moderate climate and enough trees to fill a national park, Durham has more to offer than baseball. It is also home to many important landmarks such as Duke University and Research Triangle Park. But for many, the Triple-A Baseball Durham Bulls will always be at the heart of what makes this area such a treat to visit.

Located halfway between Philadelphia and Atlanta at the intersection of I-85 and I-40, Durham has embraced change, while at the same time firmly holding to its roots. Durham is unique in North America, due in part to their particular sense of place. The citizens choose to keep the beautiful old buildings of the town and find new ways to put them to current use. In this way the past becomes an integral part of the future, ensuring the many charming "red brick" buildings will remain for generations to come.

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