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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.
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Durham
Bulls Athletic Park
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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.
(CONTINUE...)
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