Program 6 Issue 7

Welcome to Segra Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies!

We want to thank you for choosing to join us for some exciting Columbia Fireflies baseball and lots of fun here at Segra Park! We have the greatest fans in Minor League Baseball, and without each and every one of you we wouldn’t be able to create this amazing atmosphere at every Fireflies game. The 2021 season gave us the opportunity to be one of the first sports venues to bring people back together coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, and we were ecstatic to welcome fans back to Segra Park after a long break. It also marked our first season with a new Major League affiliate in the Kansas City Royals. Records were broken, memories were made, and we all enjoyed the opportunity to get back together as Fireflies fans. In 2022 we are excited to get back to what we hope will be a much more normal season. We will get back to what we do best with lots of fun on-field promotions, fireworks, great food and drinks and much more at every Fireflies game. As if that weren’t enough, we are even going to fire a man out of a cannon on July 23 and you will NOT want to miss out on that! We hope that you will enjoy your time at the ballpark and please be sure to let us know how we can improve your experience for your next trip to Segra Park. You probably saw on your way into the ballpark that there is a lot of construction and activity going on around us. Segra Park sits at the center of the BullStreet District which is a 181-acre redevelopment project that will help create a vibrant community in the heart of our state capital. In the past two years the district has welcomed Starbucks and REI providing the first of many retail pieces of the development. Merrill Gardens is a senior living facility that provides residents with top notch amenities and easy access to Segra Park as well as the new Page Ellington Park, a 20-acre park that sits in the center of the BullStreet District. In addition, many more projects have just completed or are well underway. Two public parking garages with over 800 parking spaces are now nearly complete. The WestLawn project will provide ample office space on top of 14,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor. Directly across the street from Segra Park work is well underway on the Bennet at BullStreet which will provide the district with a 280,000 sq. ft. community with 269 luxury apartments and 45,000 sq. ft. of retail space. Finally, the historic Babcock building is in the middle of being converted into 208 apartments and the famous red cupola will be restored after being destroyed by a fire in September of 2020. All of this is happening in addition to multiple townhomes, office space, a church and event space already being occupied in the BullStreet District with another huge project set to begin soon as the University of South Carolina will be constructing a new $300 million Health Sciences campus in the BullStreet District. Since 2016 over 1.2 million fans have attended a Fireflies game and an additional 230,000+ have attended other events at Segra Park, and we are just getting started! The best is truly yet to come for the BullStreet District, the Columbia Fireflies and Segra Park and we hope that you will join us for the ride!

Thank you for joining us for a Columbia Fireflies game, and we hope that you will have a world class experience at Segra Park. Please come back and visit us again soon for another Fireflies game or one of the numerous events that are hosted at Segra Park every year. This ballpark was built by the community, for the community, and we can’t wait to welcome you back!

BRAD SHANK President of the Columbia Fireflies

table of contents Fan Code of Conduct & Map.................. 4-5

K9 Klub and Kids Club Info.....................

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Concession Map..........................................

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Kansas City Royals System.....................

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Carolina League...........................................

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Fireflies Coaching Staff............................

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Fireflies Roster.............................................

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Pelicans Roster............................................

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Ticket Information.......................................

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America's Past Time in the Soda City............

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Homestand Highlights...............................

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Upcoming Homestand..............................

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Catch the Soda Cap Connector to Segra Park Leave the parking and driving to us Shuttles available every Columbia Fireflies home game The Soda Cap Connector is Columbia’s premier downtown shuttle that takes you to restaurants, attractions and entertainment for only $1.00 to ride. Shuttles begin one hour before the game, continue until one hour after the game and run every 25-30 minutes. Masks are required on all vehicles until further notice.

CATCHTHECOMET.ORG | 803-255-7100 |

Fan code of conduct The Columbia Fireflies are committed to creating a family-friendly and welcoming environment at the ballpark for all guests. As part of that commitment, we have adopted this written policy addressing fan behavior. The policy includes a Fan Code of Conduct, which is fan- facing and describes how fans are expected to behave. Fan Code of Conduct: In order to provide a welcoming experience for all, the Columbia Fireflies have implemented a Fan Code of Conduct. Out of respect for fellow guests, players, coaches, and ballpark staff, all guests are prohibited from: • Trespassing on the playing field at any time; • Interfering with baseballs that are in play; • Throwing or tossing objects; • Using foul, obscene or derogatory language (see below) or gestures; • Misusing or overconsuming alcohol, including, underage consumption; • Behaving in a manner that is disruptive, unruly, or abusive; • Accessing areas of the ballpark without a proper ticket, pass, or credential; • Misusing tickets, passes, or credentials in any way; or • Bringing prohibited items into the ballpark. • Only service dogs are allowed (outside of “Dog Days”) Derogatory language is defined as offensive language concerning a person’s race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, or national origin, and anyone using such language is subject to automatic ejection from the ballpark. Violations of the Fan Code of Conduct will not be tolerated and may lead to ejection from the ballpark, a ban on attending future games, or other consequences. Guests who are found to have used derogatory language will be ejected from the ballpark. Guests are encouraged to report violations of the Fan Code of Conduct to the nearest ballpark staff member. This can be done in person, at the nearest Guest Services location, directly with Ballpark Security or by venuesafety@columbiafireflies.com .

CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION

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segra park map

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concession map

A: LOW N' SLOW BBQ B: POP! / HEALTHY CART C: FUNNEL VISION D: SCOOPS!

1. CONCESSION STAND 2. CONCESSION STAND 3. CONCESSION STAND 4. CONCESSION STAND 5. SWEETWATER BAR 6. BUDWEISER BOWTIE BAR

E: DIPPIN’ DOTS F: SUPER GYRO G: SWEET CAROLINA’S / OREO CHURROS H: SCOOPS! I: PINEAPPLE CART SQUEEZE & FREEZE J: JUANATHANS K CRAFT CORNER L: SCOOPS! M: BOILED PEANUTS/PRETZELS N: PHILLY CART O: POP! P: DIPPIN’ DOTS Q: EL TORO MEXICAN

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kansas city royals minor league system

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carolina league

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Special Events

Located in the heart of Columbia’s Bull Street District, Segra Park is a year round event venue. Our venue is perfect for corporate meetings, galas, weddings, holiday parties and more. It’s a multi-purpose venue that provides a unique backdrop for your next event. CLUB LOUNGE

CONTACT SPECIAL EVENTS 803.888.3023 EVENTS@COLUMBIAFIREFLIES.COM SEGRAPARK.COM

CONFERENCE ROOM

BROAD RIVER BALCONY

THE MASON JAR COLUMBIA FIREFLIES TEAM STORE

store hours

Mon.-Fri 10:00am-5:00pm Sat. & Sun. Closed

2022 fireflies coaching staff

Jesus Azuaje

Tony Peña Jr.

John Habyan

Hitting Coach

Manager

Pitching Coach

Joe Pedulla

Glenn Hubbard

Chris Nelson

Strength and Conditioning Coach

Bench Coach

Assistant Hitting Coach

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2022 fireflies roster pitchers

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6' 3" 195 R-R 08-21-2001 P - Luinder Avila

P - Luis Barroso

6' 4" 230 R-R 11-03-1999 P - Wander Arias

5' 11" 204 L-L 06-12-1999 P - Jack Aldrich

6' 3" 165 R-R 09-07-1998

Caracas, VZ

David, Panama

Oak Park, CA

Sabana Grande de Palenquie, D.R.

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45

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6' 1" 167 R-R 12-06-1998 P - Delvin Capellan

6' 2" 175 L-L 02-13-1999 P - Shane Connolly

6' 0" 220 R-R 10-02-1999 P - Heribert Garcia

6' 0" 180 L-L 09-30-97 P - Ryan Hennen Cold Springs, MN

Guayubin, DR

Huntersville, NC

Boliver, VZ

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34

16

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6' 1" 185 R-R 07-31-1996 P - Tim Holdgrafer

6' 2" 205 R-R 07-01-2001 P - Ben Hernandez

6' 3" 175 L-L 06-19-2003 P - Frank Mozzicato

P - Ben Kudrna

6' 3" 175 R-R 01-30-2003 Shawnee Mission, KS

San Diego, CA

Chicago, IL

Hartford, CT

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6' 3" 220 R-R 10-30-2001 P - Shane Panzini

P - Matt Stil

6' 2" 210 L-L 10-26-1997 P - Ben Wereski

P - Marlin Willis

6' 3" 190 R-R 07-05-2000

6' 4" 190 L-L 06-05-1998

Spring Lake, NJ

Hartford, CT

Decatur, GA

Decatur, GA

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catchers

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6' 2" 205 R-R 10-14-1998 C - Felix Familia Santo Domingo, DR

5'11" 170 R-R 12-10-2001 C - Omar Hernandez

C - Kyle Hayes

6' 1" 210 L-R 07-03-2003 C - Carter Jensen

6' 2" 190 R-R 10-08-97

La Habana, CU

Vienna, VA

Kansas City, MO

infielders

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6' 0" 190 S-R 08-21-1999 IF - Dayton Dooney

IF - Guillermo Quintana

IF - Omar Florentino

6' 1" 180 R-R 03-16-2001

5' 9" 170 S-R 10-26-2001

Honolulu, HI

Cartagena, COL

San Juan De La Maguana, DR

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6' 0" 150 R-R 12-15-2003 IF - Daniel Vazquez

IF - Josh Rivera

IF - Enrique Valdez

5' 11" 185 R-R 01-30-1999

6' 0" 185 L-R 05-15-2001 San Pedro de Macoris, DR

Villa Mella, DR

San Juan, PR

outfielders

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6' 1" 157 R-R 07-05-2001 OF - Gary Camarillo Santa Barbara de Zulio, VZ

6' 2" 185 L-r 09-16-2001 OF - Darryl Collins

OF - Erick Pena

OF - River Town

6' 3" 205 L-R 02-20-2003 Santo Domingo, D.R.

5' 11" 181

L-R

07-08-1999 Zachary, LA

Spijkenisse, NL

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2022 myrtle beach pelicans Pitchers:

Infielders: 40 Josue Huma 56 Kevin Made 38 Juan Mora 13 45 Felix Stevens 7 James Triantos 49 Matt Warkentin Alejandro Rivero

33 Richard Gallardo 34 Angel Gonzalez 53 Jose Miguel Gonzalez 16 Angel Hernandez 9 Porter Hodge 28 Tanner Jesson-Dalton 21 Luke Little 52 Johzan Oquendo 35 Luis Angel Rodriguez 17 Tyler Santana 51 Frankie Scalzo Jr.

Outfielders: 12

Kevin Alcantara Ezequiel Pagan Jacob Wetzel

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20 Tyler Schlaffer 55 Chase Watkins 1 Alfredo Zarraga

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Catchers: 6

Ethan Hearn

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Malcom Quintero

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Bryan Serra

CLICK FOR ROSTER DETAILS

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fireflies tickets

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KIDS ZONE

BOWTIE BAR

Individual Game Tickets

$5/seat

$10/seat

$8/seat (Quantities of 4 or 6)

$14/seat

$10/seat

$16/seat

$11/seat

$56/box (4 seats)

$12/seat

$60/table (4 seats)

Group Tickets

COLa

Attendees of groups of 20 or more in the Palmetto Picnic Pavilion, Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union All-Star or Reserved seating will take home a souvenir Fireflies group hat.

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Full Season Tickets

$3,300/table

$735/seat*

$2,995/table

$630/seat

$1,050/seat*

$540/seat

$540/seat*

$330/seat

*Multi-year commitment required

Half Season (33 Games) Half Season Tickets

$330/seat

$299/seat

7 th Inning All-Star Seating Stretch Plans 7 Game Plans $77/seat 14 Game Plans $154/seat 21 Game Plans $220/seat

click for more information

Individual Tickets

Groups Tickets

Season Tickets

Interested in Group Outings or Memberships? Call 803-726-4487 ext 2 or email sales@columbiafireflies.com

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Upcoming Community Organizations of the Game Please stop by their kiosks during the game and learn more about these important local organizations!

7/4 - Hush No More 7/6 - Aldergate 7/7 - Folds of Honor

The Fireflies strive to give back to the community in which we all live. If you are interested in being a Community Organization of the Game, please contact Halle Wade at 803-888-3007.

America’s Past-Time in the Soda City By John Kocsis Jr.

The Columbia Fireflies have been in the Midlands since 2016, and they began construction on the historic BullStreet project in 2015 to bring baseball back to Columbia after a decade-long absence. Since the Fireflies have entered BullStreet, a lot has changed. Once a shimmering stadium in a vast property about to enter a face lift, now when driving past the stadium you will notice parking garages, apartment

complexes, offices, bars and other retail jam-packed into Columbia’s quickest emerging district.

Independence Day is a time when people look back upon the history of the United States and reflect upon what the Founding Fathers and other great historical figures have done to shape the evolution of America. Baseball in Columbia has a long history that started shortly after the Babcock building, right next door to Segra Park was completed in 1885. The Columbia Senators started playing in 1892 in the South Atlantic League. It took a few tries and a little over a decade for Columbia to find consistent baseball. One of the marquee moments of baseball in the Midlands wasn’t necessarily a happy moment when it happened. Late in 1926, tragedy struck at the Comers ballpark at the State Fairgrounds. A fire engulfed the stands and left the Comers without a home for the 1927 season. That is, until Pittsburgh Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss donated money for historic Capital City Stadium to be built. The future Hall of Famer's generosity paved the way for the next 77 years of baseball in the Midlands. It paved the way for what came after the Comers era, when the Cincinnati Reds became the first Major League affiliation with a Columbia-based franchise in the 1938 season. The team stuck around in the South Atlantic League until 1956 when the Royal came in for two seasons. Then Cincinnati came back for a

second run for 1960-61. The Reds era in Columbia was highlighted with pioneer and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson's birth into professional baseball. The slugger played in Columbia in the 1954 and 1955 seasons before breaking into the Majors as a 20-year-old the following year. He would go on to hit 586 homers in the bigs en route to 12 All-Star appearances and a trip to Cooperstown.

Succeeding the Reds era in Columbia, the Midlands went through their longest

professional baseball drought. From 1962-1982 Soda City awaited a team to relocate to the Midlands. The Mets answered that prayer, moving from Shelby, North Carolina to Columbia and eventually renaming the team the Capital City Bombers. While the Bombers were in Columbia, they accomplished a lot. The team won three South Atlantic League titles and groomed a generation of New York Mets talent including Todd Huntley, Jose Reyes and David Wright. In 2004, the team packed up its bags and moved up-state to Greenville to become the Drive. Capital City was left without baseball or hope for professional baseball for a full decade. It took a lot of hard work from Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin and other members of city council, as well as Hard Ball Capital to put together a game plan to build a new stadium that could generate tax dollars for the city and keep up with a fast- wave of new stadia across America. After the turn of the century, gone were the old ideals of match-stick parks where everyone sat in a grandstand behind home plate and scored games with a pencil and paper. The new ballpark in Columbia needed to be something modern, with amenities, such as a 360-degree concourse for fans to roam during the game, a kids zone with inflatables and games to play, luxury areas with craft beers and air conditioning for hot summer days and more standing room only space than old ballparks deemed necessary. It took some time behind the scenes, but eventually, a deal was struck. In 2014, the city announced that it would have a new team. The stars aligned that the Savannah Sand Gnats would relocate to Columbia in 2016 to become the Columbia Fireflies, named after the fireflies of Congaree Forest that are one of the only species of fireflies in the world to blink in unison. The team was affiliated with the New York Mets from 2016-2020, just like the Bombers and Mets that had inhabited the Midlands for the previous 20 seasons of professional baseball in the region. Following the pandemic-lost season, the Fireflies became affiliated with the Kansas City Royals to embark upon the current era of baseball in Columbia. Since the switch to becoming a Royals’ affiliate, the Fireflies have already provided us with some incredible moments. One of those was Darryl Collins’ walk-off grand slam, the first walk-off homer in Columbia Fireflies history in front of an Independence Game crowd during the 2021 season. What special moment might happen at the ballpark this Independence Day? New history is being written as you read this text. Let’s play ball!

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/COLUMBIAFIREFLIES

@COLAFIREFLIES

@COLAFIREFLIES

(803) 726-4487 INFO@COLUMBIAFIREFLIES.COM

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