Wood Ducks franchise’s time winding down in Kinston

KINSTON, N.C. (WNCT) — The Down East Wood Ducks are in the final days of their franchise as the season is coming to an end.

The team has been at Grainger Stadium since 2017 and are moving to Spartanburg, S.C. next season where they will become the Hub City Spartanburgers.

It’s a bittersweet time for baseball fans across Eastern North Carolina. Grainger Stadium first opened in 1949. “Eastern North Carolina is a blessing. It has been for me, personally my whole entire life. I came back to Kinston in October of 2016 and to lay the grassroots campaign for this team. And it’s been a treasure. And I’m excited for baseball here in Kinston for the future,” Down East Wood Ducks General Manager Jon Clemmons said.

As a Minor League, Low-A team, the Wood Ducks and their fans welcome baseball players just beginning their professional careers. “This is my first full season in professional baseball, and being able to do it here was nice. A lot, a lot of great fans, a lot of passionate fans that have been here every game. And it’s really cool to see that around here and it’s really cool to see it in general,” Catcher Julian Brock said.

The team offers a family atmosphere for fans young and old and all many of them have known is Wood Ducks baseball. “So, it’s sad, you know, this is something when they’ve been here eight years and so we’ve, you know, since before he was born and she and I have been coming and mom’s not here tonight, but we’ve loved it,” Wood Ducks fan Guy Smith said.

“I’ve lived in Kinston since 2001. The reason I live in Kinston is because of baseball. I came here in 2004 on a USA National tournament as a single parent not looking for a husband and found one,” Wood Ducks fan Robyn Godfrey said. “And we’ve come to all the Indian Games. I made 12 dozen brownies today for the baseball team, so I do that probably once every six weeks or so. And I just enjoy coming out here. Baseball is what I love.”

Clemmons said the team made a memorable impact on Kinston but could not have done it without the fans. “A thousand thank yous would not be enough. We’ve had remarkable sponsors, fans, loyal patrons, that just come every night and it’s it’s truly amazing to see how much they’ve invested in this team,” Clemmons said. “And it’s like I said, a thousand thank yous would not be enough.”

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