Fort Bragg Game
{{short description|Special Major League Baseball event}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox baseball game
| game = Fort Bragg Game
| image = Fort Bragg Game logo.jpg
| caption =
| visitor = Miami Marlins
| top1 = 0
| top2 = 0
| top3 = 0
| top4 = 0
| top5 = 2
| top6 = 0
| top7 = 1
| top8 = 1
| top9 = 1
| visitor_r = 5
| visitor_h = 13
| visitor_e = 1
| home = Atlanta Braves
| bot1 = 0
| bot2 = 0
| bot3 = 0
| bot4 = 0
| bot5 = 0
| bot6 = 0
| bot7 = 0
| bot8 = 0
| bot9 = 2
| home_r = 2
| home_h = 5
| home_e = 0
| date = {{Start date|2016|07|03}}
| venue = Fort Bragg Stadium
| city = Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States
| manager_visitor = Don Mattingly
| manager_home = Brian Snitker
| umpires = HP: Alfonso Márquez
1B: Larry Vanover
2B: David Rackley
3B: Chris Guccione
| attendance = 12,582
| first_pitch = SFC Corey Calkins, US Army
| television = ESPN
| tv_announcers = ESPN:
Dan Shulman (play-by-play)
Aaron Boone (analyst)
Jessica Mendoza (analyst)
Buster Olney (reporter)
| radio = ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes Radio
| radio_announcers =
}}
The Fort Bragg Game was a Major League Baseball (MLB) specialty game played between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves of the National League. It was held on July 3, 2016 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States, becoming the first regular season professional sports event ever held on an active U.S. military base, and the first MLB game played in the state. The game was broadcast on Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN. The Marlins defeated the Braves, 5–2. After the game, the grandstands were removed, and the field became a multi-use sporting ground.
Background
File:2016 MLB at Fort Bragg 160703-A-AP748-180.jpg (left), Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend (center), and Rob Manfred (right) at a pregame press conference]]
In 2015, Major League Baseball (MLB) approached the United States Department of Defense with an idea to host a regular season MLB game at a military base. The following March, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred publicly announced that the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves would play a regular season game at Fort Bragg on July 3, 2016, the day before Independence Day, to honor the nation's military.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2016/03/08/atlanta-braves-miami-marlins-fort-bragg-game|title=Braves, Marlins to play at Fort Bragg|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=August 22, 2017|date=March 8, 2016}} MLB and the MLB Players Association spent $5 million to convert an unused golf course on the base into a stadium with a capacity of 12,500.{{cite news |first=Aaron |last=Beard |url=http://www.morningjournal.com/article/MJ/20160703/SPORTS/160709891 |title=MLB officials busy before Fort Bragg game |newspaper=The Morning Journal |location=Lorain, Ohio |agency=Associated Press |access-date=August 22, 2017 |date=July 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823023145/http://www.morningjournal.com/article/MJ/20160703/SPORTS/160709891 |archive-date=August 23, 2017}} Tickets for the game were free to military personnel and their families through a lottery system.{{cite news |first=Joe |last=Mock |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2016/07/03/braves-marlins-fort-bragg-game/86662532/ |title=Marlins top Braves in unique Fort Bragg Game |work=USA Today |access-date=August 22, 2017 |date=July 3, 2016}}
The Fort Bragg Game became the first regular season professional sporting event to ever be held on an active military base,{{cite news |first=Joe |last=Rodgers |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/braves-marlins-fort-bragg-mlb-july-3-promo-video/73gimrgy4v011kzqegk05hl8j |title=Marlins, Braves to play first professional game on active military base | MLB |work=The Sporting News |date=March 8, 2016 |access-date=August 22, 2017}} and the first MLB regular season game ever held in the state of North Carolina.{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Carter |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/mlb/article87527732.html |title=Fort Bragg celebrates history in first Major League Baseball game in North Carolina |newspaper=The News & Observer |date=July 3, 2016 |access-date=August 22, 2017 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160705185226/https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/mlb/article87527732.html |archive-date=July 5, 2016}} The game aired on ESPN as part of their Sunday Night Baseball coverage. Dan Shulman provided play-by-play, while Jessica Mendoza and Aaron Boone served as analysts and Buster Olney as a game reporter. ESPN also distributed the game on ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN Deportes Radio.{{cite web |last=Thompson |first=Gianina |url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2016/06/espn-televise-fort-bragg-game-presented-chevrolet-special-july-3-edition-sunday-night-baseball/ |title=ESPN to Televise the Fort Bragg Game Presented by Chevrolet on Special July 3 Edition of Sunday Night Baseball |publisher=ESPN MediaZone |date=June 27, 2016 |access-date=August 22, 2017}}
Before the game, players visited the Womack Army Medical Center. Manfred, Joe Torre, and MLBPA Director Tony Clark visited the local Fisher House.{{cite web |first=David |last=Schoenfield |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/71978/fort-bragg-game-one-to-remember-for-players-and-fans |title=Fort Bragg game is one to remember for baseball players and fans |publisher=ESPN |date=July 4, 2016 |access-date=August 22, 2017}} A baseball clinic for over 200 children was held on July 2.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2016/07/04/miami-marlins-atlanta-braves-fort-bragg-game|title=Marlins top Braves on historic night at Fort Bragg|first=Jay|last=Jaffe|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=July 3, 2016|access-date=August 22, 2017}} After the game, the grounds was converted into a softball field and multipurpose recreational complex for active duty personnel.{{cite web |url=https://abc11.com/baseball-major-league-atlanta-braves-florida-marlins/1236621/ |title=Braves and Marlins to play at Fort Bragg this summer |publisher=WTVD |access-date=August 22, 2017 |date=March 9, 2016}}
Game
MLB allowed each team to carry an additional position player on their active roster; the Braves called up Ronnier Mustelier from the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves, while the Marlins called up Yefri Pérez from the Double-A Jacksonville Suns.{{cite news |url=https://www.myajc.com/sports/baseball/braves-marlins-get-extra-body-for-sunday-night-game/iW4NBoLBWQUZ24Dt1c9pkL/ |title=Braves, Marlins get extra body for Sunday night game |first=Steve |last=Hummer |newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=July 3, 2016 |access-date=July 4, 2018}} Neither player appeared in the game and Mustelier never played in a game in Major League Baseball.
=Recap=
File:Fort Bragg Field to host MLB's Braves and Marlins on July 3rd 160630-A-ZZ999-001.jpg
The Braves served as the home team, while the Marlins were the visitors. Adam Conley was the starting pitcher for Miami, and Matt Wisler started for Atlanta. The game was scoreless through four innings. In the fifth inning, Adeiny Hechavarria hit a triple and scored on a run batted in (RBI) single by J. T. Realmuto. Realmuto scored after singles by Martín Prado and Christian Yelich. The Braves had the bases loaded in the fifth inning, but failed to score.
The Marlins scored three more runs in the final innings; Realmuto scored on an RBI single by Prado in the seventh inning, Giancarlo Stanton hit a triple in the eighth inning and scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Derek Dietrich, and Realmuto hit a home run in the ninth inning. The Braves scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning when Erick Aybar had an RBI double that scored Tyler Flowers, and A. J. Pierzynski hit a sacrifice fly that scored Jeff Francoeur, but were unable to narrow the gap further. The win increased Miami's win–loss record to 43–39 ({{winning percentage|43|39}} winning percentage), {{frac|6|1|2}} games behind the Washington Nationals in the National League East and {{frac|1|1|2}} games out of a wild card slot. The loss dropped the Braves to 28–54 ({{winning percentage|28|54}}), the worst record in MLB.
=Line score=
File:2016 MLB at Fort Bragg 160703-A-AP748-101.jpg (right)]]
{{Linescore
|visitor = Miami Marlins
|top1 = 0
|top2 = 0
|top3 = 0
|top4 = 0
|top5 = 2
|top6 = 0
|top7 = 1
|top8 = 1
|top9 = 1
|visitor_r = 5
|visitor_h = 13
|visitor_e = 1
|home = Atlanta Braves
|bot1 = 0
|bot2 = 0
|bot3 = 0
|bot4 = 0
|bot5 = 0
|bot6 = 0
|bot7 = 0
|bot8 = 0
|bot9 = 2
|home_r = 2
|home_h = 5
|home_e = 0
|WP=Adam Conley (5–5)
|LP=Matt Wisler (3–8)
|RoadHR=J. T. Realmuto (5)
}}
=Box score=
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:95%;" |
| Marlins
!scope="col"|AB !scope="col"|R !scope="col"|H !scope="col"|RBI !scope="col"|BB !scope="col"|SO !scope="col"|AVG |
|---|
| scope="row" | {{sortname|J. T.|Realmuto}}, C
|5 |3 |3 |2 |0 |2 |.314 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Martín|Prado}}, 3B
|5 |0 |3 |1 |0 |1 |.320 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Christian|Yelich}}, LF
|5 |0 |3 |1 |0 |0 |.315 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Marcell|Ozuna}}, CF
|5 |0 |0 |0 |0 |2 |.311 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Giancarlo|Stanton}}, RF
|4 |1 |1 |0 |1 |1 |.219 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Derek|Dietrich}}, 2B
|2 |0 |0 |1 |1 |0 |.300 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Miguel|Rojas|dab=baseball}}, 2B
|1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |.250 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Chris|Johnson|dab=baseball}}, 1B
|4 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |.233 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Adeiny|Hechavarria}}, SS
|3 |1 |2 |0 |1 |0 |.245 |
| scope="row"| {{sortname|Adam|Conley}}, SP
|3 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |.034 |
| scope="row"| {{sortname|David|Phelps|dab=baseball}}, RP
|0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |.500 |
| scope="row"| {{sortname|Ichiro|Suzuki}}, PH
|1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |.335 |
| scope="row"| {{sortname|Fernando|Rodney}}, RP
|0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |{{sort|.000|—}} |
| scope="row"| {{sortname|A. J.|Ramos}}, P
|0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |{{sort|.000|—}} |
Pitching
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:95%;" |
| Marlins
!scope="col"|IP !scope="col"|H !scope="col"|R !scope="col"|ER !scope="col"|BB !scope="col"|SO !scope="col"|HR !scope="col"|ERA |
|---|
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Adam|Conley}} (W)
|6 ||4 ||0 ||0 ||1 ||2 ||0 || 3.65 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|David|Phelps|dab=baseball}} (H)
|1 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||2 ||0 || 2.25 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Fernando|Rodney}}
|1 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 || 0.29 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|A. J.|Ramos}}
|1 ||1 ||2 ||2 ||1 ||2 ||0 || 2.45 |
{{Col-break}}
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:95%;" |
| Braves
!scope="col"|AB !scope="col"|R !scope="col"|H !scope="col"|RBI !scope="col"|BB !scope="col"|SO !scope="col"|AVG |
|---|
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Jace|Peterson}}, 2B
|5 |0 |0 |0 |0 |3 |.283 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Chase|d'Arnaud}}, CF
|3 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |.265 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Freddie|Freeman}}, 1B
|3 |0 |2 |0 |1 |0 |.292 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Nick|Markakis}}, RF
|4 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |.253 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Adonis|García}}, 3B
|4 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |.232 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Tyler|Flowers}}, C
|2 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |.255 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Jeff|Francoeur}}, LF
|3 |1 |0 |0 |1 |0 |.254 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Erick|Aybar}}, SS
|4 |0 |2 |1 |0 |0 |.225 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Matt|Wisler}}, SP
|2 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |.067 |
| scope="row"| {{sortname|Ian|Krol}}, RP
|0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |{{sort|.0001|.000}} |
| scope="row"| {{sortname|Chris|Withrow}}, RP
|0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |{{sort|.000|—}} |
| scope="row"| {{sortname|Emilio|Bonifacio}}, PH
|1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |.148 |
| scope="row"| {{sortname|Tyrell|Jenkins}}, RP
|0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |{{sort|.001|.000}} |
| scope="row"| {{sortname|A. J.|Pierzynski}}, PH
|0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |.199 |
Pitching
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:95%;" |
| Braves
!scope="col"|IP !scope="col"|H !scope="col"|R !scope="col"|ER !scope="col"|BB !scope="col"|SO !scope="col"|HR !scope="col"|ERA |
|---|
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Matt|Wisler}} (L)
|6 ||10 ||3 ||3 ||1 ||6 ||0 ||4.16 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Ian|Krol}}
|{{frac|2|3}} ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||2.86 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Chris|Withrow}}
|{{frac|1|3}} ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||3.68 |
| scope="row" | {{sortname|Tyrell|Jenkins}}
|2 ||3 ||2 ||2 ||2 ||1 ||1 ||5.79 |
{{col-end}}
=Zack Hample controversy=
Zack Hample, a baseball collector who is not active duty military personnel, sought a ticket to the game on social media, offering to pay up to $1,000 for a ticket.{{cite web|last=Brooks |first=Drew |url=http://www.fayobserver.com/27f7d05b-de4b-5762-a51c-b29b5fd63f5b.html |title=Baseball hawker Zack Hample gets into Fort Bragg Game, stirs up social media firestorm – News – The Fayetteville Observer – Fayetteville, NC |publisher=Fayobserver.com |date=July 4, 2016 |access-date=August 22, 2017}} Hample received a ticket from a military personnel that had a "plus-one" ticket and announced that he would donate $100 for every ball he collected to a charity for military veterans.{{cite web|last=Axisa |first=Mike |url=http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/noted-ballhawk-donating-100-to-charity-for-each-ball-caught-at-fort-bragg-game/ |title=Noted ballhawk donating $100 to charity for each ball caught at Fort Bragg game |publisher=CBSSports.com |date=July 4, 2016 |access-date=August 22, 2017}} Hample claimed to have caught 11 balls and claimed he would donate $1,100 to AMVETS.{{cite web|last=Axisa |first=Mike |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/theres-a-petition-to-ban-notorious-ballhawk-zack-hample-from-mlb-ballparks/ |title=There's a petition to ban notorious ballhawk Zack Hample from MLB ballparks |publisher=CBSSports.com |date=July 4, 2016 |access-date=November 28, 2018}} After he came under widespread criticism for taking a ticket to a game that was meant for military personnel, he posted a lengthy apology on Twitter, which CBS sportswriter Mike Axisa stated "boils down to 'I'm sorry but I really wanted to go.'"{{cite web|author=Rodger Mullen Staff|url=http://www.fayobserver.com/6e51e467-c801-586e-96d2-d50989e63467.html |title=Baseball collector apologizes for attending Fort Bragg Game – News – The Fayetteville Observer – Fayetteville, NC |work=The Fayetteville Observer |publisher=Fayobserver.com |access-date=August 22, 2017}}
See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{commons category|Fort Bragg Game}}
- {{cite video|url=https://www.mlb.com/video/2016-fort-bragg-game/c-548700183|title=2016 Fort Bragg Game|publisher=Major League Baseball}}
- {{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/boxscore?id=63555|title=Miami Marlins vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – July 3, 2016|work=Fox Sports}}
{{2016 MLB season by team}}
{{Atlanta Braves}}
{{Miami Marlins}}
{{ESPN Major League Baseball}}
{{Major League Baseball on ESPN Radio}}
Category:Major League Baseball games
Category:2016 Major League Baseball season
Category:2016 in sports in North Carolina
Category:July 2016 sports events in the United States