The train tracks in Jacksonville have been paved over and are not used by trains any longer but accommodate runners and bicyclists on a daily basis. That hasn’t stopped the Big Train from making its new home in Jacksonville.The East Alabama Big Train is one of 11 teams that make up the new Great South League, a summer collegiate wood bat league. Games are played at Henry Farm Park.
Playing teams from Georgia and Florida, Jacksonville residents have the opportunity to see college baseball at its best as athletes look to improve their game and hopefully get noticed by the pro scouts that attend the games.
Jacksonville, while not chosen as the original site for the team, is lucky to have it. The Great South League, formerly the Georgia Collegiate League, has been named by Perfect Game magazine, owned by ESPN, as one of the top 20 wooden bat leagues in the nation.
Oxford was picked as the original site for the Big Train, the only team in the league from Alabama, but construction to the Oxford field forced the team to find other accommodations. Jacksonville State University head baseball coach Jim Case helped the team relocate to Jacksonville.
Fans of the JSU Gamecock baseball team can come out and watch three of the JSU players, catcher Tyler McGrady, pitcher Kevin Elwell and Alexandria graduate first baseman Jake Welch.
Other local players on the team are Jacksonville High graduate Jeff Pool, who now plays for Gadsden State, Oxford High School’s Saxon Butler, recently named by the Anniston Star as the Big County Player of the Year, and former Anniston High player, now at Alcorn State, Jessie Buchanon.
The Big Train has other big time players, like All-American third baseman Rob Dahlberg from the University of West Alabama and shortstop Danial Gonzales who will be playing for the University of New Mexico next year.
The team is coached by Roberto Martinez, who is head baseball coach at East Central Community College, and assistant coach Cody Brown from the University of West Alabama.
General manager Curtis Bumgarner is excited about his new team and also about being in Jacksonville.
Bumgarner, who for the last two years has been the voice of the Athens Pirates, is hoping that having players from Northeast Alabama will help with the fan base. “We’re happy to be here in Jacksonville,” says Bumgarner, “and we hope that we are an asset.”
Bumgarner is hoping that having a summer league in Jacksonville catches on quickly and that fans will come out to support the team. “We want to be fan friendly. We tell people to bring their lawn chairs and their picnic tables and we will help set them up. You can come to the games and have family functions or corporation or company functions.”
This weekend the Big Train will be playing a three-game series with the St. Augustine Saints. Game time on Friday night will be 8 and Saturday’s doubleheader will start at 2 p.m. Bumgarner has declared Saturday Jacksonville Day, marking $2 off hats and jerseys for Jacksonville residents.
The Big Train is currently in second place in the south region with a 6-3 record, behind the Georgia Stars at 5-1.
Martinez, in his first year of coaching a college wood bat league, says that playing in this kind of league keeps the players in shape as they play another 35-50 games.
“It gives some of the guys a chance to go to a four years school and there are plenty of pro scouts so the players can be seen,” he said.
Martinez has been taking his players to meet Little League teams around Jacksonville, trying to get fans to realize that this is their home team.
The hardest part of coaching a summer collegiate team according to Martinez is that all of the players are real good and on the same level.
“They all come from different coaches and you don’t want to get too involved so that they can go back and do what their other coach likes,” he said. “You have to adapt to every player as much as possible without getting between them and their coach.”
Welch and Pool are thrilled to be on the team.
Welch, who had a sterling career at Alexandria, was redshirted at JSU this year. He is using his time on the Big Train to tone up his game.
“I didn’t get to play any during the year so I get to get in there and play some good games against some good pitching,” says Welch. “Everybody’s the same; you face good competition. Its baseball; anytime you play baseball you get better.”
Pool, who played at Gadsden State this year, came out of the bullpen to pitch 30 innings during the season, and also saw some time behind the plate as well as in the outfield.
Pool was playing in a 19-and-under league out of Oxford when he found out about the Big Train and tried out and made the team. He sees the experience as being very advantageous.
“You learn from guys who are juniors and seniors and redshirts,” he said. “It’s pretty exciting to sit back and watch them play their game.”
Bumgarner is unsure of what lies ahead for the Big Train as far as where “home will be.” He hopes the word will get out that Jacksonville isn’t through with baseball for the summer and that there is a league that’s worth the $5 admission price to come out and see (children under 12 are free).
