Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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July 19, 2011

Rays to promote coal on Saturday

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

PRINCETON — Some of the miners from the Spike Television series “Coal” are expected to be in attendance Saturday as part of the “Salute To Coal Night” at the Princeton Rays game versus the Elizabethton Twins at Princeton’s Hunnicutt Field.

As part of the salute, the team is asking that fans wear black clothing.

Game time is slated for 7 p.m. with gates opening at 6. All miners and their families will be admitted at $2 each. Companies related to the mining industry are invited to contact the P-Rays about the possibility of setting up display tables at no charge.

“The appearance of the miners from the McDowell County-based Cobalt Coal Company highlights an evening that will celebrate the benefits that our country realizes as a result of the mining industry,” said Princeton Rays General Manager Jim Holland.

“We are excited and honored that the folks from Cobalt will be sending some folks over for this event. Coal mining is an industry we are proud to salute since coal mining is the activator for so many good things that go on in our lives.”

The primary corporate sponsor for the event, Fairchild International of Glen Lyn, Va., will be giving hard hats to the first children ages 10 and under through the gate. They will give stress rocks that looks like lumps of coal to adults while supplies last.

To get people in the spirit of the event, each program-yearbook purchased at the game will contain a $1 piece of paper “scrip” that will get fans $1 off any souvenir or concession stand purchase of $5 or more, good at Saturday’s game only.

The team plans to dress up the ballpark in keeping with the theme. A portion of the ballpark’s music and the between-inning on-field fan games will be coal-related.

A one-hour documentary, “Extra Innings,” will run continually in the stadium throughout the game. The video, created and produced by West Virginia Public Television, deals with baseball in the West Virginia coalfields.

Representatives from the Coal Heritage Authority are expected to attend, to promote an effort to rebuild a coal camp baseball field in Helen, as well an interpretative center / museum devoted to baseball in the coalfields.

Holland said P-Rays intern Jed Lockett worked on getting Saturday’s details finalized.

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