Joe Davis Stadium Recon

[Cobra22nd]

An Overview of Autographing at Joe Davis Stadium
By Chad Griffith (cobra22nd)

Autographing at Huntsville has been a cakewalk for me. I have enjoyed great success there, and the people always make me feel at home. It is an experience like no other I have encountered. I have not been to Huntsville since the days of Weeks and Fielder, when I went once to every series that year. If you have never met the players as they arrive to the ballpark, this is the place to do it. Getting there super early saves you from paying for parking. I have done all my autographing at this park and left before the game starts—or gates open—several times.

The layout has the home team on the 3rd base side and the visitors on the 1st base side. The home players park near their clubhouse, where there is a gate for them to use. This gate is almost always open, and is very discreet. Unlike most minor league parks, you are able to walk in and watch BP if you desire. The ushers have never told me to leave, but they have come to alert me that the gates were opening if there was a giveaway. If not, they can rip your ticket without the need to leave your post. I really like this park. Too bad it is 5 hours away from me.

The home team enters the field through a door in their dugout. Their clubhouse is connected to it via a tunnel under the stands. The door to the clubhouse is clearly marked, mere feet from the gate they use to enter the field. This is where you should wait after the game if you want the stars players. Out on the field, I set up between 3rd and the bullpen when I go for the Stars pregame. Most of the time I do the home team postgame, though. If you get there way early, you can catch players from both teams going to and from the batting cages near the outfield on the 3rd base side. There are no secret tips I can give you other than to say get their early and take care of business.

The visiting team enters the field through a door in their dugout. You can choose to set up on either side, depending on what is going on. As a general rule, I set up near 1st. As with the Stars, the visitors come and go from the clubhouse via a door that is clearly marked. You can often catch them going to the batting cage or even just hanging out talking on the phone. It does not get anymore straight forward than this. Great stadium, Great people!