Former Cincinnati Reds outfielder Eric Davis played Class AA baseball more than four decades ago in Waterbury, Connecticut.
He knows the 2026 Chattanooga Lookouts will have a far superior experience.
“In those days, you did everything so you didn’t have to stay in the minor leagues,” Davis said Monday. “It wasn’t about making you comfortable. It was about making you hungry. In Waterbury, we had a gravel track running through the outfield. It was almost like ‘Brewster’s Millions’ with Richard Pryor. You were waiting for a train to come through or something.
“We played in Lynn, Massachusetts, where you played in a park where they had campgrounds and bears. It’s just hard to fathom now with what they’re doing here and what we’re doing in Louisville and what we’ve done in Dayton (Ohio). I’ve seen Huntsville’s new ballpark, and it’s not just about the players but these communities now.”
Davis was a two-time National League All-Star with the Reds and was a prominent member of their 1990 World Series championship team. He is a member of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and currently serves as a senior adviser to team president Nick Krall and general manager Brad Meador.