Hub City Honors Spartanburg’s Baseball Tradition with Pastimes Alternate Identity 

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Throughout the second season of Spartanburgers baseball, Hub City is committed to recognizing Spartanburg’s storied baseball lineage. To celebrate 100 years of baseball at Duncan Park Stadium and the various teams which have played in the Sparkle City, the Spartanburgers will transform into the Spartanburg Pastimes six times during the 2026 season. Fifth Third Bank is the presenting sponsor of the Pastimes.

As part of an ongoing effort to preserve Duncan Park Stadium, the Spartanburgers will donate a percentage of all Pastimes merchandise sales to the Friends of Duncan Park. Fans will also have opportunities throughout the season to donate to this meaningful cause to maintain a Spartanburg landmark.

"We are honored to use our platform to share and preserve the amazing baseball history that exists in Spartanburg and at Duncan Park Stadium," said Tyson Jeffers, General Manager of the Hub City Spartanburgers. "We are also excited to work with the Friends of Duncan Park, Fifth Third Bank, the City of Spartanburg, and many other great partners to bring the Pastimes identity to life and to create awareness of the needs of Duncan Park Stadium so that we can assist in efforts to preserve and restore such a historic ballpark."

Each Pastimes date at Fifth Third Park will serve as a throwback to a different team which played at Duncan Park Stadium in years past. The Spartanburg Peaches, Phillies and the various American Legion and collegiate wood bat teams which played at the historic venue are among the teams which will be recognized. Additionally, Hub City will also wear the Spartanburg Sluggers uniforms, which debuted in 2025, twice in 2026.

“When Duncan Park Stadium opened on July 8, 1926, The Journal and Carolina Spartan proudly announced that ‘for completeness, and for general symmetry and beauty, [observers who have seen the new facility] have never seen the equal of the local stadium,’’’ said Ed Epps, Duncan Park Stadium historian and part of the Friends of Duncan Park. “'In fact,' the unrestrained reporter declared, 'the ballpark was ‘one of the most perfect at the disposal of any minor league team in the country.’”

“Today, Duncan Park stands among the nation’s oldest surviving diamonds, a living link to a century of baseball in Spartanburg,” said Epps. “The Spartanburgers’ six Pastime games are both a fitting tribute to the stadium’s legacy and a substantial contribution toward its preservation and improvement.”

Various historically themed giveaways are also tied into Pastimes nights, such as the Pat Williams bobblehead, presented by Milliken, on June 28, the Duncan Park Stadium replica on July 8 and the American Legion Hat on August 12, presented by Fifth Third.

"We're excited and honored that the Spartanburgers will be recognizing the incredibly deep history of baseball at Duncan Park Stadium as we celebrate its 100th anniversary this year," said Spartanburg Mayor Jerome Rice. "Their commitment to the legacy of baseball in our community and their continuation of that legacy is a fantastic example of the deep and meaningful level of partnership they continue to bring to Spartanburg.”

Spartanburg Pastimes dates are listed below:

April 7 (Spartan-PURRg Night) v. Greenville

May 22 (Everything’s Just Peachy Night) v. Rome

June 28 (Pat Williams Appreciation Night) v. Winston-Salem

July 8 (Duncan Park Birthday Celebration) v. Bowling Green

August 12 (American Legion Night) v. Greenville

September 1 (TBD) v. Jersey Shore

Tickets for each of the games listed above, as well as the rest of the Spartanburgers’ 66 home games, and collegiate contests at Fifth Third Park, are available at HubCitySpartanburgers.com or by calling 864-594-0701. Hub City’s season begins on April 3 against the Frederick Keys, the new High-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.

About the Hub City Spartanburgers

The Hub City Spartanburgers are the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and the reigning South Atlantic League South Division Champions. For more information on the Spartanburgers, visit milb.com/hub-city. For information about tickets to any of Hub City’s 66 home games, call 864-594-0701 or email: [email protected]. For media inquiries, email: [email protected]. Follow along with the Spartanburgers on social media.