Hargrove family welcomes Abby, now in her rookie season

  There was an addition to the Hargrove family roster during the off season.

                Abigail Elizabeth "Abby" Hargrove, daughter of Legends account executive Kyle Hargrove and his wife Nikki, was born January 14.   She made her official Whitaker Bank Ballpark debut on opening night, April 7 (a brief appearance, since the game time temperature was 37 degrees). The Legends opened the season with a seven-game homestand, and the long hours at the ballpark that all minor league baseball employees are familiar with brought some new challenges in 2016.

                 "A typical work week during the season is 60-80 hours, but with the excitement of new ballpark renovations, Opening Day, an Education Day and five other home games, I worked about 90 hours during the homestand," Kyle said. "That's a lot of time for anyone to be away from their family, but especially with a newborn. Fortunately, I have a wonderful wife! We have been through a few long baseball seasons together."

                 The 2016 season is Kyle's sixth in baseball, including two seasons with the AAA Nashville Sounds as a box office assistant, one season in ticket sales with the Atlanta Braves, and one with the Atlanta Falcons. He and Nikki have been married for almost four years.

                 "Starting a family is definitely an adjustment, especially first thing in the morning," Kyle said. "I used to be able to roll out of bed at 7:45 a.m. and make it to work on time (8:30). Now, if I don't leave the house by 7:30 a.m. to take Abby to the babysitter on the other side of town), I will never make it on time."

                In addition to Legends blue and green, there's another color that dominates Abby's sports wardrobe.

                 "Abby has lots of Tennessee orange, which is good," said Kyle, whose undergraduate and MBA degrees are from the University of Tennessee.   "We'll be taking her to UT football games in the fall.

                 "Abby has everything from headbands to shoes and plenty of dresses, most of which we have not had to buy. So many family members have bought clothes for her that she may never wear the same outfit twice. My wife also had someone make a Legends onesie that she should be able to wear to several games this year."

                 Their 2016 season will also include new celebrations of Mother's Day and Father's Day.

                 "Becoming a dad is great," Kyle said. "Obviously, it's life-changing beyond belief - there's lots of laundry, less sleep, and occasionally you fall asleep while the sun is still up.

                 "This season will no doubt be tougher than the rest," he added, but it's the time with family that you DO get that gives you the energy to keep going."

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