TOURISTS TO HOST MOONSHINERS NIGHT ON JULY 12

ASHEVILLE-The Asheville Tourists will celebrate the professional game's earliest roots in Western North Carolina by hosting Moonshiners Night, presented by Aaron's, when the Tourists host the West Virginia Power on Friday, July 12, at 7:05 p.m.

The Tourists will wear special throwback Moonshiners jerseys during the July 12 contest in honor of the first Asheville team. The jerseys will be auctioned during the game and presented to the winners after the contest, with all proceeds benefitting the Asheville Tourists Children's Fund, a non-profit organization in conjunction for Eblen Charities. The Asheville Tourists Children's Fund provides shoes for needy children throughout Western North Carolina via the If the Shoe Fits Program.

Moonshiners Josh Owens, Bootleg Bill and Master Shiner Cutie Pie from Discovery Channel's hit show Moonshiners will be at the game to meet and greet fans.

The Asheville Moonshiners were part of the Southeastern League in 1897, which represents the city's first foray into the national pastime on the professional level. The team wore uniforms purchased by Frank Loughran, proprietor of the Hotel Berkeley, and played games at Allandale Park, which was located near the French Broad River. Manager John A. Jobe skippered the Moonshiners to an 11-10 record before the rest of the league determined that Asheville and Chattanooga were too difficult and expensive to reach via train and decided to eliminate those two franchises on September 4, 1897. Asheville teams in 1910 and 1911 also used the Moonshiners nickname before opting to go with Mountaineers in 1912 and Tourists for the first time in 1915.

The Tourists return to McCormick Field on Thursday, June 27, to host the Augusta Green Jackets for a four-game series. Thirsty Thursday opens the homestand at 7:05 p.m. For more information, contact the Tourists front office at 828-258-0428.