It’s a typical mild Tuesday evening on April 26, and the Charlotte 49ers take the field for their routine pregame warmup. Hundreds of Charlotte fans stroll through the gates, some wearing green caps with the home team’s insignia stitched on the front. The overhead speakers shake to the sound of popular country music, livening the atmosphere prior to first pitch.
The majority of the 49er fans are college students, supporting their fellow classmates, but in the mix enters one well-known father who sits five rows back behind home plate in a dark green folding chair. Dale Jarrett marvels as his son, Zach Jarrett, displays the hard work that helped the left fielder reach a distinguished level in a sport, perhaps forgotten in the Jarrett family.