Bordered by the Appalachian Mountains to the west and the flat coastal plain to the east, North Carolina's foothills region, also called the Piedmont, is home to a remarkable baseball heritage. For well over a century, the game has played a meaningful role in the lives of Piedmont residents. Countless thousands have participated in this national tradition and though some went on to become famous professional players in the big leagues, most never played for more than their local team. All, however, contributed to an important part of regional history. The North Carolina Piedmont has long been famous for its minor league teams, including the Durham Bulls and the Carolina Mudcats, but it's not just the professionals who helped shape the area's baseball tradition. College programs like those at the University of North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest, and NC State have all figured prominently on the national scene at one time or another. High school teams from towns including Sanford have ranked among the nation's best, while American Legion teams have even captured the national championship. In the past it was the textile mills that contributed so much to the region's baseball heritage. Many of the mills only exist in memories today, but some of the teams they fielded-with names like McCrary, Wiscassett, Cannon, and Cooleemee-became local legends. With such a rich and colorful history, there is no doubt that North Carolina's Piedmont is truly baseball country.

Baseball in North Carolina's Piedmont (NC) (Images of America)

Arts & Photography

Holaday, Chris

Photography & Video

Arcadia Publishing

The picturesque town of Hillsborough, once a treasured secret, has recently been rediscovered for its beauty, locale, and historical ties. Various buildings that date back to the late 1700s are still located in Hillsborough's downtown area, which itself is a designated National Historic District. Having maintained the community's rich heritage, residents reap the benefits of small town life in the vicinity of a booming metropolis.English colonists founded Hillsborough in 1754 where the Great Indian Trading Path crossed the Eno River. By the late 1760s, the town was at the center of the Regulator Movement, which challenged the local Colonial government. When the colonies decided to break from England, a town resident named William Hooper signed the Declaration of Independence. During the war that ensued, the British army briefly occupied the town and fought skirmishes in the surrounding area. After the war, prominent citizens gathered in Hillsborough for the Constitutional Convention of 1788 to determine the course of the new nation. Less than a century later, another armed conflict involved Hillsborough; leaders of the last great Confederate army camped in the town and discussed surrender in 1865. Their decision to lay down arms essentially ended the most tragic chapter in American history.

Hillsborough (Images of America)

From the August 1957 VIR race program: "The rolling Virginia hills have been painstakingly clad with an ultra-smooth skin of macadam to provide a course of great natural beauty. The superb spectator visibility is nicely equated to a road layout that will test the best in racing machines and men." In the late 1950s, a group of sports car enthusiasts dreamed of creating a first-class racing facility. The result was Virginia International Raceway, a challenging 3.2-mile course with 12 turns, 2 straightaways, and over 100 feet of elevation change. Located in southern Virginia, east of Danville and just across the North Carolina border, the track opened in 1957. During VIR's first 18 years of existence, races featured some of the top names in American motorsports including Carroll Shelby, Roger Penske, Walt Hansgen, and Richard Petty. The track also hosted numerous important events including SCCA Nationals, the President's Cup, a Trans-Am race in the first season of that circuit, as well as IMSA races in the early 1970s. Facing financial difficulties, the track shut down in 1974, and for the next 25 years VIR was a cow pasture. It was reopened in 2000 and the outstanding new facility is again one of the top racing venues in the country.

Virginia International Raceway (VA) (Images of Sports Series)

England, Nick

Allen, Phil

The best baseball team of the 20th century? How about the 1906 Cubs? Or the 1998 Yankees? Don't forget the 1929 A's, or the 1976 Reds. Some say the Yanks had a pretty good squad in 1927. There were so many great teams in the last century, it would be hard to compile a list of the 25 best--much less rank those clubs--but that's what the authors have done! This is an endlessly fascinating tome, sure to prompt spirited discussions around the water cooler or above the dugout. Let the arguments (and the fun!) begin!

The 25 Greatest Baseball Teams of the 20th Century Ranked

Sports & Outdoors

Adesman, Marshall

Baseball

McFarland Company

The warmth of the oven and the smell of fresh-baked bread conjure comforting memories of tradition and place. Aside from being a staple on every table in the South, these breads and their recipes detail the storied history of the region. Biscuits emerged from Native American and European traditions. Cornbread, with its vast variety, is a point of debate among Southerners over which recipe yields the most delicious results. The hushpuppy, developed possibly to quiet whining dogs, is a requirement for any true catfish or barbecue meal. Author Chris Holaday and top culinary instructor Marilyn Markel offer the mouthwatering history, famous recipes and heartwarming stories of Southerners in their kitchens.

Southern Breads: Recipes, Stories and Traditions (American Palate)

Cookbooks, Food & Wine

Markel, Marilyn

Baking

The History Press

Classic Restaurants of Chapel Hill and Orange County (American Palate)

Once upon a time, Chapel Hill, a town synonymous with the University of North Carolina, offered little more than simple cafés. In recent years, it has developed a diverse restaurant culture and today is home to some of the country's most creative chefs. From legendary student hangouts to one of the South's most famed barbecue joints to the birthplace of shrimp and grits, all of these establishments helped earn the area recognition as a top dining destination. Local authors Chris Holaday and Patrick Cullom profile longtime establishments that helped shape the dining scene in Chapel Hill and the neighboring towns of Carrboro and Hillsborough.

Cullom, Patrick

The story of the restaurant industry in Durham is also the story of a once prosperous tobacco town that suffered through a long decline only to undergo a stunning rebirth. Legendary barbecue restaurants such as Little Acorn, Bullock's and Dillard's and small cafés like Lewis' served generations of tobacco industry workers. Establishments such as Annamaria's and the Ivy Room were aimed at the growing college student population. More recently, Nana's, Magnolia Grill and other award-winning eateries have led a restaurant renaissance. This book profiles fifty longtime restaurants that have helped shape the city's dining scene--from small takeout sandwich shops to the finest of fine dining. Local authors Chris Holaday and Patrick Cullom tell the story of Durham's unique food history.

Classic Restaurants of Durham (American Palate)

Business & Money

Industries

Cracks in the Outfield Wall: The History of Baseball Integration in the Carolinas

History

Americas

The University of North Carolina Press

The Tobacco State League played an important role in eastern North Carolina for five summers (1946-1950), giving small-town communities a chance to be a part of professional baseball and offering a return to normalcy after World War II. Years later, the players' names were spoken with reverence, their exploits the subject of impassioned discussion. This book tells the story of the short-lived league and the clubs who entertained fans on dusty ball fields under dim lights, including the Lumberton Auctioneers, Rockingham Eagles, Warsaw Red Sox, Sanford Spinners and Wilmington Pirates.

The Tobacco State League: A North Carolina Baseball History, 1946-1950

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Holaday, Chris. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Holaday, Chris

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Holaday, Chris. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Baseball in North Carolina's Piedmont (NC) (Images of America)

Hillsborough (Images of America)

Virginia International Raceway (VA) (Images of Sports Series)

The 25 Greatest Baseball Teams of the 20th Century Ranked

Southern Breads: Recipes, Stories and Traditions (American Palate)

Classic Restaurants of Chapel Hill and Orange County (American Palate)

Classic Restaurants of Durham (American Palate)

Cracks in the Outfield Wall: The History of Baseball Integration in the Carolinas

Cracks in the Outfield Wall: The History of Baseball Integration in the Carolinas

The Tobacco State League: A North Carolina Baseball History, 1946-1950