Riley Park

Sumter
South Carolina

Former home of the Sumter Chicks
Sumter Flyers
Sumter Astros
Sumter Braves
Sumter Indians
Bell wasn't the only future All-Star on this team either… Another future Cleveland Indians/Texas Rangers All-Star was pitcher Jim Kern (5-6, 4.88) who would become one of the best bullpen men in the game during the 1970s, having his best season in 1979 when he went 13-5 with a 1.57 ERA. Joining this crew of All-Stars was Danay Covert who hit 21 2B and 16 HR with a .295 to become the best professional home run hitter ever at Riley Park. Future Indians Tommy Smith also hit .366 in 183 At Bats and Daniel Hatchell posted a 10-5, 3.25 as ace of the rotation. The Sumter Indians were the best of the 3 teams to call this ballpark home so far… finishing only 7 games under .500. That's the best we could offer... and hopefully things would get better in 1971. That possibility however wouldn't be under the Indians umbrella who still were unsatisfied with their search for a new Single-A home, and dropped out of the South Atlantic League altogether. Riley Park would not go dark… their PDC was immediately picked up by somebody new… the Houston Astros.