Calkins: After a year of emptiness, baseball has returned to AutoZone Park
Fans run for cover during a rain delay before the Redbirds take on the Durham Bulls on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, at AutoZone Park. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Redbirds starting pitcher Thomas Parsons makes a pitch against the Durham Bulls on May 4, 2021, as baseball returns to AutoZone Park. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Redbirds batter José Rondón cracks his bat while taking on the Durham Bulls on May 4 at AutoZone Park. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Memphis Redbirds manager Ben Johnson (left) waves to the crowd before taking on the Durham Bulls on May 4, 2021. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Redbirds fans wait out the rain delay before Memphis takes on the Durham Bulls on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Redbirds second baseman Kramer Robertson makes a throw to first base for an out against the Durham Bulls on May 4, 2021, at AutoZone Park. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Geoff Calkins
Geoff Calkins has been chronicling Memphis and Memphis sports for more than two decades. He is host of "The Geoff Calkins Show" from 9-11 a.m. M-F on 92.9 FM. Calkins has been named the best sports columnist in the country five times by the Associated Press sports editors, but still figures his best columns are about the people who make Memphis what it is.
Sure, there was a rain delay. But after 610 days and nights without baseball in Memphis, what’s another two hours? It was a wet (but glorious!) night at AutoZone Park as the Redbirds made their return.
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