2008 Southern League All Star Game
"Experience the Magic of Baseball"

Hosted by the Carolina Mudcats
Monday July 14, 2008
Five County Stadium

Press Release

Zebulon, NC -- The "Magic of Baseball" is coming to Carolina, courtesy of the 2008 Southern League AllStar Game to be played at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, NC on Monday, July 14th.

During this twoday span, the Mudcats, Five County Stadium, the Town of Zebulon, Wake County and the Miracle League of the Triangle will join hands in becoming the epicenter of the Southern League, hosting the 37th annual AllStar game.

The "Magic of Baseball" theme will be pronounced throughout the AllStar experience, beginning with an AllStar Gala dinner on Sunday, July 13th, followed by a luncheon on Monday afternoon. The AllStar
festivities will open with a magical game preceding the main event. The Miracle League of the Triangle, a league for schoolaged children with special needs, will play a game on the field in conjunction with the Southern League AllStar players and coaches. The children will be wearing AllStar Game tshirts, complete with their names and numbers, have their pictures on the Mudcats' video board and approach home plate with their own personalized introductory walkup music. The custom AllStar jerseys that the Southern League AllStars will wear will be auctioned of during the game and the proceeds will be donated to the Miracle League.

The 37th Annual Southern League AllStar Game, which will feature the premier prospects in the game, and a postgame party, will complete the "Magic of Baseball" experience.

"It is an honor and a privilege to be involved in the AllStar Game and the Carolina Mudcats baseball
organization," said Tammi Ditmar, Executive Director of the Miracle League of the Triangle. "Opportunities like this happen once in a lifetime. For our children and their families, this is a long, lost dream come true. To play the game of baseball with "real" players will change the lives of these players and families forever. Thank you on behalf of the Board of Directors, families and our players."

"Wake County is proud to support Five County Stadium and our Carolina Mudcats as they are tapped to host the 2008 Southern League AllStar Game," said Joe Bryan, Chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners. "It's a great opportunity to showcase our County's hospitality and athleticism to visitors from around the region, and it builds on the economic and recreational benefits we already enjoy in eastern Wake County. Congratulations to the entire Mudcats' organization!"

"It is with great pleasure that the Town of Zebulon and Wake County host the Southern League AllStar
game at Five County Stadium," echoed Zebulon's Mayor, Robert Matheny.

"We are thrilled that Five County Stadium will be the site of the 2008 Southern League AllStar Game," said Scott Dupree, the Director of Sports Marketing for the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. "The game means the sports spotlight will shine on Zebulon, providing tremendous visibility and exposure for the community. There is no doubt this game will be one of the real highlights on the regional sports calendar in 2008."

The Southern League AllStar Game, the fourth featuring the North pitted against the South, will be the second time Five County Stadium has hosted the contest, although in 1997, the game assumed a much different format and flavor. A decade ago, the circuit's top prospects joined into one club to defeat the Seattle Mariners 93.

Details regarding festivities, tickets, sponsorships, broadcasting arrangements and other pregame events will be released in the coming weeks.

The 2007 AllStar game was held at Trustmark Park in Pearl, MS with four Mudcats named to the Northern
Division team. Carolina 3B Lee Mitchell earned MVP honors in the North's victory.

For more information on the Mudcats and the Southern League, please consult the official websites of the Mudcats (www.gomudcats.com), the Southern League (www.southernleague.com) and the Miracle League of the Triangle (www.miracleleagueofthetriangle.com).