M.S Deal Stadium hosted professional baseball for just one season, 1951, but it was a memorable one as the Granite Falls Graniteers of the Western Carolina League went a miserable 14-96. After serving exclusively as an amateur facility since 1951, pro baseball returned to M.S. Deal Stadium in 2006 when the Hickory Crawdads played one home game here as a special "throwback" event. The ballpark, located on the grounds of the Granite Falls Middle School, consists of all concrete seating, with no chairs or benches. There has been talk about the Crawdads game being an annual event, though the ballpark wouldn't seem to warrant this kind of attention. Still, it was nice to see pro baseball return here for at least one day.
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